Tiktok isn’t for everyone.
The feed can be overwhelming, the memes and trending sounds might go right over your head and there’s far too much content to try and keep on top of it. It also takes a lot of time and effort to manage, a lot more than some businesses have to dedicate to it successfully.
However, just because it might not be the right channel for your social strategy, doesn’t mean there aren’t things we can learn from it and employ on other channels. For example, there is a really strong emphasis on education on TikTok. There’s a reason why TikTok has a STEM feed. People on TikTok love to learn and they love to share their knowledge.
Because educational videos do so well on TikTok, there’s nothing to say similar content wouldn’t also do well on other channels, if you know what makes them engaging. Here are 5 lessons you can learn from TikTok on creating educational but entertaining content:
Know your niche
There’s a niche for everyone on the internet and TikTok is like a microcosm of the internet.
There are thousands of mini-communities on TikTok so there’s always an audience. Some communities are small and some are surprisingly big but more often than not they’re genuinely interested in what you have to say. People are also extremely fascinated by worlds completely foreign to them, So if your knowledge is somewhat niche or unusual, people will be interested.
Once you’ve found your niche, stick with it. It’ll be your passion for that specific subject that will keep people asking for more.
Keep it simple and specific
Even after you’ve picked your specialist subject, you might find there are hundreds, maybe thousands of different things you can talk about. People aren’t going to be interested in generalisations or complicated topics.
Instead, each video should be a slice of the cake, focusing on one aspect at a time. It can be really specific too. For example, instead of one long videos about the history of Underground station names, each video discusses one in detail.
Stick to the script
We all have shorter attention spans (mostly thanks to social media) and we’d rather learn about one specific thing in three minutes than spend 20 or 30 minutes learning about a lot of things.
The best educational videos focus on one particular concept, task or event. Knowing exactly what to say whilst keeping the video short can only be achieved by preparing a script before you film. A script will ensure you can fit in all the information you want to communicate in the set time limit (edit, edit edit!) as well as help you to deliver the information clearly without any unnecessary waffle. Use a teleprompter app if you’re not good at memorising lines.
Keep it visual
What you are saying is important, but your audience needs visuals too. Props, images or video help support what you are telling people about. If you’re discussing data or scientific principles, why not include some sources to back up what you are saying. If it is a slightly more complicated topic, a diagram or animation will help to visualise it. Maybe your video is about a particular item, in which case have it to hand! Some people learn better with something to look at.
Be enthusiastic
Remember, you’re the one with the knowledge, a great communicator knows this and is confident and relaxed in front of the camera.
Not ready to be on camera just yet? A lot of TikTokers choose to stay behind the camera and appear as a voice only. It’s a good place to start, gain some confidence and work up to appearing on camera. Either way, you’re the subject matter expect. If you sound like you know your stuff and are passionate about the topic, people will be interested and will want to know more.
Here are some more quick tips:
- Pay attention to the comments and the questions people are asking, that’s where ideas for future videos might be born.
- Use breaking or trending news topics to help educate.
- Make sure your video has subtitles, especially if you’re using a lot of scientific words or names.
- Put big numbers into context to help people understand scale.
- Show your passion for the subject! That passion can be contagious.
- Speak to your target audience the way they speak. Keep things informal. Use slang!
Got any more suggestions or have any questions about this topic? Add a comment below.
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Tallie Proud - Digital Mentor 
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