Learning how to do a voiceover on Tiktok is a great way to make interesting content for this platform. Throughout this article, we’ll try to learn about Tiktok and voiceover. We’ll figure out how to do a voiceover on Tiktok from a technical standpoint. We’ll also try to understand when it’s best to use voiceover and how to make it stand out.
Some Background on Tiktok
Tiktok is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service. By October 2020, Tiktok had surpassed 2 billion downloads worldwide. In the United States alone, it has been downloaded over 130 million times. By July 2020, Tiktok had over 800 million monthly users around the world, actively interacting and using the service.
Tiktok basically carries short videos which can last for about 15 seconds to 1 minute. The videos can be about many different subjects. Some of them can be comedic but there are others which may attempt to educate on a subject. Evidently, they must be entertaining if they want to capture the attention of the users.
Many celebrities and organizations now have a robust presence on Tiktok. The NFL, for instance, announced a partnership with Tiktok on 2019, to span several years. Like the NFL, many companies, large and small, have realized the tremendous marketing opportunity that Tiktok represents. The thrust of these efforts is generally centered around the creation of an official channel, which in turn generates videos, hashtags and other marketing ideas to expand the brand and communicate what it does.
Tiktok and Douyin
It’s important to notice that there’s a distinction between Tiktok and Douyin. Both services are very similar, but Tiktok is aimed at countries other than China. Douyin, on the other hand, is the service for China as such.
Douyin offers certain interesting features, particularly in e-commerce. It allows users to buy products featured in videos, book hotels after watching a video of such an establishment, take virtual tours of stores and restaurants, and more.
Evidently, it allows creators to upload short videos, much like Tiktok. Also, like Tiktok, Douyin adjusts to the preferences and searches of a user. Its algorithms are geared towards showing a user more of what they’re clicking on and watching.
Basics of Tiktok
Ok, so what is Tiktok exactly? The best way to learn how to do a voiceover on Tiktok is downloading the app. That seems fairly obvious. Not only is there a necessary trial and error when creating these things but it’s also vital to get to know the platform very well. Good knowledge of the type of content, creators and the tone and style of the videos will go a long way in informing what we can attempt with our voiceovers.
Having said that, let’s try to go over Tiktok in some detail. As we pointed out earlier, Tiktok allows its users to create short videos. These videos often use music and may use any number of filters. Many users create videos lip-syncing to popular songs or using certain sounds that have gained popularity throughout the platform.
Tiktok tries to tailor the offer to each user. To this end, the ‘For You’ page is a sort of feed that recommends videos. This content is tailored by Tiktok’s artificial intelligence, centering on several things and several actions taken by the specific user: likes, interactions, searches, favorites, dislikes (‘not interested’).
A popular element in Tiktok is the ‘react’ feature. This allows users to film their reaction to a specific video and place it in a small window on the screen. A similar thing is the ‘duet’ which allows a user to film a video aside another video. If a user doesn’t want to post a Tiktok just yet, they can store it in ‘drafts’.
Also, it’s important to notice that a user can follow other accounts and users. This way, a user will see a ‘following’ page in the ‘for you’ section, with their favorite creators.
Adding Voiceover on Tiktok: The Basic Steps
When learning how to do a voiceover on Tiktok, we have to start by learning the basic procedure:
Open Tiktok.
Click on the ‘+’ to create a new Tiktok.
Record a video or use a video you already have.
In editing, click on the icon for ‘Voiceover’.
Click on ‘Record’ and record your voiceover. Note that it’s possible to keep the original sound or not. Click on ‘Keep original sound’ and watch the checkmark disappear; this means that the original sound won’t be kept.
Once the recording is done, press ‘Play’. Then, click on ‘Save’.
Now consider adding effects like you would in any other Tiktok.
Write down the description of the Tiktok and post it!
What is Voiceover?
Very well, what about voiceover? What is it exactly, and how can we best use it on a Tiktok video?
To properly understand the place of voiceover in content, we need to analyze its use in different pieces of content. Voiceover is used in content such as film, television, documentaries, radio/audio ads and much more.
Voiceover in Film and Television
Robert McKee explains its use in film: “Voiceover narration is yet another way to divulge exposition. Like the flashback, it’s done well or ill.” Although McKee is generally against the use of voiceover, he does concede that it has its uses in film.
Regarding the use of voiceover in Woody Allen films, he concedes that: “Counterpoint narration is Woody Allen’s great gift. If we were sure to cut the voiceover from ‘Hannah and her Sisters’ or ‘Husbands and Wives’ his stories would still be lucid and effective. But why would we? His narration offers wit, ironies, and insights that can’t be done any other way. Voiceover to add non-narrative counterpoint can be delightful.”
Voiceover in Documentaries
Documentaries use voiceover quite profusely. This happens because documentaries often have a wealth of information that must be delivered. Since dramatizing such information is basically impossible, voiceover remains a powerful and useful tool.
Even in the case of documentaries though, we can notice that voiceover is used pointedly and only when necessary.
Voiceover in Tiktok: Getting it Perfect
When it comes to creating voiceover in Tiktok videos we need to learn several things. For one, there’s the obvious technical aspect. There’s another element and that’s the craft of using voiceover. Let’s take a look.
Principles of Voiceover
When learning how to do a voiceover on Tiktok, it’s useful to remember certain things about voiceover in general:
If you can show it, avoid explaining it with a voiceover. Show and don’t tell as much as possible.
Resist the temptation to show and explain the same thing. This sort of overstating is seldom necessary, unless it serves as a sort of specific dramatic device.
Narrate things happening off-screen. Voice over is sometimes useful in conveying information happening off-screen in a very rapid manner.
Use voice over to add a layer of irony. Irony can be created with the combination of images and a voice over counterpoint.
Voice over for character. Complexity and layers of character may be communicated via voice over.
Thematic monologue. We must always remember to honor the theme and premise of our content with our voice over. Talk for the sake of talk can be boring.
Let them speak. Most of the movement of the story will be carried by the subjects themselves, without a need for voice over monologues.
Uses of Tiktok Voiceover
As we mentioned earlier in this article, Tiktok is a rather informal and playful platform. The best Tiktoks are usually fun and entertaining, able to capture the attention of the user. It’s vital to understand that the competition for the attention of the user is quite tough: there are great creators putting out very entertaining content.
When we try to create Tiktoks for a brand, company or personal business, we’re usually aiming to use the platform for marketing. There are other times when the purpose of the Tiktoks will be to educate the users on a particular product or service. Although these aims are quite achievable, it’s useful to understand the platform and the users.
To this end, always make sure that your Tiktoks are fun. Remember to keep them pithy. The temptation to push out a lot of Tiktoks is alluring since it’s so simple to do little videos and post them. Remember though, to give it your all; shoddy Tiktoks will simply alienate the user. When learning how to do a voiceover on Tiktok, making it entertaining is perhaps the number one priority.
Once you build an audience, in the way of followers, you can begin to post content that may be a bit more informative and less glitzy. In the meantime, though, attempt to make a splash in the platform with top-notch attention-grabbing Tiktoks.
The Audience of your Tiktoks
Tiktok users are about 44% female and 56% male. Also, quite notably, users are generally on the younger side; 41% of them are aged between 16 and 24.
At first glance, these statistics would indicate that some businesses won’t profit from being on Tiktok, but there are some considerations to make. Perhaps your business/brand is not quite directed towards younger people. A robust Tiktok presence may still yield returns though.
Note that the artificial intelligence and algorithms in Tiktok will eventually help your videos find an audience. More importantly, though, a presence on Tiktok may be part of a complete media strategy; perhaps you could lose more by not being on the platform than by being there with a smaller following. Also, being on Tiktok doesn’t mean that a company has to post videos too often. A great Tiktok once every two weeks or once a month could do it.
The Gist of It
Throughout this article we tried to examine Tiktok and voiceover. We tried to figure out the best way to learn how to do a voiceover on Tiktok from a technical standpoint and from a craft/artistic perspective.
The Bunny Studio Way
If you’re looking to create content for Tiktok but don’t really know where to begin, look to Bunny Studio. The talent in Bunny Studio is perfectly capable of creating great Tiktoks for you and your business.
Whether you’re looking to create Tiktok content in general or you have a specific feature (voiceover) you need, Bunny Studio can help you out. You may need assistance in creating a Tiktok, a Tiktok campaign, or in adding a specific voice to your Tiktoks, among many more possibilities…
