Exploring the Potential of TikTok Stories and Longer Videos for Brands

TikTok has taken the social media world by storm since going viral in 2019, amassing over a billion global users and becoming the go-to destination for snappy, entertaining short-form videos. The app‘s meteoric rise pushed competitors like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook to quickly launch copycat short video features of their own in an attempt to capture some of TikTok‘s magic.

But now, the tables have turned as TikTok ventures into its rivals‘ territory with the limited launch of familiar features: Stories that disappear after 24 hours and the ability to post videos up to 10 minutes long. The move has left many marketers wondering if TikTok is still just for quirky Gen Z dance trends or if it is maturing into a more versatile social platform that demands their brand‘s presence. Let‘s unpack what TikTok Stories and long videos mean for businesses and break down actionable tips your brand can use to make the most of TikTok‘s evolving capabilities.

What Are TikTok Stories?

TikTok Stories are short user-generated videos or images that appear in the app‘s main For You feed but vanish after 24 hours, just like the ephemeral Stories originally popularized by Snapchat and later imitated by Instagram, Facebook, and others. Users can identify when an account they follow has an active Story when the profile picture has a blue ring around it.

Though not yet released globally, TikTok has expanded its initial Stories pilot to more countries, including the United States, after early testing in Brazil last year. When you have access to the feature, posting a Story is a similar process to creating a standard TikTok:

1. Open the posting tool by tapping the "+" button
2. Record a video or photo and enhance it with sounds, text, and effects as desired
3. Select "Post to Story" to instantly share the content to your Story and followers‘ feeds (Stories don‘t allow for typical post details like descriptions and hashtags)

Viewing Stories is a bit trickier. They can appear in your main For You feed as you scroll, where tapping the profile icon will open the Story instead of the creator‘s profile. You can also access Stories by going to a user‘s profile and tapping their avatar if the telltale blue ring is present. Unlike standard TikToks, viewers can‘t engage with Stories through likes, comments, or video replies, reinforcing their temporary nature.

The Origin Story Behind Stories

While TikTok is just now testing the waters with disappearing content, Stories originated on Snapchat way back in 2013 as collections of vertical-format photos and videos that users could embellish with text, drawings, filters, and more before sharing to their profile for 24 hours. The format proved incredibly popular, especially with younger users, and Snapchat soon soared to become the hottest new social app.

Recognizing the threat to its dominance, Facebook-owned Instagram rolled out a blatant clone of Snapchat Stories in 2016 that quickly eclipsed Snapchat‘s user base thanks to Instagram‘s larger audience. Facebook itself, WhatsApp, YouTube, LinkedIn, and even Twitter would go on to release their own versions of the feature with varying degrees of success. While Instagram Stories remain wildly popular today, others like YouTube Stories and Twitter Fleets already fizzled out and disappeared due to low adoption.

Should Brands Bother With TikTok Stories?

It remains to be seen whether TikTok Stories will be a hit or go the way of YouTube Stories and vanish into obscurity. Based on our own experience so far and feedback from avid TikTok users, discoverability is a major hurdle as there is no dedicated Stories section in the app and the blue rings indicating a Story is available are easy to miss when rapidly scrolling through your For You page. TikTok may address this in future iterations, but for now, it seems most users aren‘t going out of their way to seek out and watch Stories when their feeds are already overflowing with entertaining content.

The ephemeral nature of Stories also makes it harder to grow an engaged following compared to posting standard TikToks that live on your profile and can resurface in the For You feed over time. Creators have built massive audiences by posting multi-part series that they link together, which isn‘t really viable with Stories that vanish after a day.

That said, if your brand already has an active TikTok presence, there‘s no harm in experimenting with a few Stories to see if they resonate with your unique audience. Some major TikTok influencers claim the app may give an extra algorithmic boost to accounts using the Stories feature since it‘s new, though TikTok has not confirmed this. Just be sure to keep these tips in mind:

• Ensure your Stories are fast-paced and engaging to fit the tone of the TikTok community
• Create a regular TikTok encouraging users to check out your Story for bonus content
• Focus on sharing authentic behind-the-scenes glimpses rather than overly polished clips
• Use Stories to build hype for an upcoming launch or event with exclusive sneak peeks
• Don‘t rely on Stories alone to substantially grow your following or generate engagement

At this stage, TikTok Stories alone aren‘t a compelling enough reason to join the platform if your brand isn‘t there already. But they can be a supplementary tactic to surprise and delight an audience you‘ve already cultivated on TikTok when used strategically. The real opportunity for most brands still lies in crafting compelling short-form and long-form TikTok videos.

The Shift to Longer TikTok Videos

For a long time, TikTok was synonymous with bite-sized videos, and the app intentionally capped video lengths at one minute to keep users consuming content in rapid-fire short bursts. That changed last year when TikTok began allowing videos up to three minutes long, and again in February 2022 when it expanded the time limit to a whopping 10 minutes for all users globally.

On the surface, the move to long-form seems at odds with the short attention spans TikTok has catered to and helped fuel. But TikTok says videos longer than one minute had already garnered over 5 billion views globally, proving there was an appetite for more in-depth content from creators that were maxing out the previous one and three-minute limitations.

The shift also comes as TikTok faces increased competition from Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and other copycats vying for creators and viewers in the short-video space. By offering support for all video lengths, TikTok can compete more directly with YouTube‘s long-form dominance while still maintaining its niche in snackable content. Longer videos also mean more potential ad slots for TikTok, which is crucial as it looks to ramp up monetization.

Tips for Going Long on TikTok (Without Losing Your Audience)

Just because TikTok now allows 10-minute videos doesn‘t necessarily mean you should start regularly posting content that long. Remember, users are conditioned to expect quick, punchy videos in their For You feeds and may swipe away if your video doesn‘t immediately grab their attention and deliver value.

Reserve longer videos for content that truly warrants a deeper dive, such as:

• In-depth tutorials and how-to guides
• Storytimes and vlogs documenting an event or experience
• Detailed product reviews and comparisons
• Interviews with industry experts or thought leaders
• Behind-the-scenes looks at your business or creative process

Even with longer videos, strive to hook viewers in the first few seconds with an intriguing intro that teases the value to come. Use jump cuts, quick edits, and on-screen text to maintain a brisk pace throughout. You can always break longer content into a multi-part series to keep users coming back for more.

The Big Picture: Is TikTok Losing Its Edge or Hitting Its Stride?

On the surface, TikTok‘s copycat moves with Stories and long videos can seem like a desperate attempt to keep up with competitors as its early mover advantage fades. But it may actually be a sign that TikTok is maturing from a viral video app into a more robust social media platform that can attract an even wider range of users and use cases.

While TikTok is best known for dance challenges and lip-sync videos, the app has increasingly become a hub for bite-sized edu-tainment content across verticals like cooking, fitness, beauty, personal finance, and more. Giving users the flexibility to go longer when needed could help creators provide more value to their audiences without having to redirect them off-platform to YouTube or Instagram.

Similarly, adding lightweight, low-pressure Stories can entice camera-shy users to start creating and allow popular TikTokers to engage fans between polished posts. More than a billion people already use the Stories format across apps like Instagram and Facebook every day, so it makes sense for TikTok to meet that demand.

As TikTok‘s audience and ambitions grow, the app needs more than just its trademark short videos to keep users engaged and fend off competitors. By expanding into adjacent formats, TikTok is laying the groundwork to become an all-in-one video destination for everything from silly sketches to series-worthy shows. The real test will be whether TikTok can continue to innovate and maintain its uniquely addictive essence as it stretches in new directions.

Is TikTok Right for Your Brand?

No matter how TikTok evolves, not every brand needs to jump on the bandwagon just because it‘s the shiniest new thing in social media. TikTok‘s hyper-casual, entertainment-centric environment isn‘t a fit for every business, and it requires a distinct content strategy compared to more buttoned-up platforms like LinkedIn.

To determine if TikTok is worth your time, consider these factors:

• Audience: Does your target customer demographic align with TikTok‘s core audience of teens and young adults? Are there relevant niche communities active on the app?
• Tone: Is your brand comfortable adopting a more playful, lighthearted tone that resonates with TikTok‘s fun, unfiltered vibe? Can you create casual content that blends in organically?
• Creativity: Do you have the bandwidth and skills to regularly produce creative short videos that capitalize on trending music, hashtags, filters, and formats?
• Consistency: TikTok favors accounts that post new content frequently. Do you have systems in place to keep a steady flow of fresh videos rolling out?

If you answered yes to most of those questions, brainstorm some relevant ways your brand can add value on TikTok, whether that‘s sharing your expertise through snappy tutorial videos or pulling back the curtain on your company culture. Start with a few simple videos to test the waters and iterate based on what strikes a chord with your budding audience.

You don‘t need a huge production budget or influence to find your niche on TikTok if you can tap into the trends and consistently provide value. Stay open to experimentation and don‘t be afraid to let your brand‘s personality shine through. With the right organic approach, your brand can make the most of TikTok‘s massive reach no matter how the app‘s features change.