TikTok

TikTok shows each video to a test audience regardless of follower count and expands it if people watch, rewatch, comment, share and save. The first second decides whether any of that happens. Write for a thumb that is already moving.

Current facts (as of September 2026 - re-check with web_search if a number matters)

• Video length: up to 10 minutes recorded in-app; uploads up to 60 minutes for eligible accounts. Short videos (roughly 15-60 s) remain the default for reach; longer videos work when retention holds.
• Caption: up to 4,000 characters (most sources; a few still cite 2,200). The feed shows roughly the first 100-150 characters.
• Vertical 9:16, 1080x1920 is the standard.
• Captions and on-screen text are indexed for TikTok search, which many users use like a search engine.

Audience and what performs

• Broad and young-skewing but increasingly all ages; strong niches ("BookTok", "FoodTok", "CleanTok", tech tips, small business, education).
• Performs: native-feeling, lo-fi, face to camera, fast pacing, clear payoff, trends adapted to the niche, series ("Part 2"), useful tips people save, stories with tension.
• Does not: polished ads that look like ads, slow intros, logos first, horizontal video, reposts with other platforms' watermarks.

Script structure (15-60 s)

1. Hook, 0-2 s: visual + spoken + on-screen text at once. Start mid-action or with the result.
   • "Stop doing <common thing> - do this instead."
   • "I spent $<n> so you don't have to."
   • "3 apps that feel illegal to know about." (only if they truly are that useful)
   • Show the finished result first, then "here's how".
2. Promise / tension, 2-5 s: why keep watching.
3. Body: one idea, fast cuts every 1-3 s, each beat adds something. No filler.
4. Payoff: deliver what the hook promised.
5. End: loop back to the first frame, a punchline, or a reason to comment ("Which one would you pick?") or follow ("Part 2 tomorrow").

On-screen text

• Hook text in the first frame, large, inside safe zones (avoid the bottom ~20% and right edge where UI sits).
• Short phrases, synced to speech; many viewers watch muted.
• Auto-captions on for accessibility; fix errors.

Caption

• First line extends the hook or adds context; include the key search words naturally.
• Optional question to invite comments.
• 3-5 relevant hashtags: 1-2 niche, 1-2 topic, maybe 1 broad. Skip #fyp-style tags; they add nothing.

Trends and sounds

• web_search for current trends in the niche ("TikTok trends <niche> <month year>"); trends move in days, so never rely on memory.
• Adapt the format to the user's message; do not copy the content.
• Commercial accounts must use the Commercial Music Library; flag this for business users.

Cadence

• Frequent is fine on TikTok: 3-7 posts a week is a common range for growing accounts; consistency matters more than the exact number.
• Test multiple hooks for the same idea across posts; the hook is the variable that matters most.
• Reply to comments with video replies; they are cheap, native content.

Repurposing

• To Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts: re-export without the TikTok watermark, adjust caption and hashtags per platform.
• From long-form (YouTube, podcasts, blog): pull single insights, each becomes one video.
• From X threads: each point becomes a video in a series.

Avoid

• Hooks that the video does not pay off (people swipe, and retention drops).
• Medical, financial or legal claims presented as fact without sources; misleading edits.
• Copyrighted music on business accounts.
• Engagement bait ("comment 'yes' for part 2" as the only content).
• Fake reviews, undisclosed paid promotion (use the branded content toggle).
• Publishing anything without the user's explicit approval.

Output

Use templates/short-video-script.md. Provide 3 hook variants and mark the recommended one.