TikTok is rolling out text posts for the first time.

Historically, brands and influencers have been able to create content across a variety of formats such as live videos, photos, Duets, Stitch and more – but text was never an option.

Now, creators have that additional resource to connect with their audiences, enabling them to spread their messages through poems, lyrics and any other written content on TikTok.

Why we care. Providing brands with the ability to share text posts is another method in which they can reach and engage their audience. While some TikTok users may be responsive to live videos, others are more likely to connect with text posts. Giving marketers this additional resource is helping them to draw in an audience that may have previously been untapped. The bigger the audience a brand is able to reach and engage with, the higher the possible ROI.

New features. To make text posts as engaging as possible, TikTok has also launched a number of features for content creators to experiment with when posting text, including:

• Stickers: TikTok has a range of stickers that creators can use to enhance their text posts.
• Tags and hashtags: In the same way that you can with video and photo posts, tags and hashtags can also be used with text posts.
• Background colors: Content creators can choose a color to layer behind their text to make their message pop.
• Sound: TikTok has stressed that sound is a vital part of the user experience, so it has given brands the option to add sound to their text posts.
• Draft and discard: If a creator doesn’t want to publish a text post they’ve been working on, they can save it in drafts to return to later, or discard it.

How it works. TikTok has rolled out the new text post feature to simplify the content creation process. Simply follow these steps to publish your first text post:

• Create a text post: Go to your camera page and you’ll be greeted with three options; photo, video and text. Choose text and you’ll be taken to the text creation page where you can start typing.
• Enhance your text post: After writing out your text post, enhance it by using some of the features mentioned earlier, such as stickers, hashtags and sound, to make it as engaging for the user as possible.
• Publish: Once you’re happy with your end product, share your message with your followers.

What has TikTok said? TikTok announced its text post expansion via a statement published in its newsroom. A spokesperson said: 

• “We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of text posts on TikTok, a new format for creating text-based content that broadens options for creators to share their ideas and express their creativity.” 
• “With text posts, we’re expanding the boundaries of content creation for everyone on TikTok, giving the written creativity we’ve seen in comments, captions, and videos a dedicated space to shine.”
• “We’re excited to see what our community will create with text posts, a new way to express and share your creativity on TikTok.”