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In our time on Threads, the Buffer team has picked up some patterns — here are our tried-and-tested strategies for growing your following on Instagram’s new platform.

Move over YouTube Studio: there’s another video creator platform in town. TikTok has launched a brand-new companion app, TikTok Studio — and it comes with some handy dandy new features.

TikTok Studio is an overhauled version of ‘Creator tools’ within the TikTok app and the Creator Center web app, and bears a striking resemblance to YouTube Studio. 

Think of it as a creator control room — like a backstage area where you can edit content, monitor post-performance, check in on monetization, and more.

Before you ask, yes — you can do a lot of this within TikTok itself. But there are a few extra helpful features that you’ll not find elsewhere.

It’s also pretty neat having all these tools in a separate app, if, like me, you tend to get distracted by your For You Page when you attempt to open TikTok to check in on content performance. 

In this guide, I’ll walk you through this must-try new tool for creators and brands and share how to find all the hidden gems TikTok Studio offers to help you grow on TikTok. 

What is TikTok Studio?

The TikTok studio app — downloaded separately from TikTok — is a one-stop shop for creators looking to grow on the platform and monetize their content. 

Not to be confused with TikTok LIVE Studio, TikTok’s desktop streaming platform, there are three ways to access TikTok Studio:

1. Download the TikTok Studio app on the Apple or Android app stores
2. Head over to tiktok.com/tiktokstudio in your desktop browser
3. Within the TikTok app itself. Tap ‘Profile’ on the bottom right corner of the screen, then TikTok Studio under your bio. 

Wait, if I can get all this on the TikTok app, why do I need the TikTok Studio app? Good question. According to TikTok, the Studio app has a bit of an edge on the version available within the regular TikTok app. 

“The TikTok Studio provides creators with access to enhanced web analytics, bulk upload, and feedback; offers more advanced management and control capabilities, and helps to better solve advanced user needs.”

Plus, as I mentioned above, it’s helpful not to be within the TikTok app itself if you’re in content creation mode — no FYP distractions! If you fancied it, you could actually create and manage all your content in TikTok Studio, and have no need for the TikTok app itself.

How to use TikTok Studio

How to edit photos, auto-cut videos, and film

Right at the top of the ‘Overview’ tab, you’ll find three buttons that open an editing suite just like you’ll find within the TikTok app itself: ‘Photo editor,’ ‘AutoCut,’ and ‘Camera.’

You’ll also be able to access all these tools, along with your drafts, by tapping the ‘Create’ button at the bottom of the app. 

Anything created with these tools can be posted directly to TikTok — no need to download and reupload within the TikTok app itself. A nifty feature here is that any drafts you create within TikTok Studio won’t be visible to you on your feed, as they are within the TikTok app. No more drafts clogging up your profile page view!

Photo editor

Photo editor is where you can create TikTok carousels or covers for your videos. In this simple interface, you can crop, resize, add text to, or apply a filter to a photo. 

Autocut

Autocut is a bare-bones video editor, that allows users to upload clips and have TikTok Studio stitch them together according to a handful of templates, which add transitions and effects to the finished product based on a selection of TikTok trending audio. 

Camera

The Camera button opens a replica of TikTok’s ‘Create’ window. Here, you can do everything you would usually do in TikTok: create videos, use filters, find trending sounds, edit videos, post Stories, and more. 

How to find inspiration

Scroll down within the Overview (or 'Home') tab to find some useful inspiration for your next post, including Trending posts (which you can filter down by topic and location), and Recommended. The latter is particularly helpful for niched-down TikTokers who want a better sense of content that is already resonating with their target audience. 

Here, you’ll be able to scroll through a selection of high-performing posts TikTok has classified to be similar to your own, other posts viewed by your followers, and an overview of similar creators. 

How to analyze your content performance

In my opinion, this is where TikTok Studio really shines. You’ll find all the analytics offered within the primary TikTok app and then some, all arranged within a single dashboard. 

Within the ‘Analytics’ tab, you’ll find:

Overview

A bird’s-eye view of your content performance over a specific time period (7 days, 28 days, 60 days, or custom).

Content

Your top nine trending posts from the past week (TikTok classifies these as the posts with the “fastest growth.”) You can tap on each of these posts to take a deep dive into the metrics for that specific video or carousel. 

Unfortunately, there’s nothing new on offer within these analytics windows. You’ll find exactly the same data as what you’ll find by tapping ‘More insights’ on one of your posts within the TikTok app. You’ll be able to see key metrics, viewer details, and engagement on each post. 

Followers

The ‘having an account that’s been active for 30 days, having’ tab is a real gem, as it provides you with essential insights into your followers. Here, you’ll be able to track follower growth, see a breakdown of your audience by gender, age, country, and city, and see their most active times on the app to help you decipher the best time to post on TikTok. 

How to track and manage monetization

Within the 'Monetization' tab, you’ll find an overview of all your recent earnings, plus all the programs you can join to can earn money from your TikTok content.

Head over here for a full guide to monetizing on TikTok. Here’s a brief look at the programs you can access in TikTok Studio:

Work with artists

This program incentivizes creators to use certain audio on their TikToks. The better your content performs, the more money you’ll earn. To be eligible to take part in this program, you’ll need to have more than 1,000 followers, be at least 18 years old, and pass an anti-cheating verification. 

Video gifts

Gifts offer a way for TikTok users to support their favorite creators. To turn this feature on as a creator, you’ll need to tick a couple of eligibility boxes, like having an account that’s been active for 30 days, having at least 1,000 followers, and a few more. 

Creator rewards program

The gold standard of native monetization options for TikTok creators, the Creator Rewards Program offers creators a way to earn money for videos longer than a minute. The eligibility requirements for this program are a little tougher to meet. For starters, you’ll need at least 10,000 followers and a video that has had more than 100,000 views in the past 30 days. 

Subscription

Subscription creators build a community on TikTok that pays them for their content. This is another one with slightly tougher eligibility requirements. You’ll need to complete TikTok’s LIVE Creator Growth Program, have gone live for at least 30 minutes in the past 30 days, and have at least 1,000 followers, along with a few others. 

Creator Marketplace

This neat TikTok program will allow brands and creators to connect more easily. To join the program, you’ll need to have more than 10,000 followers, have posted more than three videos in the last 30 days, and a few other items. 

How to manage and reply to comments

Under the ‘Manage’ tab, you’ll find another really handy feature —  the ability to keep track of and make sure you’ve replied to all the comments on your posts.

It’s a far more streamlined way to keep on top of these important engagements than you’ll find on the TikTok app itself. 

You can even sort the comments to tackle whatever is most important to you first: the comments with the most replies, comments from followers, and even comments from TikTok users with higher (or lower) follower counts. 

On the hunt for more TikTok resources?

If you’re looking to grow your audience on TikTok — easier said than done these days — we can help. Here’s a list of essential guides that will help you on your TikTok creator journey:

Guide to growing on TikTok 

So whether you're a TikTok newbie or looking to take your account to the next level, this guide is a must-read to help you achieve your TikTok goals and reach potential followers.

Get the TikTok Growth Guide →

The best time to post on TikTok

We analyzed more than 1 million TikTok videos to see which time slots got the most views.

Here are the best times to post on TikTok today →

The TikTok algorithm guide

A deep dive into the TikTok algorithm, how it works, and how you can work with it to enhance your visibility and engagement on the platform.

Get the TikTok algorithm guide →

Schedule and cross-post your videos

Work smarter, not harder, with Buffer’s suite of TikTok tools. Schedule your videos at the best time for views and engagement, and maximize your output by scheduling or posting on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, too. 

Here’s how to auto- and cross-post your videos →