Have you ever been on TikTok and wondered to yourself, "how did someone come up with that idea?" The creativity people channel into their TikTok accounts doesn't always just materialize out of thin air. Sometimes, it comes from spending hours on TikTok and seeing what people are sharing, other times it comes from knowing an industry in a really detailed way, and sometimes those TikTok video ideas come to us from blog posts like this one. 😉 In this article, we're going to share 11 TikTok videos you can create whether you're a new content creator or a big-time brand looking to get more followers.

11 TikTok Video Ideas:

1. Repurpose a YouTube clip
2. Repost an Instagram Reel
3. Jump on a challenge
4. Lip sync to a new song
5. Create a comedy skit
6. Record a get ready with me
7. Share behind the scenes footage
8. Show how your product works
9. Answer viewer/customer questions
10. Run a branded hashtag challenge
11. Show people modeling your product

Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these ideas and look at some examples to help get your own creative gears turning. We’ll start with 6 ideas that work best for independent creators, although they can definitely be adapted for your brand account with some creativity.

6 TikTok ideas for creators with examples

1. Repurpose a YouTube clip

Content creation doesn't always have to be an original piece of content. Many content creators repurpose content from other social media platforms. So, if you're ever stuck on TikTok video ideas, think about what videos you've created for other social media platforms that TikTok users haven't seen yet.

For example, if you have a YouTube channel, you can use a tool like Kapwing to repurpose your YouTube videos and turn them into TikToks. This is especially easy with the new full screen, horizontal feature on TikTok.

Make sure to choose the most interesting clip(s) to share. While you can make up to ten minute long TikToks, short videos are really the bread and butter of the app.

A good practice is to let your TikTok viewers know where they can find the longform version, either in the caption of the post, like the creator below does, or by adding it in your link in bio.

@peachandpumpky

for the 3 ppl that asked <3 longer version is on my youtube

♬ original sound - madeline & fruit cats 🍑🎃🥥🍒

Pro Tip: You can also do this with video podcasts, whether you host them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

2. Repost an Instagram Reel

You can also repost an Instagram Reel and format it for TikTok. So, if you're looking for amazing TikTok video ideas, start by looking through your existing catalog of Reels content, especially Reels with high view counts and good engagement. Whether it's cooking videos or animal videos, there's so much natural overlap between Instagram and TikTok that repurposing your content could be a great way to grow your TikTok audience without needing to produce more unique content.

Take for example hair and fashion creator, Molly Katherine, aka @scarlettohair on TikTok. She often cross-posts between TikTok and Instagram. Here’s an example of one of her latest TikTok:

@scarlettohair @verdessafairy and @On Gossamer Wings ♬ original sound - Molly Katherine

She also posted this video to her Instagram Reels. In fact, you can see here from both her Instagram and TikTok pages that she republishes a lot of her Reels content, although not all of it, as TikToks:

3. Jump on a challenge

You don't need to always come up with your own new TikTok video ideas; you can jump on a TikTok challenge or trend instead. Anyone can start a challenge based around a specific concept or theme that you can join in on. Whether it's an epic lip sync battle or a dance routine, use the unique TikTok hashtag and relevant trending audio that pairs with the post so your content will be visible to everyone else checking out the challenge. Adding your own unique spin to the challenge will help you stand out on TikTok while also giving you an opportunity to flex that creativity of yours.

Not much of a dancer? Not a problem. There are always different types of challenges popping up on TikTok, from dance challenges to work out challenges to musical challenges, to silly partner challenges, like this one where these two brothers attempt the “towel challenge.”

@_thesimpsontwins Everyone thought this would work!😳#twins #challenge #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Tony & Ricky

4. Make a lip sync video

Lip syncing on TikTok is a holdover from the app’s roots as the lip syncing and dancing platform, Musical.ly. If you love music and performance but can’t hit those Ariana Grande notes, lip syncing might be the next best thing, but you don’t just have to lip sync to songs. There are many successful creators on TikTok whose accounts are built around lip syncing to trending spoken audio, too. These videos are usually funny scenes pulled from popular TV shows and movies, with the creator acting out the scene and lip syncing to the words. The better you are at syncing your mouth movements to the audio, the better the video. Take some time to practice before hitting record.

In fact, one of the highest paid TikTokers out there built her whole account on comedy sketches and lip syncing:

@kallmekris

The Accuracy is Comical lol

♬ La Lloyd - La Lloyd's yang🤭💚

5. Create a comedy skit

People often turn to TikTok to shut their brain off and unwind during their lunch break or after work. So, it's no surprise that entertaining people will do the trick at boosting your TikTok engagement. A TikTok video idea you can try is a comedy skit where you (and your friends, partner, or just you on your own) create content to just make people laugh.

If you've recently had a funny conversation with someone (or even had a funny thought pop into your head) you can turn that idea into a script and create a video about it. You can also browse through other funny videos on TikTok for inspiration on the types of content people tend to laugh at the most to help you create engaging content.

Comedy skits tend to work best when you're riffing on a highly relatable topic, like this video about how Americans (thank to TikTok) are obsessed with how Australians pronounce the word "no."

@maddy_macrae_ Replying to @gdamnsam naur we don’t say it like that 🥹 #comedy #skit #sketch #australia #aussie #australian #naur #cleothecondensation ♬ original sound - Maddy

6. Record a get ready with me

“Get ready with me” videos have always been popular on social media since YouTube’s early days and TikTok is no exception. Content creators often share life tips or talk about their day while putting on makeup.

As a content creator, you can also create videos featuring branded products, such as clothing from the brands you shop at or sharing the beauty products you're using when touching up your makeup. It's a way to collaborate with brands while still creating content that provides value and entertainment to your followers. Get ready with me videos tend to be popular on TikTok making it one of the best TikTok video ideas for sharing glimpses into your day with your followers.

@sophpontin date night grwm 💞 #makeup #makeuproutine #getreadywithme #datenightmakeup ♬ dancin - dhn

5 TikTok ideas for brands with examples

1. Share behind the scenes footage

Brands can create videos with tons of behind the scenes footage or even turn it into a series. You can show how your product is made, what a day in the life looks like when running your business, interview employees at your company to talk about the projects they're working on, give a tour of your office or store, showcase upcoming product collections being worked on at the moment, and more. The more context you give people about the behind the scenes details of your company the more they'll stand behind your company and see its values in action.

A great example of this is this clip from the Drew Barrymore Show, going behind the scenes of the production and showing a touching moment between Drew and an audience member:

@thedrewbarrymoreshow We 💚 our audience members! #bts #behindthescenes #drewbarrymore ♬ original sound - thedrewbarrymoreshow

2. Show how your product works

A product demo is always best viewed in video format. And on TikTok, you can showcase how exactly your product works when you're stuck on TikTok video ideas. Instead of using the typical product demonstration that your sales team created, you can post videos showcasing your product in a fun, lighthearted, and captivating way. Plus, it'll perform better on TikTok too. No one wants to hear a dry presentation on why they should use a product, but if you've got a cool product that you're selling, you can showcase it via a transformation video, setting a challenge, filming an unboxing experience, sharing the the story of how you came up with product, and more.

Here’s an example from Colourpop Cosmetics showing off some of their older products and “reintroducing” them to their followers:

@colourpopco Replying to @b.isidora An oldie but a goodie 😍✨ Shop Super Shock Highlighter in shade Lunch Money at @Ulta Beauty, @target and on our website! #colourpop #colourpophighlighter #supershockhighlighter #supershock #highlighter #ultahighlighter #targetmakeup #summermakeup ♬ original sound - ColourPop Cosmetics

3. Answer viewer/customer questions

If you're looking for TikTok video ideas, you can always turn to the comment section of your content. There, you'll find various comments from people who are curious about your brand and want to learn more. Take some time to look at the types of questions people ask in DMs and comments.

If you're still relatively small on TikTok, you can turn to your in-house customer support and ask them what kind of questions your support team gets asked the most. Then, you can create a video answering these common questions and providing as much value as possible. When you create educational videos, people will naturally start turning to you for your expertise. Knowing how to tie everything back to your product will help you grow your customer base as you grow your TikTok following too.

Here’s a playful example from a flight attendant, addressing a common issue she sees on flights:

@callmehairdini Most frequently asked question on the plane! ✈️ #flightattendant #flightattendantlife #flight #aircraft #airport #travel #faq #fyp #foryou ♬ Funny Song - Cavendish Music

4. Run a branded hashtag challenge

You can use this social media platform to run a branded hashtag challenge with your followers or influencers to create more user-generated content. Having one to two branded hashtags can be a great way to build hype for your brand during a campaign or to give a hashtag for your business that people can easily share posts with.

Keep in mind that for most branded hashtags people will typically just type in your brand name with a hashtag as it's the easiest thing to remember. However, if your brand name is a common expression, you can come up with a unique branded hashtag and list it in your TikTok bio so people know to use it when creating content about you. Creating a TikTok video telling people about a campaign with a branded hashtag can help you yield more buzz around your brand and give people an easy way to find more content about your brand outside of your own TikTok profile.

Take this example from Duolingo, viral TikTok sensation (and language learning app). Duolingo tags many of their posts with the two branded hashtags #duolingo and #dulapeep. If you look under these tags, you’ll see many videos like this one from Duolingo:

@duolingo when you do your lesson, i lose a feather #duolingo #languagelearning #dulapeep ♬ original sound - 🎧

But you’ll also see plenty of videos from Duolingo users, talking about the app.

5. Show people modeling your product

If your TikTok channel is about a physical product, you'll want to create a TikTok video or two where you showcase people using it. In fashion and beauty, modeling new products can be a great way to introduce people to your products. Get ready with me videos are always super popular and they work well in the fashion and beauty industries. With new styles and products coming out each season (or each week depending on the size of the brand), you can create endless TikTok videos showcasing models wearing different styles. You can also ask people to submit their user-generated content for a chance to be featured so that you don't have to create all your content yourself.

Here’s an example of studio filmed footage from H&M:

@hm Stellar styles and striking silhouettes to approach summer with added style points. #HMStyleEdit #HMMan #fashiontiktok #mensfashion #HM ♬ originalljud - H&M

And here’s some UGC that Abercrombie posted on their account, highlighting some of their athleisure pieces:

@abercrombie Feel good days start in Abercrombie and end in #YPB. @Allison Kelley #abercrombie #abercrombieactive #abercrombiefashion #fyp #abercrombieootd #dayinthelife ♬ original sound - abercrombie

How to find inspiration for your next TikTok videos

1. Use SEO research

You can find countless ideas for TikTok videos by doing some SEO research on TikTok — finding keywords and browsing collections of hashtags. It doesn't matter whether you create dance videos or lip syncing videos, you can use hashtag searches by searching exactly what kind of content you're looking to create so you can ride the TikTok algorithm's wave.

If you're in a specific niche, you can type in a word that’s relevant to your niche and search for it in TikTok's search engine. Then, you can browse through all of the TikTok videos you find and determine which type of videos get the highest levels of engagement. You can also look to see what other relevant hashtags people use on their videos, so you can find even more relevant content.

2. Join the latest trends

The latest trends on TikTok aren't just about the coolest dances to the latest songs. In 2023 and beyond, you'll be seeing more people turn to TikTok as a source of education, product reviews, and community.

Of course, you can still create your own challenge, spark joy with entertaining videos, or emulate a viral video that's unlike anything anyone has ever seen. However, as TikTok grows, focus on TikTok's overall trends of educating people, entertaining them, and building an online community with your followers to stay ahead of the curve. You can get tons of TikTok ideas from your followers, so pay close attention to those comments and DMs.

3. Look at what other brands/creators in your niche are doing

You can find so much inspiration on the social media platform by looking at what everyone else in your niche is doing. What's been the latest viral video in your industry? Have people been making entertaining or educational videos about your niche? How can you add your own twist to what everyone else is doing?

Look at what other TikTok users are doing but instead of blatantly copying them, look for a new angle or perspective to share to boost your own TikTok clout.

4. Come up with a series you can create ongoing content for

Coming up with ideas for your next video doesn't have to be hard, especially if you come up with a series idea you can create ongoing content for. Video series can include ideas like "things I wish I knew in my 30s (or any age)," "meeting the team behind the brand," "product review series," or "a day in the life."

Creating multiple videos about a similar topic can be a great way to keep adding new, fresh content to your TikTok account. You could also do a series where you interview people in public to get their perspectives so that you always have unique perspectives and stories on your TikTok account.

Bonus tip: if you have the TikTok playlists feature, putting your serial content into playlists is a great way to make it easy for your viewers to get all of that related content in one place.

Conclusion

Ultimately, TikTok is a numbers game. Not every TikTok video idea you have will go viral, which is why you need to have plenty of ideas to choose from and just keep creating. That doesn’t mean you need to dream up new ideas all the time, though. Use inspiration to help you out.

You can source TikTok ideas from almost anywhere: from your TikTok feed or through influencer collaborations, from trends or events in the news, even from other social media channels. Plus, you don't need to create original content from every platform either. You can repurpose content from other video social media platforms too.

If you're making content for TikTok as a creator or for a brand, check out Kapwing's TikTok video editor to create captivating videos.

FAQs

1. What content is best for TikTok?

There's plenty of content that perform well on TikTok, such as short-form comedy, dance challenges, lip syncing videos, life hacks, educational content, and more. The key to successful TikTok content is finding your niche and making content that resonates with your audience.

2. What works on TikTok for business?

The best TikTok video ideas for business are branded hashtag challenges, product demos, re-posted user-generated content, and more.

3. How do I create a TikTok idea for my business?

You can create a TikTok idea for your business by observing trends on TikTok, creating an ongoing series, spending time browsing TikTok videos in your niche, doing SEO research, and collaborating with influencers for varied and fresh ideas.

4. What are some good TikTok ideas?

Some good TikTok ideas include dance challenges, before and after transformations, behind-the-scenes videos, a day in the life content, product demos and reviews, and comedy skits.

5. How do businesses go viral on TikTok?

Businesses go viral on TikTok by engaging with TikTok trends, showcasing their authenticity, being relatable, entertaining people with high-quality content, using hashtags for searchability, collaborating with influencers or other brands, and using editing tools like Kapwing to create attention-grabbing video content.