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TikTok formats

TikTok video and Photo Mode carousel guidance with 9:16 framing, hooks, and duration tips.

TikTok is vertical-first. Full-screen 9:16 creatives outperform letterboxed square or landscape uploads.

Video

Best default: 9:16 at 1080×1920.

Duration: a common sweet spot is about 15-30 seconds, though longer can work when retention stays high. Hook in the first 1-3 seconds.

Creative tips:

  • Design for full screen only (avoid big black bars)
  • Put captions on screen; many viewers rely on text
  • Prefer native-feeling audio when it fits the trend or mood
  • Keep important faces and text away from edge UI

How to ask:

  • “TikTok video, 9:16, 20 seconds, hook in 2 seconds, on-screen captions, energetic tone.”

Photo Mode carousel

TikTok Photo Mode is an image carousel on the same vertical stage.

Best default: 9:16, about 5 images, up to roughly 35 images max.

Keep every slide the same ratio. Open with a scroll-stopping first frame. Titles should be large and readable on a phone.

How to ask:

  • “TikTok Photo Mode carousel, 5 slides, 9:16, step-by-step tip list, bold titles, short caption.”

Caption and cover habits

  • First line should reinforce the hook, not repeat filler
  • Cover frame (or first photo) must read without sound
  • Hashtags: a few relevant ones beat a long dump

Common mistakes

  • Uploading landscape or square and hoping TikTok “fixes” it
  • Slow intros with no hook
  • Tiny text that fails on mobile
  • Mixing slide ratios in Photo Mode

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