Like many other popular social media platforms, TikTok has released a number of new features over the last year to provide an improved user experience for creators, viewers, and brands alike. The short-form video app still lets users pin up to three posts at the top of their profiles, but users can now also organize videos into folder-like playlists.

If you’ve worked with Instagram at all, TikTok playlists are comparable to highlights, saved Instagram stories that have been curated by the user and are accessible below the bio on a profile. 

While creating a playlist is relatively easy, you might be wondering if it’s necessary. Whether you’re a business or a content creator, learning how to make a playlist on TikTok that improves your audience’s viewing experience can benefit your marketing endeavors and boost brand affinity.

Let’s dive into how to make a playlist on TikTok, and why marketers should consider using this tool to stand out from the competition.

Identifying Content Themes For Your Playlists

If you’ve spent any time on the TikTok app, putting together your first playlist should be an easy process to navigate. However, before you actually create your playlist, it’s a good rule of thumb to create a strategy. After all, the videos you organize into a playlist should be centered around one theme while still aligning with your overall brand voice and style on TikTok.

Creating content for your playlist is important so you don’t veer away from what makes TikTok marketing so effective. People are expecting bite-sized content, and while TikTok now allows videos up to three minutes long, you don’t want to create a playlist that essentially forces viewers to watch every video to understand what’s going on. Research has shown that the optimal length for a TikTok video is just 10-15 seconds, so keep brevity at the forefront as you build videos for your playlists.

Take a look at the existing content you’ve posted to determine what’s resonating most with your audience — this will shape your playlist titles and themes. Instead of creating playlists just to have them on your profile, identify common themes in your content and keep them in mind when creating and sharing new videos. 

Using Business Intelligence, you can harness the power of data to determine which content to include in your playlists. Let’s walk through a few types of playlists brands can utilize on TikTok:

Community and Customer Content

TikTok is popular largely because of its authenticity and relatable videos. This is one of the major drivers of the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon, the trend of consumers discovering and purchasing products they see in testimonial videos from other users like them. 

Consider weaving your brand into this narrative by creating a playlist for user-generated content (UGC) from real customers in your community on your brand’s TikTok profile. Not only will you be exposing your followers to powerful social proof that drives purchases, but you’re also showing that your brand values its online community and the content they share.

With Pixlee TurnTo, brands like ____ automatically collect, curate, and reshare TikTok UGC from real customers — both to their own brand TikTok profiles and to other marketing channels like website displays.

Influencer Content

Similarly to UGC, another potential playlist for your brand’s TikTok profile can be composed of influencer-driven content. This exposes the content your TikTok influencers are already sharing to a wider audience while making your brand even more discoverable to users who aren’t already following you.

Tile works with lifestyle influencers to create and reshare TikTok videos viewers can relate to, tying in how the product itself can solve everyday problems. Collecting these videos in a playlist can improve discoverability of your influencer content.

New Product Releases

In any industry, new product lines and releases can be a source of excitement for your social media audience. Grouping new releases into playlists can help users understand what differentiates your products and how they can be used in day-to-day life.

Outdoor gear brand Cotopaxi features its “Free to Roam” collection in a playlist, making videos about new products easily accessible to TikTok users perusing the brand’s profile.

Tutorial Videos

TikTok videos showcasing how to use different products can be even more valuable than a written explanation on an individual product page. This is because the short-form video format allows users to contextualize your product and truly see it in action.

Consider dedicating a TikTok playlist to innovative ways your brand’s products can be used, including both UGC and branded content. Revel Nail frequently shares tutorial-based content on both Instagram and TikTok, inspiring consumers to easily recreate nail art they love with the brand’s products.

Now that you have an idea of the different types of themes brands create their videos around on the app, let’s dive into how to make a playlist on TikTok.

How to Make A Playlist on TikTok: Step-By-Step

To make a playlist from your TikTok profile, follow these easy steps:

1. Tap your profile in the bottom right corner of the app
2. Tap the videos tab
3. Tap “sort videos into playlists”
4. Name your playlist and add other videos

Alternatively, you can also create or add to a playlist from an individual TikTok video itself. Click the three dots on the video, and select “add to playlist.” 

Keep in mind that only select creators currently have access to playlists — you’ll know you have access when the “Sort Videos Into Playlists” button is available on your profile above your videos.

Once you have an existing playlist or two, you can continue to add to it simply by tapping the three-dot icon on any of your videos. You’ll be prompted with several options, including adding the video to an existing playlist or creating a new playlist with it. 

One of the best things about TikTok playlists is that they allow users to find all of your videos in one convenient location. That’s especially important if they missed the original video when it was posted. 

However, that doesn’t mean your posting strategy should become lazy. You’ll boost your presence on people’s feeds by making sure you’re posting content on TikTok at the right time and establishing a better understanding of your target demographic. Tiktok makes this easy by providing analytics so you can track the performance of your videos. 

Your goal should always be to post when your most active audience is scrolling. Analytics will help you determine who that is, so you’ll know when they’re more likely to see your content. 

What Are the Benefits of TikTok Playlists? 

In addition to letting your viewers see things they might’ve otherwise missed, there are plenty of perks involved with creating playlists, including: 

• Better storytelling opportunities
• Greater recognition
• Grouping educational content
• Offering collections of reviews
• Creating multi-part tutorials

Making playlists will build brand awareness, whether you’re an individual or a business. It allows you to develop a deeper connection with your audience and proves to your viewers that you’re a trustworthy source of information that consistently shows up. Whether you have a pro account or you’re just getting started, playlists are also a fantastic way for people to “catch up” once they discover you. So, you won’t have to repeat content ideas more than once, or answer questions in multiple videos that have already been covered. 

Tiktok playlists are fantastic for keeping your profile organized and establishing your voice within the community. Plus, they’re extremely easy to set up, add videos to, and share. Use these steps to get started with your playlists, and consider making them part of your TikTok marketing strategy.