TikTok is a social media video streaming platform that has taken the world by storm. Available in over 150 countries with over one billion users, it’s been downloaded more than 200 million times in the United States alone. Whether you use TikTok for fun or as part of your marketing mix, TikTok focuses on short, “snackable” videos that online consumers love to watch.

For those not familiar with the app, TikTok is a social media platform for creating, sharing and discovering short videos. It’s mostly used by young people as an outlet to express themselves through singing, dancing, comedy, and lip-syncing, and allows users to create videos and share them across a community. Many content creators have been able to monetize their content by attaining a large following, and a lot of brands have integrated TikTok into their content marketing strategy.

Just how important is TikTok in today’s digital landscape? According to research, TikTok boasts:

• Over one billion active users each month. This is less than Facebook or Instagram (for now), but more than SnapChat, Pinterest, or Twitter.
• A record setting download period: In Q1 of 2020, the app had 315 million downloads, which is the best quarter by any app, ever.
• Over 138 million active users in the United States.
• A strong engagement rate: users open the app an average of 8 times per day.
• An integral role in the social media lives of younger users. The highest percentage of users is among those 10-19, with 20-29 a close second. However, the population of users is aging, so it’s likely that marketers and content creators can reach their market for years to come.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that if your target audience is Gen Z, TikTok is going to be crucial to you. ​​60% of TikTok users are Gen Zers. Gen Zers are trendsetters, and next year, 74 million people in the U.S. will be part of “Gen Z” - making it the largest generation of all.

How TikTok Works

TikTok has a minimum user age of 13 years old. Some countries, such as Ireland, have chosen to raise the minimum age requirement.

Users are able to create an account using  their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or email account. Similar to other social media platforms, users can follow other people, and generate their own following. People can also like and comment on the videos posted.

To create content, people can select the song they wish to use in their video first, then record themselves lip-syncing or dancing along to the music. Or, users can record their video first and then select a song, and/or add a voiceover. The platform offers lots of ways to add more flair to a video, such as shooting in slow-mo, time lapse, fast forward, filters, effects or even playing the song backward, etc. Once users are satisfied with their video, they can post it for their followers and share it on other social networks like Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram etc. Users also like the duet feature which allows them to connect with another user.

A search tool enables users to discover other videos. People can also view content under the trending hashtags on the ‘For You’ page. Trending hashtags help users to view content that is currently popular, and even contribute their own content to that trend using the same hashtag. TikTok has become known for promoting themed challenges, encouraging users to create videos that are related to that particular theme, for example; #Lipsncychallenge, #Comedychallenge, etc.

It’s important to know that by default, TikTok accounts are public for users over the age of 16. Some people may choose to set their account to private or “friends only”. Users also have the ability to block other users.

Many people enjoy using Tik Tok in their daily lives and as part of their social media activity, but it’s also proving to be a powerful tool for business. Many marketers use TikTok to connect with younger audiences and improve reach, brand awareness, and engagement. TikTok supports multiple types of advertisements such as TopView Ads, In-Feed Ads, Brand Takeover Ads, Branded Effects and Branded Hashtag Challenges. It can also be really valuable for social listening, understanding current trends, participating in challenges or giving updates from live events.

Why Have Multiple TikTok Accounts?

There are a few reasons why you might be managing two (or more) Tiktok accounts. Namely, many people have a personal account and a business account. A digital marketer, for example, likely has their own account for personal use, and is responsible for one at their workplace as well.

Other reasons why you might want multiple TikTok accounts:

• Separate feeds - This allows you to follow different sets of people and different “For You” results. You can switch between accounts and quickly be presented with entirely different content.
• A public and private account - Many people like to have accounts that their friends and family don’t see.
• A backup account - If you rely on TikTok for business activities, you probably want to make sure that nothing can happen to your account. Since the platform has certain rules about posting, accounts, etc. it can’t hurt to have an extra account in case you inadvertently break a rule that results in a ban.
• Content catering to different niches - If you want to grow your presence on TikTok, it’s important that you focus on a specific audience segment. People likely follow you for a certain type of content. If you want to share new subject matter for a different audience, you may want to start an entirely new account.

TikTok technically allows users to have 3 accounts on one device. The only way to have more than this is to use a separate device - for example, your cell phone and your tablet. According to the app’s Community Guideline, you should not “Operate multiple TikTok accounts under false or fraudulent pretenses to distribute commercial spam.”

Ways to Manage Multiple TikTok Accounts

As mentioned, you can add three accounts using the same device. You can also simply add a  second account using the original instance. It’s important to make sure you have the latest version downloaded in order to support multiple accounts.

To create another account on TikTok:

1. Log into the TikTok app by entering your username and password.
2. Tap “Me” on the right bottom corner (profile in latest version).
3. Tap your username and choose “Add account”.
4. Click “Sign up” and follow the on-screen prompts.

If you are only working between the two TikTok accounts, you can manage going back and forth by tapping your username in the app. If you hope to manage multiple accounts (more than two), it’s best to work with a third-party tool that enables this, like Shift.

Related Article: How to Manage Multiple Instagram Accounts on Desktop

How to Manage Multiple TikTok Accounts Using Shift

It’s pretty straight-forward to manage two Tik Tok accounts, though it does require some manual logging in and out and keeping track of your instances. If you have more than two accounts - or you just want to be extra organized - you might require a little support.

Shift is a desktop app that helps people to streamline accounts, apps, and workflows. It’s great for managing multiple accounts of any platform, and TikTok is no exception. Active social media users who manage multiple platforms, accounts, and logins can really benefit from a tool that helps organize their efforts and keep everything accessible. The best part about using TikTok in Shift is how simple it is to manage multiple accounts, and  how easy it is to add more than one TikTok account to Shift.

To use Shift in order to manage additional TikTok accounts, use these steps. Also note that to log into more than one account, all you need to do is repeat the steps below for each of the accounts.

1. Click on the add application icon [+]
2. Search for TikTok (you’ll see a green check mark if you’ve already signed in once)
3. Click + to install
4. Enter your account name and choose a color for it
5. Login using a different TikTok account

We also suggest making the most of the color options. Choosing a different color and setting a different name for each account will help you to distinguish between them if you're using the compact layout. You can repeat these steps as many times as you like to get all of the TikTok accounts you manage in one place. Now, you’re all set to manage multiple TikTok accounts in Shift! Furthermore, you can use this process to add and manage any social media accounts or other apps, such as LinkedIn, Gmail, etc.

Related Article: How to Get All Your Apps in One Place

Increase Productivity with Workspaces

You can also try using Workspaces in Shift. With Workspaces in Shift, you can easily manage and switch between multiple TikTok accounts, as well as other social media accounts. Workspaces are dedicated, and fully customizable, spaces for your most important work within Shift. You can add apps, tabs, and bookmarks directly within a Workspace. If you manage multiple TikTok accounts as a marketing manager, for example, you can put each account into its own Workspace.

What makes Workspaces particularly effective is that you can also manage all social media in one place. For example, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn can all be managed alongside your TikTok accounts. This is particularly important for agencies managing social media for several clients, for example (you can keep all your client accounts in one Workspace). Even better, you can integrate apps such as Later or Buffer that allow you to schedule and manage social media posts. This saves professionals a lot of time and energy when it comes to managing social media performance. You’ll even stay logged into all of the social media accounts and management tools within a Workspace so you won’t have to worry about logging in and out of any accounts. Users love that it’s so much easier to have all of their social media apps grouped together in a Workspace so they aren’t searching through the sidebar looking for the correct TikTok account.

Streamline All Social Media with Shift

Anyone who uses online platforms will find Shift to be a powerful resource. With Shift, you can organize and manage the following:

• Mail - Connect all of your Gmail, Outlook, and Office 365 accounts and manage everything from one centralized workstation.
• Apps - WhatsApp, Slack, Messenger—we have everything you need to get it done. Browse our Apps Directory, connect yours, and switch between them easily.
• Search - Save time and find exactly what you're looking for across any of your Mail, Calendar, and Drive accounts.
• Chrome extensions - Enjoy access to Boomerang, Grammarly, LastPass, and many of your other favorite Chrome Extensions.
• Focused web tabs - Access the web from inside Shift. Manage your tabs and organize them by account for a better browsing experience.
• Workspaces - Create a Workspace with the exact apps, tabs, and bookmarks you need, then share it with your team to get the job done.
• Account management - Toggle between your most-used accounts, check notifications and streamline your workflow.

Related Article: How to Manage All Your Social Media Accounts in One Place

If you’re tired of switching between accounts and logging in and out of TikTok - or any app - then Shift is for you. Shift can bring all of your work together for your most effective social media management. View all of the apps and extensions that can integrate with Shift for maximum productivity, or download Shift to explore.