How To Discover Fun Videos On TikTok If You're New To The App

It's hard to explain the appeal of TikTok if you haven't used the app yourself — I didn't think I'd use it much, but then I found myself watching video after video. It feels simpler than other social networking apps, and it doesn't take more than a few minutes to create an account. Once you've set that up though, you'll need to know how to discover videos on TikTok.

You'll notice pretty quickly that the platform seems to be dominated by teenagers. According to marketing agency Mediakix, 2 in 3 TikTok users are under 30 years old, and 60% of TikTok users in the U.S. are between 16 and 24 years old. But the humor of TikTok transcends age, and if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself surprised at how funny the videos are, given that they're usually only a few seconds long. It's easy to spend more time using the app than you thought you would — TikTok almost makes it too easy to scroll through new videos.

You don't have to spend hours on the app to appreciate it, but any amount of time on TikTok will likely leave you with a deeper appreciation for short-form video when it's done well.

Use The "For You" Feed

If you're in the mood to watch a lot of videos without much effort, this is the place to start. Navigate to the home tab at the bottom of the screen and you'll be able to swipe through a video feed curated for you by TikTok. I actually haven't ever liked something on the app, so I'm not sure how it knows what I'll enjoy, but it's been pretty accurate so far.

Search Keywords & Sounds

After you type a phrase into the search bar, you'll be able to search for songs and hashtags on TikTok. You can search for specific users and video titles, but if you don't know what you're looking for, type a few phrases in hashtags search to see what comes up. The Sounds search allows you to see all of the TikTok clips that feature a specific song, so you can start there if you have a tune in mind.

Watch TikTok Playlists

Much like Instagram, TikTok offers a Discover page with content it thinks you'll like. Once you select Discover, you'll see top videos that the app thinks you'll enjoy, but you'll also see playlists with titles like Trending Creators, DIY, Unboxing, and Beauty & Style. From there, you can narrow down your queue by watching videos focused on a specific topic.

One you start to follow enough TikTok creators, your feed will probably be filled with enough content that you don't need to go exploring every time you open the app. But given how easy TikTok makes it to find new videos, you'll probably still find yourself searching for new videos to watch and people to follow. You might even feel brave enough to share a TikTok clip of your own, although I'm not there yet.