TikTok Convention

Research date: 2026-06-25. Parent router: docs/social-video-content-convention.md. Packaged asset: assets/social/tiktok-convention.md.

Rules Vs Norms

• Platform official guidance comes from TikTok Support and TikTok Community Guidelines.
• Creator norms around fast hooks, native captions, and trend-aware pacing are optional.

Channel Profile

Audience expectation: Native, fast-paced, accessible, personality-forward short-form video. Technical/devtool posts need an immediate problem, visual proof, or useful trick.

Format patterns: Quick demo, "watch me fix/build", contrarian lesson, green-screen explanation, stitch/duet only with rights and context, storytime lesson, or rapid before/after.

Length guidance: TikTok Help says the app lets users select a maximum length before recording and supports upload flows from app and web. Draft short by default: 15 to 60 seconds for one idea, longer only when the story or demo needs it and the account supports it.

Metadata, link, and media norms: TikTok Help supports descriptions, hashtags, tags, location, links where available, privacy controls, drafts, filters, sounds, text, stickers, effects, advanced editing, and up to 35 photos for photo posts. TikTok AI guidance requires or encourages labeling AI-generated or significantly edited realistic content and prohibits harmful synthetic content.

Tone: Direct, visual, and native. Avoid corporate polish.

Spam or policy triggers: TikTok integrity rules prohibit deceptive behavior, spam, artificial engagement, account manipulation, unoriginal or reused material without creative edits, and IP violations.

Source-safety risks: Trend audio/IP rights, accidental private data in screen recordings, AI/synthetic media disclosure, and exaggerated product claims.

Drafting Modes

platform_aligned: Draft a short vertical concept with privacy, AI-label, copyright, and source-safety checks.

creator_inspired: Draft a fast "here is the problem/result" hook, three visual beats, native caption text, and a comment prompt that does not ask for artificial engagement.

Publish Precheck

• Confirm privacy settings, links, tags, and any account-specific max length.
• Label AI-generated or significantly edited realistic content when required.
• Verify all sounds, clips, and visual assets are rights-cleared.

Sources Accessed 2026-06-25

• TikTok Support, Making a Post and About AI-Generated Content.
• TikTok Community Guidelines, Integrity and Authenticity.
• Sprout Social, How to Create a Social Media Content Strategy, published 2026-03-25.