Discussion: Create plan for short-form video content on Tiktok

[eidolonnight]

Early in 2022 we were able to claim our Tiktok account (WordPress), but have not yet published anything to the platform. Production of short-form video presents a number of unique challenges for our team.

Some questions for us to consider:

• What content and campaigns would be best suited to Tiktok?
• How can we sustainably produce quality content on a weekly cadence?
• Can and should this content match the design aesthetic of WordPress.org and our other channels?
• Where can videos be stored and handed off to a campaign manager with access to Sprout?

As part of a WCUS 2022 brainstorm, a few contributors (Matthew1551, craylor, jmchannell) helped outline steps for production. This could be published as a handbook guide for contributors, though we will still need to provide content guidance for content creators.

[sereedmedia]

What content and campaigns would be best suited to Tiktok?

The first question that needs to be answered is who is the content for, so community? Users? Developers? A combination?

Second question, what is the goal of the content being created? Some potential goals (of course depending on the first answer):

• Get ppl to use wordpress (abstract, but would end with a "get wordpress" CTA
• Showcase cool things people are doing with WordPress (promote existing community on TT, spotlight photos from the openverse/photo directory, art from the Block Museum (not sure how active that is but it is there!), look at websites that are listed in the Showcase.
• Drive contributions (takeovers on or crossposting from WordCamp contributor days and/or doing overviews of Make posts, especially highlighting requests for feedback, new features, etc.)
• Educate (do overviews of/ promote new Learn videos/tutorials .. could engage folks who post videos or Learn folks to be a part of posting this content)

If these questions have been addressed elsewhere (e.g. for other social media platforms), then please link me, as I didn't find it through the Handbook link.

How can we sustainably produce quality content on a weekly cadence?
IMO this would best be achieved through getting content from other existing places in the WP community. So much content is being generated by the Make teams and the official community, it makes sense to me to amplify it.

Starting with content the marketing team is already doing, maybe even just putting out the newsletter on Tiktok (highlighting the info in the newsletter as backdrop as folks do with news articles) would be a great weekly baseline to start getting active. Also, that would be something that would be easy to keep consistent, and meet a lot of the goals I described above.

Could be fun to explore cross-promoting with WordCamp organizers as hosts, because there is usually a promotions person on the team who would be glad to host some content in order to promote the camp. Likewise, Meetup organizers. Would be nice to feature the faces of the existing community.

Can and should this content match the design aesthetic of WordPress.org and our other channels?
Yes. Also, accessibility needs to be a top priority, in terms of captioning, etc.

Where can videos be stored and handed off to a campaign manager with access to Sprout?
I've got nothing for this one! 😄

[murillol]

Agree with everything @sereedmedia said!

[nalininsbs]

Added for highlighting at 19 October 2022 meeting

[eidolonnight]

Sharing this cool content example from Squarespace: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRuEUHda/

Starting with content the marketing team is already doing, maybe even just putting out the newsletter on Tiktok (highlighting the info in the newsletter as backdrop as folks do with news articles) would be a great weekly baseline to start getting active. Also, that would be something that would be easy to keep consistent, and meet a lot of the goals I described above.

@sereedmedia I'd love to see examples of what you have in mind.

[eidolonnight]

If these questions have been addressed elsewhere (e.g. for other social media platforms), then please link me, as I didn't find it through the Handbook link.

They have not! These are excellent questions and I'm curious what everyone thinks.

[sereedmedia]

@sereedmedia I'd love to see examples of what you have in mind.

@eidolonnight

I had to look for a while for something that wasn't too political to post lol, but here is an example of someone talking in front of a screen/news story, which is what I meant about putting out the newsletter on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRHaypgW/

So someone could do a video displaying the newsletter and talking through the highlights each week, with a link back to the archive. Promotes the newsletter and project and uses content already created.

[sereedmedia]

Sharing this cool content example from Squarespace: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRuEUHda/

I think that getting the website owner's view is definitely a good perspective. Highlighting people doing neat things with WordPress sites is cool too.

I do think, however, that Squarespace's target audience is much clearer. Their goal is to sell Squarespace accounts. The goal for WordPress.org is much less singular, because there is really nothing to "sell" other than the brand itself.

That's why I think defining the audience and goals of the social accounts is so important.

IMO, the real "product" that WordPress.org is able to/should "sell" is the community. WordCamps, Meetups, contribution. The idea that when you choose WordPress, you are becoming part of the community, whether you are a site owner, a dev, a marketer, whatever.

Squarespace knows there is value in connection, so even in this video they are trying to be like "they've been with me the whole time" ... but Squarespace is and always will be just a website. WordPress is alive.

[eidolonnight]

That's why I think defining the audience and goals of the social accounts is so important.

I'm not a tiktok expert, but it seems to me that there isn't a huge developer audience there, at least that I've found. The developers that are present seem to focus on "day in the life" and that kind of content. I assume this is due, at least in part, to the nature of the medium. Has this been everyone's experience or am I just following too many ducks and raccoons? 😄

I had to look for a while for something that wasn't too political to post lol, but here is an example of someone talking in front of a screen/news story, which is what I meant about putting out the newsletter on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRHaypgW/

This is a neat idea that'd be relatively "easy" IMO. We already have https://wordpress.org/news/category/month-in-wordpress/ so it's just a matter of someone doing videos. Seems like an easy way to dip our toes in.

[mumtahinafaguni]

I’ve a few ideas. We can follow Unicef tiktok channel. Moreover, here are some more ideas:
sharing hacks: such as,

• How to change font color, add custom fonts, etc
• Showcase WordPress photos: create versatile reels using photos from WP photos
• Design hacks: promote patterns
• Encourage to capture moments in meetups, WordCamps, etc.
• We have sounds in Openverse. We can encourage to use those to create reels.

[nalininsbs]

This card is regularly highlighted in Marketing Team meetings in September, October and November 2022, and referenced in notes to raise awareness. Please continue to add your thoughts to the card.

@eidolonnight is there a timeline on this or is it early discussion phase? Thank you for starting this.