If you need inspiration for your TikTok videos, the duet feature may be exactly what you’re looking for. It allows you to share other people’s TikTok videos and add your own unique twist.
“Duets are a great way to add context, trust, and authority to an existing video,” says Austin Armstrong, CEO of Socialty Pro. “It's also a really easy way to get started on TikTok.” Socialty Pro has helped over thirty businesses build out their TikTok strategies, and Armstrong says he has generated over a million dollars in business for his own business on TikTok.
Here’s how to use TikTok duets to boost your brand, engagement, and business on this popular social media platform.
What Is A Duet On TikTok?
Duet is a feature on TikTok that allows other users to interact with your video, or for you to interact with theirs. It creates a split screen that features both the original video along with the duet video playing at the same time.
You can duet on other people’s videos if they allow that option. And other people can duet on your videos when you enable that option.
How To Duet A Video On TikTok
If you want to create a duet using another person’s video, here’s how to do it.
1. Find a video you want to share on the TikTok app. You can search for hashtags, trending videos, or for TikTok accounts that are popular with your audience and fit your brand.
2. Look for the share button (the arrow icon) on the right side of the screen.
3. Click on the share icon and another menu will pop up with several share options. On the bottom row look for the duet option. If you cannot click on the duet button, that means the creator has not enabled duets for that video and you’ll have to choose a different one.
4. If duets are not disabled, tap the duet button.
5. You’ll then open the recording options screen. Duet videos default to side by side but you can choose a different layout, including green screen, react or top and bottom.
5. Ready to record? Tap the red button (the record button) to start and stop your recording, then tap the check mark. (Tip from Armstrong: If you want to voiceover the other video, make sure your mic button is on.)
6. In the video editor, you can review your video, add stickers, filters or effects.
7. Adjust your settings, write a caption, and when you’re satisfied, tap Post.
8. You can even enable duets for your duet video which can lead to more creators picking up on your video.
It’s simple and straightforward to create a duet, and the beauty of TikTok is that you don’t have to be perfect to be successful.
If you want to allow others to duet with your videos, you’ll want to make sure your settings allow for that option. Note that those who duet with your video can then allow others to duet with their video, as the other creator’s privacy settings determine what can be done with the video they created.
To allow duets for all your videos, follow these instructions:
1. Tap your profile on the bottom right of the screen.
2. Go to your settings by tapping the 3-line icon in the top right.
3. Tap settings and privacy.
4. Tap on privacy settings, then tap duet.
5. You’ll see Who can duet with your videos. You can choose anyone or or choose friends. (Friends are people who you follow who follow you back).
When you’re creating a video, you have the option to choose whether to allow duets on that video. Just make sure the toggle button for duets is turned on (green) on the screen where you review and post your video.
5 Ways Businesses Can Use Duets on TikTok
If you’re still wondering how this translates to your business, here are some examples of ways to make duets that work for your business.
1. Just start. If you’re not ready to post your own videos, duets can be a great way to establish your TikTok presence. Armstrong suggests you “start by dueting very popular or viral TikToks in your industry. Add your perspective and add to what was shown or talked about in the original video,” he recommends.
2. Create a challenge. The #JifRapChallenge featured American rapper and actor Ludacris rapping with a mouthful of peanut butter and invited others to take the challenge. It was wildly successful with billions of views.
3. Do a giveaway. Marketer Neil Patel shares the example of Canadian shoe company Vessi that used duets to give away shoes to followers who shared their love of their shoes. People love free prizes.
4. Create for duets. You may want to create videos specifically designed to encourage duets. Minter.io offers the example of English coach @thewhiteboardpy who has created duets to encourage viewers to practice their English language skills. With over a million followers, it’s working.
5. Engage with Influencers. TikTok Influencer database Hypetrace says there are almost 8000 TikTok duet influencers. If your budget is small, try connecting with micro influencers who may jump at the chance to collaborate.
Use TikTok analytics to understand how viewers are engaging with your videos.
Just don’t back yourself into a corner, warns Armstrong. “If you start to notice only the videos you duet perform well and your standalone content doesn't, many times creators will box themselves into only doing what's working,” he warns. “Continue to get creative and learn!”
