Not another article about the line between TikTok and Instagram blurring!? This time, a new suite of editing tools is the topic of discussion.

It’s certainly not news that Instagram has been seriously pushing original video content lately in a bid to compete with rival TikTok. Short-form video has taken the world by storm, and the innovative ways that creators utilise it is ever-growing.

Social media platforms like Instagram are perfect for marketing, whether you’re a business, brand, or aspiring full-time content creator. TikTok marketing has, in recent years, also become a staple of digital marketing strategies. It might seem sensible to optimise your reach and use both platforms. But, TikTok and Instagram are hell-bent on trying to make you pick a favourite.

Anyone who has been paying attention to this game of cat-and-mouse would recognise that it’s normally Instagram adopting features that TikTok offers to its users. Whether it’s increasing its video length, or a new templates feature for video creators. But, sometimes TikTok will pick up on the things Instagram users enjoy, and incorporate them into its platform.

A shiny new set of editing tools sees TikTok adopting some features that have an undeniably “Instagrammy” feel to them.

New TikTok Editing Tools

In a blog, TikTok announced a set of enhanced editing tools. The company hopes to improve its users’ ability to tell powerful stories and explore their creativity with more seamless and intuitive editing. Within the new editing environment, users will be able to:

  • Edit clips: Stack, trim, and split video clips.
  • Edit sounds: Cut, trim, and set the duration for sounds.
  • Position and Edit text: More easily edit, position, and set the duration for text.
  • Add overlays: Add photo and video overlays for picture-in-picture (or video-in-video) stacking.
  • Adjust video speed: Speed or slow the pace of video clips.
  • Frame content: Rotate or zoom in and out of frame of individual clips.
  • Add sound effects

Photos & Descriptions

The other newly announced features are what really have a tinge of the Instagram about them. Enabling creators to express themselves in other formats besides video, TikTok is releasing Photo Mode.

A new carousel photo format will let users upload multiple still images that other users can swipe through. This feature opens the platform up to photographers wanting to share their high quality photos. Taking it a step further than Instagram, TikTok will let you add a musical soundtrack to your carousel post. Users can create swipe-able mood boards or fashion catalogues, for instance.

Previously, TikTok captions or descriptions were limited to just 300 characters. This meant that creators had to be incredibly inventive and brief with how they labelled their videos, often relying on in-video narration or captions to relay more in-depth information.

Now, TikTok descriptions have been increased to 2,200 characters. Quite the leap upwards. TikTok hopes that, with the update, “creators will have some extra room to build on the stories they’ve shared in videos or Photo Mode, giving them another space to express themselves and more deeply connect with others.”

Don’t think for a second that TikTok will keep quiet on the updates front for a while now. The company has stated that it intends on continuing to build “experiences that empower them to create in all kinds of ways – from videos to LIVEs, photos, text, and more.”

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