If you have been literally anywhere in the world for the past six months other than a sensory deprivation tank, you have heard about the new social media craze: Tik Tok. 

Tik Tok is a social media platform in which the users publish short videos often accompanied by music. 

These videos range from life advice to stupid jokes to truly awful dancing. But regardless of how bad the videos are, it is the new craze of Gen Z to go Tik Tok viral. I will give you a step-by-step breakdown of how best to impress your friends, schemes, teachers and the world.

Step 1: Hop on a theme/trend. Videos on Tik Tok are diverse and each can affect the user differently. However, many of the most popular videos are not the users’ original ideas, but just variations of already successful Tik Toks. These include trends like Hydrodipping, lip syncing, texting song lyrics to your parents or crushes, playing Still D.R.E. on the piano, walking down stairs with Electric Feel in the background, “respect the drip, Karen,” and of course, the ever-popular light-saber duels. Remember that if you follow these trends, make them unique. The one thing that nobody likes is a rip off Tik Tok. You can also get creative and be that trendsetter by showing off a skill or making a hilarious joke. 

Step 2: Choose your music wisely. No matter what, your music should match whatever you are doing. If it is a scenic Tik Tok, your go-to should be Dissolve or Can We Kiss Forever. When you’re making a joke or doing a comedy skit, you can almost always find dialogue from a “TV” show or another Tik Tok to lip sync, such as  “I have brought peace, freedom, justice and security to my new empire” from “Revenge of The Sith.” And of course, if you are doing something stupid, dangerous or both, you have to use ‘This Girl’ and follow the video up with a picture that says “Shot on iPhone” on the drop. Never, under any circumstances, use ‘The Box.’

Step 3: Editing. If Tik Tok teaches you anything, it’s that 99% of the work is done in post-production. A good video will only go viral if every moment is perfect. The lighting must be clean and clear and the video can’t be hazy or shadowy.

 We’re making Tik Toks, not crappy Snapchat videos. In addition, it must sync up with the music or dialogue and any transitions between videos should be clean. And unless you’re trying to become the CEO of visual effects, don’t overdo it: chances are you won’t be able to compete with the likes of Joshvfx, and clean and simple is better.

Step 4: Cliffhangers. No matter how complete you feel your Tik Tok is on its own, always finish your video by saying “Like for Part 2,” or “Come back in 24 hours to see the results.” This is guaranteed to maximize the number of likes and follows you will receive from each video. By doing this, you will get your viewers so invested that they will desperately need to see the rest of the video, and will have to follow you to see it.

Step 5: Tags. Now that you made your masterpiece, you need people to see it! The key to turning a good Tik Tok into a viral Tik Tok is having the right tags. If you want as many eyes on your work as possible, always include the tags #xyzcba and #straighttohell. If you want to get on the for you page, use #fyp, #foryoupage and #foryou or you have no shot.

Step 6: Get yourself a twin, by whatever means necessary. Whether it be for making satisfying synchronized dancing Tik Toks or trippy, twin-telepathy themed ones, twins never fail to roll in the likes. Missed out on the biological lottery for a twin? Don’t worry, genetically engineered is fine. In fact, while you’re at it, make yourself three or four. The more the merrier. 

Step 7: Post! And remember, if it doesn’t go viral, post the exact same thing again and again until it does.

Ideas for a Deerfield Tik Tok: Take a video of all of Deerfield’s facilities and your shortest friend, with a sound that goes “Private school check!” in the background.

Finally, if you want to go viral and need examples of perfect Tik Toks, go check out davidchen725, echenna_tiktok and swimyy.