With TikTok being outlawed in India and still on the block in the United States, the app’s popularity is likely to plummet. What are you supposed to do if you’re a TikTok influencer who uses the app to communicate with followers and earn money? Triller may be able to fill the gap for others.
What Is Triller?
Triller is a short-form video content app similar to TikTok but with a few main distinctions. Triller is mainly a music video app that allows users to record a video to a song snippet. It was advertised as an app that “democratizes the music video production process,” allowing users to create their high-quality music videos to share elsewhere. It has been around longer than TikTok (since July 2015) and was marketed as an app that “democratizes the music video creation process,” allowing users to create their high-quality music videos to share elsewhere. Triller then began transitioning from a video-making app to a standalone social media site by adding a feed (similar to TikTok’s For You page) where users could find and follow other users as well as watch videos.
What Is Triller? Here’s the Triller Guide You’ve Been Waiting For:
- Wait… Isn’t Triller Just Like TikTok?
- How Does Triller Work?
- How to Use Triller
- Triller and Influencers
Wait… Isn’t Triller Just Like TikTok?
It is, and it isn’t, to be sure.
Triller and TikTok are both social media sites for short-form video content that allow users to create short videos that appear in a stream. Aside from that, the apps are a bit different.
Triller, for example, does not have the manual, in-app editing tools that TikTok does. On the other hand, Triller uses an AI-powered video editor that adds effects like overlays, fast or slow motion, and basic text to videos automatically. Although Triller videos have a more polished appearance than TikTok videos, many TikTok videos don’t seem to have much in the way of production value because the creators can manually edit their videos, giving them far more power.
Another vital distinction between Triller and TikTok is the music industry’s friendliness. On the Triller app, users can listen to complete tracks; on TikTok, only 15 seconds of a track are included. Users of TikTok can only use sounds from the app, while Triller users can use music from the app and music from their own Apple Music or Spotify libraries. Though TikTok has agreements with most major and independent labels, it does not cover all distributors.
There’s also a distinction in how each app displays content. While TikTok uses AI to show users content based on what they interact with and watch regularly, Triller’s feed favors newer or more common videos, regardless of what you’ve liked or watched on the site. Triller’s Discover page is crammed with sponsored promotions, top videos, leaderboards, and videos organized by genre. TikTok, on the other hand, displays top videos and trending hashtags based on user’s viewing history. Triller also seems to prefer hip hop and EDM, with hip hop artists producing most of the challenge videos that make it to Triller’s Discover page. TikTok does not seem to have a favorite genre.
According to a Triller spokesperson, Triller has over 65 million active users and has been downloaded over 250 million times worldwide. Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled, Alicia Keys, and other celebrities are among the app’s users. Even Donald Trump, the United States president, has downloaded the software (in protest of TikTok, it seems).
Snoop Dog, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and The Weeknd are among the investors in Triller, owned by Proxima Media, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group.
Triller also trails TikTok in terms of downloads and active users, despite its star-studded roster. However, they don’t seem to be concerned as they argue that TikTok isn’t a direct competitor because Triller’s userbase is older than TikTok’s, which is mostly made up of Gen Z. Of course, if TikTok is banned in the United States, something could change.
Triller, on the other hand, has its sights set on TikTok. With a new collaboration, the app has already taken measures to entice TikTok’s Sway House (a collective house of TikTok developers aged 18–21 years old) away from the app. Triller has also filed a lawsuit against TikTok for copyright infringement. When you consider that a deal between Triller and Snapchat in early 2020 gave Triller access to Snapchat’s 250 million daily active users, it’s clear that they aren’t being completely frank about their rivalry with TikTok.
How Does Triller Work?
Triller’s essential features, usability, and UI (user interface) are all quite similar to TikTok, so if you’ve spent some time on TikTok, you should be able to pick it up quickly. You can like and comment on other Triller creators’ videos, browse for videos to watch, and record and share your own. You don’t need a Triller account to manage content on the website, just like you don’t need one for TikTok.
Let’s take a closer look at how Triller works.
Home
When you first launch Triller, you’ll be greeted by the Triller Home page. This is the video feed divided into three sections: Following, Music, and Social. Like TikTok’s For You page, the Music and Social tabs are close. You can use them to find videos that are currently trending among other users. On Triller, all videos are shown vertically and on full screen. Swipe up or down to advance through the videos.
When scrolling through images, there is no way to get to the Home screen; the navigation menu across the bottom of the Triller screen provides navigation to other app pages but excludes the Home screen. You must close pages to return to it.
Discover
The music note symbol in the navigation bar will take you to the Discover tab. You can browse and check for music here. You can play a song, use it in your own Triller video, or look at other top videos that feature the song once you’ve found the one you want. Triller has licensing agreements with Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, so any popular song you’re looking for is likely to be available.
Search
On the navigation bar, you’ll also find a magnifying glass sign. This symbol will take you to Triller’s search feature if you tap on it. At the top of the list, you’ll find a search bar, as well as a leaderboard, featured videos, top videos, and recommended videos. Tap on the video you want to watch to watch it, interact with it, or swipe to move on to another Triller video.
Upload
You can capture, upload, and share your Triller videos by clicking the plus symbol on the navigation bar. You’ll be able to make a social video or a music video. For social videos, you can start recording right away, but for music videos, you must first select an album. You can use filters, change the video speed, use a timer, zoom in, and record multiple takes with both social and music videos. Before you post, you’ll be able to see a video preview, add a video description, choose a category for your video, add location information, and make your video private.
Activity
A bell icon can also be found on the navigation bar. This is the Activity screen, which is split into two sections: you and those following you. Reactions to your videos and comments are shown in the You section. The following segment will show you behavior from the people you follow. Your Activity screen will be just as empty as the one above when you first enter Triller.
Profile
Your Profile screen is represented by the individual symbol in the navigation bar. Your public profile, who you follow, and who follows you are all shown on the Profile page. You can change your profile photo, update your name, change your username, and more from this page. Your Triller drafts are also shown on the Profile page (private and visible only to you). Your public videos and follower information will be available to other Triller users when they look at your Profile.
Settings
Go to Profile from the navigation bar and tap the Settings icon in the profile page’s top corner to access your Triller settings. You can modify your account settings, privacy settings, and video preferences such as resolution and more from this tab.
How to Use Triller
To get started with Triller:
- Go to Google Play or the App Store and download the app.
- Build a new account on the platform once the app is activated on your computer. You can select the video production choices you want during account setup and look at the artists and song titles available to you and choose the one you want.
- Choose where you want your video to begin in the song and record it.
After you’ve finished filming, edit and apply filters to your file. You can now upload your video to Triller or download it to share on other social media sites.
You can also work with other Triller producers to create a single video by combining video clips. Post your videos with your friends, and then edit them together.
You can choose to set up your Triller account as a user or a developer when you create it. Users can make and share videos, as well as browse through the profiles of other users to see what they’ve come up with. You can set up crowdfunding features with a creator account to raise funds for a cause—or yourself. You earn money by collecting Gold, which can be exchanged for Gems. These Gems are used to keep track of the fundraising totals. Triller users can buy Gold to donate to creators (similar to TikTok’s Coins and Gifts), but you must have a creator account to fundraise on the site.
Are you ready to start creating content on Triller? Here’s how to do it step by step:
Step 1. Open Triller and Tap the Plus Symbol
Start by opening up Triller and tapping on the Plus symbol:
Step 2. Choose the Song You Want to Use
You’ll be able to make a music video or a social media post. We’re going to make a music video for this fast tutorial:
Select the song that you want to include in your video now. You’ll be able to select from a list of well-known tracks, including:
Step 3. Choose the Part of the Song You Want to Include
Choose which part of the song you want to use in your video after you’ve found it:
Step 4. Record Your Video Takes
Tap Film in the upper right corner of the screen to record various video takes or upload a video from your computer once you’ve selected your audio clip:
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Step 5. Edit and Publish Your Video
When you’ve finished recording all of your takes and are ready to share them, tap Shuffle in the top right corner of your screen:
You’ll be able to edit your video from here. Tap Finish in the top right corner of the screen when you’re finished:
Next, write a summary for your video, choose a category, add a spot, or make your video private. Then tap Save & Post:
Triller and Influencers
Triller provides influencers with a new way to promote their brands by creating short-form video content. Triller also makes it simple for influencers to monetize their content with its crowdfunding feature. To achieve their funding targets, Triller creators can set goals and communicate with fans, brands, and even music labels.
Marketing on Triller
Triller offers a forum for brands to gain more visibility and share of voice on social media. It’s a fun way for influencers and brands to advertise their goods and influencer merch in video content, similar to TikTok. Triller influencers and brands can use Triller Challenges to build and run challenges that are monitored via hashtag, with prizes awarded for the best submissions. Triller Challengers, when done correctly, will engage fans, increase brand recognition and affinity, and provide the brand with user-generated content that can be used in your marketing campaign.
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Advertising on Triller
Thriller, unlike TikTok, does not currently have advertisements. Instead, Thriller focuses on allowing writers to crowdfund, allowing them to raise funds from their fans, partners, and advertisers. “It’s swift to build an audience on Triller, and you can use the following to grow elsewhere,” says Timothy Armoo, CEO of influencer marketing agency FanBytes. People who build a profile on there and then move over to Instagram or Twitter have seen great results.”
Essentially, Triller is taking a hands-off approach to the financial side of things, allowing Triller influencers and creators to use their content to generate revenue while focusing on what they stand for and believe in, according to Alex Hamilton of digital marketing agency Isobar, “a winning formula amid a year in which we’ve seen a variety of social movements come to the fore.”
Triller: A TikTok Alternative Worth Getting to Know
Triller and TikTok are, in reality, very close. Triller began as a music video creation app that was then posted elsewhere, but it has grown into a piece of music, vlogging, and social network with a lot of influencer potential. Though we aren’t fans of Triller’s restricted video editing tools, the app still produces beautiful videos that look much more professional than most of the TikTok content. Triller’s success, like that of all TikTok alternatives, hinges on TikTok’s ability to weather its current unpredictable future.