With its 11 million monthly active users in France, TikTok is said to be the 4th most-mentioned brand on social media, which reflects this network’s influence. This platform, which allows people to develop their creativity thanks to a simple and easy way of designing original videos, has seen its use increase considerably since the first lockdown. During this very particular period, internet users embraced TikTok videos.

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Creativity and mastery in the service of non-verbal communication

The question is why this social network has managed to capture users’ attention, especially that of younger generations. On the one hand, unlimited creativity explains the enthusiasm. Indeed, through this social network unlike any other, everyone can become the director of their own video and share content that is uniquely theirs while having fun. On the other hand, the possibility of mastering communication that is in principle involuntary—namely non-verbal communication—remains a major appeal for users.

The significant place of non-verbal communication according to Albert Mehrabian

According to Albert Mehrabian, a psychology professor at the University of California, communication can be divided into 3 parts:

• verbal communication,

• vocal communication,

• and visual communication.

He then specifies the impact of each part on the receiver of a message, which reveals a surprising fact: verbal communication is said to be the least represented. Words alone would therefore not be enough to convey a message! More specifically, he explains that:

• verbal communication has a 7% impact on others,

• vocal communication generates a 38% impact,

• and visual communication generates 55%.

If we rely on this theory, non-verbal communication—the combination of vocal and visual communication—would therefore represent 93% of overall communication: a substantial figure that demonstrates the power of non-verbal communication.

To learn how to master your non-verbal communication and use it to support your message, we invite you to take part in our training course Communicating with Non-Verbal Skills. You can also contact us to discuss your projects.

The limited place of verbal communication on TikTok

On TikTok, content is king—not written content, but video content. However, to help you navigate this galaxy of videos and also allow the TikTok algorithm to identify content, you will find very short descriptions under videos, along with a few associated hashtags such as challenge hashtags, which are very useful for sharing (examples: #wipechallenge #dancechallenge). These short snippets of text set a general tone for the video universe, but it is truly the videos’ content that captures users’ attention.

Non-verbal communication: something we control?

For the rest of this article, and because this is the main topic, it is important to clarify what non-verbal communication is. It refers to exchanges or messages that we send to others (directly or indirectly) without using speech at all. It is therefore opposed to verbal communication, which uses only words to convey a message. The words chosen are then mostly deliberate and thought out.

By contrast, non-verbal communication is more a matter of our unconscious, meaning that we display uncontrolled reactions that, unintentionally, send signals to the recipients of our messages (the people we are speaking to). Consequently, non-verbal communication complements verbal communication in the sense that it can support a message or, on the contrary, undermine it. Like a voice of truth, non-verbal communication does not lie but can, despite us, betray us and therefore work against us. To prevent this from happening, it is better to be aware of the power of non-verbal communication and dare to work on it in order to be in control of your life! Training programs on mastering non-verbal communication can provide useful tips.

TikTok, to control your non-verbal communication ...

TikTok remains a good example of mastered non-verbal communication because on this social network, it is not words that speak, but attitude, body language, smiles, and many other elements. Yet non-verbal communication in general remains difficult to master. In everyday life, we are not necessarily aware that we run our hands through our hair, shake our legs under the table, play with the cap of our pen, … yet all these are gestures that express our emotions. Conversely, when communicating on social media, involuntary reactions are fewer because control over our image is very strong. TikTok users, who are mostly between 13 and 24 years old, use it to build the image they want to reveal and control the image they project. This is referred to as personal branding.

… thanks to the possibility of creating your own short content

If controlling non-verbal communication is possible on TikTok, it is first because it primarily delivers short content. Videos on the platform, which last between 15 and 60 seconds, require control of one’s non-verbal communication over a short period of time, which remains a fairly easy exercise in itself. Second, if controlling non-verbal communication is possible, it is because users are their own content producers. Thanks to the video creation feature, they can choose format length, select filters, slow down or speed up parts of their video, add text or sound, and use many other features. As directors of their own videos, they decide exactly what they want to convey. For example, they can soften or erase certain aspects of their non-verbal communication that they do not like by increasing video speed, cutting parts of the video, adding filters, etc.

TikTok, to capture your audience’s attention

The initial objective for internet users/content producers on TikTok is to capture the attention of other users on the platform. To do this, they obviously need to capture attention within the first few seconds of the video because without an engaging element, a user will not continue watching and will skip to another video. TikTok’s algorithm will then decide whether or not to share the content with a substantial number of users, which, in the best case, will make the video go viral. Depending on your number of followers and the number of reactions to your content, your video will generate an increasing number of views.

It is true that stars with many fans will see their videos go viral more easily. However, nothing prevents unknown users from surpassing stars in terms of views. Everyone has a chance, provided that the user/content producer uses the right codes to capture their audience’s attention: inspiring themes, short videos, video editing work, catchy music.

TikTok, for staging yourself

On the TikTok social network, visual communication—and in particular body language—takes precedence, since users use it to stage themselves. Thus, TikTok content should be seen as more or less elaborate staging. When you watch TikTok videos, you quickly understand that it is not always a video made in a few seconds, even if its playback time is 15 seconds. Depending on the video, real thought work has been done upstream regarding the choice of concept, costumes, body movements, location, editing, sound, etc. Consequently, the simplest-looking video is not necessarily simple. In addition to the work done behind each video, one can guess that some required several rehearsals. Like filming a movie, short film, music video, or advertisement, a TikTok video is repeated several times to ultimately select the best scene.

Visual communication, a pillar of TikTok

Following the principle of visual and vocal communication, we will look at the different criteria that users/content producers refine on TikTok. The most essential communication on TikTok is undoubtedly visual communication, since users employ it to stage themselves. Thus, TikTok content should be seen as more or less elaborate staging. When you watch TikTok videos, you quickly understand that it is not always a video made in a few seconds, even if its playback time is 15 seconds. Depending on the videos, real thought work has been done beforehand, which aligns with Albert Mehrabian’s statement that visual communication represents 55% of communication. But what do we mean by visual communication? Well, an infinite number of elements, among which we can mention:

EYE CONTACT

The intensity of a gaze, the point one focuses on, and the emotion felt all provide a specific indication to your message and allow you to convey messages to others without uttering a single word. In another sense, your gaze can act like an open book and let some of your strongest and deepest emotions slip out, such as passion, boredom, sincerity, love, joy, sadness, and anger. Despite yourself, your eyes can betray your true feelings. On social media, the power of eye contact is less present because communication is not face-to-face. Nevertheless, mastering your gaze is necessary, especially if you want to control your visual communication on TikTok.

SMILE

A video of a smiling person will trigger more of a sense of well-being than a video of a person who is sulking. This is why in the top videos on TikTok, you will find enthusiastic, dynamic, and energetic people.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Some micro-expressions on your face can reveal your emotions. Take the example of furrowed eyebrows that reflect anger, raised eyebrows that express surprise, or lips you bite that communicate stress.

POSTURE

The way you hold yourself also plays a role, since it sends signals. Indeed, whether you stand straight, slouch, cross your arms, or keep your feet firmly on the ground, the signals sent will not be the same.

GESTURES

On TikTok, gestures are key since this is above all a social network based on body movements. Indeed, many impactful videos are at the origin of short choreographies. Users/producers of choreography therefore take care to create catchy choreographies so that as many users as possible can reproduce them. Among TikTok dances that have gone viral, we can mention the “Renegade,” where users reproduce the choreography proposed by Charli D'Amelio based on the first 15 seconds of the song Lottery by K-Camp.

PROXEMICS

This refers to how we occupy space in the presence of another person. In other words, depending on our degree of relationship with others and the context, our distance from others will be more or less great. In TikTok videos, proxemics is less of an issue since video creators who stage themselves are most often alone.. However, they are sometimes several people, and depending on the distance between them, video viewers will quickly interpret the relationship between the different members: friends, coworkers, family, partners, etc.

OUTFIT

Clothing appearance conveys many messages. Unconsciously, users will have a more or less positive opinion and will tend to project themselves onto the person in the video. On TikTok, clothing style is mostly casual, which is linked to the user target, namely a large majority of young people between 13 and 24 years old.

Vocal communication through the sound chosen for videos

In addition to visual communication, TikTok videos manage to capture attention thanks to vocal communication. On this platform, it is rarer for users to use their own voice. In reality, they prefer to use a sound from the app’s library to convey their message. Thus, depending on the message they want to send (good mood, laughter, joy, etc.), they will choose certain sounds (music, movie lines, comedy sketches, etc.). Compared with Instagram, TikTok users are significantly more likely to turn off silent mode on their app to fully enjoy the videos’ sound. This approach demonstrates one thing: sound plays a considerable role in TikTok’s non-verbal communication. Remove the sound from TikTok videos and the message loses all meaning, which proves here that non-verbal communication applies not only to the visual aspect but also to the audio aspect.

Ultimately, TikTok draws on the codes of silent cinema where visual and vocal communication (therefore non-verbal communication) took precedence! There were a few written dialogues in those films—i.e., a touch of verbal communication—but it represented a small share and was closer to the 7% impact on others.