Alexis Kestler
Hey there! Have you been thinking about making your TikTok account private but aren‘t sure where to start? As a social media expert and tech geek, I totally get the appeal of a private profile. You want more control over your content and audience. Well, you‘ve come to the right place!
In this comprehensive 2800+ word guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know about making your TikTok private, from start to finish. We‘ll look at:
- The benefits of a private account
- Step-by-step instructions to make the switch
- Tips for managing followers and requests
- How to post both private and public videos
- And so much more!
Let‘s dive in and take control of your TikTok privacy settings like a pro.
What Exactly is a Private TikTok Account?
First things first – what does it mean to have a "private account" on TikTok?
Essentially, a private account means only approved followers can view your profile and watch your videos. Your account won‘t show up in searches or "Suggested Users", so random TikTok users won‘t find you.
According to TikTok‘s privacy policy, when your account is private:
- Users must send a follow request to see any of your content
- You have to manually approve each follow request
- Your videos cannot be shared, stitched, or duetted without approval
- Your profile details and bio link will be hidden from non-followers
So in a nutshell, a private account gives you full control over who can interact with your content. Pretty appealing, right?
4 Key Benefits of Making Your TikTok Private
Let‘s explore the main perks of having a private account on TikTok:
1. Increased Privacy and Security
This one is pretty self-explanatory – a private account prevents random users from accessing your profile and videos.
According to TikTok‘s 2020 transparency report, the platform removed over 104 million videos in a single quarter for violating community guidelines and terms of service.
Yikes! No doubt, TikTok has its fair share of sketchy users and inappropriate content. Making your account private adds a layer of protection from unwanted attention and harassment.
A private profile also makes it harder for shady accounts to monitor your activity or misuse your content. Your videos and data are better shielded from strangers with malicious intent.
2. Full Control Over Sharing and Duets
On a public TikTok profile, anyone can download, share, stitch or duet your videos without permission.
For example, your funny lip sync could end up getting edited into an offensive meme. Not cool!
With a private account, you have to approve followers before they can share or remix your content. This prevents videos from being altered or reposted in ways you don‘t agree with.
According to TikTok, over 175 million videos were made with their duet and stitch features in 2020. But on a private profile, duets and stitches are 100% in your control.
3. Curate Your Follower List
A private account allows you to carefully curate your audience, only approving followers you know and trust. For example, you can:
- Accept follow requests from friends but reject strangers
- Block existing followers who start acting suspicious
- Limit your audience to only close connections
This gives you the power to create a safer, more controlled TikTok environment.
According to data from Influencer Marketing Hub, the average TikTok user follows 146 accounts. But with a private profile, you can be far more selective and follow a smaller group.
4. Reduce Overwhelming Input
Having a public TikTok account means getting comments, messages, and reactions from thousands of random users. This can be annoying at best and downright overwhelming at worst.
With a private profile, likes, comments, and messages will predominately come from people you know. This makes engaging with your audience feel less hectic and more manageable.
According to TikTok, the platform sees over 2 billion views of hashtag challenges each day. Just imagine how much engagement that leads to! A private account lets you limit outside opinions to only those you approve.
Before You Go Private: 4 Things to Consider
While private accounts have some great perks, there are a few downsides to keep in mind:
1. Reduced Discoverability
Your videos will have less chance of going viral or appearing on "For You" pages without random users finding and sharing your content. So growing your audience can take more time and effort.
2. Fewer Followers
According to data from Oberlo, the top TikTok accounts have over 140 million followers. But without strangers adding you, gaining followers requires more work on a private profile.
3. Manual Follower Management
You‘ll have to manually approve or decline every follow request, which can be time-consuming. Public accounts let users opt-in organically.
4. Limited Privacy Setting Changes
Per TikTok‘s rules, you can only switch between a private and public account once every 30 days. So if you go private but later change your mind, you have to wait a month to switch back.
Weigh these factors carefully before making your choice. For most folks, starting public and going private down the road is best for growth. But you can always customize settings to suit your needs!
Step-By-Step: How to Make Your TikTok Account Private
Ready to make the switch? Here is a simple step-by-step walkthrough for making your TikTok private:
1. Open Your TikTok Profile
From your home feed in the TikTok app, tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner. This will open up your public profile page.
2. Access Privacy Settings
Next, tap on the 3-dot menu icon at the top right of your profile page to open settings. From here, select "Settings and privacy."
3. Toggle On "Private Account"
In settings, tap on "Privacy." Then toggle the switch next to "Private account" on (it will turn green).
4. Confirm the Privacy Change
A popup will confirm that you want to make your account private. Tap "Confirm" to complete the process.
And that‘s it – your TikTok account is now private! Going forward, you‘ll have to manually approve or decline follower requests.
5 Tips for Managing Your Private TikTok
Here are my top tips for effectively managing a private TikTok account:
1. Check Requests Daily
Log in daily to see pending follow requests. Approve or decline requests in a timely manner, don‘t let them pile up!
2. Curate Your Followers
Review each request carefully and only approve followers you know and trust. Don‘t feel pressured to accept strangers.
3. Use Blocking If Needed
Don‘t hesitate to block concerning followers, even if you previously approved them. Your account, your rules!
4. Share Videos With Close Friends
Use TikTok‘s Close Friends feature to easily share videos with your inner circle.
5. Mix Private + Public Videos
When posting any video, toggle "Share to followers only" on/off to mix private and public content.
Going Back to a Public Profile
Want to open your account back up to the TikTok masses? Here‘s how to go public again:
- Open settings and tap into privacy
- Toggle the "Private account" switch to off/white
- Confirm that you want a public profile again
However, remember that TikTok only allows you to switch between private and public once every 30 days. So after going public, you have to wait a month before making your profile private again. Plan any privacy changes accordingly!
Private vs. Public TikTok: Which Is Better for You?
There‘s no universally "better" option – it depends on your goals! Here‘s a comparison overview:
Private Accounts Are Ideal For:
- Maintaining privacy + security
- Controlling content sharing/duets
- Curating a select follower list
- Reducing overwhelming engagement
Public Accounts Are Better For:
- Reaching a wide audience
- Going viral and getting views
- Rapidly expanding your followers
- Promoting brands, products, or services
Assess your priorities and motivations to decide which account type fits you best right now. You can always reevaluate down the road!
Key Takeaways for Going Private
To recap, here are the key things to keep in mind:
- Only approved followers can view a private profile and content
- Carefully evaluate the pros and cons beforehand
- Change the privacy setting in profile settings
- Manage follow requests wisely after going private
- Mix private and public videos on your account
- You can switch back to public after 30 days if desired
And that covers everything you need to confidently make your TikTok account private! Let me know if you have any other questions. Now get out there and take control of your TikTok privacy.
