How to Make a TikTok Slideshow: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you have been following recent content trends, you have probably seen many posts claiming that video dominates everything. While video is important, images still play a key role in today’s TikTok content mix, and they are making a strong comeback. TikTok has taken notice of this shift as well.

While the platform is primarily known for short-form vertical videos, it also lets users post images (with a little flair). TikTok introduced Photo Mode, a feature that lets creators transform static images into slideshows. With this feature, you can add multiple images to a single post and incorporate music, filters, and transitions to bring them to life.

In this guide, we take an in-depth look at TikTok slideshows, covering what they are, how they can benefit your content strategy, and how to create them.

What Is a TikTok Slideshow?

A TikTok slideshow is a post format that lets you share multiple images in a video-style presentation. Usually, you can customize this type of post by adding music, transitions, text overlays, and filters to make it more eye-catching and engaging.

There are two main types of TikTok slideshows: swipeable and non-swipeable.

As you can probably tell from their name, swipeable slideshows allow users to manually swipe through each image in your post at their own pace. If you’re looking for an interactive image-post format, this is it. It can be especially great for content that viewers need time to read or digest, such as recipes, product showcases, instructions, before-and-after photos, and step-by-step tutorials.

Non-swipeable slideshows, on the other hand, are like typical videos, except they’re made up of static images. With this type of post, viewers have no control over the pacing of your content; each image automatically plays after a few seconds. However, just because it offers a passive viewing experience doesn’t mean it’s not a valuable addition to your content strategy. This type of post works well when a seamless flow is crucial for content delivery and when you need to provide quick visual journeys. It’s ideal for recaps, image-led storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, mood boards, and product journeys.

How to Make a Slideshow on TikTok

The process of making a TikTok slideshow is relatively straightforward. The first step is to gather all the images you want to share with your audience. Do you want to show before-and-after transformations? Take all the pictures you need. Do you want to share a detailed product tutorial? Create a presentation and take screenshots. To make uploading your content easier, group all pertinent photos together in your gallery.

Once you’re done, follow this step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Open Your TikTok App

If you don’t have an account, start by signing up for one. If you’ve already created yours, log in.

Step 2: Tap the “+” Button

Once you log into your account, tap the plus icon at the bottom of your screen. If you didn’t grant TikTok permission to access your camera and gallery during setup, do so now.

Then, tap the image icon next to the Record button to open your camera roll. Afterwards, toggle Select Multiple and select the images you want to include in your slideshow (you can pick up to 35).

To maintain a clean aesthetic, choose photos with the same quality, aspect ratio, and resolution. TikTok recommends uploading high-quality JPG or PNG files with a 9:16 aspect ratio and 1080p resolution for clear or full-screen slideshows.

Step 3: Choose Your Preferred Format

When you select your images, you’ll see two options: AutoCut and Next. This is where you choose whether to create a swipeable or a non-swipeable slideshow.

For a swipeable slideshow, tap the Next button. TikTok will then display the images in a way that lets audiences swipe at their own pace.

For a non-swipeable slideshow, choose the AutoCut option. When you do, the images will play automatically, just like traditional TikTok video posts.

Note: You can reorder your images as needed by holding them and moving them around on the displayed sequence. Do this before selecting AutoCut or Next.

Step 4: Edit Your Slideshow

TikTok offers built-in editing tools to help you customize slideshows. Use the icons on the right-hand side of your screen to:

• Crop and trim your images.
• Add a text overlay.
• Add music, stickers, filters, or sound effects.

If you need help editing your video, select one of the provided TikTok slideshow templates. This is especially handy when creating non-swipeable slide shows, as the templates come complete with transitions, music, and effects. You can always change the music and effects to better align with your vision, though. What’s more, you can add a voiceover — this is great for storytelling and tutorial content.

Step 5: Add the Finishing Touches

When you’re satisfied with your slideshow’s appearance, tap Next to add the finishing touches — edit your cover image as desired, write a catchy title and a description that includes relevant keywords where natural (to help the TikTok algorithm better understand your content), add appropriate hashtags (to boost content discoverability), and tag collaborators.

Then, customize your post settings. You can add a link, choose who can view your post, adjust your privacy settings, and even share your content to other platforms (such as WhatsApp and Facebook).

When you’re done, preview the slideshow, proofread your title and description, and double-check your settings. If everything is in order, tap the Post button.

Why Create TikTok Slideshows?

If video content is working great for you, it’s normal to be skeptical about slideshows. After all, many TikTok users love the platform for its short-form videos.

However, slideshows offer advantages you don’t want to miss. Some major ones include:

• Easy and fast production: Slideshows are relatively low-effort compared to video content, as they don’t require advanced filming or editing. If you’re looking for something simple with fast production, they’re exactly what you need.
• Fast load times: Slideshows load faster than videos. This can help you capture views and engagements from TikTok users in areas with slow internet connections.
• Interactivity: Swipeable slideshows engage audiences by allowing them to control their pace. This can lead to longer viewing times, potentially sending positive signals to the TikTok algorithm.
• Content repurposing: TikTok slideshows allow you to use images that might otherwise go unused in your gallery. For example, you can create them using customer review screenshots.
• Feed variety: Slideshows add a little spice to your feed, letting you mix up images and videos.

Slideshows can work well for brands and creators across all niches. Whether you’re a beauty & skincare brand looking to showcase your products, a travel content creator who wants to share picture-worthy destinations, or a food vlogger who enjoys curating unique recipes, this content format may be precisely what you need to connect deeper with your audience.

Tips for Creating Successful TikTok Slideshows

Do all TikTok slideshows register desired views and engagement? No. There’s a lot that goes into creating content that reaches a broad audience and encourages engagement. Here are our top tips:

Hook Your Audience Quickly

If you’ve been on TikTok for a while, you already know that users aren’t exactly patient. If you don’t capture their attention within the first few seconds, they’ll move on to the next post faster than you can say hello.

How do you hook scrollers to your slideshows? By adding a striking visual, a thought-provoking question, or an unexpected statement to your first slide. For example, if you’re a travel content creator, you can lead your slideshow with an image of a hidden gem or a text overlay that reads something like, “Here’s what not to do in X.”

Use Trending Audio

Incorporating trending songs and sounds into your slideshows can boost their discoverability. It can also make your presentation more dynamic, increasing the chances of viewers swiping through or watching your content to the end.

However, not all trending audio will work. Choose options that align with your content. For example, you can use a slow-tempo song for storytelling and a fast-paced one for a product showcase.

Also, be sure to match transitions to your chosen background music.

Incorporate Text Overlays

Add text overlays to slideshows to highlight key details or explain your content. For example, if you post travel recap photos, add the name of each destination to its relevant image.

Ideally, slideshow text overlays should be concise to avoid distracting from your core content. They should also be consistent — use the same font, color, and placement across all images.

Try Both Slideshow Formats

Some people prefer swipeable slideshows while others prefer non-swipeable options. To identify what resonates best with your target audience, test both and monitor analytics such as watch time, completion rate, and engagement. Then, focus on the format that delivers the desired results.

Post Consistently

As with standard TikTok video content, slideshows thrive when you’re consistent. The more regularly you post, the more likely they are to appear in users’ FYPs.

So, don’t post once a week and log out; aim to post multiple times a day, or at least daily.

If you have multiple TikTok accounts, use solutions like GeeLark to streamline posting. GeeLark is an antidetect platform that not only helps you isolate your accounts but also automate TikTok slideshow posting. With the platform, you can prepare your content in advance and schedule it to go live on specific days and times, across all your accounts.

Unlike many content schedulers, GeeLark doesn’t rely on APIs. Instead, it uses cloud phones to post content, just like you would via your standard mobile device. This is a safer route as it minimizes the risk of raising automation flags.

Common TikTok Slideshows Issues

Creating TikTok slideshows is pretty straightforward. That said, you may encounter a few issues along the way, such as:

• Pixelated or blurry images: This typically occurs when you upload low-quality images or use the wrong file format. To resolve the issue, upload 1080p photos in JPG or PNG format.
• Slideshow isn’t swipeable: This occurs when you tap the AutoCut option after selecting images, or when you use TikTok slideshow templates. To make your slideshow swipeable, go back to the image selection step and tap Next instead of AutoCut. If you want to use a template, make sure it’s a photo template.
• Can’t add all the photos you want to your chosen template: TikTok allows up to 35 images per slideshow. However, some templates have smaller limits, which is why you may be unable to add all the photos you want. If this is the case, try out different templates until you find one that meets your needs. Alternatively, create your slideshow manually.
• Slideshow won’t upload: This is most likely an internet connection or app issue. If it occurs, start by checking your connection. If it’s okay, update your app to the latest version, or force-close it and clear your cache. Then, try again.
• Music doesn’t align with your content: TikTok automatically recommends music and sounds when creating slideshows. However, its recommendations may not always match your posts. If this is the case, tap the Add sound button at the top of your screen while editing and select a different audio file.

Add TikTok Slideshows to Your Content Strategy

TikTok slideshows are a great way to break up the constant stream of video posts in your feed. But that’s not all they do. They also invite audiences to engage and allow you to repurpose content that would otherwise go unused.

If you’re looking for a low-pressure way to stay consistent on TikTok, they’re one of your most valuable assets. GeeLark is another.

With GeeLark, you can automate slideshow (and video) autoposting at scale across all your TikTok accounts and other social media profiles. This not only makes it easier to maintain consistency but also lightens your workload, allowing you to focus on actual content creation.

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