TikTok for Comedians

Making Comedy on TikTok: Key Takeaways from the LCA x TikTok Webinar

On 12 October 2026, the Live Comedy Association hosted a webinar with TikTok for comedy creators. We weren’t able to record the session, so we’ve put together a summary of the main points for members.

Creating your content

  • Anything over 30 seconds is considered long-form on TikTok. Comedy videos rarely run past a minute, so if you can hold attention beyond that, you’re doing well.

  • TikTok categorises their popular comedy formats as: stand-up clips, sketches and skits, and scripted comedy.

  • Aim for well-crafted, engaging and specialised content. A clear focus helps your videos find the right audience.

  • Use captions. 80% of people prefer videos with captions, and a surprising number of viewers watch without sound, for example while commuting or in public spaces.

  • On-screen text can keep viewers watching and draw them further into a video.

  • Keep things visually varied. Changing locations and switching camera angles helps keep engagement high.

  • Swearing. TikTok advises censoring swear words, although swearing won’t automatically hurt your visibility.

Growing your audience

  • Post about three times a week. TikTok described this as a very healthy posting rhythm.

  • Treat hashtags and captions like SEO. Ask yourself whether people are likely to search for those words. If so, they’re worth using.

  • Video views are the strongest indicator of performance, followed by shares and saves, rather than likes or comments.

  • Reply to comments to build community. It’s good for your relationship with your audience, though TikTok says it doesn’t affect how the algorithm ranks your videos.

  • Being active on the app before you post makes no difference to how your video performs. Similarly, it doesn’t make a difference whether you post directly via TikTok or a third-party app.

  • Use separate accounts for separate niches. If your content spans several distinct areas, multiple accounts work better than one.

Making money

TikTok offers several ways for creators to earn:

  • Creator Rewards Program. Higher-quality content may earn higher rewards, with each video assessed individually.

  • Branded partnerships through TikTok One.

  • TikTok Shop, which offers an affiliate route to earning.

  • TikTok LIVE, which can be monetised, including through gifts from viewers.

Support and resources

  • Creator Academy. TikTok’s Creator Academy is available to help newer creators get started. Searching it by keyword is the quickest way to find guidance on a specific topic. Link here.

  • Content or copyright issues. If you have a problem with your content or a copyright claim, you can submit an appeal. TikTok also has an in-app support team.

  • Account bans. Once an account has been banned, it’s technically impossible to reinstate it, so it’s worth being familiar with the community guidelines.