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Mastering TikTok’s Latest Features for Brand Growth and Engagement

Written by Timoté Chanut | May 30, 2025 7:26:34 AM

📚 Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Key Takeaways

  • TikTok’s new Footnotes feature lets select users add valuable context to videos, boosting content credibility and community engagement.

  • The ALT Text for photo posts improves accessibility, allowing brands and creators to reach wider audiences, including visually impaired users.

  • AMBER Alerts integration positions TikTok as a platform committed to safety and social responsibility — offering a unique way for brands to align with purpose-driven messaging.

  • Smart use of these features can increase trust, inclusivity, and brand reputation on the platform.

  • Leveraging these updates now can give early adopters a strategic edge in audience connection and content strategy.

Introduction

TikTok is not just about trends and viral dances anymore. With over 170 million American users, the platform continues to evolve its features to address bigger issues like content reliability, accessibility, and social impact.

Recently, TikTok announced three major updates: the Footnotes feature for adding context to videos, ALT Text for photo posts to improve accessibility, and AMBER Alerts to help locate missing children directly through the app.

For ecommerce brands, influencers, and content creators, these aren’t just platform tweaks — they’re new tools for building trust, expanding reach, and standing out. Here’s how you can leverage these updates to strengthen your TikTok strategy.

Footnotes: Building Credibility Through Context

What is it?

Footnotes allow verified contributors to add contextual information directly beneath TikTok videos, helping clarify complex content, fact-check information, and enrich discussions.

Photo shared by TikTok News

Why it matters for brands and creators:

  • Combat misinformation around your product claims or niche topics.

  • Position your brand as a credible source by referencing verified data.

  • Enhance educational content (STEM, health, finance) with added authority.

How to leverage it:

  • Apply to become a Footnotes contributor if eligible (over 6 months on TikTok, age 18+, no guideline violations).

  • Use Footnotes to explain product benefits, share usage tips, or cite data sources.

  • Encourage audience engagement by prompting discussions that lead to constructive Footnote contributions.

ALT Text for Photo Posts: Make Your Content More Inclusive

What is it?

The new ALT Text feature allows creators to add descriptive text to images in photo posts, making them accessible for users with visual impairments. 

Photo shared by app researcher Radu Oncescu

Why it matters for brands and creators:

  • Opens your content to a broader audience, including those using screen readers.

  • Shows that your brand values inclusivity — a factor increasingly important to Gen Z and Millennials.

  • Improves SEO and discoverability within TikTok’s ecosystem.

How to leverage it:

  • Write clear, concise ALT Text that describes key elements of your image (e.g., “Blue hoodie with white logo displayed on a clean white background”).

  • Use ALT Text strategically to reinforce keywords and product details without keyword stuffing.

  • Audit past photo posts and update them with ALT Text where possible.

AMBER Alerts: Aligning with Purpose and Social Impact

What is it?

TikTok now integrates AMBER Alerts into the For You feed, providing real-time notifications about missing children in your area, in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Photo shared by TikTok News

Why it matters for brands and creators:

  • Builds alignment with cause-based marketing and social responsibility.

  • Reinforces trust and emotional connection with your audience.

  • Allows brands to amplify important messages without creating new content.

How to leverage it thoughtfully:

  • Consider highlighting TikTok’s safety initiatives in your content or community discussions.

  • If your brand supports child safety, partner with relevant nonprofits or include supportive messaging in your campaigns.

  • Be mindful not to exploit sensitive topics; focus on awareness and support.

🎁 FREE RESOURCE: TikTok Feature Activation Checklist

How to Use Footnotes, ALT Text & AMBER Alerts to Boost Engagement, Trust, and Accessibility on TikTok

🚀 Stay ahead on TikTok by using this simple, step-by-step action plan to leverage TikTok’s newest features. Build credibility, increase reach, and engage your audience on a deeper level.

📥 [Grab the Checklist here: TikTok Feature Activation Checklist]

Measuring Success

Conclusion

TikTok’s latest feature rollouts — Footnotes, ALT Text, and AMBER Alerts — aren’t just platform updates. They’re opportunities to build trust, accessibility, and social responsibility into your brand’s TikTok strategy.

Early adopters who embrace these tools can stand out, deepen audience connection, and create content that resonates on a deeper level. Whether you're an ecommerce brand, influencer, or creator, using these features thoughtfully could be your next big move on TikTok.

About the Author

Timoté Chanut is the founder of Young with Solutions, a leading TikTok marketing agency that has helped over 400 brands achieve viral success. With a track record of generating millions in revenue through organic and paid strategies, Timoté and his team specialize in helping brands navigate the evolving landscape of social media marketing.

Additional Resources

👉 Ready to upgrade your TikTok strategy? Book a free strategy session with Young with Solutions and unlock your brand’s viral potential.

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