If I Was A” Trend TikTok Categories: See How Others See You

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2024

TikTok 101
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“If I was a” what? “If I was a” trend TikTok categories are among the most popular trends to sweep TikTok. It started as a fun and sweet activity for couples that eventually morphed into something entirely different. It became an exciting opportunity for everyone to explore their identities from a new perspective.

TikTok users and content creators would ask their partners, “If I were a flower, what would I be?” Or, ask a best friend, “If I was an outfit, what would I be?” Then, they would create content around the question and response. The trend is incredibly successful in raising engagement on posts.

Let’s take a closer look at how the trend works, if you should use this hashtag, and the most popular “If I was a” trend categories.

A cell phone sitting on a charging pad with the TikTok logo displayed on screen.

How Does the Trend Work?

If you want to become famous on TikTok, jump on a huge trend! The “If I was a” trend on TikTok captivated countless couples by allowing them to see themselves through another’s eyes. The #ifiwasa hashtag quickly gained millions of views and more participation from best friends, families, and individuals. Soon enough, the craze blossomed into numerous “If I was a” trend categories. How does it work?

How To Do the “If I Was A” Trend on TikTok for Various Categories

Here’s a step-by-step guide to the sweet and entertaining “If I was a” trend on TikTok. Completing the activity, from asking questions to producing the TikTok video, is time-consuming. It takes editing and writing — It’s a labor of love but worth the effort!

  1. First, you ask your partner, friend, or loved one, “If I was a…, what would I be?” You can ask them to characterize you according to your desired categories. However, the more categories you have, the more pictures you’ll need and the longer your video will be.
  2. Once the other person has answered, you must find 24 pictures representing each. For example, someone might respond “Yellow” to the question “If I was a color, what would I be?” You will need 24 photos representing the color yellow. If you have five or more categories, you can reduce the number of pictures for each one accordingly.
  3. Next, you’ll start creating a video montage. CapCut is the best editing app for TikTok, but you can use other apps.
  4. The montage will flow like this: Introduce the category with a title card, saying, “If I was a…” Line up the categories’ photos. Each one should last 0.1 seconds, except for the 15th one, which should be 0.4 seconds. At the end of the montage for that category, insert another title card that identifies the category. This title card should last 0.9 seconds.
  5. Repeat the process for each category. When you complete your montage, you’ll use the song “Run Boy Run” by Woodkid in your video. Voila! You have your entry for the “If I was a” trend Tiktok categories.

Close-up shot of sunflowers representing summer.

Tips for Creating an Aesthetic Montage for “If I Was A” Trend TikTok Categories

Check out this tutorial for the #ifiwasa trend, created by @anarvra. She shares how to make the #ifiwasa montage using the CapCut app. Try these tips to help you create an aesthetic montage for your “If I was a” trend TikTok categories.

  1. Make sure you have the same number of pictures for each category.
  2. Add a background of your choosing to each title card. You can use the same background for all the category introductions, i.e., “If I was a ” title card. Use an extra photo that represents the category as a background for the title card that identifies the category.
  3. When revealing the answer to the category, have the first half of the word pop out in time to a single beat of the song, and the second half of the word will pop out on the next beat.
  4. Keep the questions simple enough that they’ll require only one-word answers.
  5. Introduce the entire video with a photo of yourself or you and your partner/friend/loved one. Add a text overlay that reads, “If I was a…” (according to my husband/girlfriend/best friend/sister/myself).
  6. Use the hashtags #ifiwasa and #ifiwasatrend. Don’t forget to mention the song Run Boy Run by Woodkid.

Silhouette of a man carrying a woman on his back with the sunset in the background.

“If I Was A” Trend TikTok Categories You Could Use

Prepare to spend hours creating your montage for the “If I Was a” trend. You may also have to look for the perfect photos for each category. But the final product is often impressively aww- and awe-inspiring. Let’s look at the most popular and some unique “If I was a” categories you could use.

Vanilla “If I Was A” Trend TikTok Categories

Flex your fingers and get ready for some wonderfully eye-opening and introspective work! Here are some pure and simple “What would I be if I was a ….?” trend TikTok categories:

  1. Color
  2. Flower
  3. Time of day
  4. Weather
  5. Season
  6. Holiday
  7. Era
  8. Animal
  9. Tree
  10. Place
  11. City
  12. Country
  13. Planet
  14. Character
  15. Disney princess
  16. Movie
  17. Occupation
  18. Hobby

A bunch of wet red apples.

Fascinating “If I Was A” Trend TikTok Categories

For more thought-provoking questions and more insightful answers, try these trend categories:

  1. Drink
  2. Dessert
  3. Food
  4. Flavor
  5. Smell
  6. Sound
  7. Feeling
  8. Song
  9. Taylor Swift song (or your artist of choice)
  10. Crystal or gemstone
  11. Element
  12. Book
  13. Word
  14. Shoe
  15. Piece of clothing
  16. Bag
  17. Haircut
  18. Shape
  19. Car
  20. Building

A metal wind chime hanging from a tree.

Where To Find Lovely Images for Your “If I Was A” TikTok Trend Video?

The hashtag #IfIWasA already has more than 250 million views on TikTok. Couples, friends, families, and more have found seeing themselves in the other person’s eyes delightful, sweet, and even silly. The “If I was a” trend TikTok categories have allowed couples to bond and learn more about each other. It has also proven to be a great way to do mindful self-reflection.

The question-and-answer part of the activity is the easiest and most enjoyable. Remember that this is supposed to cultivate comfort and closeness. Finding the right images that truly represent who you are is often more challenging. The photos must also be of good quality and aesthetically pleasing.

Try the following sites to find lovely, royalty-free stock images for your “If I was a” trend TikTok videos:

  • StockSnap. All photos on the site do not require attribution.
  • Pexels. You’ll find high-quality and free stock photos licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license on Pexels.
  • Unsplash. Unsplash offers an extensive collection of beautiful and free-to-use stock photos.
  • Burst by Shopify. Some images are under the Creative Commons CC0 license, while others are under Shopify’s photo license.
  • Pixabay. All photos are under a Creative Commons CC0 license.
  • Reshot. You can use Reshot images without attribution, making them perfect for the “If I Was a” video montages.
  • Freestocks.org. The site offers a wide range of stock images released under Creative Commons CC0.
  • Picjumbo. Find images on this site that are free for commercial and personal use.
  • FreeImages. The site is associated with Getty Images and provides a wide selection of royalty-free, high-quality images.

Photo Trends Similar to “If I Was A” Trend on TikTok

It’s clear that TikTok is slowly but surely expanding its content format by allowing users to share photos, not just videos. The viral “If I was a” trend TikTok categories are an excellent example of the platform’s successful efforts to keep up with the competition. Here are other photo trends on TikTok similar to the hashtag #IfIWasA craze.

  1. Texts with my name in them. The trend is simple. You take screenshots of text messages you receive with your name in them. And then, you create a slideshow using a photo of yourself on the first slide and add your choice of background music.
  2. Opposites trend. Create a slideshow of photos showing how you and your bestie, partner, or sibling are complete opposites!
  3. The photo trend. The trend combines a quick video clip of how you look at the moment and a photo showing your best look.

A purple and white flower on black background.

Similar Photo Trends to the “If I Was A” Trend

It’s clear that TikTok is slowly but surely expanding its content format by allowing users to share photos, not just videos. The “If I was a” trend TikTok categories exemplify the platform’s successful efforts to keep up. Here are other photo trends on TikTok similar to the hashtag #IfIWasA craze.

  1. Texts with my name in them. The trend is simple. You take screenshots of text messages you receive with your name in them. Then, create a slideshow using a photo of yourself on the first slide and add your choice of background music.
  2. Opposites trend. Create a slideshow of photos showing how you and your bestie, partner, or sibling are complete opposites.
  3. The photo trend. The trend combines a quick video clip of how you look at the moment and a photo showing your best look.

TikTok Trends for Couples Similar to the “If I Was A” TikTok Trend

Performing tasks and challenges on TikTok as a couple makes for double the fun. It’s no wonder the “If I was a” TikTok trend quickly became a hit among romantic and platonic partners alike. Let’s look at other popular trends on TikTok that also involved sweet and game twosomes.

  1. Passing the phone. This challenge is not for the faint of heart and delicate of ego. It involves a back-and-forth roasting between you and your partner. Each one starts their roast with, “I’m passing the phone to someone who .” The person then passes the phone to their partner, who takes their turn roasting the other.
  2. Let me raise a toast. You wax nostalgic in the video and show a sappy slideshow of photos and clips chronicling your relationship. The video is prefaced with audio from a clip in The Little Rascals film saying, “Raise a toast to the [person] you love most in the whole world!” Some participants lip-sync to the audio before showing their montage.
  3. I’ve only said I love you to two men. The trend is for those whose partners look like their celebrity crush. You say, “I’ve only said I love you to two men.” You can switch to a photo of the celebrity or insert it in your video. And then, show a picture of your partner, or have your partner enter the shot.
  4. Flip the switch. You and your bae will have difficulty keeping a straight face while performing this couples challenge. The two of you will be dancing in front of a mirror. When the song says, “Flip the switch,” the video will show you and your partner switching places and outfits.

A couple’s reflection in the water.

Find the Right Audience To Share Your “If I Was a” Trend TikTok Categories Content With

The popularity of the “If I was a” trend TikTok categories is a fine example of how fun and relatable trends can quickly rack up the number of content views. Are you a business or creator still trying to find a solid footing on the platform? If so, the best way to get the attention of interested users is through precise audience targeting. You should not simply jump on the latest TikTok trend. You have to be smart and discerning when choosing a trend. You have to know what your audience enjoys for increased TikTok user engagement.

Fine-tuning your content to target a specific audience helps you get exposure much faster than blindly targeting a generic audience. Your goal is to land on your target users’ For You feeds. This is where you’re most likely to get discovered by users interested in your content. Each For You feed is curated based on a user’s interests and interactions on the platform. So, your best bet is to create content and choose trends that align with these interests and behaviors.

You can give yourself an added advantage by teaming up with an expert in TikTok growth management like High Social. Get precise audience targeting capability with the help of High Social’s advanced, proprietary AI technology. With High Social, you can rest assured that your brand will grow with authentic and interested followers.

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TikTok 101