How to Make a Day-in-the-Life Video on TikTok

The Day in the Life video isn't just a trend on TikTok, it's a powerful way to connect with an audience by showing the real person behind the account. This guide breaks down exactly how to plan, film, and edit a compelling day-in-the-life video that people will actually want to watch. We'll give you a step-by-step framework to turn your daily routine into engaging content that builds a community, one short clip at a time.

So, Why Do Day-in-the-Life Videos Work So Well?

Ever found yourself watching a complete stranger make their morning coffee, commute to work, and tackle their to-do list? You're not alone. This format thrives on TikTok for a few simple reasons that tap directly into human psychology and what makes the platform so engaging.

Authenticity is the Best Marketing

People on social media are tired of picture-perfect, overly polished content. A day-in-the-life video is the ultimate form of authenticity. It pulls back the curtain and shows the mundane, the messy, and the real moments that make up a day. For personal brands and businesses, this isn’t just content, it's trust-building. Showing the process - the frustrating client email, the focus session, the small win of getting your package packed - makes you relatable. Your audience no longer sees just a product or a service, they see the person and the effort behind it.

It Sells a Lifestyle, Not Just a Product

A freelance graphic designer isn't just selling logos, they're selling the freedom of working from a cozy coffee shop. The owner of a handmade candle business isn't just selling wax and wicks, they're selling a quiet morning spent creating something beautiful. Day-in-the-life videos are phenomenal at aspirational storytelling. You can showcase your work, your products, and your services in an organic context that feels like an invitation into your world rather than a direct sales pitch.

They Satisfy Natural Curiosity

Humans are nosy. We love seeing how other people live and work. What does a software engineer really do all day? How does a social media manager juggle multiple accounts? What does an artist's creative process look like from start to finish? These videos answer those questions and tap into our natural curiosity. They provide educational value wrapped in an entertaining, fast-paced format that’s perfect for TikTok’s short attention spans.

Step 1: Planning Your Day-in-the-Life Story

A great day-in-the-life video feels spontaneous, but it’s almost always born from a little bit of planning. You don't need a Hollywood-level script, but a general outline will prevent you from ending the day with a bunch of random, disconnected clips. The goal is to tell a miniature story with a beginning, middle, and an end.

Find Your Angle

Not all DITL videos are created equal. Your “angle” is the theme that gives your video purpose and makes it stand out. Think about who you are and what your audience finds interesting. Some popular angles include:

• The "Behind-the-Scenes" of Your Job: Perfect for small business owners, freelancers, or anyone with an interesting profession. Show the unglamorous parts and the satisfying results. (Example: "A Day in the Life of a Pottery Studio Owner.")
• The "Woke Up and Chose Productivity" Routine: This is a classic. Showcase your morning routine, your workout, your focused work blocks, and your healthy meals. This is motivational content. (Example: "My 5 AM CEO Morning Routine.")
• The "Cozy and Realistic" Day Off: Counteract the hyper-productive trend with a day focused on self-care, hobbies, and relaxation. This angle is highly relatable. (Example: "A Cozy Sunday in My Life: Reading & Baking.")
• A Specific Event or Project: Focus on a non-routine day. This adds a layer of novelty and excitement. (Example: "A Day in My Life: Prepping for a Market." or "DITL of a Brand Photoshoot.")

Choose an angle that feels genuine to you. If you’re not a 5 AM person, don’t try to fake it. Authenticity wins.

Outline Your Key "Scenes"

Once you have your angle, jot down a simple list of 5-10 key moments you want to capture throughout the day. This is your shot list. It keeps you on track without making the process feel rigid. It could look something like this for a "Work From Home" video:

• The Awakening: A shot of opening the blinds, the sunrise, or your alarm clock.
• The Ritual: Making coffee or tea (an absolute must for satisfying ASMR).
• Morning Routine: Quick clips of getting ready - a skincare moment, picking out your outfit.
• Getting Started: Opening your laptop, looking at your to-do list.
• The "Work": A time-lapse of you typing, a screen recording of your design software, a clip of you on a call.
• The Midday Break: Making lunch, taking a walk outside.
• Afternoon Hustle: More clips of "the work." Maybe packaging orders or tackling a challenging task.
• Wrapping Up: Closing the laptop with a satisfying snap.
• Evening Wind-Down: Cooking dinner, watching a movie, reading a book.

Step 2: Lights, Camera, (and All the Little) Action!

With your plan in hand, it's time to start filming. The key here is to capture a lot of small moments. You're not creating a long documentary, you're collecting tiny puzzle pieces that you'll put together later.

Keep Your Shots Short and Sweet

TikTok is built for speed. Film each clip for only 3-5 seconds. You don't need the full 30 seconds of your coffee brewing, you just need the 2-second clip of the pour. This makes the editing process much faster and gives your final video a dynamic, energetic pace that holds a viewer's attention.

Variety is the Spice of an Engaging Video

Don’t film everything from the same static angle. Mix up your shots to make the video visually interesting. Try these on for size:

• Wide Shots: Show your entire workspace or kitchen to set the scene.
• Close-Ups: Zoom in on the details - your fingers on the keyboard, steaming coffee, a pen striking through a to-do list item.
• Point-of-View (POV): Film from your perspective, so the viewer feels like they are you. Hold the phone as if they were your eyes while you're walking or typing.
• Time-lapses: These are amazing for showing progress or the passage of time. Set your phone on a tripod and film a 10-minute work session, then speed it up in the edit.

And remember, you don't need fancy equipment. Your smartphone is more than enough. Just wipe your lens, find good natural light, and you're golden.

Think in Transitions

Seamless transitions are what separate professional-looking TikToks from amateur ones. While filming, think about how one clip can flow into the next. Here are some simple yet effective transition ideas you can film in-camera:

• Lens Cover: End one clip by covering the phone’s lens with your hand. Start the next clip by uncovering it in your new location.
• The Throw/Drop: End one scene by dropping an item (like your keys) out of the frame. Start the next scene with a similar motion.
• The Snap: A quick finger snap can signal a change of outfit, location, or task.
• Swishes and Pans: Quickly pan your camera away at the end of a clip and pan in the same direction at the beginning of the next. The motion blur hides the cut.

Step 3: The Magic Happens in the Edit

You’ve got a camera roll full of short clips. Now it's time to assemble your story. You can use an external app like CapCut, but for day-in-the-life videos, editing directly in the TikTok app is often the fastest and easiest way to go.

Select a Trending Sound or a Voiceover

Music is the heartbeat of a TikTok video. Before you even start adding clips, choose your audio. The rhythm of the song will dictate the pacing of your cuts.

• Trending Sound: Scroll through the For You Page or the "Sounds" tab to find a song that fits the vibe of your day. Upbeat, chill, motivational - the audio sets the tone.
• Voiceover: Alternatively, tell the story yourself. A calm, narrative voiceover can add a personal touch and give context to what's happening on screen. You can record this directly in the app after adding your video clips.

Sync Your Clips to the Beat

Now, upload all your clips to the TikTok editor. The most satisfying DITL videos use the music to their advantage. Tap on the "Edit" button and then find the "Sync to music" or "Auto sync" feature if available, or do it manually. Trim each clip and arrange them so that an action in the video happens on a major beat of the song. For example, a clip might change every time you hear the drum hit. This technique makes the video incredibly mesmerizing to watch.

Refine Your Story with Text On-Screen

While the visuals tell a lot of the story, text overlays provide necessary context. Add short, simple text captions to explain what's happening or what time it is.

• "6:30 AM: Coffee first, always."
• "11:00 AM: Deep focus on the new project."
• "5:00 PM: Closing the laptop for the day."

Use a clean, readable font and place the text where it won't obstruct the main action. This also makes your video more accessible for those who watch with the sound off.

Write a Hooking Caption and Use Good Hashtags

Your video is edited, and it looks great. The last step is the caption. Your goal is to get people to stop scrolling.

• The Caption: Start with a hook. Instead of "Here's a day in my life," try something more specific like, "Come with me on a busy day as a small biz owner," or ask a question like, "Anyone else's work-from-home day look like this?" Finish off by encouraging engagement (“What part of your workday is your favorite?”).
• The Hashtags: Use a mix of broad and niche hashtags to help TikTok’s algorithm understand your content and show it to the right people.
  • Broad: #dayinthelife #ditl #dailyroutine
  • Niche: #smallbusinessowner #graphicdesignerlife #wfhlife #studentdiaries

And that’s it! Post your video and watch the views roll in.

Final Thoughts

Creating a great day-in-the-life video is less about having an exciting day and more about finding the beauty in the routine. It's about storytelling - framing your daily experiences in a way that’s relatable, satisfying, and authentically you. By planning your narrative, filming dynamic clips, and editing with sound in mind, you can turn any day into compelling content that connects.

As you get comfortable filming different parts of your day, you’ll find that building out a consistent posting schedule becomes the next big challenge. With Postbase, we built a visual content calendar specifically for people who are planning content across multiple platforms, especially video-heavy ones like TikTok and Reels. It allows us to map out our entire content strategy, spot gaps, and even schedule everything in advance, which makes keeping up with trends like a day-in-the-life series feel organized instead of chaotic.