Here’s Why Tiny Microphones Are Popping Up Everywhere on Your TikTok Feed

If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok, there is a great chance you’ve seen someone talking into a tiny microphone. And if you dig a little deeper, you realize that tiny microphones are more than just a gimmicky, funny prop for TikTok stars.

Why Tiny Microphones Are in Right Now

What’s the appeal of the tiny microphone, and why wouldn’t someone use a normal microphone? That’s just it, normal microphones are just “normal.” TikTok users go to the app for entertainment, excitement and anything that’s less than normal. The news is normal, and for TikTok users, normal is boring. As silly as a tiny microphone might be, it is right on-brand with why we use TikTok in the first place.

But as quirky as these little audio props might seem, there is an actual purpose to them. One is the obvious reason we’ve been discussing — entertainment value. You have to admit, it is kind of hilarious watching a cat meow into a tiny microphone or have a dog sigh into the little audio prop after its owner asks the pet a silly question. Plus, TikTokers only have a split second to grab the viewer’s attention. And what’s better to do that than someone giving a “serious” interview with a tiny microphone that looks like it was taken from your little sister’s Barbie doll set?

Aside from entertainment, the secret value comes in the form of enhanced audio quality. Regardless of the style of the microphone — whether it’s a tiny karaoke-style mic or lapel microphone — the little microphone does allow the TikTok star to sound more clear and creates a better watching experience for the viewer. Nobody wants to watch an echoey video with scratchy sound quality, especially in such short spurts.

Who knew these mini audio devices would have such a huge impact on social media? Tiny mics are all the craze, and below you’ll find our recommendations on the best tiny microphones to help your videos be more entertaining both in sound quality and visually.

1. Valband Microphone for iPhone

BEST OVERALL

This Valband lapel-style microphone is a little bit more expensive than the Ttstar Lapel mic, but you do get the advantage of having a much longer cable. The Ttstar sports a 6.6 ft cable, so you’ll need to keep your phone relatively close during filming. The Valband tiny mic on the other hand has a 19.6 ft cable, providing you with plenty of leeway for your song and dance routine or whatever whacky video for the masses you want to create.

2. Wootrip Mini Karaoke Microphone

CLASSIC MICROPHONE LOOK

This classic-looking small microphone comes in a two-pack in case you are prone to losing stuff. It has the look of a microphone you’d see a musician sing into, only, of course, it’s tiny. It’s a great-looking microphone that looks especially hilarious when interviewing both pets and people. It does require a headphone jack to plug into your phone though.

3. Ttstar Lapel Microphone

GREAT FOR IPHONE USERS

iPhone users will appreciate the Ttstar Lapel mic for a few different reasons. For starters, it plugs directly into the lightning port in your iPhone or iPad, making recording a piece of cake. You can hold the microphone or you can clip it on you and hide the cable down your shirt if you prefer a cleaner look to your videos. Even though it’s a professional Lavalier Lapel mic, it is still affordable at $22. Not a bad purchase to enhance your video quality.

4. PoP Voice Professional Lapel Microphone

BUDGET PICK

You can save a little bit of coin going with the PoP Lapel style mic for your social media videos. It only sports a 3.5mm jack, so new phone users might be out of luck with this one, but it’s still a great option for computers and most tablets. It comes with a few different windscreens if one gets a little worn from use, and it has a six-foot connecting cable.

5. Shure Motiv Digital Microphone for iPhone

SPLURGE PICK

This microphone is less for the visual appeal and more for the overall sound quality it brings to your videos. It plugs directly into the lightning port in your phone but doesn’t have a cable that extends the mic, so it’s pretty much attached directly to your phone at that point. The great thing is the audio quality is outstanding, but you do lose the entertainment value that a tiny microphone provides. Also, it’s really expensive compared to other microphones. That being said, there’s a good chance you’ll have the best sounding videos across social media with this tiny microphone.

6. Maono Lavalier Microphone

ON/OFF SWITCH

This tiny microphone is more affordable than both the Ttstar and the Valban lapel-style microphones, but you do need a headphone jack to use it. It does come with a 1/4 inch adapter if you want to use an audio interface or mixer to record, but most TikTokers simply use their phone. It does have a handy on/off switch that is close to the microphone, but new phone users without a headphone jack may need to look elsewhere.

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