How to go viral on TikTok? With over billion monthly active users and millions of videos uploaded daily, it can be difficult to stand out on the platform buy organic tiktok comments. However, it is possible, and on TikTok, even small accounts have gone mega viral.
Here are 11 tips to help you increase your chances of going viral on the platform.
How does content go viral on TikTok?
Like most social media algorithms, TikTok serves content to its users based on the posts they have previously interacted with. This applies to videos you see in both your Following feed and your For You page (FYP).
The real question is, how does TikTok decide which videos end up on our For You page?
According to TikTok, the algorithm recommends content based on the videos you have interacted with (viewed, liked, shared, commented), who you follow, what content you create, and your account demographics, as well as what’s in the video itself (subtitles, sounds, hashtags). TikTok then offers a mix of similar content from accounts you follow and those you don’t follow.
To go viral, your video must pass a crucial informal “test.” The app shows your video to a small group of users that TikTok believes is a representative sample based on the content of your video (title, hashtags, subtitles, sound). If it performs well with that sample of users in views and engagement, TikTok can show it to a broader audience.
We do not know how long this test lasts; It can happen hours, days, or weeks after you first hit publish.
Does follower count or past performance count?
The TikTok algorithm does not take into account a TikTok user’s number of followers or previous engagement numbers. You’re likely to see posts from someone with a few million followers and also from a new user.
And what is all this “heating”?
There is one more way for videos to go viral on TikTok. TikTok employees manually select some videos to get a certain number of views, also known as “heating”.
“Hot” videos reportedly make up 1-2% of total daily views on TikTok, but so far the “hot” has been reserved for influencers, celebrities, and brands that TikTok wants to benefit.
How to go viral on TikTok: 11 tips
Now, let’s get to the good stuff. We’ve put together a list of tactics that will improve your chances of going viral on TikTok, from recording to hashtags to editing.
1. Participate in trends
TikTok is known for its use of music and sound bites, and incorporating popular sounds into your content can help increase your chances of going viral. Using trending audio can be effective because it is engaging (and increases watch time), the viewer knows what to expect from your video, and users can discover your video through the audio search page.
Even if you’ve recorded your own audio for a video, we suggest adding a popular song as a background track to optimize your chances of going viral; You can adjust the track volume to be much lower than your voice audio.
Please note that business accounts can access a more limited library of commercial music than creators and regular users. So before you think about an audio trend, check that your account can use it. Here are some additional tips on how to find business-friendly TikTok sounds.
2. Use hashtags wisely
Hashtags and challenges are a big part of the TikTok experience and using them can help increase the visibility of your content. Using relevant hashtags and participating in popular challenges can increase the chances of your content being discovered by a wider audience.
Some hashtag tips:
- Use a combination of high-use and niche hashtags, not just one or the other
- Don’t use #FYP, #parati or other generic hashtags, they don’t work!
- Use 3-5 hashtags maximum.
3. Create engaging and valuable content to share
Making content worth sharing is one of the most critical factors in going viral on TikTok. What types of content are people compelled to share with their friends and followers? Here are some proven themes:
- Fun/entertaining. We all love tagging our friends in memes and sending funny videos to our group chats, right?
- Educational. #LearnonTikTok is a popular hashtag for a reason, so teach people something! If it’s surprising or unique, chances are people will want to pass on the lesson.
Inspirational. You can inspire people in many ways: showing them how to solve a problem, how to improve their appearance/health/life, or something to add to their wish list. If you can inspire someone enough to want to change their behavior or their life in some way, they are likely to share it with others.
Content creator Yexa inspires her followers to volunteer and travel. Her videos have two of the main ingredients for success on TikTok: well-edited visuals accompanied by the perfect song.
4. Start with a hook and keep it short
As explained above, TikTok looks at average watch time as part of its algorithm. Therefore, you need to grab the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds and give them a reason to watch your video for as long as possible. That’s why it’s essential to start with a strong hook.
Although TikTok has gradually increased the length of videos, in general, the shorter the better. However, if you want to shoot a longer-form video, tell a story and follow a cohesive format.
5. Interact with your audience
Interacting with your audience is vital to generating followers on TikTok. Respond to comments and messages on your videos and engage with content within your niche (such as videos that use the same hashtags as yours). Doing this can help build a community around your content and encourage people to share your videos with their followers.
Doctor Miguel not only creates consistently fun content, but he is also great at answering comments and questions. Many times, his answers are even funnier than the videos.
6. Learn to edit
TikTok is a visual platform, and mastering video editing can help your content get more attention. Editing can be anything from adding subtitles and stickers to improving your skills in video transitions and special effects.
To edit your TikTok videos, we suggest using the editing tools in the TikTok app or third-party apps. Study the transitions and trends popular creators in your niche use. It may be challenging at first, but the more you practice editing for TikTok, the easier it will become.
This example from Papas Sabritas shows quick cuts between different shots, angles and zooms, keeping you engaged until the end. (I’m sure having Shakira just helped the virality a little).
7. Collaborate with other creators or brands
Collaborating with other accounts can be a great way to increase your reach on TikTok. By partnering with other accounts, you both gain exposure to each other’s followers and reach new viewers you wouldn’t otherwise have.
Before proposing partnerships, research the feeds of potential collaborators. What can you teach your audience that is interesting and complementary to the creator or brand’s regular content? Be sure to include that in your speech or direct message.
Pro Tip: Reach out to creators/brands with a similar (or larger) number of followers than you. It will be less intimidating and more beneficial for both parties.
8. Post consistently
In some ways, achieving virality is a numbers game. The more you post, the more likely you are to gain followers and the more likely you are to achieve viral success.
We know how difficult it can be to overcome the mental hurdle of hitting “publish.” The best way to avoid this is to establish a habit of posting consistently and use tools (like Hootsuite!) to plan and schedule your content. You can also check out our research on the best times to post on TikTok.
9. Promote your TikTok content on other social media platforms
While TikTok is a great platform to go viral, there are other places to share your content. Promoting your TikTok videos on other social media platforms can increase your reach and attract new followers. Think about how popular it has become to share Twitter screenshots on Instagram and LinkedIn.
10. Create opportunities for feedback
Remember how having a high engagement rate can tell TikTok to share your video on more For You pages? You can help boost that engagement rate by strategically leaving “comment bait” throughout your video.
Here are some ideas:
- Put a strong call to action at the end. Try “press the plus button for more content like this”, “tell me what you would like to see in my next video”, etc.
- Leaves some questions unanswered. Don’t be too confusing or vague, but instead of answering all the questions in your video, leave some to be asked and answered in the comments.
- Leave unexpected moments or bloopers. Don’t eliminate quirks or bugs! People love to comment on these things, and it feels more genuine.
11. Be authentic and genuine
People are more likely to interact and share content that seems genuine and authentic. Don’t be afraid to show your personality and be yourself in your videos. Let this guide your content too: people are more likely to watch and share videos from creators and brands who show passion in their content.
Also, our final tip for going viral on TikTok is to have fun and enjoy the process. TikTok is a platform where creativity and self-expression thrive, and the more fun you have creating content, the more likely it is to resonate with your audience.
Remember, going viral is not guaranteed, but with the right strategy and a little luck, you can be successful on the platform. Following these tips will help increase your chances of creating share-worthy content and going viral on TikTok.