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With its 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok is the go-to place for creators to go viral. It takes work, effort and sometimes luck, but TikTok makes it a whole lot easier for everyone to go viral than other platforms like YouTube. TikTok videos are generally a lot more viral-worthy than other types of content. They’re short, are designed to deliver an instant dopamine shot and don’t require a lot of time commitment to watch. That means people are more happy to share them with others. Using some of our strategies, you can also go viral on TikTok. Let’s get started!
TikTok and it’s Algorithm
TikTok’s algorithm is designed to show a lot of videos to people that provide them the maximum levels of entertainment. The algorithm identifies such videos by monitoring engagement levels. It also looks at people’s interests and tries to recommend videos that are similar to content they are already consuming. If people stop scrolling and spend more time on a particular video, that means it’s a good video. Furthermore, if someone likes it or leaves a comment, that boosts that video's visibility even more.
TikTok regularly carries out “tests” by showing a video to a small audience (that it thinks might like the video based on their interests) and determines whether or not it’s worth showing it to a larger audience. If your video can pass that first test, your chances of going viral increase tenfold.
Other Factors That Affect Virality
Contrary to common misconception, your number of followers on TikTok don’t really play an important role in boosting your views. While accounts with more followers might have a slight advantage over others, TikTok prioritizes first-and-foremost engagement levels and viral-factor of videos. In most cases, you’re just as likely to see video from a brand new user as someone with a million followers.
So, How Can I Go Viral on TikTok?
1. Create Thumb-Stopping Videos That Hook People In
TikTok content is not just about video quality or the idea of your skit. It’s about immediately grabbing people’s attention in the first 2 seconds. According to Facebook, the average attention span of a social media user on mobile is 1.7 seconds. On TikTok, it’s even lower because the platform is all about tiny chunks of instant content and if you can’t appease someone in the first frame of the video, they will scroll away to something better. Not to mention that TikTok also factors in average watch time and bounce rate of your video to decide whether or not it's worth showing to more people. So, start with a hook to stop them from scrolling away and make them watch the video for as long as possible.
2. Use Long-Form Videos Wisely
In most cases, short videos are better because they don’t require a lot of processing and patience on your audience’s part. TikTok is all about snacking a lot of content in a short amount of time. However, long videos can also be used to your advantage if you’re a good storyteller. Incorporate suspense and drama, give them a reason to stick around and watch the rest of the video. Think about giving the maximum amount of mental stimulation in every frame of the video.
3. Make Your Content Visually Appealing
TikTok content is short and quick, which means you have to deliver extreme visual stimuli in the few seconds you have. Your videos must have great lighting, clear audio and eye catching visuals. Good thing is that you don't need to be a professional to do this. This can easily be achieved on your iPhone and a ring light. Watch some tutorials on video on how to turn your videos into visual eye candy.
4. Get the Most Out of Hashtags
Hashtags are important because they help TikTok understand which audiences it should show your videos to. Most people just put the most generic hashtags they find and actually end up confusing the algorithm. According to Hootsuite:
- Use a mix of hashtags, combining popular hashtags and niche ones.
- Don’t use generic hashtags such as #FYP because they don’t work.
- 3 or 5 hashtags are generally enough.
5. Collaborate with Other Creators
Collaborating with other TikTok creators is a great way to expand your audience and reach new followers. Look for creators in your niche who have a similar audience and reach out to them to collaborate on a video. This could be a duet, a joint challenge, or a joint project. Wondering how to collaborate? Use a platform like Paysenger. Paysenger streamlines the entire process of finding a creator and sending them a collaboration request. You can simply:
- Download the Paysenger app on iOS or Android (or use the Web version)
- Create an account
- Go to Explore (or use the Search tool)
- Find creators who produce content that aligns with your brand and values
- Send them a paid request to collaborate
Since all messages on Paysenger are paid, you are bound to get an instant reply from them without needing to follow-up.
6. Take Part in Challenges
TikTok challenges are a great way to get your content in front of a larger audience. Look for popular challenges in your niche and create your own unique spin on them. Make sure your content is relevant to the challenge and stands out from the crowd. When participating in challenges, it's important to use the challenge's hashtag and tag the original creator. This will increase your chances of being featured on the challenge's page and reaching a larger audience.
7. Use Editing to its Full Potential
TikTok has a variety of editing tools and effects that can enhance your content and make it more engaging. Experiment with different effects and filters to find what works best for your content. A lot of trends and memes on TikTok actually come from its editing tools. So if you can find a way to use some editing tool or filter in a fun, creative way, you are bound to get the attention of others. When using effects, it's important to not go overboard. While some effects can enhance your content, too many can make it look cluttered and distracting (unless you’re doing it on purpose). Still, TikTok’s editing tools are designed to quickly create and post a video. If you need advanced effects, it’s better to edit your videos on a professional program such as Adobe After Effects.
8. Promote Your TikTok on Other Social Media
Promoting your TikTok on other social media platforms is a great way to expand your audience and reach new followers. Share your TikTok videos on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and encourage your followers to follow you on TikTok. In addition, you can also use a monetization platform like Paysenger to monetize your TikTok videos and earn income. Simply repurpose your TikTok videos and post them on Paysenger to earn EGO tokens (Paysenger’s utility crypto currency) for every like, comment and view you get. These tokens can easily be redeemed for US dollars or any currency of your choice. Moreover, Paysenger helps you become more famous by regularly encouraging your audiences to like and comment on your videos in exchange for tokens.
9. Engage with Your Audiences
Engaging with your audience is a key part of building a following on TikTok. Respond to comments on your videos and reach out to your followers to show your appreciation. You can also ask your audience for feedback and ideas on new content. When engaging with your audience, it's important to be authentic and genuine. Don't be afraid to show your personality and connect with your followers on a personal level. This will help build a loyal following and increase your chances of going viral.
10. Play the Long-Term Game
Consistency and persistence are key to building a following on TikTok. Make sure you are posting content on a regular basis and sticking to a schedule. At one point, it’s just a numbers game. TikTok’s algorithm rewards consistency. Your goal is to pass TikTok’s initial audience testing (mentioned above) as many times as possible. So even if your videos are great, sometimes you might fail the test. To make sure you succeed, keep posting until you hit your lucky break. Remember: viral videos don’t happen overnight. It might take a few weeks or even months before you go viral.
Conclusion and Final Tips for Going Viral on TikTok
Going viral on TikTok takes time, effort, and most times a bit of luck. However, rest assured that if your goal is just to go viral, TikTok is probably the best platform for it. It has 1 billion active users and is among the few platforms that give an equal chance to everyone for going viral. With consistency, good quality content, and some collaborations now and then, you can boost your chances of going viral. Looking to become a full-time content creator on TikTok? It takes time, money and resources to do so.
Paysenger is a monetization platform designed to help new content creators support their work by earning money for creativity. On Paysenger, you can sell on-demand content (fulfill other people’s content requests in exchange for money), take paid requests from sponsors or simply talk to someone in DM’s in exchange for money. The possibilities are endless!