By SALISA VAJRABHAYA
Global Business Journalism reporter
Q: Why do some TikTok videos go viral while others barely get noticed?
A: The key lies in understanding platform’s algorithm and developing the right strategies.
TikTok has turned everyday users into stars overnight, but staying relevant takes more than luck. Creating engaging, shareable content that taps into trends and resonates with your audience is essential.
Ready to go viral? Read these tips and start mastering the art of TikTok success!
TikTok matters because of the numbers:
TikTok has 1.04 billion monthly active users as of late 2024
Users spend 95 minutes daily on average
Engagement is 150% higher than Instagram
90% of users visit daily
70% discover new products or brands
Three things drive TikTok’s algorithm. Most important is user interaction, such as likes, comments, shares, watch time and replays. Then comes video information, including captions, sounds, hashtags and content type. Finally, device and account settings, which includes factors like language, location and device type.
These inputs personalize the "For You" Feed (FYP) page, prioritizing engagement and relevance which will decide whether your content goes viral or not.
To succeed on TikTok and work with its algorithm effectively, follow these six strategies:
1. Keep TikTok videos short and catchy
Start with a hook to grab attention immediately and keep your videos brief to boost completion rates. The first three seconds are the most crucial parts and you have to keep the audience hooked with visual or audio that creates curiosity.
The "Three-Second Rule" on TikTok is all about grabbing attention fast.
If your video doesn't hook viewers within the first three seconds, they'll likely scroll past. To keep them watching, start strong with eye-catching visuals, a bold statement, or a quick question. This helps increase watch time and engagement, which TikTok’s algorithm loves and will push your video to the FYP page.
2. Engage your audience
Encourage viewers to interact by prompting comments, shares, and likes. Engagement signals help push your content to more users. You can utilize polls or question features or simply just drop a prompt in the captions or in the video.
Try to post relevant content to your audience and encourage engagement on TikTok with prompts like, "Tag a friend who needs to see this!" or "What do you think?” or simple calls to action like "Like if you agree!" and "Share this with someone who would love it!" also work.
Note: Be responsive to comments because the algorithm will love you more and push your future content to the commenters again.
3. Use popular sounds and trends
Using popular TikTok sounds can help your videos get more views. When you use trending sounds, your content has a better chance of showing up on the "For You" page, and reaching more people. To use them well, make sure the sound fits your video and matches what your audience likes. This helps keep your content real and relatable.
In short, keep an eye on which song is popular at the moment, click save, and use it if it matches your content well.
4. Content is king but consistency is the key
As simple as that! Posting regularly on TikTok increases visibility and engagement. Videos posted consistently ideally one to four times a week are more likely to appear in your followers' feeds, boosting the chances of higher interaction.
TikTok's algorithm prioritizes content that gains early engagement, particularly within the first few hours. The more often you post, the more opportunities you create for content to go viral, leading to a bigger audience reach. Regular posting can improve your profile's performance and engagement rates significantly.
5. Tailor captions and hashtags
Hashtags make your TikTok videos easier to find by categorizing them under specific topics. Using relevant and trending hashtags increases the chances of your videos appearing on the "For You" page or in search results, expanding your reach. This also helps the algorithm understand your content and recommend it to the right audience.
Your channel should also have the main hashtags that you repeat over and over again in order for the algorithm to know your type of channel and push the audience towards it. For example, if your channel is about university life, you can repeatedly use #UniVlogs #Universitylife #TikTokUni
6. Review performance analytics
TikTok system provides an analytics tool that is easy to use just simply click on the video performance and see the engagement graph and audience demographics. Reviewing performance analytics helps you see what works on TikTok.
By tracking things like views and engagement, you can find out which content performs best and adjust your future posts accordingly. This helps you create more of what your audience likes, improving your chances of reaching more people.
These six essential tips will kickstart your TikTok with a powerful edge!
Last reminder: Building a personal brand on TikTok requires consistent, engaging content that resonates with your audience. To stand out, align your posts with current trends and use relevant hashtags to increase visibility.
Engaging authentically with followers, such as responding to comments and encouraging user-generated content, strengthens your connection with the community. Collaborating with influencers who share your values can also expand your reach.
Regularly analyzing your performance metrics helps refine your strategy and ensures your content stays effective. By creating relatable and high-quality videos, you can build a strong and influential brand that attracts and retains followers.
Comments