How to go viral on TikTok
The beauty of TikTok is that anyone can go viral - yep, anyone! Everyday, thousands of videos go viral on TikTok, all of which vary in audience, content and creator. Although virality is seemingly common, there are over one billion monthly users on the app, which means it’s no piece of cake going viral.
Although your intention should never be to go viral… we understand (and relate) that the reach that can come from a viral post can be a game-changer for a business or individual. Sometimes, it boils down to luck. Every-day users often thoughtlessly post clips that unexpectedly blow up. But if you want a little more insurance on getting a hit, there is a tried and true recipe for hitting the viral jackpot.
Although it seems kind of random, there is method to the madness that is TikTok. TikTok decides what resides on your “For You” pages through an algorithm that recommends content based on what you have interacted with, such as who you follow, your content and your account demographics. To go viral, your video passes an informal ‘test’ by being sent to a small representative sample that is applicable to the user. If the same performs well in engagement and views, TikTok grants you the golden ticket.
Participate in trends
Incorporating trending sounds greatly increases your chances of going viral. Using popular audios, sound bites or music (think ‘it’s corn!, ‘Don’t be suspicious’) allows your video to attract viewers by being catchy, and familiar, therefore increasing the view time. This trick can also be used in voice-over videos by including the audio quietly underneath.
Utilise Hashtags
Using relevant hashtags allows for increased visibility of your content. This also includes using popular challenges to open up your content to a wider audience. But, make sure you follow the hashtag rules for them to work:
Combine both popular and niche hashtags
Don’t use generic hashtags such as #FYP of #foryou
Use between 3-5 hashtags
Make kick-ass content
When creating your post, think, would I share this to the group chat? If your answer is yes - whoop whoop! If your answer is no, then think about what you enjoy seeing and sharing. A funny video can never lead you astray. Educational content is also great - people love to feel a little smarter now than when they started scrolling two hours ago. Inspirational posts are also a hit - content about health, lifestyle or beauty gets people sharing with their friends on ‘life-changing’ products advocated by their icons (guilty).
Start off with all guns blazing
According to the all-mighty TikTok algorithm, you need to capture the attention of the viewer in a matter of seconds. To do this, give your readers a reason to keep watching. This can be through prefacing the climax of the story at the beginning, including a text title on the video to tell viewers what the video will be about, or start your video with a command (“Stop scrolling!”).
Give your audience some love
Building a strong following, and ultimately a community around your page is essential for sustainable growth. Interact with your audience to show that you care and are interested in them. This can include replying to comments, stitching their videos or responding to messages through videos (e.g. when they ask questions, answer them through a detailed video). Also, encourage conversation! Include questions and call-to-actions during your video for your audience to comment and interact with your posts.
Brush up on your editing skills
TikTok is largely about aesthetics. As a visual platform, it is important that your editing skills are up to scratch to catch the eye of viewers. Practice makes perfect - play around with the in-app editing tools on TikTok and analyse the trends and transitions used by popular creators.