TikTok is a wildly popular social media platform known for its short-form video content. Launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok quickly gained international popularity, especially among younger demographics. It allows users to create, share, and discover short videos ranging from 15 seconds to one minute in length. Every brand wants to go viral on Tiktok,
Given its ability to boost brand awareness and sales, TikTok is a must for ecommerce brands. But knowing how to make a video go viral on TikTok can sometimes be a mystery for creators and businesses. What may work for other social networks won’t necessarily prove effective on TikTok.
The good news is that due to TikTok’s unique algorithm, anybody can go viral on the platform—even a brand-new account. Ahead, learn how to produce content favored by TikTok users and the algorithm to increase the chance of going viral on the platform.
Understanding Tiktok Algorithm
TikTok’s algorithm is a complex system designed to deliver personalized content to each user’s For You Page (FYP). While the exact workings of the algorithm are proprietary and not publicly disclosed by TikTok, several key factors are known to influence how content is distributed on the platform
The TikTok algorithm considers user signals like comments, likes, follows, and watch duration, as well as video information such as keywords and hashtags used in captions, sounds, and embedded details.
TikTok most popular
Looking at TikTok’s most popular content can help you understand the types of content that resonate with the majority of users. In 2024, the most popular TikTok creators include Khabane Lame, Charli D’Amelio, Bella Poarch, and MrBeast.
While these creators can offer broad insights, it’s best to find influencers and popular creators within your industry or those with followers that resemble your own target audience. This will give you a better sense of what resonates with the users you care about most.
10 ways to go viral on TikTok
- Create Engaging content
- Keep up with latest Trend
- Use Trending and relevant hashtags
- Spark curiosity
- Use sound to your advantage
- post consistently and at the Right time
- Jump on memes and challenges
- Keep your videos short
- collaborate with other content creators
- Improve your editing skills
1. Create Engaging content
Make sure your content is entertaining, informative, or relatable. TikTok users love content that makes them laugh, think, or feel something. Experiment with different formats, trends, and challenges. You can tell stories , talk about history, discoveries, animals, posing styles, fashion, travel lifestyle, food and so many others.
Exhibit your talent, be consistent with it, teach people, grow on it , talent paves a way for people, and you can go viral on TikTok, you don’t have to always think about what to offer to your audience, sell out you talent and let see passion in what you do and do well.
2. Keep Up with the Latest Trend
Tiktok is a social media platform that provides you with the latest trend, one important way to go viral requires you to keep up with what’s hot on the app. This can inspire you to create similar content, whether it’s a specific dance challenge, audio clip, video format, or topic.
Fortunately, finding out what’s trending on TikTok isn’t difficult. TikTok’s Creative Center is packed with insights on up-to-the-minute trends. Within its keyword insights, filter by region, industry, and timeframe to see what users are talking about.
You can also browse TikTok itself to spot patterns on your own For You page. As you browse through and identify a trend, consider whether it’s relevant to your niche, and, if so, jump on it and create your own video.
Note that TikTok trends don’t tend to last more than a few days, so if you have an idea that has the potential to go viral, it’s best to tap into it right away.
3. Use Trending and Relevant Hashtags
TikTok’s algorithm uses hashtags to categorize and recommend content to users. By including popular and relevant hashtags in your video description or comments, you increase the chances of your content being discovered by a wider audience. When users search or click on a hashtag, they’ll see all the videos associated with that hashtag, While trending hashtags are useful to know, niche hashtags that are relevant to your brand may offer more potential for going viral on TikTok.
Hashtags also help you connect with specific communities within TikTok. Whether it’s #DIY, #Comedy, #Fashion, or #Fitness, using relevant hashtags allows you to reach people who are interested in those specific topics. Engaging with niche communities can help you build a dedicated following and increase your chances of going viral within those circles.
4. Spark Curiosity
According to TikTok, content intended to spark curiosity keeps users watching 1.4 times longer. The longer users watch your videos, the more likely the algorithm will see the content as worth surfacing to other users.
Since 40% of millennial TikTok users and 44% of Gen X users say the platform helps them discover new things, give them something to discover. To inspire curiosity, create content around new ideas, groundbreaking technologies, innovative hacks, or other things users may not typically see on the platform.
5. Use sound to your advantage
Leveraging sounds effectively on TikTok can indeed be a powerful strategy to increase your chances of going viral by 88% , Keep an eye on trending sounds and songs on TikTok. Users often create videos inspired by popular sounds, so using trending sounds in your videos can increase their visibility and appeal to a broader audience. Take advantage of trending sound
Original Sounds: Create your own unique sounds or remix existing ones to add your personal touch to TikTok trends. If your sound catches on and becomes popular, it can lead to your video going viral and help establish your presence on the platform.
6. post consistently and at the Right time
One factor TikTok’s algorithm looks at is the amount of activity (comments, likes, shares, etc.) a particular video receives. It does not necessarily consider whether a user has had high-performing videos in the past.
What this means is, going viral on TikTok pretty much boils down to basic math. Since each video stands an equal shot at going viral, the more often you post, the higher your chances at virality. Plus, you can use every video opportunity to hone your TikTok video creation skills.
One key consideration when creating a TikTok strategy is to follow a posting schedule that’s predictable for fans. The goal here is not to hit a certain number of posts in a period of time but to be consistent. For instance, posting two videos a day for a week and then going silent for a month isn’t a good tactic.
7. Jump on Memes and Challenges
Keep an eye on trending memes, challenges, and hashtags on TikTok. Being aware of what’s popular allows you to capitalize on the latest trends and join the conversation while it’s still hot. Some challenges can be controversial, many might require a lot of efforts, some may be dangerous, people enjoy the fun part of this challenge and always want to compare who won the challenge.
Act quickly when you notice a new meme or challenge emerging. The early adopters often have a better chance of gaining traction and visibility before the trend becomes oversaturated.
8. Keep your videos short
Another way to increase the chances of your TikTok content going viral is to keep your videos short. Over the years, consumers’ attention spans have been getting shorter.
When TikTok first launched, users were only able to publish videos up to 15 seconds long. Over the years, the social media platform has added 60-second-, three-minute-, and even 10-minute-long options.
Despite this, TikTok users still seem to prefer bite-sized videos, and experts recommend creating videos of nine to 15 seconds in length for maximum impact and to meet user average watch time.
9. Collaborate with other content creators
Partnering with popular creators using influencer marketing can not only boost your reach and increase the chances of your content going viral, it can also increase trust. In fact, 82% of TikTok users consider creators to be authentic and 76% of users say they’re relatable.
A good partnership leads to a win-win situation for both, as it helps both parties expand their reach and increase their content’s visibility. When looking for TikTok creators and influencers to work with, consider whether they’re relevant to your niche, as this ensures that you get the right attention.
If you’re new to TikTok, it may be difficult to find a content creator who wants to work with you immediately, because of your low follower count. But don’t be discouraged. Start by following the influencers you may one day want to collaborate with, understanding their style, and interacting with their posts. Once you’ve built up a solid following, reach out to them with a collaboration proposal.
10. Improve your editing skills
Editing is the beauty of every content. Punchy TikTok content that grabs users’ attention and encourages them to stay can be achieved with clever editing. You don’t need to be a professional videographer to create dynamic cuts. Free tools like TikTok’s native editor and apps like CapCut allow you to add text, combine and edit clips, add effects and transitions, and coordinate your visuals with sound.