How To Go Viral on TikTok?
Going viral on TikTok can pave the way for overnight fame and fortune. Content creators regularly stack up several million views in a matter of hours when just one of their videos goes viral. The question is – how to go viral on TikTok more often?
Beginning with news – there’s nothing anyone can do to guarantee a video on TikTok will go viral. It’s entirely down to the actions of TikTok users, who ultimately determine what goes viral and what doesn’t.
Going viral is all about setting the snowball effect in motion. Rather than forcing your videos to go viral, it’s better to focus on publishing content with genuine viral potential. As for the good news, there’s much that can be done the help steer things in the right direction.
The way produces and edit videos will play a role in determining their viral potential, as will the way you market them to your target audience.
How Does the Video Goes Viral on TikTok?
Going viral on TikTok works in the same way as on many other social media platforms. The whole thing begins with TikTok’s algorithm, which is engineered to promote and recommend the content of quality. This is the automated system that assesses which videos have been watched, liked, shared, and commented on the most.
All of which indicate TikTok accounts and content of quality worth recommending to its users.
Subsequently, these seemingly popular videos are pushed aggressively by the TikTok algorithm. They’re showcased in front of a huge audience; they’re watched many thousands of times, and those watching them share them with their own friends and followers.
This creates a continuous cycle, resulting in more and more people seeing the video over a short period of time. Thousands of views quickly grow into millions of views, and the video goes viral – perhaps on a global basis.
Hence, you need to do everything you possibly can to appeal to the TikTok algorithm. Not to mention, produce the kind of content your target audience will instinctively share. Forcing content to go viral isn’t an option, but you have a much better chance of making things happen if you learn how and why content goes viral in the first place.
Tips to Make Your Videos Go Viral On TikTok
By now, it’s clear the first thing you need to do is appeal to the TikTok algorithm. Unless you can get your videos showcased as prominently as possible, the rest is inconsequential. But you still need to ensure your videos tick all the right boxes with your target audience.
On the whole, there are 20 things you need to do to maximize the viral potential of your videos on TikTok:
1) Create Great Videos
The biggest no-brainer of the bunch, but also the most important by far. All of your created videos on TikTok need to be of the highest possible quality. They need to be shareworthy, unique, and instantly appealing. They also need to have the best possible completion rates – i.e., how long people are actually watching them for – in order to appeal to the TikTok algorithm.
2) Communicate the Topic in First Few Seconds
This basically means ensuring that the topic of the video is made clear within a few seconds. Doing so is essential in order to give the viewer a reason to stick around until the end. Avoid being ambiguous – make it as clear as possible what your video is about right at the beginning. While doing so, make every effort to hook their attention and hold onto it.
3) Keep Up with the Trends
Getting on board with every trend on TikTok is impossible. Nor is it advisable to instinctively jump on the bandwagon with all trending sounds and every popular song. But if there is a trend of genuine relevance and value to your niche and your target audience, it simply makes sense to make the most of it. Just remember that today’s hottest trends are often yesterday’s news by tomorrow.
4) Post Humor Videos
TikTok is a platform of many things, but none is more prominent or prevalent than humor. Posts that are funny (or downright hilarious) always perform better than their more serious or formal counterparts. A humorous video that hits home with its intended audience always has immense viral potential. However, videos that are supposed to be funny though are anything but can be the ultimate cringe-fest.
5) Make it Short
Instant gratification is the reason most people head to TikTok. Whatever it is they want, they expect to get it instantaneously. Precisely why short-form content is always best i.e., clips that last no more than say 20 or 30 seconds. Shorter content always has greater viral potential and is more likely to be shared between TikTok users. It’s also the preferred choice for the platform’s algorithm.
6) Use Hashtags
The strategic use of hashtags can also work in your favor. Always ensure that every post you publish is accompanied by a selection of relevant hashtags. Just don’t make the mistake of using too many or using hashtags of no relevance to your content – just because they are popular at the time. Doing so will have the opposite of the intended effect.
7) Engage with Your Audience
One of the best ways of generating more interest in your videos is to engage more actively with your target audience. TikTok users naturally gravitate towards creators who interact with them and make an effort to engage with them. By contrast, taking a passive approach to your publishing strategy on TikTok will stunt the viral potential of your videos.
8) Don’t Choose One Niche
This is actually a judgment call, as sticking true to one specific niche can sometimes be the way to go. However, sticking exclusively to one niche could also limit the viral potential of the content you publish. A degree of flexibility is important, which means tailoring your output in accordance with what’s hot and trending at the time. That said, it doesn’t mean selling out or being unauthentic.
9) Use Popular Songs
Speaking of trending topics, trending audio, in particular, has huge viral potential. This is where you take a piece of audio that’s currently tending on TikTok and use it in your videos. Simple enough, but surprisingly effective in boosting engagement and creating real viral potential. Though again, only if the song in question is likely to be well-received by your target audience.
10) Tell Stories
To master the art of storytelling is to give yourself a major edge on the world’s biggest social networks. TikTok is no different, where stories are so much more engaging than statements. Stories can be anything – something interesting that happened in your life, something unusual that happened today, or even just something that made you smile and think on your way to work.
11) Buying TikTok Views
Last up, the quickest and easiest way to generate a ton of views in a hurry is to buy TikTok Views. Specialist sites like Media Mister offer packages of tens of thousands of authentic views for next to nothing. A great way of appealing to the TikTok algorithm and adding viral potential to your content, which even comes with a money-back guarantee for total peace of mind!
12) Share Tips, Advice
Videos that show the viewer how to do something (or how to do it better) never fail to generate engagement. They also have huge viral potential, as people love to share genuinely useful videos with their own fans and followers. Share your knowledge, your wisdom, your experience, and your expertise, gradually establishing your authority in your niche.
13) Do (Modestly) Controversial Things
Controversial content never fails to raise eyebrows, which is, in this instance, exactly what you want. Content that’s controversial, surprising, or borderline shocking is always shared aggressively on platforms like TikTok. However, it’s essential to know where to draw the line, as anything too controversial could land you in trouble – both with TikTok and with your audience.
14) Don’t Use Generic Hashtags
As previously touched upon, the use of generic hashtags like #FYP, #foryou, and so on is best avoided. There will bring no benefit your way, and if anything, it will send the wrong message about your content. Using hashtags is essential and beneficial, but only if you stick exclusively with 100% relevant hashtags.
15) Reply to All Comments
Getting into the habit of replying to every comment you receive can also work wonders. This is another way of boosting engagement and demonstrating appreciation for your target audience. Creators who interact with their viewers are always more engaging, popular, and appealing on TikTok. All of which could support your videos in going viral.
16) Spend Some Time Watching Videos on the FYP
Each time you watch a video on the FYP, you gain invaluable insights into what’s popular and trending at the time. This can therefore be the single best place to head for inspiration and ideas for your content. Hence, spending at least 15 to 20 minutes per day checking out these FYP videos is essential.
17) Post Frequently
On platforms like TikTok, it’s not enough to simply post a video one day and go silent the next. Countless studies have shown how creators who publish quality content on a regular basis always outperform those who post sporadically. In addition, working to some kind of publishing schedule could also work in your favor.
18) Use Text in Your Videos
The inclusion of text in TikTok videos can be great for boosting engagement. It grabs the viewer’s attention, forces them to focus, and can be used to deliver any message you like.
Something that expands on the content of the video, or even just a CTA (as touched upon earlier) reminding them to share your content and follow you.
19) Add CTA in Your Videos
To underestimate the potential power and influence of a good CTA (call to action) is to make a huge mistake. If you want people to share your TikTok video, tell them to. If you want them to comment, ask them to do so. If your main goal is to get more followers on TikTok, remind them to sign up. A little encouragement like this often goes a long way.
20) Use Your Own Voice
Where possible, to do so, it’s important to use your own voice when shooting and editing videos. The original sound that comes directly from the publisher carries so much more value, appeal, and authenticity than ‘synthetic’ voiceovers. Let your audience hear your real voice and speak to them directly through your videos.
Conclusion
Going viral on TikTok isn’t something that can be forced or guaranteed. Videos only go viral when enough people choose to share them with their own friends and followers, who do the same and continue the cycle.
Hence, the best way to boost the viral potential of your videos is to get them seen by as many people as possible. Precisely where appealing to the TikTok algorithm can make all the difference. After which, it’s simply a case of ensuring your content is worthy of going viral.
Just as long as the quality of your content is up to scratch, it should already have a decent amount of viral potential. Otherwise, stepping things up quality-wise is the first step towards going viral.
