TikTok is taking over the world? With over a billion monthly active users, it definitely seems that this video-based social networking platform has reached the status of world domination. If you haven’t joined us yet, now is the time to join.
We’ve put together a list of the best TikTok tips and tricks: think about getting views, increasing engagement, tracking comments, and using TikTok Live. Sure, TikTok is taking over the world, but now it’s time for you to take over TikTok too.
TikTok Tips and Tricks for 2023
1. Start with a hook
TikTok is moving fast. If you don’t grab the viewer’s attention right away, you risk losing it to who’s next in an endless scroll.
When creating a TikTok video, start with a hook: ideally, the first second or two will hook your target audience. You can do this through audio or visual means.
For example, the makeup tutorial below shows the text “Makeup Tips for Glasses Wearers”from the very beginning. No need to wait to see what the video will be about; instead, TikTokker introduces the topic right away, giving you a reason to stick around and see what the tip is.
@stxph.h I’ve been wearing glasses for over 10 years and these @JINS Eyewear glasses are one of the most comfortable, lightweight ones I’ve tried! #sponsored #jinseyewear #jinsxigari #makeupforglasses #makeuptips #makeuphackseveryday
Here is another example from a chef. They start the video by saying “Here’s a trick I learned working in the kitchen”and show a dirty pot. The chef doesn’t give anything away, but the viewer very quickly understands what the video is about and why it’s worth continuing to watch (everyone loves cleaning).
@abbieinthegalley Little Chef Tips #tips #hack #kitchenhacks #caramel #tiktokchef #littlechef #tiktokfood #fyp #fypシ #foryou #easy
2. Give viewers a reason to comment…
On TikTok, comments are king (sorry, that’s a lie – technically Lewis Capaldi is king, but more on him later). The more comments you get on a video, the more likely it is that the TikTok algorithm will support it, meaning more people will see your content.
There are many ways to get comments on your TikTok, but the easiest strategy (and really the easiest strategy to get everything you want) is to just ask.
For example, Dylan Mulvaney created a TikTok where he asked followers to suggest him a Halloween costume. She has fifty thousand ideas – enough to dress up in costume every day for 136 consecutive years, if you count.
@dylanmulvaney Day 207- HALLOWEEN COSTUME HELP!!! #trans #halloween #costume
3. … and respond to as many comments as possible
Another way to get more comments on TikTok? Do it yourself. The comment replies you get on your own TikTok are good for the algorithm and also help you build a more genuine relationship with your audience.
With 3.6 million TikTokker followers, @erikatitus can easily ignore comments on her videos, but she often responds by increasing her engagement and making her fans feel loved.
@erikatitus lol
Knowing what the creator is most likely to respond to is also a good incentive for viewers to leave comments. Which brings us to:
4. Make TikTok from comments
As for the comment incentive, one of the most unique features of TikTok is the ability for creators to create videos that respond to a specific comment. In fact, some TikTokkers have built their subscriptions around original videos requested by the audience – like the official @poppincandy.
@poppincandyofficial Reply to @ash3r_fl00f5 🍉WATERMELON MIX!🍉 #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #watermelon #green #red #asmr
This brand makes most of their Tiktoks in the form of a response. This is a great engagement strategy: their videos get tons of comments, all from users hoping to get a response.
It’s hard to keep track of all your comments, especially if you don’t want to be online 24/7 (ah, the end goal).
5. Post at the right time
Do you know what is the best time to post on TikTok? The best time to post is when most people will be actively scrolling because TikTok rarely shows videos that are more than a week old or so. This time depends on the day of the week: 21:00 is a great time to post on Monday, but not on Saturday.
So, we found that 7:00 am on a Sunday is the right time to post. Does this mean you have to work weekends? Thankfully not: you can use tools like the Hootsuite Post Scheduler to organize your content ahead of time and ensure that a video gets posted when it’s most likely to get a lot of views.
6. Learn from your successes (and mistakes)
Pay attention to your TikTok analytics. See which videos are the most successful and try to replicate that success. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experiment with content or abandon a strategy that won’t go viral – you should create content you love, it’s not just about the numbers.
However, if you stumble upon gold, try hitting it again. For example, if you find your audience going crazy (and giving you over 400,000 likes) because of your shockingly accurate Kardashian look…
@_angelomarasigan Replying to @:/ mmyeah… #kardashians #kuwtk #realitytv #realitytvclips #comedytrending
…you should try this Kardashian experience again. Maybe even start accepting user requests for iconic strings (and who knows, maybe 2.1 million likes).
@_angelomarasigan Replying to @mjpsbucket this is one of my fav quotes from Kim 🤣 #kardashians #kuwtk #realitytv #realitytvclips #comedytrending
7. Find your niche
This is advice you’ll get in just about any social media related blog post: Finding your niche (and the community of users who love that niche) is the key to building your personal brand, whether or not you use TikTok for business. or just for fun.
The narrower your niche, the more specific your audience will be: so don’t be afraid to be specific. For example, this creator has earned over 320,000 followers for cooking in an electric lunch box. Their content is instantly recognizable and they are known for their niche content.
@timetoletergo Changing my name and leaving the country before the Italians see this ✌️🤫 It was worth it 💯 #YellowstoneTV #ChevyEVSongContest #cookingatwork #electriclunchbox #timetoletergo #lasagna #fypシ
8. Use trending sounds
If you’ve ever been stuck in a TikTok rut, the best way to get inspiration for new content is to swipe through the platform yourself. See what sounds are trending and what people are using them for, and think about how you can give them your own twist – and we’re not (just) talking about making lip-sync videos.
Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look”was a hit on TikTok at the end of 2022, with over 1.7 million videos made using this audio clip, and the dance blew up so much that Trainor herself created TikTok while doing it.
@meghantrainor Loving all ur videos to #madeyoulook 💖🥹😭🫣🙏💖
Of the over 1.7 million TikToks using this sound, the best are videos that showcase TikTokker’s unique personality – like these builders, who may not be as glamorous (or rhythm-conscious) as Trainor, but have that truly authentic vibe that The TikTok audience loves.
@sjrbuildingsolutions0 #sjrbuildingsolutions #fyp @meghantrainor
9. Follow the trends
Not all trends are audio based – there are also challenges and games based trends that are a great way to incorporate some light-hearted fun into your content. Simply using voice filters is becoming a huge TikTok trend and some people are combining voice filters with other trends (double whammy).
@greenybeany420 got him #littlefroginmyhand
10. Be concise and sweet
Editing TikToks is an art in itself, but for the most part, you need to stick to short, quick clips, that is, keep the viewer’s attention, always offering them something new to watch. This likely means cutting out quite a bit of content to show as much action as possible, or even speeding up certain clips. It can be difficult to cut your work down to a few seconds, but a video like this draws viewers in.
@nami._.artist 🌼🌼✨✨🎨🎨 #namiartist #xuhuong #fanart #speedpainting #art #acrylicpainting #fpy
A great example of this is TikTok, which is what visual artists do: many of them cut clips of their process, showing their audience short snippets of their work and how the project is progressing, step by step. The art itself, of course, would take much longer, but cutting it into more digestible pieces is the best way to keep the interest of an online audience.
11. Experiment with new video formats
TikTok is constantly changing – the videos that go viral in 2020 are different than the videos that go viral today. It’s important to constantly experiment and adapt (and that’s also part of what makes TikTok fun).
Lewis Capaldi (called the king of TikTok… actually by himself) is an icon on the platform, mainly because he is constantly trying new things. After the singer teased the new love song on TikTok, couples started using it to create romantic videos, and Capaldi started splicing these videos together, revealing just how “dim”his love life is.
@lewiscapaldi
It’s an unconventional way to promote a song, but it also refreshes how authentic Capaldi is on the app. And the irony in his video stitches is pretty funny. Rolling the eyes of couples in love is common on TikTok, but doing it to your own love song is not.
@lewiscapaldi #duet with @jaronatlas throwing up is my only moment of peace
Make it easier to find you on TikTok by using popular hashtags related to your content. This helps the platform understand what kind of videos you make and which users to show those videos to.
This TikTokker makes a lot of food related content in Sydney Australia and they use hashtags to make this content more SEO friendly.
For example, the video below about Woolies (short for Woolworths, a popular supermarket chain) uses the hashtags #placesinsydney, #woolies, #woolworths, #wooliesfinds, #woolworthsfinds, #cheapeats, #hashbrown, and #sweetpotatohashbrowns.
@adrianwidjy So easy and convenient to just toast this sweet potato hash brown! Crispy and yum! Vegan friendly and for $6.50 a bag. It is by *Strong Roots* Go check them out! #placesinsydney #woolies #woolworths #wooliesfinds #woolworthsfinds #cheapeats #hashbrown #finds #grocery #haul #sweetpotatohashbrowns #strongroots
If you’re not sure which hashtags to use, try doing a competitive analysis of other TikTok users who are doing well in a similar niche. Imitate until you succeed!
13. Don’t take yourself too seriously
Creating a successful TikTok marketing strategy is, of course, serious work. But part of the beauty of the platform is that you don’t have to be traditionally “professional”all the time. Many TikTok users just want to scroll down and laugh, and it’s okay to show some vulnerability.
Creator Chris Olsen ‘s charming and original sense of humor has garnered over 9 million viewers. Since his viral success, he has been constantly collaborating with celebrities and attending high-profile events, but his content isn’t just about his accomplishments. In fact, he has a whole second TikTok account with many videos strictly dedicated to making fun of himself. It only makes him more charming and attractive.
@notolsennchris #duet with @njbuckeye #citiconcertseries
Bonus: 5 Tips to Go Live on TikTok
1. Announce the gig before you do.
Create buzz before you go live by posting on TikTok. Let your audience know when you’re going live and what you’ll be talking about so they can “be present”if they want to.
Hint: You can also do this on multiple platforms: Post to Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin to promote your TikTok live.
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A post shared by MAKEUP & LEATHER SPECIALIST (@charleneomalleymakeup)
2. Plan what you are going to say
You don’t need a script to go live on TikTok, but it’s good to have a general plan of what you’re going to do. Make a plan of topics to discuss or things you want to cover before you go live.
This is especially important if you feel uncomfortable in front of the camera – having a plan will help you feel more at ease, and that confidence will impress your viewers.
3. Name your speech appropriately
Since your audience can join your stream at any time, it’s important to reach out to them and remind them what the purpose of your TikTok is. For example, a viewer who joins in 5 minutes is likely to miss your introduction and you don’t want them to scroll down because they don’t know what’s going on.
Make sure your entire audience is in the know by heading your talk appropriately (e.g. “Teaching My Dog to Roll Over”or “Q&A with the Fireworks Scientist”so that the audience will immediately understand what your talk is about. You can also schedule verbal reminders every few minutes: just say a few words to catch up.
4. Thank your viewers
The main difference between regular TikTok and TikTok Live videos is that your audience can interact with you in real time. Make sure you use this to your advantage when interacting with them: acknowledge comments, answer questions, and mention viewers by name if you can.
This is an effective strategy for creating a more authentic connection with your followers, and who doesn’t love to scream?
5. Make a call to action
Your TikTok Live might be the first time some viewers see you and you don’t want it to be their last. Encourage viewers to follow you (on TikTok and other platforms if you have them) and leave likes and comments. This is the engagement that will help you when it comes to the TikTok algorithm.
You can verbalize your call to action or even squeeze it into the title of your live broadcast.