Going viral on TikTok can be a challenging but rewarding experience. With over 1 billion monthly active users and millions of videos uploaded daily, it can take a lot of work to stand out on the platform. However, it is possible – and TikTok is known for even small accounts to go viral.
Here are 11 tips to help you increase your chances of going viral on the platform.
How does content go viral on TikTok?
Like most social media algorithms, TikTok provides content to its users based on the posts they have previously interacted with. This applies to videos you see in both the Subscriptions feed and the For You (FYP) page.
The real question is, how does TikTok decide which videos get into our FYPs?
According to TikTok, the algorithm recommends content based on the videos you’ve interacted with (watched, liked, shared, commented), who you follow, what content you create, your account’s demographics, and what’s in the video itself. (titles, sounds, hashtags). TikTok then provides a mixture of similar content from both the accounts you follow and the accounts you don’t follow.
To go viral, your video must pass an important informal “test”. The app shows your video to a small group of users who TikTok thinks are a representative sample based on your video’s content (title, hashtags, captions, sound). If it performs well with this sample of users by views and engagement, TikTok can show it to a wider audience.
We don’t know how long this test will take – it could be hours, days or weeks after you first hit “Publish”.
Does the number of subscribers or past results matter?
The TikTok algorithm does not consider the user’s TikTok follower count or previous engagement metrics. You’re just as likely to see messages from someone with a few million followers as you are from a brand new user.
And what’s with the heating?
There is another way to make a video go viral on TikTok. Some videos are chosen by TikTok staff to get a certain number of views, also known as heat.
Hot videos reportedly account for 1-2% of total daily views on TikTok, but so far the heat has been reserved for influencers, celebrities and brands that TikTok wants to benefit from.
How to Go Viral on TikTok: 11 Tips
Now about the good. From filming to hashtags to editing, we’ve compiled a list of tactics that will increase your chances of going viral on TikTok.
1. Participate in trends
TikTok is known for using music and sound bites, and incorporating popular sounds into your content can increase your chances of going viral. Using trending audio can be effective because it’s catchy (and increases watch time), the viewer knows what to expect from your video, and users can find your video through the audio search page.
Even if you’ve recorded your own video audio, we recommend adding a popular song as a background track to optimize your chances of going viral – you can adjust the track’s volume to be much lower than your speech.
Please note that brand accounts have more limited access to the commercial music library than creators and regular users. So, before jumping into a sound trend, make sure your account can use it. Here are some additional tips on how to find business-friendly TikTok sounds.
@delta it’s PLANES #deltaairlines #avgeek #corn
Thank you Delta for using trendy sound and making it relevant to your audience!
Hashtags and tasks are an important part of the TikTok experience, and using them can help boost your content’s visibility. Using relevant hashtags and entering popular contests can increase the chances of a wider audience discovering your content.
Some tips for using hashtags:
- Use a mix of commonly used and niche hashtags, not just one or the other.
- Don’t use #FYP, #foryou or other generic hashtags – they don’t work!
- Use a maximum of 3-5 hashtags.
Check out 7 more TikTok hashtag tips.
Creating shareable content is one of the most important factors for going viral on TikTok. What types of content do people have to share with their friends and followers? Here are some tested topics:
- Funny/entertaining. We all love to tag our friends in memes and send funny videos to our group chats, right?
- Educational. #LearnOnTikTok is a popular hashtag for a reason, so teach people something! If it’s surprising or unique, chances are people will want to skip the lesson.
- Inspiring. You can inspire people in many ways – by showing them how to solve a problem, how to improve their appearance/health/life, or add something to their wish list. If you can inspire someone enough to want to change their behavior or life in some way, they are more likely to share it with others.
@expedia Experience a winter wonderland in Canada ❄️🇨🇦 #canada #canadatravel #wintertravel #wintervacay #bucketlisttravel #travel #traveltiktok #tiktoktravel #expedia #explorecanada
Ah, the list: The oldest trick in the content marketing book. But hey, if you’re planning a trip to Canada, chances are you’ll share this with your fellow travelers!
4. Start with the hook and keep it short
As explained above, TikTok considers average watch time as part of its algorithm. So, you need to grab the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds and give them a reason to watch as much of your video as possible. That’s why it’s important to start with a strong hook.
While TikTok is slowly increasing video length, as a general rule, the shorter the better. However, if you want to record a longer video, tell a story and follow a consistent format.
Pro tip: To determine which of your hooks are working, check TikTok analytics to see which videos have the highest average watch time.
5. Engage with your audience
Engaging with your audience is vital to building followers on TikTok. Reply to comments and messages on your videos and engage with content in your niche (such as videos using the same hashtags as yours). This can help build a community around your content and encourage people to share your videos with their followers.
@morningbrew Southwest Airlines, are you good? (Ft. @dhtoomey) #southwestairlines #traveltok #business #businessnews
Not only do Morning Brew consistently make funny content, they also respond well to comments. Sometimes their answers are even funnier than the videos themselves.
6. Learn to Edit
TikTok is a visual platform and video editing skills can help make your content more engaging. Editing can be anything from adding captions and stickers to leveling up your video transition and special effects skills.
To edit your TikTok videos, we suggest using the editing tools in the TikTok app or third party apps. Study the transitions and trends used by popular authors in your niche. It may be difficult at first, but the more you practice editing for TikTok, the easier it will become.
@natgeo Anyone up for an open water swim in the Arctic? 🥶 #NatGeoTikTok #LimitlessWithChrisHemsworth is now streaming on #DisneyPlus
This example from National Geographic shows fast transitions between different shots, angles and scales, keeping you on your toes until the very end. (I’m sure Chris Hemsworth’s presence in it only contributed to some of the virality.)
7. Collaborate with other creators or brands
Collaborating with other accounts can be a great way to increase your reach on TikTok. By teaming up with other accounts, you both gain access to each other’s followers and attract new viewers that you wouldn’t otherwise have.
Before proposing a partnership, research the channels of potential partners. What can you teach their audience that would be interesting and complementary to the creator’s or brand’s regular content? Be sure to include this in your presentation or DM.
Pro Tip: Reach out to creators/brands with a similar (or slightly larger) audience to yours. It will be less intimidating and more mutually beneficial.
@cerave did you wear your sunscreen today? 🕶☀️ @dr.tomassian takes to the streets of LA to give people a chance to win free #CeraVe products! #Skincare #Skincareroutine
Skincare brand CeraVe often collaborates with popular dermatologists, making sure to tag them in the caption to ensure availability for both accounts.
8. Post Consistently
In a sense, achieving virality is a numbers game. The more you post, the more followers you will have and the more likely you are to become a viral hit.
We know how difficult it is to overcome the psychological hurdle associated with clicking the “Publish”button. The best way to get around this is to develop the habit of posting consistently and using tools (like Hootsuite!) to plan and schedule your content. You can also check out our research on the best times to post on TikTok.
@hootsuite Reply to @tiktokforbusiness social media managers 🤝 hootsuite
While TikTok is a great platform to go viral, there are other places to share your content. Promoting your TikTok videos on other social media platforms can increase your reach and attract new followers. Consider how popular Twitter screenshot sharing has become on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Want to not annoy people who follow you on multiple platforms? We have a simple guide for you on how to post content without looking like spam.
10. Take Opportunities for Commenting
Remember how high engagement can signal TikTok to share your video on more FYPs? You can help increase engagement rates by strategically adding “comment bait”to your video.
Here are some ideas:
- There should be a strong call to action at the end. Try “click the plus button to see more content like this”, “comment on what I should show in my next video”, etc.
- Leave some questions unanswered. Don’t be too confusing or vague, but instead of answering every question in your video, leave some questions and answers in the comments.
- Leave random details or hiccups. Don’t edit quirks or bugs! People love to comment on random things and it seems more sincere.
@smallspacebiglife Three things I only have one of in the bathroom. #minimalism #smallspace #apartmentdecor #homedecor #homehacks
This creator includes a consistent call to action — “follow tips for living in a small space” — at the end of many of his videos, including this viral one.
11. Be authentic and sincere
People are more likely to interact and share content that feels genuine and authentic. Don’t be afraid to show your personality and be yourself in your videos. Let it guide your content too – people are more likely to watch and share videos from creators and brands that show passion for their content.
What’s more, our final tip on how to go viral on TikTok is to have fun and enjoy the process. TikTok is a platform where creativity and self-expression thrive, and the more fun you have in creating content, the more likely it is to resonate with your audience.
Remember that virus spread is not guaranteed, but with the right strategy and luck, you can be successful on the platform. Following these tips will help increase your chances of creating shareable content and going viral on TikTok.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Go Viral on TikTok
How many likes or views does it take to go viral on TikTok?
The number of likes or views that would make a video go viral is unknown. However, aim for a healthy engagement rate of 4% views to likes (4 likes for every 1,000 views). A 4% ratio shows that your content is interesting and more likely to go viral.
How many views are considered viral on TikTok?
Generally, if a video gets between 250,000 and 1 million views, it can be considered viral on TikTok.
Can you go viral on TikTok without followers?
Yes. The TikTok algorithm doesn’t consider how many followers an account has when sharing a video, so you could potentially go viral even with no or few followers.
How often do you have to post on TikTok to go viral?
There is no specific posting frequency that will help you go viral. However, posting more frequently will increase the chances that all the right factors will come together to help your TikTok video take off.
How long does it take to go viral on TikTok?
Some videos can go viral shortly after being posted, but many don’t go viral until days or weeks later. Large accounts can see their videos go viral faster due to the engagement of their followers. If you’ve followed all of our tips and your video doesn’t play right away, be patient – the algorithm needs time to work its magic!