How to Go Viral on TikTok: 16 Effective Tips

The belief that TikTok is only for the younger crowd is a major misconception. The truth is everyone, from artisans and beauty gurus to culinary enthusiasts and pet lovers, is hopping on the TikTok train to connect with their audience, raising the question of how to go viral on TikTok.

This prevalent platform has become a game-changer for small business owners worldwide, propelling them towards viral fame, thanks in no small part to the features offered by TikTok for business. Here’s the surprise – you don’t need to be a Gen Z member to achieve viral status on TikTok.

However, creativity is key in producing short video content that resonates with millions. Eager to understand the ins and outs of achieving viral fame on TikTok? Keep reading for the full scoop.

Influencers with the Most TikTok Followers

TikTok has seen an incredible array of talent rising to fame, commanding millions of followers and significantly influencing the platform’s content. In this bustling social media landscape, here are the individuals that stand out with the highest follower counts:

1. Charli D’Amelio, known on TikTok as @charlidamelio, leads the pack.
2. Khabane Lame, or @khaby.lame, performs funny antics for the #2 spot.
3. Bella Poarch (@bellapoarch) has also amassed a massive following.
4. Addison Rae (@addisonre) continues to captivate her audience.
5. Zach King (@zachking) consistently entertains with his illusionist content.
6. Hollywood star Will Smith (@willsmith) maintains his popularity on the platform.
7. Kimberly Loaiza (@kimberly.loaiza) has captured a significant audience.
8. Dixie D’Amelio (@dixiedamelio), like her sister, enjoys immense TikTok fame.
9. Burak Özdemir (@cznburak) draws crowds with his culinary expertise.
10. Spencer X (@spencerx) is well-loved for his beatboxing skills.
11. Michael Le (@justmaiko) wows followers with his dance routines.

Here’s a quick word from mentor Robert Benjamin on ‘How To Go Viral on TikTok’ The video will help you get 100K views in 10 minutes.

How to Go Viral on TikTok: 16 Amazing Tips

Below, we have a comparison table, which can be a great starting point before you start exploring the more detailed insights each tip offers in the list.

Think you’ll never figure out how to win at social media? Think again! TikTok can be an amazing business tool. But you need to be adjusting your current marketing strategies to achieve success. You, too, can learn how to go viral on TikTok with these 16 amazing tips:

1. Learn About the TikTok Algorithm

Just like so many other popular social media platforms, TikTok employs an algorithm, which it calls its recommendation system, to determine what content each user sees on their “For You” page. Based on this algorithm, each TikTok user sees a unique feed curated based on their prior views and interests.

Because of this system, one TikTok user might see their feed filled with cooking videos while another might instead be treated to a screen filled with dance videos, funny videos or goofy dog vids.

The trick to going viral on TikTok is learning how to get your videos in front of your niche audience, and much of that boils down to understanding how the TikTok algorithm works.

How does TikTok’s algorithm rate video content? It bases its rankings on three primary factors:

• User engagement – How many users performed an action while viewing your video, such as liking it, commenting on it, sharing it or following your creator account?
• User interest – How long did TikTok users spend viewing your video? Did they watch the content until its end, or did they exit the video mid-stream?
• Creative content – TikTok’s algorithm prefers videos with extra content creation efforts, such as the addition of trending TikTok sounds, relevant hashtags and interesting captions.

2. Schedule Your Content

Posting your video content at the right time of day is another effective strategy to attract attention. But when is the best time to post on TikTok? It all depends on what audience you are trying to reach, and what time they are most active on the platform.

For instance, an audience of professionals would be less likely to view videos during a weekday, so the best time to post on TikTok and reach more of them might be during the evening hours or on weekends.

Of course, content creators might not always be available to post content to TikTok at the perfect time. Fortunately, a variety of compatible apps are available to help creators develop a posting schedule and plan their posts in advance.

3. Limit Your Video Length

@britishpromise.cats Repost ? #catsoftiktok #viral #funny #cute #cutness #foryoupage ? origineel geluid – British Promise Cats

Just in case you haven’t noticed, the consumption of digital media has extremely limited attention spans around the world. In fact, the average watch time for TikTok videos is about 15 seconds, so shorter videos generally perform the best.

Creating short videos can be a challenge for creators new to the platform. How can you fit everything into such a short period of time? Be thankful the time limit is no longer 15 seconds like it was when TikTok launched.

Now, you have up to 3 minutes, even if you shoot for a shorter length. Fortunately, as experienced content creators can attest, you’ll discover how to share your message in just a few seconds as you create more videos.

If your audience watches your videos until their end, TikTok’s algorithm recognized that viewers enjoyed the content, and it will display the videos to even more users.

4. Leverage Audiences Through Collaboration

@meetalleyoop dreams do come true ? @ERICA??MARIA #wellnessroutine #bestmakeup #selfcare #easybeauty #makeuphacks #easymakeups#makeuptok #makeuprecomendations #viralblush #creambronzer #creamcontour #contourhack #thisismysong ? original sound – Nene?

If you’re looking for a simple yet effective way to expand your TikTok and reach your target audience, you should try collaborating with other creators. After discovering trending influencers in your niche, connect with them by liking and commenting on their videos.

After you engage with popular TikTok accounts, you can propose an opportunity to co-create content and boost both of your profiles.

When collaborating, however, it’s vital to choose the right popular creators. Choosing a partner who doesn’t align with your brand’s voice or values can backfire, repelling a TikTok audience.

5. Cross-promote Your Content

TikTok is so popular, short video content has caught on across social media, including on influential platforms like Facebook, Instagram and even YouTube.

When you cross-promote your TikTok videos on other social media channels, you can increase your reach while boosting the chances that your video goes viral.

While it might be easiest to start cross-posting to major platforms like Facebook and Instagram, niche audiences also can be reached on Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and a host of other social media platforms.

For example, a musician might find viral success by cross-posting TikTok videos to a platform like Ultimate Guitar Shots.

For cross-promotion success, shoot vertical videos since the format is more universally accepted throughout social media. Likewise, use the same video description on each platform, and create similar but not identical hashtags.

Be sure you upload an original video file to each platform since cross-posting content with watermarks and identifications from other platforms is a sure way to offend algorithms and limit your video’s reach. You may also put a link in your TikTok bio to your other social platforms.

6. Post Regularly

To go viral on TikTok, it’s important to post consistently. The most successful TikTok creators post frequently to share quality video content. Why aren’t single videos just as likely to go viral? TikTok’s algorithm favors content creators who regularly bring traffic to the website.

Don’t feel like you have to post new content every hour to achieve viral success on TikTok. It can be enough to maintain a schedule so users can rely on your content, giving them new reasons to check out the videos you post.

Still, how regular is enough to go viral? While popular TikTok influencers will post as often as 10 times each day, experts recommend starting with 1-3 video posts each day to build a following.

7. Mix Your Own Audio

@craggygamesHooks! w/ a Pumpkin Slammer Drop Shot? Thick Competition – DJ BAI

You can forge better connections with your TikTok followers when you create your own original audio effects for your videos. Plus, since the TikTok algorithm recognizes words, audio can boost your video’s ranking within the app.

Believe it or not, even sounds can be trending on TikTok. TikTok features like trending audio memes, trending songs and other trending sounds are a new and exciting territory on the video platform, so audio offers plenty of unique opportunities to go viral.

Successful content creators like Craggy Games have gone viral with original sound, and you can, too, by adding your own spin to create enticing videos, including adding humor and wit to deliver your message.

8. Keep Up With the Latest TikTok Trends

By and large, TikTok is a trend-driven tool. It’s no coincidence that some of the world’s most trending personalities got their starts on TikTok. Therefore, it’s vital that creators understand trends if they have any hope of going viral on TikTok. Fortunately, the TikTok algorithm makes it simple for users to follow and leverage trends.

Just take a look at TikTok’s Discover page to see the day’s trending videos in your niche, including anything from trending music, songs, audio, trending sound or even cooking videos. By viewing the specific videos in your niche, you can get a feel for the appropriate TikTok trends, and implement them in your content.

9. Use Relevant Hashtags

Every social media user sees hashtags every day, although the less-than-savvy might not always know what they are called. But what’s the point of hashtags? Because they are heavily considered by the TikTok algorithm, hashtags help boost video rankings and direct videos to their intended audiences.

By avoiding generic hashtags and instead focusing on the most relevant, you can boost your video’s visibility on TikTok. The proper hashtag even can result in your video’s promotion within a targeted TikTok community.

Choosing the right hashtag can help you boost your TikTok video’s popularity as well as your entire brand. In addition to researching trending hashtags, consider participating in hashtag challenges for another path toward viral videos.

10. Promote Viewer Engagement

Social media is about more than content creation. After all, “social” is in the name. TikTok provides a platform not just for viewing videos, but for interacting with them and their creators.

Particularly when you are trying to attract new followers, engagement such as responding to comments is vital to any chance at future viral success.

Why is comment participation so important to going viral on TikTok? Globally, about 77% of users read comments on TikTok videos. In fact, the comments section has been known to go viral all by itself, and it could one day soon become part of the TikTok algorithm.

In addition to responding to comments, you even might provide a prompt inviting other users to apps like Stick or Duet to boost interaction further.

11. Employ the TikTok Duet Feature

@mthandazogatya #duet with @John Legend #nervous #johnlegend #openversechallenge #fyt? ? Nervous – John Legend

Many TikTok creators have found viral success by employing the platform’s duet feature. What is the TikTok duet feature, you might ask.

The option lets a user create a response video, sharing their thoughts about other users’ content through a split-screen video display. You might think of it as a no-contact collaboration.

When the duet feature is employed, the two videos play at the same time. The side-by-side feature is unique to TikTok. Enabling the option encourages other users to reply to your own videos, an incredible opportunity for engagement.

12. Tell Visual Stories

@gucci Inspired by the #ExquisiteGucci campaign, @marisjones captures the act of metamorphosis through her own cinematic lens. #AlessandroMichele #Gucci ? ExquisiteGucci – Gucci

What makes a viral TikTok video? You might use all the tools available for the most successful TikTok content, but your video won’t be popular without great storytelling.

If your TikTok video contains a compelling story, including a strong arc and at least one compelling character (you), your users will want not only to watch until the end but also to keep coming back for more of your high-quality content.

How can you tell a complete story in 15 seconds? While it’s certainly possible, if you find telling short-form stories a challenge, you can break the tale into separate parts across multiple videos.

For example, if you are demonstrating various yoga poses, you can create multiple videos, each capturing a new position to engage your audience.

13. Include a Call to Action

@thesavvykay so ready for spring/summer ??@magicfashionevents ? Blaccmass nights 90s remix – saving connie

Don’t just expect your TikTok audience to take your desired actions, let them know what you want them to do! If you don’t make an effort to encourage users to return to your account for more TikTok content, you easily could become a one-viral wonder.

Therefore, it’s vital to include a strong call-to-action in your videos that excites viewers and prompts them to watch for your next post.

Your CTA could be something as simple as, “Follow me for daily tips,” a statement that can be highly effective at engaging an audience. Other effective CTAs include directing viewers to share your video, to check out your profile for other videos and to tag another user who should see the video.

14. Get Verified on TikTok

If you want more TikTok users to trust your content and engage with it, you should try to get verified on TikTok. Much like the other social platforms, TikTok has a verification badge for credible accounts. It’s a blue checkmark that appears next to a verified account’s handle.

With a verified TikTok account, creators improve their authority in their niches and expand their reach on the platform. Unfortunately, TikTok users can’t request to have a verified account. The TikTok team proactively seeks out accounts it believes deserve the visible check mark and invites the user to apply.

When selecting its invitees, TikTok focuses on parameters such as metric growth and activity, so working toward viral success is a great step toward achieving verified status.

15. Create Fun and Entertaining Videos

@funny_animals329 #funnyanimals ? Funk Rave – Don´t Let Me Down 140 Bpm – kirtap

While TikTok users access the platform for a variety of reasons, most of them want to have a fun and entertaining experience. In fact, TikTok users told researchers they visit the platform to “lift my spirits.”

The same study found that nearly 3 out of every 4 users who felt positive said that they felt inspired, confident and entertained while using TikTok. If your videos don’t boast any of these qualities, they might not achieve viral video success.

Some of the most successful viral videos originating on TikTok have featured comedy, often of the more risque variety. But you needn’t have been a stand-up comic in a past life to entertain TikTok users.

Sometimes it’s just as much fun for them to learn something new. Educational videos offer a great opportunity to inject elements of entertaining storytelling.

16. Dominate Your Niche

@demibagbyBagby Bootcamp is live on my app for FREE ?? Bel Mercy – Jengi

Dominating our niche and attracting the ideal TikTok audience can be just as important as going viral around the world. After all, as a small business owner, your objective is brand awareness and sales, not popularity.

Focus on niche hashtags so that when you post videos, they appear before your targeted audience. Just as much as you spend time learning how to go viral on TikTok, put in the effort to research your niche – as well as your competition – and understand what exactly appeals to your desired viewers.

Making Sure Your TikTok Videos Stay Viral

So, you’ve learned how to create videos that go viral on TikTok. Once you’ve gone viral, the next step is staying there. You’d hate to finally achieve viral status only to drop off of TikTok users’ radars the very next day.

In fact, the secret of how to make money on TikTok isn’t necessarily about the ways to create viral content, but how to stay viral once you get there.

Some of the primary ways to stay viral reflect the same activities taken to go viral in the first place, including:

• Cross-promotion – Cross-promote your video to other social media platforms to expand your audience.
• CTA – Include an effective call to action so viewers of one video are more inclined to view another video you’ve shared.
• Trends – Focus on TikTok trends that have demonstrated staying power by trending for longer periods, so your video’s popularity will be more likely to last.
• Analytics – Monitor how your video performs, since these metrics will let you know if you’ve appeased the TikTok algorithm. What might seem like random details can help you optimize your next video for viral success.
• Engagement – Engage your audience, not only when your video content first posts, but over the course of time. You’ll not only build a loyal following, but you could bump your video back to the top of users’ For You page.

TikTok’s Algorithm: The Key to Viral Success

Understanding TikTok’s algorithm is crucial for anyone aiming to go viral on the platform. The algorithm, known as the ‘recommendation system,’ decides what appears on each user’s “For You” page. This personalized feed is based on individual user interactions and preferences.

To optimize your content for TikTok’s algorithm, focus on:

• User Engagement: Enhance your video’s visibility by encouraging actions like likes, comments, and shares. Engaged users are a signal to TikTok that your content is appealing.
• Video Information: Use relevant and trending hashtags, compelling captions, and popular sounds. These elements help TikTok categorize and distribute your content to interested audiences.
• Device and Account Settings: Remember that user settings such as language preference and country setting influence content visibility. Tailor your content to match your target demographic’s settings.

Building and Engaging Your TikTok Community

The success on TikTok is not just about creating content; it’s about building a community. Regular engagement with your followers can foster loyalty and encourage more interaction, which is favored by TikTok’s algorithm.

To build a robust TikTok community:

• Consistent Engagement: Make it a habit to respond to comments and engage with your followers regularly. This interaction builds a loyal community around your content.
• Community Building Events: Participate in or host TikTok challenges, live sessions, or duets. These activities are not only fun but also a great way to connect with your audience and encourage user-generated content related to your brand or niche.

TikTok for Business Growth

For businesses, TikTok offers a unique platform to grow brand awareness and drive traffic and conversions. Here’s how you can align TikTok with your business goals:

• Brand Awareness Strategies: Use creative and engaging content to make your brand more visible and recognizable on TikTok.
• Driving Traffic and Conversions: Include clear calls-to-action in your videos to guide viewers to your website or online store.

When considering marketing campaigns:

• Creative Campaigns and Launches: Launch products or initiate creative campaigns tailored to the TikTok audience.
• Influencer Collaborations: Collaborate with TikTok influencers to tap into their followers and lend credibility to your brand.

Start Creating Your First Viral Video!

Staying Ahead in TikTok’s Dynamic Landscape

Maintaining viral success on TikTok requires adaptability and a long-term strategy. As the platform evolves, so should your content and approach.

To stay ahead:

• Adapting to New Features: Keep abreast of and integrate new TikTok features and trends into your content strategy.
• Continuous Learning: Stay informed about the digital landscape changes and how they affect content consumption on TikTok.

For a sustainable strategy:

• Sustainable Content Creation: Strike a balance between following trends and creating unique content that stays true to your brand.
• Analyzing Performance Metrics: Use TikTok’s analytics tools to understand what works and refine your content strategy accordingly.

With your TikTok business account, you have all the tools you need to post viral videos, grow your audiences and increase your brand awareness.

TikTok truly makes it possible for anyone to achieve viral status with equipment as basic as a smartphone and a great idea. Just follow the above tips, and you’ll find TikTok success in no time.

Go Viral on TikTok FAQs

What will go viral on TikTok?

TikTok has become one of the most brilliant success stories in viral marketing history for a few reasons, but what type of content is most popular on the social media platform? It’s impossible to know exactly what videos will go viral.

After all, who could’ve guessed the success of Chocolate Rain more than a decade ago? However, there are some popular categories to consider.

Based on hashtag views, the most popular category on the app was entertainment content with 535 billion hashtag views, followed by a dance with 181 billion hashtag views. Other popular categories include pranks, fitness and sports, as well as home renovations and DIY.

How many views do you need to go viral on TikTok?

The number of views that account for viral status on TikTok is somewhat debatable. Some experts claim it’s 1 million, similar to other social media platform options, while others claim a TikTok viral video needs only to acquire 500,000 views to be considered viral.

If it’s reaching the right target audience, a video viewed by 250,000 TikTok users could even be called viral within its niche.

What happens with 100,000 views on TikTok?

Viral TikTok videos come with a hidden benefit. Once a creator has attracted 100,000 video views within a 30-day period, they become eligible for the TikTok Creator Fund.

The monetary fund for the platform’s creators was launched in 2021 to encourage creators to attract and engage larger audiences. The TikTok Creator Fund financially rewards creators based on the engagement their content receives, such as video views and likes.

What is the fastest way to get TikTok famous?

The secret to getting TikTok famous isn’t just getting more video views on a single piece of content, but attracting more followers who are eager for more.

Just ask the top TikTok creators. They focused on trending topics, produced high-quality content, utilized hashtags, and, most importantly, actively engaged their audiences. TikTok advertising can also help you grow on the platform quickly.

How does your TikTok go viral?

No matter what niche your business might fall into, you probably can find an audience on TikTok. That’s because there’s no single type of TikTok video that is guaranteed to go viral.

Reliably posting and adding your own audio or elements of humor to an already entertaining short video are both great steps to create viral content and achieve the desired TikTok notoriety. It’s that simple. And you thought you’d never learn how to go viral on TikTok!

Image: Envato Elements

This article, "How to Go Viral on TikTok: 16 Effective Tips" was first published on Small Business Trends