From Hook to Hype: How to Go Viral on TikTok

1.12 billion. That’s how many active users TikTok has each month. No matter your target audience’s demographic, chances are, at least some of them are hanging out here.

Since the short-form video app has cemented itself in most modern marketing strategies, it’s leaving many brands wondering how to go viral on TikTok.

In this blog, Ignite Visibility’s Senior Social Media Strategist, Josh Rohr, will explore some ways you can tap into this massive audience and unlock strategies to significantly grow your audience and engagement.

What You’ll Learn

• Cracking the Code: TikTok Algorithm Explained
• Is It That Easy to Go Viral on TikTok?
• Steps to Go Viral on TikTok
• Common Myths About How to Go Viral on TikTok
• Monetizing Viral Content
• FAQs

My Expert Opinion on How to Go Viral on TikTok

Consistently growing in popularity, TikTok is perfect for connecting with new audiences, especially younger ones. As of January 2025, 82.2 million people use it daily in the US alone. The bulk of these visitors are women under 30. In fact, TikTok has more Gen Z visitors than Instagram!

This platform poses a lot of opportunities, but what is considered viral on TikTok? Let’s take a look at the numbers. According to Bluehost, you’ll need to reach 1M+ views within 72 hours for your video to be considered “viral.” It really comes down to the number of views that lead to more conversions on your end—you could have all the views in the world, but they won’t count unless you’re reaching the right people in your target audience.

You should also take into consideration other engagement metrics such as shares, comments, and likes. That means that people are not only seeing your content but also consuming and engaging with it. So, making your content viral on TikTok is crucial, but you must ensure your content also converts.

Generally, to get your content out there, I recommend making your content funny and entertaining, as humorous content appeals to most users on that platform. You should focus on creating content that feels authentic to your niche. The content that goes viral is the content that resonates with the people in your target market.

Consider the types of video content that do best in your industry. You should also make content that naturally encourages people to comment on it, whether those comments are good or bad (although you should always avoid offensive and purposefully controversial content).

Of course, jumping on trends like specific dances or trending audios will also help you get more views. Just be sure to use the trend when it’s still trending! The last thing you want is to be the brand that missed the boat and posted three weeks after it ended.

Cracking the Code: TikTok Algorithm Explained

So, how does the TikTok algorithm work? There’s not a super simple answer to this question. The TikTok algorithm has long been a topic of interest for marketers and other social media platforms alike.

One of the biggest ways to get discovered here is to land on your preferred audience’s For Your Page, or FYP. The FYP is a mix of accounts the user follows, as well as ones they might like, trending audios, and ads. Learning more about FYP optimization is certainly a big part of cracking the TikTok algorithm.

Ranking Factors on TikTok

Understanding how to blow up on TikTok starts with understanding what gets you viewed in the first place. Let’s talk about the ranking factors TikTok uses to decide which videos hit the FYP and which ones get lost in the shuffle.

TikTok aims to provide its users with what they want, so it’s not surprising that this press release states the algorithm recommends content similar to videos they’ve watched, shared, or liked. Other factors include:

• Who they follow
• The type of content the users create themselves
• Account demographics
• User interactions such as commenting, liking, or sharing

Based on all this data crunching, TikTok decides which videos show up on which FYPs.

TikTok Video Virality Factors

Going viral on TikTok requires you to understand what is happening on the app as a whole. You need to perform well with a smaller group of users that TikTok believes is a good sample, based on the topics in the video, before it will distribute your video to more FYPs.

One thing to note: the TikTok algorithm changes of 2025 don’t take into consideration the posting account’s follower count or prior engagement numbers. Instead, the platform made engagement frequency a major factor that can influence whether a video goes viral on TikTok. This is great news, especially for smaller brands that are just getting started on the app.

If you want to go viral on TikTok, you need to make your videos worth engaging with. The algorithm is really looking at your account’s engagement frequency, or how often users interact with a video. This will indicate that the content is truly engaging to viewers. This is why a video could sit on the platform for several months before the algorithm decides to rank it higher after a period of dynamic re-evaluation of engagement.

Other ranking factors for TikTok include completion rate, trending audio, keyword usage, and overall video quality.

Also, today, TikTok categorizes videos into specific target niches to connect with particular audiences. In the process, the platform further ensures its videos reach the right users based on what kinds of content they want to see.

The TikTok Algorithm Explained: Embracing Interactivity and Connection

I’ve mentioned that TikTok really values the connection between brands and consumers, and one of the best ways to create that connection is through TikTok’s interactive features.

Using tools such as polls, Q&A stickers, and live streams will help to curate that connection and build a bond that will significantly increase viewer engagement. The more that your audience engages with your content, the better. This will show TikTok that your content is something people want to see and encourage the algorithm to push it out to other users interested in the same things.

You can take interactivity one step further by encouraging your followers to create user-generated content. Develop challenges or encourage duets that foster community participation, improve that connection between brand and consumer, and increase your visibility across the app.

Other Ways to Go Viral on TikTok

Still looking for how to get views on TikTok? Here are some more ways your content could go viral:

1. Heating: Videos hand-picked by TikTok employees to gain an extra boost. However, this only applies to influencers.
2. Brand Chem: TikTok is focusing less on telling people what they want to see and more on building a collaborative environment where creators and communities can have more say in what resonates with them. As part of the Brand Chem movement, TikTok is focusing on three signals:
   1. Brand Fusion: the idea that brands gain new purpose when they become more responsive toward their consumers
   2. Identity Osmosis: the concept that brands will start to integrate their consumers’ values into their brand identities
   3. Creative Catalysts: the tools marketers need to build communities and learn from creators to feel more inspired to take creative risks

Is It That Easy to Go Viral on TikTok?

You may wonder if video virality on TikTok is easy, but the answer depends on numerous factors, including your industry.

The most popular industries might not be what you would expect, either. According to recent data, the industries that tend to get the most engagement in include:

• Sports
• Non-profits
• Higher Education
• Media
• Travel

Meanwhile, on the lower end of engagement is:

• Tech and Software
• Fashion
• Health & Beauty
• Retail
• Food & Beverage
• Home Decor
• Financial Services

According to TikTok, you can also tap into some of the emerging communities, such as:

• #hopecore
• #affirmations
• #MomTok
• #corporatetok
• #financebro
• #womeninSTEM
• #nostalgiacore
• #retrogaming

Ultimately, the more engaging (and relevant!) your content, the better your chance of going viral on TikTok.

TikTok tends to favor new creators who develop highly engaging content that attracts lots of views, shares, likes, and comments. This type of content is more likely to show up on users’ “For You” pages. As such, you have a good chance of reaching wide audiences.

By creating consistently good content that keeps viewers watching and interacting, you’ll be able to build your presence on TikTok and figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Steps to Go Viral on TikTok

Step 1: Pick a Topic That Has a Lot of Value

Starting off your path to viral on TikTok begins with choosing a topic. You’ve only got a few seconds to capture users’ attention, although they spend around 54 minutes daily on the app.

Your message needs to be clear from the beginning to hook those scrollers. Be sure to set the tone and theme of the video within the first 3 seconds so your audience will understand what they’re watching.

The topic could be something evergreen or trending hot topic. Your choice depends on your audience, their needs, and your solutions. It needs to be relevant to your audience and deliver value.

Here are a few examples of TikTok videos for different industries:

• Engage Gen Z in trade recruitment: Trades need new recruits, and TikTok is a great place to engage Gen Z, who are 1.4x more likely than other users to discover new brands on the platform. It’s a fun way to clear up myths about working in trades with great visuals and specifics about earning power.
• Highlight how products are made: An “origin” video could be your ticket to going viral. If you have a unique product or manufacturing process, turn it into a short video and showcase the features.
• Spotlight your customers: Making a video about your customers and their success can be a very compelling story. It doesn’t look like an “ad” but rather a conversation about how your company helped them thrive.

If considering hot topics, TikTok is a great place for lively discussion. It’s a site that many look to for news and information. If something is trending relevant to your business and customers, you should capitalize on this.

Key Takeaway: Make content about things people actually care about.

Step 2: Keep the Video Short

TikTok videos can be as short as 15 seconds and up to 10 minutes long. Recent data shows that 2-minute-long TikTok videos get the most views.

If people are watching all two minutes of your video, it’s also a really good signal to the algorithm that your content is worth pushing out to more people. The higher your watch time, the more likes you’ll receive, and the higher your chance of your video going viral.

Short-form videos give you the creative freedom to publish factual, relatable videos that get right to the point without needing to produce more in-depth content.

Key Takeaway: Keep short-form video short! If you’re too wordy, people will scroll away.

Step 3: Hold Viewer’s Interest

With so much media around us to consume, there’s always competition for attention.

When you want to grab attention, video content is the way to do it. Most people spend approximately 17 hours a week consuming video content. In fact, a whopping 98% of social media users have watched an explainer video at least one time in their lives to learn more about a product or service. Of those who have watched the videos, 87% said they’ve been convinced to purchase because of the video.

If you want to achieve these results for yourself, there are some things you can do to make your videos pop. Try adding these effects post-recording:

• Effect House: This platform is for AR (augmented reality) effects, interaction and visual scripting tools, and segmentation for hair, landscapes, and clothing.
• Text on videos: Add a text layer to the video to let viewers get the message immediately.
• Visual: With this effect, you can alter the look and feel of your video by adding stars, rain, or bubbles.
• Stickers and GIFs: Pin these to an object in the video, and it moves around the frame attached to it. As it gets closer to the camera, it grows in size.
• Jump cuts: This effect breaks a shot into two parts by adding a transition that appears like an abrupt movement in time. They can be dramatic and dynamic. 
• Transition: You use this effect to cut quickly between two shots. Several options include turn-off TV (mimics how a TV turns off) or scrolling. Watch this video for guidance on making a successful transition.
• Split: You can use it to split your videos into up to 9-frame collages.
• Time: If you want to create time-warp effects, this feature allows you to reverse, repeat, or slow-mo your videos.

Key Takeaway: Utilize various techniques, such as transitions, split frames, and jump cuts, to enhance your video and maintain viewers’ interest throughout.

Step 4: Encourage Your Audience to Engage

Higher engagement is your fast track to the “For You” page and is one of the metrics you need to look at on TikTok.

With such a high volume of users, how can you build a strong engagement rate and drive your viewers to act? Here are some key ways:

• Embrace Storytelling: It’s like any medium. You want to tell good, meaningful stories to your audience without being pushy or salesy.
• Create Playlists: TikTok allows you to create an ongoing series of videos, like a mini-series on TV. By turning your content into a continuous series, you can keep users coming back to your content with each new chapter, with the potential of turning several of these videos viral. People coming to your series in the middle of it could also wind up wanting to go back to the beginning, restoring older videos in your series and potentially helping them get the spotlight again.
• Start Discussions: You should also cater to TikTok’s prioritization of community, either starting new discussions with your content or joining existing ones, which you can easily do using Stitch and Duet features to fuse your content with existing videos.
• Use the Q&A Feature: Another way to do this is by using the app’s Q&A feature, which allows you to reply to user questions directly with a video.

• Hashtags: Many use hashtag challenges to promote their brand. This can drive enormous engagement since it puts the power in the users’ hands. You’d be giving followers a task to perform in a video using the hashtag, which could cause your original TikTok video to blow up.
• You can find an audience ripe for engagement by figuring out which hashtags are trending within your industry. Start your research by visiting the Discover page.
  Discover page. 
• Remember that the most popular hashtags also have the most competition. Keep these tips in mind when choosing hashtags:
  • Study your audience’s hashtag usage.
  • Ensure the phrase relates to your brand, product, or service.
  • Create a branded hashtag.
  • Use a hashtag generator tool.
  • Try the TikTok search tool to discover emerging hashtags.

Key Takeaway: Give your audience a clear way to engage with your content, whether it’s by encouraging comments, duets, or stitches, or participating in a poll.

Step 5: Follow the Trends

Keeping up with the latest trends is key when learning how to go viral on TikTok. We’ve just discussed using the Discovery page and searching for hashtags. Those are in-the-moment trends that you can leverage. Almost every day, new post trends use themes, which you can find by staying active on the app.

Some big-picture trends of note include:

• Feature real people in videos to capture authenticity, so stock videos should be a last resort.
• Focus on lifestyle inspiration related to your brand and audience because this platform and its creators have influence. Some hashtags to consider are #MyJourney, #SlowLiving, or #DigitalNomad.
• Spark joy in your videos by sharing ideas and offering solutions. Creating this feeling matters, as 92% of users said they felt a positive emotion from viewing videos, which resulted in an off-platform action.
• Follow trending sounds and audio, such as music to use as soundtracks to your videos based on the top songs on the Tokchart. Complementing visuals with sound is crucial; you can find what’s hot right now in the Creative Center.
• Look for or initiate trending industry challenges to encourage user engagement, including the development of user-generated content that you could then repurpose for other social media marketing efforts.
• Take advantage of TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program, which rewards creators with increased revenue if they post high-quality content on a regular basis.
• Tell stories in a series of videos with TikTok’s Story format, which can help you create multiple short videos that connect with users more consistently.
• Use popular hashtags in your niche that engage your target market most, which you can find by entering industry-related queries in TikTok’s search engine.
• Follow the TikTok Newsroom to stay up-to-date on news from TikTok itself.

Key Takeaway: Hop on trending audios, songs, dances, and videos when they’re still hot and trending to maximize your profile’s reach.

Step 6: Engage With Your Audience

Stacking your views plays a big role in how to go viral on TikTok overnight, but engagement matters, too!

Encourage your audience to leave likes and comments, as well as save or share your videos. Make sure your engagement isn’t one-sided! You should always respond to as many comments as you can. TikTok even has a unique feature that allows you to reply to a comment with a video instead of a standard reply. This video from @JoyceDaisy00 will show you how.

Up in engagement by:

• Asking for comments by posing questions to the audience and seeking their opinions
• Leaving questions unanswered in the video and requesting answers
• Ending with a strong call to action (CTA) that prompts people to click (e.g., offers, promotions, more content to discover)
• Leaving in random mistakes that people will spot and respond to, which makes the video feel more authentic, too
• Taking advantage of TikTok Live, which will connect with users more directly through livestreams. You can also use this feature to conduct Q&As and interact with your audience while streaming. Live streaming could also feature distinct personalities from your team to give your brand a friendly, personable face.

Key Takeaway: Make your page an interactive experience by encouraging your audience to engage with you. Don’t forget to interact back with them!

Step 7: Produce Share-Worthy Content

The cardinal rule of how to go viral on TikTok is with share-worthy content. If users don’t share it, it has little chance of catching a wider audience. These are a few themes to consider that are winners on the platform:

• Funny and entertaining: Lean on this theme to get people to tag their friends and share so it becomes viral.
• Education: Learning on TikTok is a big thing! In fact, 63% of Gen Z use it to learn something. This could be a great angle for your brand to deliver important information to an audience that’s looking for it on the platform.
• Inspiration: TikTok has always been a site for inspiration, from fashion to health to solving problems. Any viral video should have a touch of inspiration.
• Using familiar content formats: TikTok videos can also be a great way to animate a listicle or FAQ on a topic. It could be very share-worthy if it’s engaging and visually interesting.
• Authenticity: Your content should also come across as consistently authentic and “real.” Using a lot of seemingly AI-generated or otherwise uninspired, generic content will keep you down, while coming up with unique, fresh, and exciting TikTok ideas to go viral will likely help you succeed. With so much content out there, authenticity is essential in helping differentiate you.

Key Takeaway: Shareable content will always get more views. Create content that your audience won’t just want to watch, but also share with their friends and followers.

Step 8: Collaborate With Others

TikTok’s design makes it ideal for collaborations with creators or other companies. By working with others, you can expand your reach. Here are some things to consider when creating a good partnership that will create value for everyone involved:

• Look at the existing relationships you have with other brands.
• Choose influencers and partners who are already familiar with your industry.
• Make sure they have an engaged audience, not just a high follower count.
• Remember that a nanoinfluencer with an engaged audience in your direct industry makes more sense than a mega influencer with no connection to your product or service.

One good example of a brand collaboration was between influencer, Carly Minnick, and shoe brand, Hey Dude. In this special partnership, Carly showed off her love of the comfortable shoe to her over 48,000 followers. One quick click on the video and viewers were brought directly to the Hey Dude website to purchase the same shoes as their favorite creator.

Another great example is the collaboration between Chipotle and Zach King, which showcased the power of influencer marketing as one of the best ways to go viral on TikTok. This particular campaign helped promote a Halloween special with Chipotle’s #Boorito challenge, which gave discounts to people who went in costume to Chipotle restaurants. Not only did this incorporate an effective influencer partnership to help the challenge go viral, but it also encouraged the creation of user-generated content among users.

Also, think outside of influencers, consider starting challenges and encouraging all types of uses to develop user-generated content (UGC) connected to your brand and offerings. For instance, you can encourage users to submit videos showing the creative ways they use your offerings in exchange for a potential freebie or discount.

In addition to partnerships with creators, you can also explore TikTok Pulse, which will place your ads in popular videos to supplement them. This tool can help you better understand how people find TikTok posts, how you can position your videos better, and how to get views on TikTok.

Key Takeaway: Put the social back in social media by creating collaborations with influencers and other TikTok users through UGC content.

Step 9: Stay Consistent

Finally, consistency is vital to growing on social media platforms. You should consistently post and keep your videos in line with your brand. The more you post, the more traction you can gain. However, don’t go with volume over quality. Consider assets you can repurpose for TikTok to keep your posts regular.

Key Takeaway: Everyone wants to know how to go viral on TikTok overnight, and while that does happen sometimes, most of the time it’s all about putting in the work. Stay consistent and keep producing great content so that TikTok will come to trust and rely on your account to create content that it should promote.

Pitfalls and Things to Avoid on TikTok

Like any other form of marketing, there are a few things that you should avoid.

Trend Chasing

While trends are great, chasing every single one of them with no regard for your audience is a recipe for disaster. If the content feels irrelevant or inauthentic to your followers, watch time and return visits drop — two metrics that heavily influence FYP optimization and how TikTok ranking works for your account.

Instead of trend-hopping, adapt ones that work through your niche lens: keep core messaging consistent while borrowing the sound, cadence, or visual hook that’s trending.

Falling for Spammy Tactics

Other risky behaviors include spammy tactics (like engagement baiting or comment pods), overposting low-quality clips, and aggressive cross-promotion that interrupts the viewer experience. These approaches can cause TikTok to flag your account as spam or of low quality.

Not Protecting Your Brand Reputation

Protecting brand reputation means establishing content standards: a quality threshold for publishable posts, a review step for sponsored content, and clear guidelines for tone and factual accuracy.

Video virality isn’t worth posting incorrect information, misleading edits, or deceptive thumbnails. You should also always disclose paid partnerships to maintain your reputation as an honest and trustworthy brand – plus, it’s illegal not to.

Ignoring TikTok’s Community Guidelines

Always remain mindful of TikTok Community Guidelines. Any violations involving hate speech, nudity, dangerous acts, harassment, or misinformation will result in the suppression or removal of content and can harm your long-term account standing.

TikTok updates its guidelines regularly. Be sure to review them often or follow industry blogs to make sure your creative risk-taking doesn’t cross into policy violations. Simple safeguards, like using platform-approved music, avoiding copyrighted material without a license, and steering clear of unsafe challenges, will help maintain reach and reputation.

Common Myths About How to Go Viral on TikTok

Before you start making connections and planning out content, let’s talk about some of the most common myths that surround going viral on TikTok.

Myth: Only big accounts can go viral.

Reality: False! This is a common misconception that has been debunked over and over again. In fact, so many creators love TikTok because anyone can go viral. TikTok actually favors new and engaging content from up-and-coming creators (and regular TikTok users!) over big brands and other popular accounts. That’s part of what makes TikTok so different from other social media platforms.

Myth: More hashtags = more views.

Reality: False! Hashtags definitely help, but its the quality of your content that will get you viewers. The more you produce great content, the more viewers will engage with it. It’s that engagement that will encourage the algorithm to continue promoting your content.

Myth: TikTok shadowbans viral videos.

Reality: False! TikTok’s algorithm favors videos that are making an influence. It’s their content moderation and community guidelines that affect visibility, not their desire to stop viral videos.

Myth: You have to post every day to go viral.

Reality: False! While consistency does count, TikTok values quality content over frequency. Put the effort into creating great content instead of spam-posting every day in an attempt to get viral.

Myth: Viral videos always need high production value.

Reality: False! Production value can help, but authentic, relatable content often outperforms polished, overly produced content.

Myth: Going viral guarantees conversions or sales.

Reality: False! Just because people see your content, it doesn’t mean they’ll buy from you. Viral reach doesn’t always translate into business success. Getting your content in front of 20 people who are ready to buy will make you more successful than getting it in front of a million people with no interest in your industry.

Myth: Longer videos can’t go viral.

Reality: False! TikTok now supports videos of up to 10 minutes. Going viral depends much more on the engagement your video generates than its length. If your content is resonating with people and drumming up engagement, it has the potential to go viral – regardless of the length.

Monetizing Viral Content

Once you’ve had a viral video or two, it can open up multiple revenue paths on TikTok. Some options include:

• TikTok Shop
• In-stream Product Tags
• Brand deals
• Sponsored posts
• Live streams involving tipping, virtual gifts, and live-selling
• Affiliate-marketing

TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program is another way that creators can monetize their content. To be eligible to join the Creator Rewards Program, an account must be:

• Based in a country where the program is available
• Be in good standing with no history of community guidelines violations
• Have a personal account
• Be at least 18 years old (19 in South Korea)
• Have at least 10,000 followers
• Have at least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
• Post original content
• Post videos that are at least one minute long

It’s important to maintain an authentic brand, even when monetizing your content. Creating a solid balance between authentic content and sponsored or monetized posts will help keep your account feeling real and down-to-earth. The more people can connect with your content, the better. Your page should feel like an educational or entertaining friend, not just a salesy promotion all of the time.

There are a lot of ways to integrate product promotion without alienating viewers. For example, you should always focus on value (through demonstrations, tutorials, and honest reviews), maintain an authentic voice, and limit the frequency of hard-sell posts so that they complement (not replace) the content that originally earned audience trust.

FAQs: How to Go Viral on TikTok

1. Why should my brand worry about going viral on TikTok?

TikTok is the fastest-growing social media app in the world and I don’t see its popularity dying down anytime soon!

With over 1.12 billion active monthly users worldwide, it’s the perfect way to grab people’s attention, increase brand awareness, find new customers, and connect with influencers who may be interested in supporting your brand.

2. What is your biggest tip on going viral on TikTok?

Pick a topic that is popular! There are a lot of trends on TikTok so find one that is popular and create your content around that trend.

3. How long should a TikTok be to go viral?

You might wonder, How long should a TikTok be to go viral? The appeal of TikTok is that it’s short! So keep your video to less than 30 seconds. Grab your audience’s attention and get your point across quickly so that they consume your content but don’t stop scrolling for long.

4. Are there specific times or days that are best for posting on TikTok?

According to Sprout Social analytics, the best days and times to post on TikTok are:

• Tuesdays from 2 to 6 p.m.
• Wednesdays from 2 to 5 p.m.
• Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m.

Look at your analytics on engagement to get more specific information.

5. Do I need professional equipment to create viral content on TikTok?

The latest camera phones can create high-quality videos, and TikTok’s editing and effects platform makes it easy to produce. You should consider getting some professional lighting and a tripod.  

6. Should I jump on every TikTok trend to go viral?

There could be a risk if the trend isn’t relevant to your audience, so they ignore the content. Don’t create content to be trendy. Instead, use a trend if it has meaning to who you target.

7. How many views is considered viral on TikTok?

You might also ask about how many views to go viral. The definition of “viral” on TikTok varies, depending on who you ask. Generally, anywhere in the tens of thousands of views qualifies as a viral video, but the number will ultimately depend on engagement in your industry and your own goals.

How to Go Viral on TikTok With Help From Ignite Visibility

There’s much to consider when determining what makes a viral video. It requires strategy, content creation, and execution.

Social media can be a lot to manage, but luckily for you, we’re experts. Many brands trust us to help them go viral, build their following, and increase engagement. We’ll assist with everything from social media to content marketing to maximize your brand’s online reach with high-quality video content and more.

With Ignite Visibility backing you, you can:

• Incorporate some of the best TikTok ideas to go viral
• Identify trends in your industry to target, including hashtags and challenges
• Determine your target audience
• Create high-quality video content that resonates with viewers
• Consistently post content that’s likely to go viral
• And more!

We specialize in TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more! Meet with one of our social media experts now to learn more.