While young in the social media game, TikTok has massive appeal and users. In 2023, there are approximately 102 million users in the U.S. Some consider it just a place for fun and addictive short-form videos. However, the app also generated $9.4 billion in 2022, making it a place for brands to engage and attract customers. It has many wondering how to go viral on TikTok in 2023.
So, what is considered viral on TikTok?
There isn’t a magic recipe on how to blow up on TikTok. Virality on TikTok, as with any social media site, uses algorithms to serve content based on posts people have engaged with previously. It applies to the “Following” feed and the “For You” page (FYP). First, you have to know how the TikTok algorithm works.
Cracking the Code: TikTok Algorithm Explained
So, how does the TikTok algorithm work? Explaining the TikTok algorithm has many dimensions.
According to TikTok, its algorithm recommends content similar to videos you’ve watched, shared, or liked. Other factors include who you follow, the content you create, your account demographics, and the content in the video. Based on all this data crunching, TikTok shows you content from accounts you follow and don’t.
The virality concept means your content needs to first do well with a smaller group of users that TikTok believes is a good sample based on the topics in the video. TikTok may expand it to a larger audience if it performs well here. One thing the algorithm doesn’t do is factor in the TikTok account’s follower count or prior engagement numbers.
Another unique way to go viral on TikTok is “heating,” which describes videos hand-picked by TikTok employees. However, this only applies to influencers.
TikTok for business can lead to big things for your brand. Learning how to make your TikTok go viral requires taking a series of steps, and we’ll cover those next.
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.
Step 2: Keep the Video Short
TikTok videos can be as short as 15 seconds and up to 10 minutes long. Analysis of internal data from TikTok revealed that 24 to 31 seconds was the optimal time. While you have more time, remember that attention spans are short, so 30 seconds is the sweet spot.
TikTok looks at the average length of watch time compared to the length of the entire video to determine its level of quality. For instance, people are likelier to watch 8 seconds of a 10-second video than 48 seconds of a 60-second video.
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.
Step 3: Hold Viewer’s Interest
With so much media around us to consume, there’s always competition for attention. TikTok has figured out a way to hold interests with visual experiences. Video is what people spend hours consuming—averaging 17 hours per week. It’s become the key media for learning and discovery, with 96% of people watching an explainer video on a product or service. Additionally, 89% of people said that viewing a video convinced them to make a purchase.
These are the results you want to realize. It all starts with getting the visual elements of the post right. Thankfully, the platform offers a wide range of in-app effects and customization options to make content more visually stimulating.
Let’s do a quick rundown of some of the effects that you can use to modify your videos 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.
- 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.
Try to incorporate at least one, depending on the intent of your content.
Step 4: Use Suggestive Actions
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?
It’s like any medium. You want to tell good, meaningful stories to your audience without being pushy or salesy.
One 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.
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.
One way to find trending ones that could relate to your video is by visiting the Discover page. However, 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.
Step 5: Follow the Trends
The next lesson on how to go viral on TikTok in 2023 is following the trends. 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. Complementing visuals with sound is crucial; you can find what’s hot right now in the Creative Center.
Step 6: Engage With Your Audience
While views are one of the most critical elements of going viral on TikTok, it’s not all that matters.
Engagement via likes, comments, and shares lets the app know viewers enjoy your content, and this will generate more views. TikTok even has a unique feature that allows you to reply to a comment with a video instead of a standard reply.
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
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.
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. A good partnership creates value for all. Do your research on possible creators and look at existing relationships you have with other brands.
In working with creators, it’s a good idea to target those who have similar follower numbers and would resonate with your audience. A high-number influencer that knows nothing about your industry isn’t likely a good partner.
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.
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 800 million 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 my TikTok video be if I want 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.
How to Go Viral on TikTok With Help From Ignite Visibility
There’s much to consider in how to make a TikTok go viral. 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 specialize in TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more! Meet with one of our social media experts now to learn more.
