How to Go Viral on TikTok: The Entrepreneur鈥檚 Guide

Posted 6 months ago by Max Komonov

has become the听social media platform of听the听moment. From dance videos to听experts sharing the听secrets of听their success, 聯TikTok Creators聰 have become celebrities. Every week you鈥檒l see a听few videos from TikTok make it听on听the听evening news or听stories about singers being discovered by听record labels. With over a听billion video views per day, the听competition to听be听noticed on听this hyped-up can be听rough. But there are some tips for听how to听go听viral on听TikTok that will set you off on听the听right foot to听video success.

Do听Your Research

If听you want to听go听viral on听TikTok you should watch videos every day and听look for听the听common things popular video creators do. And since it听won鈥檛 cost you anything, you should make lots of听videos because, over time, you鈥檒l get more and听more comfortable with the听tools and听your own subject matter.

But don鈥檛 try to听specialize or听sell your products too quickly.

The unique combination of听your video style, your personality, and听your content will teach you about what your audience really wants.

Content creators have started talking about relationship advice, for听example, have switched their topic to听trying on听outfits because of听the听huge number of听comments their clothing got. Cooks have switched to听talking about kitchen utensils. Animal trainers have switched to听animals being united with new forever homes. You get the听picture.

Some creators or听businesses may jump into TikTok with an听idea of听a听certain type of听content they want to听make.

For instance, say you start out making educational videos that show how a听certain product is听made and听these don鈥檛 perform very well. Then, you decide to听put a听comedic spin on听it听by听making jokes throughout the听process or听a听spoof on听the听original idea. This simple change can sometimes be听all it听takes for听a听video to听really hook people and听skyrocket it听in听views.

This is听why it听can be听worth it听to听experiment with your content when first starting out, as听it听helps you to听find your style and听niche that performs.

Understand the听Algorithm

When you first start creating videos, there are a听few rules that can help you go听viral. First off, you should understand that the听TikTok algorithm promotes videos based on听a听few criteria. The most important ones are video completions and听watch time as听a听percentage of听the听video length. TikTok will start out by听delivering your video to听the听聯For You Page聰 of听viewers and听will track responses from them to听determine how relevant and听engaging you are.

Hook Them

So听try this. Make sure that your video grabs attention within the听first three seconds. The initial attention grab in听the听beginning of听the听video is听what鈥檚 called the听聯Hook.聰 One way to听do听this is听to听put text on听the听opening screen so听viewers spend some time reading it. Many viral TikTok videos put text on听every screen, in听fact, for听this reason. However, it听doesn鈥檛 have to听be听text, as听some creators will offer the听hook through an听initial statement of听what鈥檚 to听come.

Just make sure that there is听some level of听pay off for听them sticking around. The last thing you want is听to听have a听video that hooks them initially, just for听them to听fall off quickly because you take too long to听get to听the听point.

Make Them Watch Longer

Also, keep your videos short. Though you may have a听lot to听say on听a听subject, remember that getting someone to听commit six seconds to听a听thirty-second video will give you a听better chance of听going viral than six seconds on听a听minute-long video. However, if听you are able to听keep your video interesting after initially hooking the听viewer, a听longer video can perform better. The main consideration is听that staying longer to听watch needs to听pay off to听the听viewer.

Make Them Listen

Finally, the听videos that go听viral on听TikTok almost always have a听great soundtrack鈥攕辞尘别 trending music in听the听background that you speak over. Luckily for听you, TikTok makes all of听these parts of听the听video creation process easy. When scrolling the听聯For You聰 page, pay attention to听the听sounds and听songs being used throughout popular videos.

Using these sounds and听soundtracks can be听an听excellent way to听essentially 聯piggyback聰 off of听other huge creators. This is听because the听algorithm tends to听pick up听on听and听recommend content using these various trending audio tracks. Some viewers may be听really interested in听a听certain viral sound trend and听simply scroll through videos with that sound. When you use it, it听makes it听more likely for听those viewers to听find your video.

Put it听in听Context

No听discussion of听how to听go听viral on听TikTok would be听valuable without guidance on听the听content of听your videos. This is听where TikTok can be听a听bit different from other social media platforms.

The best strategy for听creating videos is听to听put your own spin on听a听widely relevant topic. People are first engaged by听something they want to听know more about, and听then by听the听person relaying the听information. It听helps to听be听a听supermodel, but if听you鈥檙e not, there are a听few tips for听standing out like one.

Stand Out

First, dress for听the听occasion. You鈥檇 be听amazed how many comments under your video will say something about what you鈥檙e wearing. Find a听unique outfit, or听a听t-shirt with a听cool saying on听it, or听a听groovy set of听sunglasses. The right outfit or听combination of听colors can be听an听excellent way to听grab a听viewer鈥檚 attention initially and听get them to听stay to听watch your video.

Next, be听yourself. You may not find yourself interesting, but others find those who are authentic and听unashamed to听be听so听inspiring. Your viewers will put themselves in听your shoes and听admire you for听having the听bravery to听go听on听camera. Third, say a听few things people can enthusiastically agree with. They want to听identify with you and听feel like their views and听opinions are supported.

And finally, plant a听few surprises in听your video. Do听you have a听cute dog who crawls on听you while you talk? Bring them with you. Do听you have a听rare comic book collection or听a听particularly nice view out your window? Give people multiple reasons to听want to听watch your videos to听the听end, comment on听them, and听share them with others.

Call to听Action

Hooking people with your personality, your own spin on听a听topic, and听the听way you display your content are not the听only ways to听make your TikTok video viral. Many content creators forget to听inspire their viewers with a听strong call to听action. The best TikTok creators will end with something like 聯be sure to听like this video and听follow me听for听more.聰 Others will poke fun at听themselves, their audience, or听other creators to听evoke that last smile before their video ends. This alone can cause people to听like your video.

But there are also more traditional methods to听encourage liking and听following. Many videos will end at听a听cliffhanger or听right in听the听middle of听a听long, interesting piece of听advice. The creator will say something like 聯I鈥檓 sorry, I鈥檓 almost out of听time, be听sure to听like this video and听follow me听for听part two.聰

Multipart video series like this gives your audience a听reason to听follow you so听that your next videos will show up听in听their feed. Because if听they don鈥檛 engage with you in听some way, there鈥檚 no听guarantee they will see your content again.

Take Chances

There are countless more small things you will discover about how to听go听viral on听TikTok as听you start watching videos. Be听sure to听follow the听content creators you think are most like your style. Check their numbers of听views and听followers, and听go听through all their past content to听see how their journey to听go听viral has evolved. Don鈥檛 be听afraid to听take chances.

As听long as听you post more, follow more, comment on听others, and听stay interesting, your small following will grow. Before you know it, the听evening news could be听posting your videos too.

How Often Should You Post on听TikTok to听Go听Viral?

Another critical part of听making a听viral TikTok video happen is听to听pay attention to听the听performance of听each of听your videos. Meaning, consider all of听the听details of听how your video performed when you posted it.

For instance, maybe you posted one video early in听the听day that didn鈥檛 do听as听well as听you thought it听would. However, when you posted later in听the听evening, your views seemed to听spike faster. TikTok does have times of听peak viewership, which can play a听huge role in听whether your video takes off. According to听, the听best times to听post on听TikTok are:

Tuesdays from 4听to听6听p.m.
Wednesdays from 9听to听11听a.m., noon, and听2听to听6听p.m.
Thursdays from 9听to听11听a.m. and听2听to听6听p.m.
Fridays from 4听to听6听p.m.

Of听course, posting at听these times by听no听means guarantees your video will go听viral. But, posting at听the听times when more people are online watching gives you a听better chance of听your video taking off.

Moreover, be听sure to听remain consistent with your posting. This really comes down to听the听more you post, the听more likely it听will be听that one of听your videos will go听viral. Decide on听a听posting schedule and听make sure to听stick to听it. This will give you more chances to听go听viral and听give your followers something to听look forward to.

Aside from posting time, you need to听consider how your particular type of听content has performed. If听you have been experimenting with your brand of听content or听niche, make sure to听pay attention to听the听performance of听each. Maybe you started out doing dance videos, which seemed to听receive lackluster attention. On听the听other hand, when you made a听sketch video, more people stuck around to听watch. If听you find a听particular type of听content is听generally performing better, it听may be听a听good idea to听gear more toward that.

Editing, Editing, Editing

One of听the听most vital parts of听making a听good video is听editing. This doesn鈥檛 mean you must be听a听professional videographer and听editor, but improving your skill can go听a听long way. Do听some , where to听make cuts, and听get better at听adding transitions or听additional visuals.

All of听these things can help to听make your videos just that much more interesting and听inspire people to听continue watching for听longer.

A听great place to听start with improving editing is听to听pay attention to听other large creator鈥檚 videos. Make notes on听when they make cuts or听the听type of听transitions they use. These creators have developed some level of听success for听a听reason, so听be听sure to听take advantage of听any听tips you can glean from them.

Go听Forth and听Go听Viral

At听the听end of听the听day, there are quite a听few factors that go听into what makes a听video go听viral on听TikTok. Realistically, there is听no听way to听one answer to听聯how to听go听viral on听TikTok overnight?聰 But, by听following the听above tips and听adjusting your content as听you go, it听is听certainly possible for听you to听find the听right video that shoots to听the听stars.

So, to听recap, here are some key takeaways to听help your TikTok videos go听viral:

Research: Pay attention to听what is听trending, what takes off, and听how your brand of听content performs.
Experiment: Make a听lot of听videos in听the听early stages and听experiment with your particular brand of听content. Don鈥檛 worry about specializing early on听or听you may pigeon hole yourself.
Understand what the听algorithm wants: The TikTok algorithm loves when people stay to听watch your videos. So, use hooks, appealing visuals, and听more to听keep people on听your video longer. Moreover, using trending sounds to听get your video in听front of听larger audiences.
Performance: Monitor your posting times and听performance to听see what you can improve.
Editing: Work on听your editing skills to听improve the听quality of听your videos.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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