TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the most used social media platforms in the world. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally and has been downloaded over 3.3 billion times on the App Store and Google Play (https://www.enterpriseappstoday.com/stats/tiktok-statistics.html). The app allows users to create and share short videos, often set to music.
On social media platforms like TikTok, the ability to connect with other users is a key feature. Making contacts and friends allows you to interact with content from users you find interesting. It also helps expand your reach and grow your own following. This article will provide an overview of the various ways you can find and connect with contacts on TikTok.
Adding Friends and Finding Contacts on TikTok
One of the easiest ways to find and add contacts on TikTok is by searching for them directly by username. To do this, tap the “Search” magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the app and type in the exact username of the person you want to find. Their profile should pop up in the results, allowing you to tap “Follow” to add them. You can also try searching phone numbers associated with your contacts if you have them saved. TikTok will match the numbers with any registered accounts.
Another method is using TikTok’s “Find Friends” feature to connect your existing contacts and social media friends. Go to your profile, tap the three-line menu, choose “Find Friends” and select which platforms like Facebook or your phone contacts to match with TikTok usernames. Any matched accounts will appear for you to easily follow.
You can also find contacts by using TikTok’s search bar to look up names, usernames, hashtags, or sounds. The search results may surface people you know, allowing you to connect with them. Using search is a great way to discover contacts you may not have known were on TikTok.
Connecting with Celebrities and Influencers
One great way to make connections on TikTok is by following and interacting with celebrities and influencers. TikTok has a thriving community of creators, from singers and actors to athletes and online personalities. Many have verified accounts, denoted by a blue checkmark badge next to their username.
To find celebrities to follow, go to the Discover page and browse popular creators or search for their names directly. Tap the follow button on their profiles to see their videos in your Following feed. You can like, comment and duet or stitch with their content to potentially get noticed.
Influencers with smaller followings are often more likely to respond to fans. Search relevant hashtags to your interests to find genre-specific creators. Engaging with their content and messaging them can lead to fruitful connections on TikTok.
Remember to interact respectfully with celebrities and influencers. Building genuine connections takes time. With persistence and quality content of your own, you may be able to cultivate relationships with prominent TikTok users in your niche.
Following Hashtags and Interests
One easy way to find new content and accounts on TikTok is by following hashtags and topics you’re interested in. When you follow a hashtag, you’ll see posts using that hashtag on your For You page. This is a great way to discover new videos and accounts to interact with that are posting about your favorite topics.
For example, if you’re interested in comedy videos, you can follow hashtags like #comedy, #funny, and #humor. Any videos tagged with those hashtags will then show up in your feed. You’ll likely find funny accounts to follow who frequently use those hashtags.
Following broader interest hashtags like #food, #travel, or #diy is another way to populate your feed with content you want to see more of from a variety of accounts. Over time, your For You page will start suggesting both hashtags and accounts that align with the topics you engage with most.
So explore trending hashtags as well as niche topics you love. You’re sure to find amazing new content as well as accounts that will quickly become your next TikTok obsessions.
Dueting and Stitching to Connect
Dueting and stitching are two easy ways to make connections and gain followers on TikTok. Duets allow you to record a video alongside someone else’s existing video in a split screen. This is a fun way to put your own spin on another user’s content or have a “virtual duet” with someone. To start a duet, tap the “share” icon on a video and select “Duet.” You can then record your own video side-by-side with the original. Dueting with influencers or popular creators is a great way to get exposure and potentially gain some of their followers.
Stitching lets you clip a segment from someone else’s video and incorporate it into your own new video. To stitch a video, tap the “share” icon and select “Stitch.” You can then record your own video before or after the stitched clip. Stitching is useful for reacting to viral videos or building off of trending content. When you duet or stitch with someone, it helps your video get seen by their followers. This can introduce your content to a new audience and help you make connections on the platform.
Interacting with Comments
Commenting on videos is one of the best ways to connect with creators on TikTok. When you comment on someone’s video, they will often respond back, allowing you to start a conversation. This can help build relationships with both top influencers as well as smaller creators.
Many TikTok stars make an effort to read and reply to their comments frequently. Commenting thoughtful, relevant messages on a creator’s videos shows them you are engaged with their content. The conversation can continue back and forth from there. Creators want to keep their audience engaged and commenting is a metric they pay attention to.
You can enable commenting on your own videos in your account settings. This allows others to connect with you through your content as well. TikTok also allows users to respond to comments with reaction emojis or even reaction videos, furthering the interaction.
If you want to get a creator’s attention, commenting on multiple videos consistently is key. Thoughtful, funny, or interesting comments are more likely to get a response from a creator than simply writing “nice video.” Interacting via comments can be the start of finding contacts and connections on TikTok.
Source: https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/messaging-and-notifications/comments
Using Your Profile to Get Found
Optimizing your TikTok profile is one of the best ways to get discovered by new contacts and potential followers. Your profile acts as your digital storefront on TikTok, so making it stand out with a strong bio, engaging profile photo, and posting quality content regularly is key.
Start by picking a clear, identifiable username related to your brand, interests, or persona. Having an optimized profile picture is also important – make sure it shows your face clearly and aligns with your content style. According to TikTok, videos with a profile photo have higher watch time than videos without one.
Your TikTok bio is valuable real estate for sharing your interests and letting viewers know what you’re all about. Craft a short, catchy bio that highlights your niche and includes relevant keywords. You can also link to your other social profiles and website here to help drive traffic.
Lastly, consistently posting creative, high-quality content that engages viewers will get your videos surfaced more on TikTok. Optimize your videos using relevant hashtags so they show up in searches. With an inviting profile and captivating content, you can organically attract the contacts and followers you want on TikTok.
Source: https://kurve.co.uk/blog/how-to-go-viral-on-tiktok
Finding Contacts Through Suggested Users
TikTok has a “Suggested Users” feature that recommends accounts you may want to follow based on your interests and behavior on the app. The algorithm looks at the content you like, comment on, and engage with to suggest new accounts that post similar content.
This can be a great way to find contacts on TikTok who share your interests or hobbies. As you watch more videos and interact with content, TikTok will refine its suggestions and recommend accounts relevant to your tastes. You can browse the Suggested Users list by tapping the discover icon and selecting “Suggested” under the Accounts tab.
According to Reddit users, the Suggested Users section tends to highlight popular celebrities and influencers. However, you can still find everyday accounts to connect with by paying attention to niche interests and smaller followings. Follow and engage with those accounts to see more tailored suggestions over time.
While finding contacts through Suggested Users relies partly on TikTok’s algorithm, you can guide it by deliberately liking, commenting on, and sharing content from accounts you want to connect with. This trains the app to surface more accounts like those. Over time, your Suggested Users will become much more personalized and relevant.
Connecting Safely on TikTok
While connecting with new people is part of the fun on TikTok, it’s important to do so safely. Here are some tips:
- Don’t share personal information like your full name, address, phone number, or school with strangers. This could allow someone to locate or contact you outside of TikTok.
- Be wary of users asking you to chat privately off the platform. Continue conversations within TikTok comments where there is more visibility.
- Look out for suspicious behavior like older users trying to connect with teens or requests for inappropriate photos or information. Block and report any concerning users.
- Set your account to private so only approved followers can see your content. Avoid showing identifiable locations.
- Limit interactions with strangers as you get to know them. Don’t rush into duets, stitches, or meetups until you’ve developed more trust.
As fun as TikTok can be, it’s important to remember that not everyone has good intentions. Protect your privacy and avoid putting yourself into dangerous situations. If someone online makes you uncomfortable, cease contact immediately. Parents should have conversations with teens about online safety as well. With the right precautions, TikTok can still be an enjoyable platform for making connections.
For more tips, see this guide from Parent to Parent Network.
Conclusion
TikTok provides many ways to connect with others on the platform and build your network. The main methods covered in this article include adding friends directly, following hashtags and interests, interacting through duets and stitches, commenting on others’ videos, optimizing your profile, finding suggestions, and connecting safely.
In summary, TikTok can be a great place to make new contacts and connections around shared interests and creativity. Just be mindful of safety and privacy while putting yourself out there. With the right approach, you can grow your network and join in the fun conversations happening on TikTok.
