What is the Follow/Unfollow Method on TikTok?
The follow/unfollow method on TikTok is a technique used by some users to try and gain more followers. It involves following a large number of accounts, with the goal that some of those accounts will follow you back. After a certain period of time, you then unfollow the accounts that didn’t follow you back.
The rationale is that by following many accounts, you expose your profile to more users. Some percentage of those users will be intrigued enough by your profile to follow you back. By later unfollowing accounts that don’t follow you, you clean up your following list. This technique aims to maximize the number of followers gained through the initial mass following.
The process typically involves using third-party apps or services to automate the following/unfollowing process. This allows users to follow and unfollow hundreds or even thousands of accounts per day, something extremely difficult to do manually. However, this automation is against TikTok’s terms of service.
In summary, the follow/unfollow method involves strategically following and unfollowing accounts in an attempt to attract reciprocal followers. It relies on automating the process to follow and unfollow many accounts rapidly.
Why Do People Use This Method?
The main reason people use the follow/unfollow method on TikTok is to gain more followers quickly. 1 This technique involves users identifying and following accounts that are likely to follow back, such as large accounts or those with high engagement, and then unfollowing those accounts after a certain period if they do not follow back. The goal is to rapidly expand one’s own follower count in hopes that a certain percentage of new followers will stick even after unfollowing them. People aim to follow hundreds or even thousands of accounts per day with this method.
Gaining followers quickly can make an account seem more popular and established. It may also help reach TikTok’s algorithm to get more views. However, the focus is on follower count over building real engagement. There are debates around whether this follow/unfollow method actually works well. 2
Does It Actually Increase Followers?
Some limited studies have been done on whether the follow/unfollow method actually leads to an increase in followers on TikTok. One analysis by bmmagazine found that when you refollow a user on TikTok, you appear higher in their “Followers” tab, which can increase the chances of that user viewing your profile and potentially following you back. https://bmmagazine.co.uk/marketing/social-media/how-to-get-followers-on-tiktok-the-complete-guide/
However, some users on platforms like Quora have reported mixed results, with the follow/unfollow tactic sometimes leading to a temporary spike in followers, but the growth not being sustained over time. There are also risks like being perceived as spammy by constantly following and unfollowing other accounts. More research is likely needed to conclusively determine if this method leads to long-term follower growth versus just temporary spikes. https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-play-the-follow-unfollow-game-on-TikTok
Potential Risks and Downsides
One of the biggest risks with using the follow/unfollow method aggressively is getting your account shadowbanned or suspended by TikTok. According to this source, overstepping the follow/unfollow limits set by TikTok can lead to reduced audience reach, shadowbans, or even full account suspension. TikTok views this aggressive follower gain tactic as inauthentic behavior, so your account is at risk if you do too much following and unfollowing within a short time period.
Essentially, TikTok’s algorithm may flag your account as spam-like if you follow and unfollow hundreds or thousands of accounts per day. Once flagged, your account may enter a shadowban where your videos have reduced visibility and reach much smaller audiences. Or in more serious cases, TikTok may suspend your account altogether if it seems like a bot or fake account used for spamming others.
The consequences like lower views, fewer followers gained, and possible suspensions make aggressive follow/unfollow a risky method to grow your TikTok. It’s better to focus on creating high-quality content and authentically engaging with other users instead of spam tactics to artificially inflate your followers.
TikTok’s Stance on Follow/Unfollow
TikTok has openly acknowledged that people use follow/unfollow tactics on their platform. In their Help Center article on following and unfollowing, they provide instructions on how to follow and unfollow users, indicating they accept these practices as normal user behaviors.
However, TikTok does limit the amount of accounts you can follow per day as a way to prevent spammy follow/unfollow abuse. Their stated daily follow limit is 200 accounts. You can also only unfollow 200 accounts per day before hitting a limit.
While not outright banned, TikTok has mechanisms in place to prevent excessive use of follow/unfollow, likely to maintain a quality experience for genuine users. But the feature remains available in moderation, implying TikTok sanctions follow/unfollow as a legitimate strategy for growth when used appropriately.
Ethical Considerations
The follow/unfollow method raises some ethical concerns, as it could be viewed as misleading or dishonest. When someone follows an account, the assumption is that they are genuinely interested in their content. However, those using this method have no real interest and are just following to hopefully get a follow back. According to one Reddit user, people definitely get notifications when followed and then unfollowed, so the account owner is aware they were used for this purpose [1].
This practice could be considered a form of deception, as the intention is not to actually engage with the accounts, just to artificially inflate follower numbers. While not explicitly banned by TikTok, they do seem to discourage anything perceived as “growth hacking” and want creators to build authentic audiences [2]. Many see the follow/unfollow approach as unfair and misleading, so there are valid ethical reasons to avoid this questionable practice.
Alternative Methods to Gain Followers
Instead of using tactics like follow/unfollow, there are more organic ways to grow your TikTok follower count. Here are some effective strategies:
Make high-quality, engaging content. Posting original, entertaining videos regularly is key. Use trending sounds, make use of duets and stitches, and showcase your personality to draw viewers in. Quality content leads to more shares and exposure.
Optimize your profile. Fill out your bio with relevant keywords. Use an eye-catching profile photo and customize your profile to showcase who you are and what you do. This helps viewers quickly grasp your brand and content.
Use relevant hashtags. Include a mix of popular and niche hashtags in your captions to put your content in front of target users. But don’t overdo it, as too many hashtags can seem spammy.
Engage with your audience. Reply to comments, do collaborations and shoutouts with similar accounts. Being interactive helps build real connections.
Post consistently. Uploading daily keeps your profile active. Consider analyzing your analytics to determine when your followers are most engaged.
Run contests and challenges. Fun giveaways and challenges can expand your reach and get more users invested.
Advertise wisely. Consider promoted ads or influencer campaigns to introduce your brand to new demographics. But focus on driving genuine engagement.
Follow accounts you like. Follow other creators with content you enjoy. Some will follow you back, growing your community.
Maximizing Engagement Over Followers
While gaining more followers may seem like the ultimate goal on TikTok, having high engagement and interaction on your videos is actually more important for long-term growth. Engagement refers to metrics like likes, comments, shares, duets, stitching and overall watch time. According to experts, “You’ll always have more views than followers. Some people don’t follow you after seeing a video, and those who do might check out other videos without following” (source).
High engagement signals to the TikTok algorithm that your content is interesting and worth showing to more users. The more likes, comments, shares, etc. you accumulate, the more TikTok will promote your videos in follower feeds and recommendations. This in turn leads to exponential growth as each high-performing video begets more views, engagement and followers organically. On the other hand, amassing followers through follow/unfollow methods provides empty growth without meaningful interaction. You end up with lots of followers but low engagement.
Therefore, creators should focus on producing captivating content and optimizing for engagement over pure follower count. Building an engaged community takes more work but pays off with sustainable growth versus hollow follower numbers. Strive for quality over quantity – make content that genuinely resonates with viewers.
Case Studies and Examples
Influencer @joeykdesigns conducted an experiment where he auto-followed 5,000 users per day and then unfollowed anyone who didn’t follow back after 24 hours. He gained over 80,000 real followers in just 2 months. However, he warns not to follow more than 5,000 per day or TikTok may flag your account for spam-like activity [1].
TikToker @tylerjcameron3 tried the follow/unfollow method by manually finding profiles in his niche and following thousands of accounts, then unfollowing those who didn’t follow back. In one month, he gained over 130k followers. However, it required spending 1-2 hours per day on the app [2].
Lifestyle influencer @ourfire journey gained tens of thousands of followers using follow/unfollow, but found it time-consuming, boring, and not a good long-term growth strategy. She switched to focusing on creating high-quality content and engagement.
Conclusions
When used in moderation, the follow/unfollow method can be an effective way to gain more followers on TikTok. However, aggressively following and unfollowing hundreds of accounts per day is likely to get your account flagged or banned by TikTok.
The best practice is to follow no more than 200 accounts per day, and unfollow no more than 100 accounts per day. Stay well below the hourly limits TikTok has in place, which appear to be around 25 follows per hour. Manually follow and unfollow accounts – don’t use any automated tools or bots.
Rather than focusing solely on follower count, prioritize creating high-quality, engaging content that fosters real connections with your target audience. While the follow/unfollow method may give you a small follower boost, only consistently good content will earn you a loyal following on TikTok.
In summary, the follow/unfollow method has its place as part of a holistic TikTok growth strategy, but avoid overusing it. Focus on organic growth by producing value for your viewers.
