TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. TikTok’s popularity has skyrocketed since its launch in 2016. On TikTok, trending content refers to videos, sounds, hashtags, and more that are going viral and gaining significant traction.
Users want to find trending content on TikTok because it allows them to engage with the latest viral memes, challenges, dances, songs, and more. Being aware of trends on TikTok lets users participate in trending challenges, use popular sounds in their own videos, and join in on viral jokes and content. Additionally, creating content using trends can help users gain more views and followers by tapping into what’s currently popular on the platform.
The For You Page
The For You page is essentially the main feed on TikTok that shows you videos based on TikTok’s personalized recommendation algorithm. This page is highly tailored to each individual user based on the types of content you like, engage with, and follow. The For You algorithm is designed to determine your interests and preferences, then serve you content it thinks you will enjoy and find relevant.
The TikTok algorithm looks at a variety of factors to figure out what content to show you on your For You page. This includes the videos you like, share, or comment on, accounts you interact with, hashtags you search for or follow, your location, and device settings. It pays close attention to all of your engagement behaviors to refine its understanding of your tastes and interests over time. The goal is to create an endless stream of entertaining short videos catered specifically to you.
As you spend more time on TikTok, the algorithm gets better at surfacing trending, popular, and relevant content it predicts you will enjoy watching and engaging with. So the For You page is a great place to easily discover the latest viral videos, emerging trends, and creators that align with your viewing preferences. This makes it one of the best features for staying up-to-date with what’s buzzing on TikTok in real time. (Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-algorithm/)
Following Top Creators
One of the best ways to find trending content on TikTok is to follow top creators who consistently produce viral videos. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, some of the most popular TikTok creators based on followers and views include:
- Charli D’Amelio – 133 million followers, 12.6 billion likes
- Addison Rae – 93.2 million followers, 8.1 billion likes
- Zach King – 73.5 million followers, 4 billion likes
- Spencer Knight – 53.4 million followers, 1.7 billion likes
- Bella Poarch – 87.3 million followers, 3 billion likes
Following these influential creators is a great way to stay on top of the latest viral sounds, dances, challenges, and video formats. As they set trends and reach huge audiences, their content offers insights into what’s currently hot on TikTok. Checking their profiles often can help you discover newly emerging trends before they fully take off.
Trending Hashtags
Hashtags are an important part of TikTok and help surface your content to the right audience. When a hashtag starts trending, it means it’s being widely used which signals that there’s significant interest in that topic. Using trending hashtags can expose your videos to more users outside of just your existing followers. However, competition will also be higher for trending hashtags so it’s key to get in early when the hashtag is just starting to gain momentum.
There are a few different ways to find trending hashtags on TikTok:
- Check the Discover tab which shows currently trending hashtags and sounds.
- Look at the hashtags used by top videos in your niche to see which are gaining traction.
- Use third-party sites like Dash Hudson and TikTokHashtags.com which track trending hashtags.
- Search for relevant keywords on TikTok and scroll through the suggested hashtags.
- Follow hashtag-focused accounts like @trending.tiktoks21 which curate trending hashtags.
Timing is important when using trending hashtags – you want to use them when the trend is picking up steam but before saturation hits. By staying on top of the latest viral hashtags, you can increase your odds of creating a popular TikTok video.
Discover Tab
The Discover tab on TikTok was a useful feature for finding the latest trending content on the platform. It provided an overview of popular hashtags, songs, effects, and creators. According to Fanbytes, the Discover tab allowed users to see large-scale trends happening on TikTok.
To use the Discover tab to find trends, users could scroll through the different categories like Top, Hashtags, Creators, Sounds and more. Tapping into each area surfaced trending content and provided a snapshot of what was gaining popularity. For example, checking out the Top creators section showed emerging influencers and accounts gaining a lot of views and traction. The Hashtags area revealed trending hashtag challenges and meme topics. Looking through Sounds highlighted the latest music and audio snippets being used in viral TikToks.
Unfortunately, TikTok removed the Discover tab in late 2022. However, some users have reported the Discover tab returning in 2023. When available, the tab remains a handy one-stop destination for uncovering the latest viral content and trends happening on the platform.
Sounds
One of the best ways to find out what’s trending on TikTok is to search for popular sounds. Sounds are short audio clips and music that creators use in their videos. When a certain sound starts being used repeatedly in tons of viral videos, it’s a good indicator that it is tied to a rising meme or trend.
You can browse trending sounds directly in the app by going to the Sounds tab in the Discover page. The top sounds will be featured based on current popularity. Tapping on a sound will show you a feed of all the videos using it. The app also provides daily charts of the top trending sounds.
You can also search for sounds using keywords. Go to the Discover tab and tap on “Search Sounds” at the top. Type in relevant keywords like “trending this week” or “popular dance sounds” to find sounds gaining traction. The search results will be ranked by popularity and how often that sound is being used in new videos.
According to TikTok experts, “viral sounds or songs will definitely be repeated over and over” as they catch on with creators and spread through the platform (Source: https://www.shopify.com/blog/how-to-find-trending-sounds-tiktok). Keeping up with the latest popular sounds is a great way to understand the memes and content that are trending most right now.
Challenges
Trending challenges on TikTok go viral very quickly and are a great way to see what’s popular at the moment. Some challenges start with top creators, while others gain momentum more organically. According to an article by TikTok, viral challenges like the #100LayersChallenge can garner hundreds of millions or even billions of views across the platform.
To find trending challenges, go to the Discover tab and tap on “Challenges.” You’ll see a list of popular challenges that are currently going viral. You can also search for specific challenge hashtags like #100LayersChallenge to see all the videos. The TikTok Challenges page aggregates many of the top trending challenges as well.
Keeping up with the latest challenges is a great way to see what creative content is resonating most with the TikTok community. Just be aware that some challenges may encourage dangerous behavior, so use good judgment before participating.
Location Tagging
TikTok allows users to tag their videos with a location, which can help make content go viral locally. Using location tags is a great way to see what’s trending in specific areas.
To search by location, tap the magnifying glass icon on the Discover page. Then tap “Nearby” and select a location to browse videos tagged with that area. You can also search for a specific location like “Miami Beach” to see trending content there.
Tagging your own videos with your location is another way to increase exposure. TikTok may promote your content in the “For You” feeds of other users nearby. This can help make your videos go viral in your local area.
Checking out trending tags unique to your city or state is a fun way to engage with your local TikTok community. You might be surprised what quirky memes and challenges are popular in your neck of the woods!
Trending Sections
TikTok has several sections dedicated to surfacing trending and popular content across the app. These sections showcase what sounds, hashtags, and creators are gaining traction and can be great places to discover emerging trends.
The Trending Sounds tab shows you the latest music, audio clips, and memes that are going viral on TikTok. Tapping into trending sounds can help your videos reach more people.
The Trending Hashtags section highlights hashtag challenges and topics that are popular right now. Using relevant trending hashtags in your captions can help more users find your content.
The Trending Creators section features rising stars and influencers on the platform. Checking out top creators can inspire your own video ideas and help you identify collaborators.
Regularly browsing these trending sections is a simple way to immerse yourself in the latest trends on TikTok. Identifying sounds, hashtags, and creators with momentum can inform the content you create and share.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several key ways to find out what’s trending on TikTok. The main method is to scroll through your For You page, which shows you content based on your interests and interactions. You can also follow top creators in various niches to see the latest viral videos in your feed. Looking at trending hashtags and sounds is another easy way to find popular content. The Discover tab highlights trending challenges, memes, and more. Location tagging allows you to see what’s popular in your area or other places. And browsing through the Trending section gives you a quick overview of current viral content across TikTok.
Staying up-to-date on the latest TikTok trends is crucial for creators and brands looking to connect with audiences on the platform. Knowing what content resonates allows you to tap into viral moments as they emerge. With TikTok’s algorithm curating a personalized feed for each user, checking trending content gives valuable insight into the app’s culture and creative spirit. Whether participating in trending challenges, using viral sounds, or commenting on popular memes, engaging with trending TikTok content provides a way to be part of the community and culture that makes the platform such a global phenomenon.