TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022 (https://www.demandsage.com/tiktok-user-statistics/). The app allows users to create and share short videos, and follow other users to see their content.
One of the core features of TikTok is the ability to look up and follow other profiles. This allows you to find creators that interest you, see videos from people you know, discover new content, and build connections. There are several different ways to search for and view TikTok profiles, which we’ll explore in this guide.
Search for a Profile
The easiest way to look up someone’s profile on TikTok is by using the search bar at the top of the app or website. Simply type in the exact username of the person you want to find just as it appears on their profile. Usernames are unique on TikTok, so typing in the exact name will bring up that user’s profile as the top result. You can access the search bar from the Discover page in the app or at the top of the desktop site at tiktok.com.
When you start typing a username into the search bar, TikTok will try to autocomplete and suggest profiles with similar names to help you find the exact match. Hit search once you’ve typed the full name to go straight to the profile. If you only know part of the username, you can still search for it, but you may get multiple results to sift through to find the correct account.
Searching by username is the most precise way to find someone on TikTok since usernames are unique identifiers. As long as the profile is set to public, you’ll be able to see the account’s videos, bio information, likes, and followers.
Viewing Your Connections
One way to find profiles on TikTok is by viewing the accounts you are connected to through follows or interactions. Here are some tips for finding profiles this way:
To see profiles you follow who also follow you back, go to your profile and tap “Followers”. This will show followers you follow. You can tap their profiles to view them.
To see profiles you’ve interacted with through likes and comments, go to your profile and tap “Liked” to see videos you’ve liked. Tap the video to see who posted it and view their profile. You can also go to a specific video and tap “Liked by” or “Commented by” to see profiles.
Viewing your connections like this is a great way to rediscover profiles you’ve interacted with in the past. It can also introduce you to new profiles followed by people you already follow.
Discover Page
The Discover page on TikTok allows you to find new profiles and content based on categories, hashtags, and trends. To access the Discover page, tap the Discover tab at the bottom of the TikTok app [1]. This will bring you to a page that showcases trending hashtags, popular creators, suggested videos, and more.
The Discover page is divided into different categories like Funny, Animals, Food, Beauty, Sports, DIY and more. Tap on a category to browse top videos and creators related to that topic. This makes it easy to find new profiles to follow based on your interests.
You can also tap on trending hashtags on the Discover page to view top videos and creators using that hashtag. For example, tapping on #dance will showcase popular dance videos and profiles of talented dancers to check out. Browsing by hashtag is a great way to connect with profiles posting about specific topics you like.
[1] “Discover and search | TikTok Help Center”, https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/exploring-videos/discover-and-search
From Shared Videos
One way to find someone’s profile on TikTok is if you come across one of their videos that was shared with you or that you saw on someone else’s profile. When a video plays, the creator’s username is displayed at the top. You can click on their profile picture or username to be taken directly to their profile page.
For example, if your friend shares a funny TikTok video in your group chat, you can click on the username of the person who created it to view their full profile and see more of their videos. This is an easy way to find and follow TikTok users whose content you enjoy.
You can also discover new profiles to follow from the comment section of videos. If you want to learn more about someone who left a comment that intrigued you, simply click on their profile picture or username next to their comment. This will open up their complete TikTok profile for you to explore.
So if you come across an interesting TikTok video, make sure to pay attention to the creator’s username and check out their profile. Similarly, engaging commenters on videos can lead you to fascinating new profiles to follow. Using shared videos and comments is a simple way to find profiles on TikTok without having to manually search for their username.
Live Videos
One way to find TikTok profiles is by joining live videos and viewing the broadcaster’s profile. When someone goes live on TikTok, their live video will appear on the “For You” feed. You can also find live videos through the Discover tab.
To view the profile of the person broadcasting live, simply tap on their profile picture or username during the livestream to be taken to their profile page. From there, you can follow them or browse their other videos.
Interacting with others in the live video comments is another way to discover profiles. Comment on live videos to connect with the broadcaster as well as other viewers. Tap on any commenter’s profile photo or name to be taken directly to their profile.
According to TikTok’s Help Center article “Discover and search,” you can also search for live videos specifically by tapping the search bar and selecting “LIVE” from the dropdown menu before entering your search term. This will show all livestreams matching your query, allowing you to easily find and join live videos based on your interests [1].
Suggested and Related Profiles
TikTok will suggest accounts for you to follow on a profile’s page. These suggestions appear under the “Suggested accounts” header and are based on accounts similar to the ones you already follow. TikTok’s algorithm looks at the content of the accounts you follow and then recommends other accounts posting similar content.
For example, if you follow several accounts that post comedy skits, you may see suggestions for other comedy accounts. Or if you follow accounts posting about beauty and makeup, you may get suggestions for more beauty influencers and brands.
The goal of these suggestions is to help you discover new accounts and content tailored to your interests. However, some users find the recommendations too repetitive or irrelevant. You can turn off suggested accounts in your app settings if you prefer not to see them.
For more information, visit:
https://www.highsocial.com/resources/tiktok-suggested-accounts-tiktoks-account-recommendation-explained/
Following Hashtags
One way to discover new profiles on TikTok is by following popular hashtags. When you click on a hashtag, you’ll be taken to a page showing top videos and profiles using that hashtag (https://brand24.com/blog/tiktok-marketing/). For example, clicking on #music will showcase various musicians, singers, and profiles related to music.
Following trending hashtags is a great way to find profiles that produce content you’re interested in. You can follow hashtags about your hobbies, interests, or topics you want to learn more about. As new videos and profiles use those hashtags, they’ll show up in your Following feed so you can discover new accounts to follow.
To follow a hashtag, simply click the + icon next to the hashtag name after searching or clicking on a hashtag. You’ll then see top videos and creators for that hashtag in your Following feed. This allows you to easily find profiles relevant to your interests and expand your network.
Duets and Collabs
One way to find profiles on TikTok is by viewing who has done duet videos with a particular person. A duet is when a TikTok user creates a video side-by-side with someone else’s video, almost like a split screen collab. When you tap on someone’s profile and view their videos, any videos that are duets will show the other person’s profile pic and username.
To view duet profiles, go to a TikTok user’s profile and tap on “Videos.” Scroll through their videos – any that are duets will have another user’s profile picture and name next to it. Tap on the other user’s profile picture or name to open their profile and follow them if desired.
According to an article on TheSpians.com, the duet feature on TikTok allows musical artists and performers to collaborate and gain exposure (source). So viewing duets can be a great way to find profiles of other talented creators.
In addition to duets, TikTok has a “Collabs” feature that allows users to work together on videos and nominate each other as featured creators. Viewing profiles nominated in Collabs can surface interesting new accounts to follow.
Conclusion
TikTok offers several ways to lookup and find user profiles. The main methods covered include using the search bar, browsing your connections and followers, exploring the Discover and Suggested profiles, viewing hashtags and sounds, and seeing profiles in shared and collab videos.
When trying to find a specific person’s profile, your best bet is to type their exact username into the search bar. If you only know part of their name, username, or bio info, you may need to filter through search results. Using Contacts or Facebook connections can also help locate friends already on TikTok.
To discover new profiles to follow, browse the suggestions on your For You and Following feeds. Viewing popular hashtags and sounds in your niche is another way to connect with relevant creators. When watching viral videos, you can also tap on the sharer or collab’er’s profile to check them out.
With all of TikTok’s discovery features, you should be able to find entertaining, informative and inspiring profiles. But always protect your privacy and only follow accounts you trust.
