TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in recent years, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of September 2022 [1]. The app allows users to create and share short videos, often set to music, and its engaging algorithm is designed to quickly determine a user’s interests and preferences to serve them highly-tailored content. This massive growth and endless stream of new videos poses a major challenge for creators trying to get their content noticed on the platform.
With over a billion users scrolling through their tailored “For You” page feed and thousands of videos being uploaded every minute, standing out among the vast sea of content can be incredibly difficult for new creators. Even established creators with large followings struggle to consistently create videos that perform well and reach a wide audience. Given the ubiquity of the app among younger demographics especially, many aspire to find TikTok fame and turn their accounts into sustainable careers. This raises an important question – just how long does it take for a standard TikTok video to get noticed in this highly competitive environment?
What Determines If a TikTok Goes Viral
There are several key factors that contribute to a TikTok video going viral:
Quality of content – Videos with high creativity, humor, production value, and uniqueness tend to gain more traction. Coming up with an original concept or putting a new spin on a popular trend can help a video stand out in a crowded platform (source).
Using viral sounds, trends, hashtags – Leveraging elements that are already popular on TikTok gives a video a better chance of being discovered by users browsing those trends. Participating in hashtag or sound challenges taps into an existing interested audience (source).
Timing of upload – When a video is posted can impact its potential viewership. Avoiding oversaturated trends and hopping on rising trends early on can help increase a video’s visibility.
Account following and engagement – Accounts with an established following and high engagement rates tend to have an easier time going viral, as their existing audience will view, like, and share new videos.
Typical Trajectory for New Accounts
Starting a TikTok account from zero followers can feel daunting, but it’s very possible to gain traction quickly with the right strategies. Here are some tips for new accounts trying to grow their audience:
Following and engaging with other small creators can help get your content seen. You can follow accounts with under 1,000 followers in your niche, like and comment on their videos genuinely, and unfollow later. Collaborating with other small creators to cross-promote can also help both accounts grow.
Posting consistently, but not spamming, is important. Aim to post 1-2 quality videos per day maximum when starting out. Posting more may cause the algorithm to show your content less.
Engaging with your viewers by responding to comments, doing live streams, and asking questions in captions creates a community that will be more likely to follow and watch you. Also using relevant trending sounds and hashtags to get on people’s For You pages.
While it takes consistency and strategy starting out, it’s possible to gain thousands of followers within a few weeks or months. The key is posting content your ideal audience will genuinely enjoy and engage with.
Leveraging Influencers for Exposure
One effective strategy to get more views on TikTok is by leveraging influencers. Influencers are popular content creators who have large followings in their niche. Getting your content reposted by an influencer account is a great way to expose your videos to a new audience. According to an article on LinkedIn, “Collaborating with influencers can amplify a brand’s reach and authenticity among Generation Z” (source).
Some ways to leverage influencers include:
- Getting your video reposted by large influencer accounts in your niche
- Collaborating with influencers for duets or stitches where they react to your video
- Paying influencers to promote your videos or account
Having influencers share your content allows you to tap into their established audience. This can help get your videos noticed much faster than trying to organically grow a following from scratch. According to an article, “TikTok’s influencer culture is robust. Collaborating with influencers can amplify a brand’s reach and authenticity among Generation Z” (source). Strategically leveraging influencers is an effective way for new TikTok accounts to gain more exposure and views.
Paid Advertising Options
TikTok offers a powerful suite of advertising options to help reach new viewers and drive viral fame. TikTok Ads allow advertisers to reach TikTok’s massive user base of over 1 billion monthly active users through in-feed video ads, brand takeovers, branded lenses, and more.
The cost of TikTok ads varies based on factors like audience targeting, engagement objectives, and ad placement. However, they are relatively affordable compared to other platforms. For in-feed video ads, the average CPM cost is around $6.50. TikTok offers precise targeting options based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and device settings. Performance-based optimization is available to get the most out of ad spend.
Partnering with influencers through paid promotions and collaborations can be an effective way for brands to reach new audiences quickly. Top TikTok creators can charge anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on their follower count and engagement rates. Many brands find influencer marketing provides strong ROI if creators are carefully vetted.
Cross-promoting TikTok content on other platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube can grow a TikTok account’s visibility. Leveraging existing followers on other platforms to drive them to a new TikTok account can kickstart growth in the early stages. Amplifying reach across multiple platforms is key for overall success.
Ideal Posting Schedule
When creating a posting schedule for TikTok, it’s important to consider when your target audience is most active on the platform. According to The Best Times to Post on TikTok in 2024, the peak times for engagement are Wednesday to Friday evenings between 7-9 PM. Weekend afternoons between 2-5 PM are also popular viewing times.
To maximize viewership, aim to post 1-2 videos per day during these prime hours. It’s also wise to avoid posting too many videos back to back, which can overwhelm follower’s feeds. Aim for a consistent schedule by spacing out uploads every 4-6 hours.
Maintaining a regular posting cadence shows followers you are committed to creating content. Just be sure not to oversaturate feeds. Finding the right balance between volume and timing is key for an effective TikTok strategy.
Typical Timeline for a Viral Video
There’s no definitive timeline for when a TikTok video will go viral. Some videos quickly accumulate millions of views and likes within days of being posted, while others take weeks or even months before suddenly gaining traction. According to Social Insider, the average time for a video to go viral is about 10-14 days after posting.
Videos that are highly relateable, entertaining, informational, or emotional tend to gain more rapid virality. Videos from influencers or creators with a large existing audience also often go viral much faster. TikTok’s unpredictable algorithm can also randomly start promoting certain videos, accelerating their growth. On the other hand, niche topics or lesser known creators often require more time for a video to catch on.
Overall, going viral involves a fair amount of luck. Even the most creative, high-quality videos may not get pushed by the algorithm right away. The key is consistently posting content and utilizing relevant hashtags and captions to give each video the best chance of being discovered. With persistence, most creators are able to produce viral content within a few months.
Maintaining Viewer Interest
Once a TikTok video goes viral and gains a massive amount of views, the real challenge becomes keeping your newfound audience interested in your future content. According to Forbes, you can maintain viewer interest by experimenting with different content formats, interacting with your audience, and joining popular collaborations or trends.
After having a viral hit, don’t just try to replicate that one successful video over and over. Keep viewers engaged by trying out new video styles, effects, sounds, and topics. See what resonates and what falls flat. Get creative with POV, storytelling, comedic sketches, dance trends, or whatever fits your brand (Forbes).
It’s also important to actually interact with commenters and build a relationship with your supporters. Respond to questions, thank people for compliments, and foster a positive community around your account. This makes followers more likely to watch and share your next videos.
Finally, look for viral trends, memes, challenges, or collaborations to join in on. This taps into the pre-existing momentum of something that’s already popular. Make content utilizing the same sounds, hashtags, or concepts as trends gaining traction. Team up with influencers in duets. This exposes you to new audiences while showing your personality.
Turning TikTok Fame Into Income
Once a TikTok account starts gaining a substantial following, there are several ways creators can begin monetizing their content and turning their TikTok fame into real income.
One option is joining the TikTok Creator Fund, which allows popular creators to earn money from videos that garner a certain number of views. To qualify, accounts need at least 10,000 authentic followers and must meet minimum viewing and posting requirements each month. Earnings depend on factors like location, content category, and audience, but can provide a steady stream of income.
Sponsorships and affiliate marketing deals are another lucrative way for influencers to monetize a TikTok following. Brand sponsorships allow companies to pay creators to showcase products or services. Affiliate links give creators a commission when followers purchase or sign up through their link. As an account’s reach grows, sponsorship deals can become quite profitable.
Expanding a TikTok presence to other platforms like YouTube or Instagram can also open up additional money-making opportunities. Launching merchandise, online courses, paid newsletters, or ebooks are other avenues for transforming TikTok success into earnings.
Overall, a number of income streams exist for converting TikTok fame into real money. But it requires creativity, business savvy, and cultivated audience growth to fully capitalize.
Conclusion
Getting noticed on TikTok often requires persistence, consistency, and experimentation. While some videos may go viral quickly by chance, it typically takes time to build an engaged audience. Key factors that can help get a TikTok video noticed include:
– Leveraging influencers and hashtags to reach new viewers
– Posting high-quality, entertaining content on a consistent schedule
– Trying different video formats and topics to see what resonates
– Promoting videos on other platforms to drive TikTok followers
– Running ads to boost views and discovery
Gaining a TikTok following takes time and effort, but opens up exciting opportunities. Popular creators can transform their audience into income through sponsorships, merchandise sales, and other monetization methods. While going viral overnight is rare, with consistency and persistence, TikTok can provide a powerful platform to inform and entertain viewers.