Gaining followers on TikTok is extremely important for any creator looking to build an audience and increase their visibility on the platform. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become one of the largest and most influential social media platforms in the world [1]. Building a large and engaged following on TikTok can lead to major opportunities like sponsorships, brand partnerships, influencer marketing campaigns and more. However, with so many users and accounts, it can be challenging to stand out and attract new followers organically. Posting high-quality content consistently and with the right posting frequency is key to TikTok growth. Understanding how often to post can help creators maximize their reach and build their follower count over time.
Recommended Frequency
TikTok recommends posting 1-4 times per day to gain maximum visibility and reach on the platform (https://blog.hootsuite.com/best-time-to-post-on-tiktok/). When first starting out, aim to post at least once per day for the first few weeks to kickstart growth and get the algorithm to start recommending your content (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2023/09/20/how-often-to-post-on-tiktok).
After gaining some initial traction, experts recommend posting 1-2 times per day to maintain visibility. The key is consistency – set a sustainable posting schedule and stick to it. Sporadic posting makes it harder for TikTok’s algorithm to recommend your content.
Consistency
Consistency is key when posting on TikTok. Research shows that consistent posting on social media platforms allows creators to grow their audience engagement and reach (Source). By posting on a regular schedule, such as daily or a few times per week, you train your audience to expect new content from you at certain times. This builds anticipation and loyalty among your followers.
Additionally, algorithms on sites like TikTok tend to reward accounts that post consistently. The more consistently you post, the more likely TikTok will be to show your content to new users who may follow you. Posting consistently shows your followers that you are committed to creating content and providing them with a reliable source of entertainment or information (Source).
Overall, developing a consistent posting schedule and sticking to it is key for building a loyal following and taking advantage of algorithms on TikTok.
When Your Followers are Online
One of the most important things to consider when posting on TikTok is when your current followers tend to be most active on the platform. You can check this by going to your TikTok analytics and looking at the “Followers” tab. This will show you a graph of when your followers are online.
In general, late afternoon and early evening tend to be peak times on TikTok. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the hours between 2 PM and 11 PM Eastern Time are often best for engagement in the US. However, schedules vary around the world. Make sure to focus on when your specific audience is online and engaging with content.
Posting during your followers’ most active hours will help increase your views, comments, shares and overall reach. Pay attention to when your top-performing videos were posted to identify the optimal times to post when your audience is most likely to see and interact with your content.
Types of Content
On TikTok, there are many different types of content that perform well and can help you gain more followers. Some of the most popular types of content include:
– Dance videos – These are hugely popular on TikTok and can quickly go viral if you nail the latest dance trends. Use trending sounds and hashtags to increase your chances of getting on the For You page (influencermarketinghub.com).
– Comedy/funny videos – Short comedy skits and funny reaction videos tend to do very well. Use viral trends, memes, effects, and sounds to create engaging and humorous content.
– Life hacks/DIY – These how-to style videos can garner a loyal following if they offer clever solutions or easy tutorials. Focus on trends and topics your audience cares about.
– Challenges – Take part in trending TikTok challenges like outfit changes, dance moves, jokes etc. Being part of the latest viral challenges can give your views a big boost.
Having a good mix of content types keeps your audience interested and helps you appeal to a wider range of viewers. Don’t just stick to one niche – experiment to see which formats your audience engages with most.
Trends and Challenges
Leveraging current trends and participating in popular challenges on TikTok is a great way to increase engagement and gain new followers. According to TikTok’s 2022 recap, trending content like animals, daily vlogs, and comedy videos resonated across cultures and borders last year (TikTok, 2022). Some of the biggest TikTok trends in 2022 included branded hashtag challenges, dance challenges, oddly satisfying videos, and content showing off personal style and branding (Meltwater, 2023).
To leverage trends, check out TikTok’s Trending page and participate in popular hashtag challenges. You can also put your own spin on trending sounds, effects, and video formats. When a new challenge emerges, make sure to film your attempt early while it’s still peaking in popularity. Tag your videos with relevant trending hashtags but also include some smaller niche tags to help the right audience find it.
Hashtags
Using relevant hashtags is crucial for maximizing the reach of your TikTok content. Hashtags help your videos get discovered by users searching for specific topics or keywords. Some best practices for hashtag usage include:
– Researching popular and trending hashtags. Services like TikTok’s Creative Center showcase current trends.
– Mixing niche hashtags specific to your content with more general, popular ones. For example, #fyp, #viral, #foodie.
– Using enough hashtags (5-10 per video) without going overboard. Too many can look spammy.
– Trying out new hashtags and tracking which ones help your views and engagement.
– Encouraging users in captions to view more content with certain hashtags.
By leveraging relevant trending and niche hashtags, you can connect with the right TikTok audiences and fuel growth.
Cross-Promotion
Promoting your TikTok account and content on other social media platforms is an effective way to drive more followers to your TikTok profile. You can cross-promote by sharing your TikTok videos or profile link on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. According to research, cross-promoting with influencers by asking them to share your content can be highly effective. For example, if an influencer shares your TikTok video on their Instagram story, it can expose your content to a whole new audience that may not be following you yet on TikTok.
To maximize cross-promotion, share short TikTok videos natively on other platforms when possible, so viewers don’t have to leave the app to watch. You can also edit TikTok videos to include your TikTok handle overlay to drive follows. In addition, promote your TikTok account in your Instagram bio and YouTube channel descriptions. Cross-promotion takes some extra effort but can be worthwhile to grow your TikTok presence.
Analytics
Using TikTok’s analytics tools can provide valuable insights to help optimize your posting strategy and reach more users. The analytics dashboard in the TikTok Creator Portal allows you to view key metrics like number of plays, likes, comments, shares, followers gained, etc for each of your videos (Source: https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/tiktok-content-strategy/understanding-your-analytics/). You can filter analytics by date range or video, helping pinpoint what content resonates most with your audience.
LIVE analytics are also available for livestreams, showing views, likes, comments, shares, followers, etc. This data can reveal best times for going live (Source: https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/what-to-know-about-live/live-analytics/). Reviewing analytics regularly and testing different posting times/content allows you to refine an optimal TikTok strategy.
Conclusion
In summary, here are some key tips for determining how often to post on TikTok:
- Post at least 1-3 times per day for best results
- Aim to post at consistent times to build a posting schedule
- Analyze when your followers are most active and post during those times
- Create a variety of engaging content types like challenges, duets, and trending audios
- Use relevant hashtags so your content reaches a broader audience
- Cross-promote your TikTok content on other social platforms
- Check TikTok analytics to see which posts perform best
By following these tips, you can refine your TikTok posting strategy to gain more engaged followers over time.
