TikTok is a popular short-form video app that has seen massive growth in recent years. The platform allows users to create and share 15-60 second videos, often set to music or with creative edits. Gaining followers and building an audience is one of the main goals for many TikTok creators.
As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally and continues to grow at a rapid pace. It is one of the most downloaded apps worldwide and has become a hub for trends, challenges, and viral content. With its huge reach and engaged user base, TikTok offers major opportunities for creators to attract followers if they can consistently produce quality content.
Types of Content
TikTok features a wide variety of content, but some of the most popular categories include:
Dance videos: Dance videos are hugely popular on TikTok, with users dancing to the latest trends, showing off choreography, or just having fun. Dance challenges often go viral and get millions of views (Cyberclick).
Comedy/skits: Short comedy skits and funny videos are another top category. TikTokers get creative with sketch comedy, effects, jokes, and more to entertain their audience (Neuroflash).
Lip syncing: Lip sync videos feature creators mouthing the words to popular songs, movie lines, audio clips, and more. Lip syncing along to trending sounds is a classic TikTok format.
Talent: Many users showcase talents like singing, instruments, magic tricks, stunts, and more. Impressive skills and abilities often gain a lot of traction.
Life hacks/DIY: Quick tips for everyday tasks or projects are helpful and engaging. DIY and how-to content teaches viewers new skills.
Consistency
Posting consistently helps build a following by keeping your profile active. According to Wordstream, the ideal posting frequency for brands on TikTok is 1-3 times per day. Posting daily or multiple times per day shows followers that you are committed to creating engaging content. It also increases the chances that your videos will be seen by new users exploring the platform. Consistency is key – sporadic posting makes it harder for viewers to know when to expect new videos.
Aim to develop a regular posting schedule that works for your brand and resources. While daily is ideal, 3-5 times per week can also be effective. Look at what top brands in your niche are doing. Track analytics to see when your followers are most active. Experiment to find the optimal cadence, then commit to consistency.
Engagement
Responding to comments and engaging with viewers helps build connections. Increase visibility by interacting with other creators, and comment on videos relevant to your target audience. According to Keyhole, “Engaging with your viewers is vital to building a loyal community around your TikTok account. Make sure to respond to any comments on your videos, and like or follow back users who engage with your content.”
Brand24 recommends replying to any comments you receive: “Don’t ignore your followers. Make sure to reply to their questions and just talk with them. The more you engage with your audience, the more likely they’ll be to come back.” Fostering a sense of community will lead to more engagement over time.
Trends
Leveraging popular trends, songs, memes, and challenges can help reach more users. According to TikTok’s Creative Center, trends reflect the latest viral content and creative formats gaining traction on the platform (Source: https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter/trends/hub/pc/en). Some of the most popular challenges include the Blackout Challenge, Don’t Rush Challenge, Cha-Cha Slide Challenge, and many more (Source: https://www.engagebay.com/blog/tiktok-challenges/).
However, completely relying on trends can limit originality. While leveraging trends strategically makes sense, creators should aim for a balance of trend-based content and original, unique ideas. The most successful accounts combine timely, viral content with an authentic voice.
Quality
High-quality videos with great camerawork, editing, and captions tend to attract more followers on TikTok. Users are drawn to content that exhibits strong production value and looks professionally made (as per this source). Investing time into crafting videos with good lighting, audio, visual effects, and overall polish signals to viewers that a creator cares about their content.
To achieve better video quality, creators can optimize their smartphone settings and utilize accessories like tripods and microphones (cited in this article). Smooth, stable footage and clear audio enhances the viewing experience. Captions and on-screen text should be readable without obstructing the visuals. Piecing clips together seamlessly through jumps, zooms, and other transitions also contributes to high production value.
In the competitive TikTok landscape, creators who publish videos that look and sound professional tend to gain more of a following than those who post lower-quality content. When viewers can clearly see and hear what’s happening in a video, they are more likely to enjoy the viewing experience and hit the follow button.
Hashtags
Using relevant niche hashtags helps discovery. A balance of broad and specific tags is important. Viral or generic hashtags like #fyp can help reach a wider audience, but very niche tags are needed too so the right people can find your content for the topic (Source 1). For example, for a baking video #bakingislife would be more relevant than just #baking. Having a mix works better than just relying on generic viral tags (Source 2). Targeting niche communities with very specific hashtags leads to better engagement in the long run.
Collabs
Collaborating with other creators is a great way to get exposed to new audiences on TikTok. Doing “duets” with other creators allows you to essentially co-create content together. Your original video appears on one side of the split screen, while the other creator records their reaction or additional content on the other side (Source). This allows both of your audiences to discover each other. According to TikTok, duets generate 3x more views on average compared to regular videos.
When deciding who to collaborate with, look for creators who have a similar niche and audience as you, but aren’t direct competitors. Get creative with your duets – do a funny reaction video or build off the original video with a continuation. Make sure collab videos still align with your brand voice and style. Approach potential collaborators professionally and be clear on the goals and expectations upfront. Effective collaborations on TikTok can help accelerate your growth if done right.
Cross-Promotion
Promote your TikTok presence on other platforms. Embed TikToks on websites. Many people already spend time on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, etc. so promote your TikTok account and content on these other platforms to expand your reach. Include a link to your TikTok profile in your Instagram bio, mention your TikTok account in YouTube video descriptions, and tweet short clips or screenshots of your popular TikTok videos. You can also easily embed TikTok videos directly on your website to showcase your content. This makes it simple for viewers to watch your videos without leaving your site. Here are a few guides on how to embed TikTok videos on WordPress or Squarespace sites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ04KCDUhOg
https://www.ipmmedia.net/blog/embed-tiktok-website
Authenticity Attracts Loyal Followers
Being real, approachable, and showing personality is key to attracting loyal followers on TikTok. According to the article “Showing Up Authentically on TikTok: Being Imperfectly You”, developing a strategy to find your unique voice and humanize your content can help build an authentic presence. Share glimpses into your everyday life, be transparent about mistakes, and let your personality shine through. Viewers crave genuine connections. Rather than portraying perfection, focus on being relatable. This allows followers to see the real you and fosters a sense of community.