With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. The app’s addictive short-form videos make it easy for content to go viral, with popular TikToks easily amassing millions of views. In fact, research shows that the average number of views for a viral TikTok video is around 500,000 views [1]. This massive viewership potential is what draws creators and brands to the platform.
But simply posting a video on TikTok does not guarantee it will go viral. While there’s always an element of luck involved, creators can take proactive steps to increase their chances of creating viral content. Understanding TikTok’s unique algorithm, posting at optimal times, utilizing popular sounds, and employing smart cross-promotion strategies are all ways TikTokers can set their videos up for success.
What Does It Mean For a TikTok To Go Viral?
There is no definitive number of views that makes a TikTok video “go viral”, but generally videos that quickly gain hundreds of thousands or millions of views are considered viral hits. According to this source, a TikTok video needs about 500,000 views to be considered viral if it’s reaching the right target audience. For very popular sounds or trends, going viral may mean hitting 1-2 million views. The key is when a video takes off rapidly beyond what a standard video from that creator receives.
Viral videos on TikTok tend to get shared widely, gain a flood of engagement, inspire other creators to make response/duet videos, and greatly expand the original poster’s follower count. While numerous factors from timing to luck play a role, videos with compelling hooks and high entertainment value are most likely to go viral.
TikTok’s Algorithm
The algorithm behind TikTok’s For You Page (FYP) is complex and constantly evolving. According to TikTok, the FYP algorithm is designed to provide each user with a personalized feed of entertaining, relevant videos. The algorithm evaluates many factors about each video as well as each user in order to determine which content to surface in the FYP.
Some of the key factors the TikTok algorithm considers include:
- Video information – length, captions, sounds, hashtags
- User interactions – likes, shares, comments, finishes
- Device and account settings – language, country, device type
- User interests – based on liked videos and accounts followed
The algorithm uses machine learning to get smarter over time and understand what types of videos each user is most likely to enjoy and engage with. TikTok describes it as a recommendation system that learns from user behavior.
The goal is to keep users endlessly scrolling and entertained by their personalized For You Page.
According to experts, some best practices for working with TikTok’s FYP algorithm include using popular sounds and hashtags, encouraging engagement, posting consistently, and optimizing video length and quality (Source). However, the algorithm is always changing and adapting in opaque ways. There is no perfect formula to go viral on TikTok.
Optimal Times to Post
When it comes to getting maximum visibility and engagement on TikTok, the time of day and day of the week that you post can make a big difference. According to recent research by Influencer Marketing Hub, some of the best times to post TikToks in the US include:
– Monday at 12 PM and 4 PM [1]
– Tuesday at 4 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM, and 3 PM
– Wednesday at 1 PM and 2 PM
– Thursday at 5 AM and 3 PM
The data shows that early to mid-morning and early afternoon tend to perform well in terms of views and engagement. Mondays and Thursdays in particular seem to be strong days for posting. However, it’s important to test different times yourself and see what resonates best with your audience.
Pay attention to when your followers are most active, and aim to post during those high-traffic windows. Analyzing your TikTok analytics can provide insight into the optimal times for your account.
Trending Sounds
Using trending sounds and hashtags is a great way to increase your chances of going viral on TikTok. Trending sounds are the popular audio clips that users add to their videos to take advantage of the current buzz. Jumping on trending sounds early can help expose your content to a wider audience. According to Buffer, searching phrases like “viral sound” or “trending sound” in the TikTok search bar is a simple way to find the latest popular sounds.
The key is to get creative and make the trending sounds or hashtags relevant to your brand and content. As this Descript article explains, it’s about finding a natural way to relate the trending sound back to you. For example, adding a funny reaction video to the “Chrissy wake up!” audio clip. This piggybacks on the sound’s popularity while also showcasing your brand’s personality.
Regularly checking trending sounds and hashtags ensures you’re able to jump on viral moments early. But also analyze what types of sounds gain traction for your niche, so you can spot relevant trends faster. Timing is everything when leveraging viral sounds on TikTok.
Call-to-Actions
Using effective call-to-actions (CTAs) in your TikTok captions can help drive engagement and increase your chances of going viral. Some best practices for CTAs include:[1]
– Asking viewers a question related to your content – this encourages them to respond in the comments. For example, “What would you do in this situation?”
– Including a strong imperative verb like “comment”, “tag”, or “duet.” Directly telling viewers what you want them to do.
– Using “you” language instead of “I” or “we.” Speaking directly to the viewer makes it more personal.
– Placing the CTA at the end of the caption so it’s the last thing viewers see.
– Keeping it short and simple. A basic “Comment below!” is often effective.
– Trying different CTAs and seeing what performs best for your audience.
Effective CTAs can quickly boost your engagement, so test out different options and see which ones resonate most with your viewers.
[1] https://socialbu.com/blog/captions-for-tiktok/
Cross-Promotion
Cross-promoting your TikTok videos on other social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. can be a great way to expand your reach and get more eyes on your content. Here are some tips for effectively cross-promoting TikTok videos:
Link to your TikTok video from other platforms – Whenever you post a new TikTok video, also share the link or embed the video in posts on other platforms. This exposes the video to new audiences.
Make multi-platform edits – Using apps like InShot, you can edit together different clips into one video to share across platforms. Show a teaser or highlight from your TikTok in an Instagram Reel or YouTube Short.
Repurpose content – Take highlights or clips from your popular TikTok videos and turn them into photo/video posts on Instagram or Facebook. Adapt the content for each platform’s format.
Cross-promote in Stories – Use Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. Stories to promote your new TikTok videos. This provides quick, temporary promotion.
Link profiles – Make sure to link your TikTok profile URL in your Instagram, YouTube, Twitter bios etc. so people can easily find more of your content.
Collaborate – Work with creators on other platforms to cross-promote each other’s videos to your respective audiences.
Add links in captions – When posting a TikTok video on another platform, make sure to mention your TikTok handle @username and add the TikTok link in the caption.
Video Editing Best Practices
Creating high-quality, engaging videos on TikTok requires thoughtful editing. Here are some tips for editing TikTok videos that captivate viewers:
Use quick cuts and transitions between shots to maintain a fast pacing that keeps viewers interested. TikTok videos tend to be shorter, so brisk editing helps hold attention. Utilize TikTok’s array of editing tools and effects like split screens, green screens, and stickers to make your content more dynamic.
Pay close attention to the trends and viral sounds on the platform. Incorporate popular audios and hashtags to increase the chances of your video getting viewed. Time cuts and transitions in your editing to match with beat drops in trending audios.
Ensure your thumbnail preview image clearly conveys the main focus of your video. The thumbnail acts as a “cover image” that hooks viewers when they are quickly scrolling through their feeds.
Check your editing for optimal video and audio quality. Make adjustments to lighting, color grading, and volume so viewers can clearly see and hear everything. Export your final video in the highest resolution possible.
Review your finished product and trim any excess footage to get straight to the engaging parts. Aim to tell a quick, captivating story within a short runtime. Tight editing keeps videos concise and shareable.
Analytics Review
Using TikTok’s built-in analytics tools is key for understanding what is resonating with your audience and refining your content strategy accordingly. You can access analytics by going to your profile, tapping the three dots, choosing “Creator Tools”, and selecting “Analytics” (TikTok Creator Portal).
Check your analytics regularly to identify patterns and trends. Pay attention to metrics like likes, comments, shares, views, followers gained/lost, top videos, etc. This data will show you what types of videos are performing best. You can then make more content that aligns with your highest-performing videos.
You can also learn from your analytics which videos are not getting traction. Evaluating lower-performing content can reveal opportunities to adjust your approach. For example, certain video formats, captions, sounds, hashtags or topics may not be resonating as hoped.
Analytics provide the feedback you need to keep iterating and improving. Let the data guide you toward creating content that goes viral on TikTok.
Key Takeaways
Going viral on TikTok requires a combination of strategic factors. Some key takeaways for optimizing your content include:
- Post at peak times when your target audience is most active, like evenings and weekends for a younger crowd.
- Leverage trending sounds and hashtags but give them your own creative twist.
- Edit videos to be high quality, engaging, and under 60 seconds.
- Write compelling captions using relevant keywords.
- Cross-promote content across other social platforms.
- Analyze performance data and iterate based on what resonates best with your audience.
Virality on TikTok can be unpredictable, but following best practices for optimizing your content will increase your chances of having a hit. Focus on creating authentic, high-quality videos tailored to your target audience.
