Second only to Instagram, TikTok has the most engaged user base of any social networking app, according to Sensor Tower. The company hit one billion users in 5 years, which took big players like Facebook and YouTube 8 years to achieve. Whether you’re a creator, marketer, or business owner, it’s never too late to start building your brand or driving leads and revenue through TikTok. Want to know how to get more views on TikTok? Read on to discover our best tips, especially if you’re new to the platform.
What Makes Up a TikTok View?
Views on TikTok simply reflect how many times people saw your video. For example, if someone watched your video five times, that will count as five views. But this does not track unique TikTok views per user, and you won’t know who viewed your video with a personal TikTok account. To do so, you must switch to a TikTok Business Account, which will allow you to access TikTok Analytics to learn about unique views, who viewed your TikTok account, and other content metrics.
How Long Does TikTok Take to Count Views?
In terms of view counts, TikTok is more straightforward than other platforms. You don’t have to wait for a certain threshold to be reached to begin expanding your viewership. A view is recorded as soon as someone starts watching your video. Furthermore, the platform also tracks repeated views. So, if you’re wondering if loops count as TikTok views, the answer is yes. Even if the video loops, it still counts each and every time.
Is There a Way to Hack the TikTok Algorithm?
Have you wondered if there is a secret hack behind popular accounts or viral content on Tiktok? ‘TikTok Algo 101,’ a leaked document accessed by New York Times (later confirmed to be true by the TikTok team), reveals some basic facts about TikTok’s algorithm, confirming that it works just like any other social network. In the document, TikTok explicitly stated that its goal is to add daily active users to its platform, which is why it optimizes its content for long-term retention. In another WSJ report, 90-95% of TikTok’s views are attributed to recommended content, with TikTok’s recommendation systems heavily reliant on viewers’ time spent watching videos. With the rise of social media and online influencer marketing, TikTok has become a dominant name among Gen Z and marketing agencies. The platform allows you to earn big money while getting access to various performance metrics and insights that will help you better understand your target audience. In short, it’s important for you to optimize your content with relevant hashtags, captions, sounds, video thumbnails, and other elements to ensure it stays on top of your audience’s ‘For You’ feed.
10+ Tips on How to Get More Views on TikTok
Read these tips to know what works when it comes to getting how to get more views on TikTok!
1. Leverage Tiktok’s Video Recommendations
As we’ve already discussed—TikTok’s algorithm relies heavily on its recommender systems—so optimizing your content to show up on your audience’s ‘For You’ page is vital if you want to get the most views. According to TikTok, your For You page recommendations depend on a variety of factors including:
Interactions – videos that you like or share, accounts you follow, your content, and comments. Video data – which may include video-related details such as captions, sounds, and hashtags. Account settings – such as your preferred language, country, and device type.
The most widely used strategies for getting onto the FYP page include compelling hooks, succinct videos that should be between 9 and 20 seconds long, relevant hashtags like #ForYou and #FYP without excessive stuffing, captivating captions, and so on. Remember that the ‘For You’ feed usually won’t display two videos in a row made by the same TikTok creators or with the same sound, so you need to keep experimenting with content, hashtags, and sounds to find what works.
2. Play Around With Your Content Strategy
You don’t have to be a pro to create great TikTok videos. A strong content strategy, however, is key to success. Below are some tips on how to achieve that.
(a) Niche specialization or context
Your videos should have a clear purpose or a specific audience in mind. Think about the kind of content that resonates with an audience that is unfamiliar with you. If you’re good at something, make sure you show off that skill. Most importantly, be yourself. Remember that, unlike Instagram, TikTok rewards authenticity. Creating niche-specific valuable content on TikTok will end up in your audience’s For You feeds worldwide.
(b) Make an excellent first impression
Establish your brand identity from the start. Don’t wait for people to hang around and wait before revealing the subject of your content. They will quickly scroll through their feed if your content does not pique their interest. Double-check your video to make sure it’s not of poor quality, jittery, blurry, or without audio.
(c) Storytelling skills
On TikTok, a wide range of video genres do well. But the ability to tell a story is something that ties all of them. Among the stories that perform well include makeup tutorials, dance videos, fashion tips, daily life vlogs, and many others. Consider sharing funny, relatable, and easy-to-watch stories from your everyday life. Well-structured videos with engaging storytelling will keep your viewers hooked until the end.
3. Participate Actively in Trending Hashtag Challenges
Hashtags are a great way to connect with others in your niche. Many different hashtag challenges are happening at any given time. If you want to gain exposure for your TikTok videos, joining in on these challenges is a great way to increase engagement. Look for hashtags that relate to your niche or industry and create content around them. If you’re unsure what hashtag to use, keep checking the list of trending hashtags. You can also join other TikTok creators in hashtag challenges related to your channel. This will not only increase the visibility of your posts in the ‘For You’ feed, where your audience spends the majority of their time but will also increase their chances of going viral.
4. Build Niche Authority With an Eye-Catching and Familiar Hook
The algorithm will reward niche channels with that specific audience since they have a higher possibility of people sticking around. People keep returning for more when they see a recognizable figure doing their favorite niche content with an instantly familiar hook. Take, for example, TikTok’s most-followed account today, Khabane Lame (@khaby.lame on TikTok). He discreetly mocks ridiculously complicated lifehack videos with a signature hand gesture. His fans know what to expect and keep coming back for more. Use bold hooks that will grab attention right away. Think controversial topics, hot takes, and trending stories that will get people talking.
5. Promote Your Content Through Social Media
If you own a business, you already know how important content marketing strategy is in creating, publishing, promoting, distributing, and measuring the effectiveness of your content. For example, many TikTok videos have received more views on Twitter than TikTok itself, leveraging Twitter’s retweet feature, which allows you to capture as many eyeballs as possible. Promoting content on Twitter is easy by tagging or quoting relevant accounts in your tweets. When promoting content on Facebook, look for relevant groups and pages for your content and ensure it is entertaining, relatable, and shareable. You can also repurpose your TikTok content for Instagram reels, but be careful—Instagram does not like TikTok videos and may remove your post if you do so—so make sure to remove the TikTok logo before posting it on there.
6. Create Videos With Compelling Captions and Strong Call-to-Action
The first thing viewers notice about your video is its caption or video description. If it doesn’t accurately reflect what’s happening in your video, you’re missing out on potential views. Put some thought into your captions to make them more attention-grabbing and relatable. Your caption helps explain the context of the video and decide its virality, so make sure it’s accurate and clear. You can also tag other collaborators or brands to increase engagement. Make your TikTok caption as impactful as possible as you only get 150 characters, including hashtags.
7. Be Consistent and Provide High-Value Content
Consistency is a secret sauce for success in many online platforms, not just TikTok. Don’t expect your videos to go viral overnight! Keep your video’s structure, format, and all other aspects standardized. Keeping your branding consistent will create a sense of familiarity and authority in your niche. Quality is as important as consistency. When you upload a video, do it right. Make sure it’s high quality in terms of content and visual appeal. Plan your content ahead of time. That way, you’ll always have something coming out.
8. Add Instant Appeal With Effects and Sounds
On TikTok, your video can be discovered in many ways. Discover trending sounds, try out new creative effects, or duet others’ videos. If you want to tell a story with your video, you can use various creator and collaboration tools to fit into the community’s trending sounds and moments. If your content is relevant and timely, your audience will be able to find it by searching for popular sounds and effects on their Discover page or simply watching videos in their ‘For You’ feed. To make your videos more accessible, avoid effects that may cause photosensitivity.
9. Engage Your Audience by Reacting and Responding
The comments section can serve as a hub for sharing ideas and trends. It allows you to interact with your community, form close bonds, and understand your target audience. Analyzing your comments can help you learn how well your videos are received. The TikTok comment experience also includes Q&As. To make your profile’s Q&A section visible:
- Navigate to your Settings and Privacy page. Then click “Creator tools.” 2. Select Q&A. 3. Switch “Show on profile” by selecting the three dots in the top right corner. You can also choose who can ask you questions on this page.
10. Collaborate With Other Creators to Reach a Larger Audience
Collaboration with creators, brands, and influencers is a fantastic way to meet others who share your interests while also expanding your reach. For example, hosting a TikTok LIVE session with other creators is a great way to interact with your followers and engage them in conversation. It could be a game, a tutorial, or a vlog. Your viewers will recognize your videos if you have a unique aesthetic. Make use of your TikTok bio to provide readers with a sneak peek into your own brand and the topics you’re often posting about. Tag influencers who are interested in your topic or reach out to them. It can also lead to collaborations and partnerships with well-known creators, boosting your visibility. The TikTok Creator Marketplace allows creators to collaborate and work with businesses on sponsored campaigns.
11. Switch to a Pro Account to Get Access to TikTok Analytics
TikTok Analytics makes it easier for you to see who is watching your videos, when they are most engaged, and which videos are the most popular. This tool summarizes and offers a high-level overview and insights on topics, including your weekly / monthly views, follower increase, and trending videos. To get Analytics, you must upgrade to a TikTok Business profile. To upgrade to a TikTok Business account, follow these steps:
- Navigate to your profile page from the TikTok app. 2. Head to the Settings and Privacy tab (the three dots in the upper-right corner). 3. Select Manage Account. Now, select Switch to Business Account from the Account Control menu. Consider the scenario — where each video you create lasts 15 to 20 seconds — but your audience only watches your video for 10 seconds. TikTok Analytics can help you examine your stats and check where the problem lies.
12. Post at Appropriate Times and Days of the Week
Contrary to other social media platforms, “when” is just as important as “what” you post on TikTok. It can influence how many people view your content in their ‘For You’ feed. While Instagram’s ‘Explore’ section is similar to ‘For You,’ the short-video format encourages TikTok users to spend longer time browsing random content. Knowing where your audience is located (timezones) will help you determine when to post. There are countless theories and data available online about the best time to post on TikTok, but there is no way to know for sure what works for you. Ultimately, you’ll want to maintain consistency and adjust your publishing schedule to your audience’s preferences.
Getting More Views on TikTok is Easier Than You Think
TikTok is all about sharing what you love doing. Authenticity is the key. Your audience won’t stick around if you post things that aren’t true to yourself. The more you connect with your target audience, the better your content will perform in terms of views. That is why it’s necessary to adapt your content to your audience’s needs constantly. In essence, try to build a tribe of your own. Once you find your own voice and identity away from the crowd, the views will follow.
- Leverage Tiktok’s Video Recommendations 2. Play Around With Your Content Strategy 3. Participate Actively in Trending Hashtag Challenges 4. Build Niche Authority With an Eye-Catching and Familiar Hook 5. Promote Your Content Through Social Media 6. Create Videos With Compelling Captions and Strong Call-to-Action 7. Be Consistent and Provide High-Value Content 8. Add Instant Appeal With Effects and Sounds 9. Engage Your Audience by Reacting and Responding 10. Collaborate With Other Creators to Reach a Larger Audience 11. Switch to a Pro Account to Get Access to TikTok Analytics 12. Post at Appropriate Times and Days of the Week
