TikTok has evolved from a social app into a much bigger cultural influence. In a matter of seconds, ordinary people can become overnight sensations. But what does it take to go from scrolling to becoming a star?
The TikTok algorithm is a complex interplay of engagement, relevance, and strategy and holds the key to going viral. For businesses and creators, the allure of reaching millions with a single captivating video is tantalizing. But how do you cut through the noise to capture the attention of billions of users? What does it truly take to go viral on TikTok? Well, it might take more than uploading one good video and crossing your fingers–but it’s possible with the proper knowledge.
We’ll discuss 18 proven strategies for increasing your chances of TikTok fame. From understanding the platform's nuances to implementing proven tactics, this article covers everything you need to know to consistently create content that engages viewers and has the potential to go viral.
What You Need to Know about Going Viral on TikTok
If you dream of going viral on TikTok, you aren’t alone. Many creators aim to achieve popularity on the platform, so understanding its intricacies is vital to getting ahead of your competition. To begin, we’ll break down two key elements: the TikTok algorithm and the type of content that typically performs well.
The TikTok Algorithm
Sadly, TikTok is notoriously secretive and does not provide a guidebook on its algorithm. Over the years, though, observation and experimentation from influencers and businesses alike have revealed specific patterns.
User interest is one of the biggest factors determining video visibility. TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes content that aligns with viewers' preferences and interests. Fun fact: 80% of social media users use TikTok to look for funny or entertaining content. Engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, shares, and watch time, significantly impact a video's reach.
Additionally, the information within your videos (relevant hashtags, captions, and sound choices) can enhance discoverability. Even an account's overall history on the platform, including past video performance, influences video placement on the For You Page.
While there's no guaranteed formula for success, understanding these basic elements will help you optimize your content. Better visibility increases your chances of reaching a wider audience (and going viral).
Popular Types of TikTok Content
Knowing what’s hot with TikTok’s audience is another key factor in creating content with the potential to go viral.
TikTok’s early success was built on bite-sized comedy videos. Humor is a universal language and one of the most popular types of content on the platform. Creators like Charli D'Amelio and Addison Rae have built immense followings by capitalizing on gags, relatability, trends, and challenges.
Speaking of challenges, they can also help creators expand their content reach. For example, you can tap into a wider audience by joining in trending dance routines. As challenges trend, the algorithm prioritizes those videos, showing them to a larger audience. Creators like Bella Poarch and even celebrities like Doja Cat have leveraged challenges to grow their TikTok audiences.
If you’re a small business, crafter, or creative, consider a content strategy including tutorials, BTS content, and how-to videos. Beauty gurus like Jasmine Chiswell can thrive on TikTok by sharing skills and DIYs. Intimate glimpses into your life or creative process can build stronger connections with your audience. Authenticity is key here.
Finally, inspiring and motivational content has proven to be a successful formula. Creators like Running With Aidan can cultivate loyal followings and garner sponsorships by sharing uplifting and empowering messages.
While these content types consistently perform well on TikTok, finding your unique niche and voice is still essential. Doing some research on popular creators within your interest area can provide you with insights into your audience’s preferences and overall trends. Tools like TikTok's built-in analytics and third-party platforms can help you determine what works and what doesn’t.
Go Viral on TikTok With These 18 Strategies
Achieving a viral status on TikTok requires a strategic, multi-layered approach. While not all of these strategies will suit all creators or businesses, pairing a few will boost your content and help you reach your goal sooner.
1. Be Consistent
Consistency is the cornerstone. Regular posting helps maintain audience engagement and increase your visibility on the For You Page (FYP).
If posting consistently feels like a chore, develop a schedule that aligns with your lifestyle and audience preferences. When planning your content calendar, consider factors such as peak viewing times and days of the week. Peep at your analytics to figure out when your audience is most active.
Over time, your aesthetic, tone, and content style become recognizable, making it easier for viewers to identify and connect with your content at first glance.
Also, as you build a loyal following, your audience will come to expect regular updates, so you’ll want to deliver on their expectations.
2. Create Relatable Content
Content that resonates personally is key to fostering loyalty and engagement. So, how do you create relatable content?
Share personal stories, experiences, and challenges your viewers can empathize with. Being authentic and transparent creates a sense of trust and connection. A study by HubSpot found that authenticity is one of the most important factors in building consumer trust.
Beyond transparency? Use humor, relatable anecdotes, and everyday situations to make your content engaging. People are likelier to share content that makes them laugh or feel understood. Funny content has high shareability, increasing your chances of going viral on TikTok.
To create relatable content, you first need to be authentic. Once you’re comfortable being real on camera, work on understanding your audience's interests, values, and pain points. Do some research to determine your audience’s preferences, and tailor your content accordingly.
Speak directly to the camera. Use engaging facial expressions and appropriate vocal pitch and tone. Lastly, loosen up a bit–it helps!
3. Use Engaging Hooks
Capturing attention on TikTok can be tricky. The average user attention span can be as low as 1.5 seconds, so a hook is key to keeping your audience from swiping past.
Strong hooks can take many forms. Some might use a shocking statement, a thought-provoking question, or a visually striking image. Another effective hook strategy is immediately addressing a common pain point or desire. For example, if your video is about skincare tips, you could start with a question like, “Sick of dry skin in winter?”
As we know, TikTok's algorithm prioritizes videos with high engagement rates. Creating captivating hooks increases the chances of viewers stopping scrolling to watch your content. Videos with strong hooks have significantly higher completion rates. TikTok also found that 63% of videos with the highest click-through rate (CTR) highlighted their key message in the first 3 seconds.
4. Pay Attention to Trends
Trends are a tried-and-tested method for going viral because of the chance for exposure.
Staying on top of trends can help creators and businesses stay relevant on TikTok. The algorithm heavily favors trending content because it generates high user interest. Take TikTok's current ‘demure’ trend, starting from one viral audio. Now, creators across almost every niche have found a way to tap into the trend and access higher views.
Trends come in the form of popular sounds, music, effects, or challenges and increase your chances of appearing on the FYP. But it can also be easy to get lost in the noise, so it's crucial to add a unique spin of your own to trends that help you stand out from the crowd.
Tools like TikTok's Discover page, the trending section, and popular sound lists can help you identify emerging trends. Additionally, you can use the TikTok Creative Center or third-party apps to look at trends by country. Search terms relative to your niche in the TikTok search bar, and see if you can spot recurring types of content.
Remember, trends are constantly evolving, so you should continually monitor them.
5. Create Shorter Videos
While TikTok added options for creators to record videos within the app that are 15 seconds to 10 minutes long or to upload videos up to 60 minutes long, data shows that shorter content generally performs better. However, don't sacrifice quality for brevity. Your videos should still have entertainment value.
Keeping your content concise helps to capture viewer attention. The platform's algorithm favors videos with a high watch-time percentage, which means viewers watch your content from start to finish. TikTok has revealed that nearly 50% of users said videos over one minute long were “stressful,” and a third are watching videos at double speed.
6. Take Part in Challenges
Earlier, we mentioned using trending challenges as part of your strategy to go viral on TikTok.
Challenges can increase your video's visibility and help it reach a wider audience. These videos often trend for a short period, generating significant organic traffic. By jumping in, you tap into a huge potential audience.
Still, you should choose challenges that align with your brand. When participating in a challenge, add your own touch. Brainstorm creative ways to use trending audio, for example, to relate to something in your content niche. Incorporate your own style, humor, and creativity.
Don't sacrifice your authenticity for the sake of views. Should one of your challenge videos start hitting big numbers, you want those viewers to tap on your profile, watch some more content, and ideally follow you.
You can increase your chances of going viral by strategically selecting which challenges to participate in. The TikTok Creative Center lets you view trending creators, videos, and songs by country. TikTok even creates challenges specifically for professional accounts, such as the Branded Hashtag Challenge.
7. Put Effort Into Your Video Editing
Authentic is good, but sloppy isn’t. Proper video editing is essential for creating visually appealing and engaging content.
We don’t mean your videos need to be HD or cinematic, but they should use editing features such as transitions, sounds or music, overlays, text, and more. This helps the algorithm boost your content further and allows you to personalize your content with elements of your brand.
If you have little experience with video editing, creators like Sydney Nicole UCG have videos giving pointers on optimizing your video quality for TikTok. You can also check out one of the TikTok creator communities here on Whop, such as Media Labs.
TikTok’s in-app editing is pretty slick these days. Of course, you can still use third-party editing apps, but TikTok recommends striking a balance between authentic-looking content and polished content.
8. Remember to Be Entertaining
Entertainment is at the core of TikTok.
To build a fanbase, your content needs to be engaging and enjoyable. It should be fresh; the best way to do this is to be yourself. Humor, creativity, and originality are key to going viral on TikTok.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles and formats to find what resonates with your audience. Whether you're a comedian, dancer, singer, or storyteller, keep your focus on delivering content that makes people laugh, relate, or feel inspired.
Pay attention to trends and popular culture, and infuse your content with your unique personality. Views are good, but a loyal following is better. To build one, you need to be authentic.
By delivering entertaining content consistently, you'll increase your chances of going viral and building a solid fanbase.
9. Use Trending (But Relevant) Hashtags
Hashtags boost your discoverability on TikTok, but gone are the days of cramming the top hashtags, regardless of relativity, into your caption. The TikTok algorithm has grown smarter.
Relevant hashtags help you increase your chances of appearing in search results and reaching a wider audience. 40% of Americans use TikTok as a search engine, so you don’t want to miss out on potential views.
Focus on using a combination of popular and niche-specific hashtags. While trending hashtags can boost visibility, using relevant hashtags that align with your content will attract a more targeted audience. As we said, resist the temptation of using irrelevant or overly saturated hashtags, as they can harm your content's discoverability.
TikTok does allow you to use up to 30 hashtags per video, but it's generally recommended to use a smaller number to avoid appearing spammy.
10. Give Value to Your Viewers
Entertainment is one part of the puzzle, but providing value to viewers is equally important for long-term success.
So, what is value? Truth is, it can come in many forms. For example, sharing informative, educational, or inspiring content helps you build a like-minded following. It can also position you as an authority in your niche.
Consider creating tutorials or how-to videos that address your audience's needs and interests. Or personal anecdotes that can offer comfort to others. By providing value, you encourage viewers to return for more and recommend your content to others.
As we said, value comes in many forms and doesn’t always have to be serious. You can combine entertainment with education to create valuable TikToks.
11. Use TikTok to Be a Storyteller
Humans are inherently drawn to stories.
We’ve been mentioning authenticity a lot, and storytelling is the perfect way to build it. A well-told story evokes emotions, inspires, and leaves a lasting impression on viewers.
Consider creating a series of videos that follow a particular storyline or character arc. This keeps viewers engaged and eager to see the next installment. Creator Reesa Teresa did just that with her TikTok series “Who TF Did I Marry?”, which amassed over 3.6M followers and inspired a television show. Crazy, right?
Remember to focus on the emotional impact of your story. Connecting with your audience on a deeper level increases the likelihood of them sharing your content and becoming loyal followers.
12. Interact with Your Audience
All metrics matter on TikTok, but building a community around your content is what generates long-term success.
Engaging with your followers and viewers is what creates a loyal fanbase. This means authentically responding to comments, messages, and questions.
Show genuine interest in your followers' opinions and feedback. Ask questions in your videos to generate conversation in your comments section. This helps build a sense of community between your followers, too. All these things encourage repeat viewership and increase the likelihood of your content being shared–we all know how important shareable content is for going viral.
Other ways to boost viewer interaction could be hosting live Q&A sessions or creating your own challenges for followers to encourage interaction.
13. Collaborate With Other Creators
Teaming up with other TikTok creators can expand your reach and introduce your content to new audiences.
Identify creators whose content aligns with yours and reach out to explore potential collaborations. Use TikTok’s native features built for collaboration: duets, stitches, or joint videos. Collabs can help you tap into each other's fan bases, create exciting content, and grow your viewership.
Finding other creators willing to work with you right away may be difficult if you haven't built a huge following yet. Try to find creators of a similar standing and follower count when pitching. Using duets and stitches can help you piggyback off popular videos without explicitly needing permission–just be sure to add value to the original TikTok. Creative repurposing is all good, but using another creator’s content while adding nothing new? Not good.
Take the newest trend of dual videos, where creators duet their usual content with a video designed to hold attention spans, like the example below from TikTokker Sty Dghu:
Strong relationships with other creators can also lead to long-term partnerships and opportunities for mutual support.
14. Interact with Other TikTok Creators’ Content
A rising tide lifts all boats.
Engaging with other creators builds relationships, expands your reach, and increases your visibility. It gets your name out there, so to speak, which generates recognition over time. By interacting with other users, you demonstrate your support for the community and create opportunities for collaboration. Just remember not to be spammy; authentic interactions only.
This is different from collaborating with creators, as you are not working together on something here. This is simply you engaging with other creators' content. Like, comment, and share content from other creators that you enjoy. This increases the likelihood of your profile being seen by their followers. Respond to comments and messages from other users in a friendly and engaging manner. Start conversations in the comments section of videos you like.
15. Cultivate a Sense of Community
When your viewers feel connected to you and each other, they’re more likely to convert from simply followers to loyal fans.
Use relevant hashtags and encourage discussions to create a shared space for your audience to interact. Respond to comments and questions promptly. Highlight your followers' stories to show genuine interest in their lives and experiences.
Some creators host virtual meetups or challenges to bring their community together. You can even collaborate with other creators to create shared content or events. People want to feel included, and by fostering a sense of belonging, you make a loyal and engaged fanbase that will support your growth over time.
Australian TikTok creator Tara Ashley has grown a like-minded community by building a separate account called Sea Gals, where she organizes sunrise ocean swims for women.
To really give back to your top fans, consider creating a private community on a platform like Whop, where they can access extra content and perks.
16. Cross-promote on Other Platforms
If you want to go viral on TikTok, you may be surprised to hear that other platforms can be the trick.
Leveraging your existing audiences on other social media platforms can significantly boost your TikTok growth. When you share your TikTok videos on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook, you expose those videos to a broader audience.
Platform-specific features like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts can help you repurpose TikTok content for maximum reach. Effective cross-promoting grows your fanbase and increases your overall online visibility.
In other words, it can help you to go viral.
17. Give Back to Your Audience
Like anything, audiences need to be taken care of to flourish. Showing appreciation for your followers shows them you’re grateful for their support and strengthens your relationship.
You can give back to your audience in a number of ways, and it doesn’t have to cost you money directly. While contests and giveaways are popular and proven ways of strengthening (and growing) your fanbase, you can also reward followers with exclusive content, channel perks, or personalized interactions. For example, hosting a live session that allows fans to interact with you directly is a form of giving back. If you’re looking for creative ways to go viral on TikTok while still providing an exclusive experience, collaborate with brands to offer exclusive deals or products to your audience.
All these methods create a sense of reciprocity that keeps your followers supporting you in the long run. They also solidify a positive brand image for your TikTok channel. While that may not directly cause you to go viral, it definitely helps your chances.
18. Study Your Metrics and Analytics
If you want to go viral, you need to understand your audience and your content's performance.
Thankfully, TikTok provides valuable insights through its analytics dashboard to all professional creators, both business and personal. Your dashboard allows you to track key metrics such as impressions, likes, shares, comments, and watch time to identify what's working–and what's not.
Analyze your audience demographics to better understand who you're reaching. Experiment with different content formats, posting times, and hashtags. Use your audience data to refine the content creation process. In the world of social media, nothing is evergreen. Things are always changing, and continuously monitoring your performance helps you identify trends, adjust your approach, and maximize your chances of viral success.
Going viral on TikTok isn’t down to chance. Sure, luck can play a part, but more often than not, it’s a combination of strategy, creativity, consistency, and adaptation.
Looking to Master TikTok? Join a TikTok-Focused Course or Community
The above 18 strategies have proven effective in growing your TikTok account, but the platform's dynamic nature requires continuous effort for long-term success.
That’s where Whop can help. You can access expert instruction, networking opportunities, accountability, and exclusive resources by joining a dedicated TikTok course or community.
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FAQ
How can I go viral on TikTok overnight?
We get it; the appeal of overnight fame is strong. However, achieving sustainable success on TikTok typically requires a more strategic, long-term approach. Usually, viral videos come after a creator has established a content niche and some sort of audience.
While there's no guaranteed formula for instant virality, your focus should be on high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Leverage trending sounds, effects, and challenges to increase your visibility. Develop a unique style and voice. Learn to understand TikTok's ever-evolving algorithm, which we explain in detail above.
Viral success often relies on a few factors, including content originality, audience engagement, and a touch of luck. Consistently producing valuable content, leveraging relevant hashtags, and actively participating in the community will significantly increase your chances of going viral on TikTok, but it may take longer than overnight.
How do I go viral on TikTok with no followers?
Remember: everyone starts from scratch. Building a TikTok following takes time and dedication.
However, even with a modest audience, creating content that gains significant traction is possible. Focus on crafting exceptional content that stands out from the norm. Research relevant hashtags, participate in trending challenges, and actively engage with other users. This will help you increase your visibility, grow your follower count, and ultimately get closer to going viral.
You can build a thriving TikTok presence with a dedicated following using persistence and creativity.
How many views do I need to go viral on TikTok?
The number of views for a TikTok video to be considered viral is subjective.
While a high view count can contribute to viral success, it's not the only factor. Engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and saves are equally (if not more) important. Plus, what’s viral to one creator might not be as impressive to a larger, more established creator.
So, focus on creating content that sparks conversations, inspires shares, and fosters a sense of community. The views will come naturally. Additionally, the timing of your post, the overall platform landscape, and any specific trends at play can really influence your video's potential to go viral on TikTok.
Viral success also relies on factors such as the speed at which views accumulate, the overall engagement rate, and the content's ability to resonate with a wide audience. There's no definitive threshold for viral status, but videos that rapidly gain hundreds of thousands or millions of views within a short period, coupled with high engagement, are often considered viral.
What types of videos go viral on TikTok?
The short answer: everything and anything.
The longer answer is that viral videos often share commonalities, regardless of niche. Viral TikToks are entertaining, relatable, and shareable. Content that evokes strong emotions, taps into cultural trends, or provides unique value tends to perform best. The best viral videos have found a way to combine humor, surprise, or inspiration while still aligning with broader platform trends.
Again, there's no foolproof formula for creating a viral video. It comes down to understanding what resonates with the TikTok audience at large and your own viewership. Popular viral video formats include comedy sketches, dance challenges, tutorials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and inspirational content.
The key to viral success is building a unique voice and content approach that connects with people.
