The Ultimate Guide: How to Go Viral on TikTok in 2023
You may not know this, but anyone can go viral and just blow up on TikTok, regardless if they have 5 or 500K followers. For some, the concept of going viral on TikTok is pretty familiar, but for those who are still exploring what needs to be done for being viral on this platform, there are some basic things that will always serve as the ultimate guidelines for going viral on TikTok.
Keep on reading to learn the ultimate guide for viral success on TikTok in 2022 and how to put your content in the spotlight.
Before delving into our guide, you can also watch our video tutorial on how to become viral on TikTok in 2022, where you'll discover the formula in just under 2 minutes:
How a TikTok video becomes viral
Ever since TikTok became the home of billions of users, there is something that most of us keep thinking about - What does it take to be viral on this platform?!
Well, just like any other social media algorithms out there, and TikTok not being an exception to that rule, it organizes and recommends content to users that is similar to what they have already engaged with. This is all based on what consumers have watched, liked, shared and also commented on and it all goes down on the For You page feed.
Important reminder: Essentially, this means that the more people engage with the video you post, the bigger the chances are that the video will reach the For You page.
If you just think about it, TikTok is like a browsing channel. Also, its algorithm does not interfere with the profile’s follower count or prior engagement numbers. Every posted video on TikTok has an equal chance to become viral through the For You Page. So, when you share a video, TikTok surfaces it to a small group of users. However, based on its performance, it may get good traffic and reach a bigger, larger audience.
So, if by now you thought that becoming viral is definitely out of your control, think again because you might be wrong.
In this ultimate guideline, we’ll tackle all you need to know about how to go viral on TikTok in 2022 and you will learn the formula in just a few minutes.
Must read: The 22 Hottest TikTok Makeup Trends of 2022
Understanding how the TikTok algorithm works
Before we begin with everything you need to know about how to go viral on TikTok, we have to explain something about TikTok’s algorithm which in fact is based on meritocracy. This fancy word means that TikTok is designed in a way to give an equal chance to every single video once it is published.
This being said, you should not feel frustrated if you are a beginner on this platform. Quite the contrary, if your video performs well in a small group where it is exposed to, TikTok will proceed to push it out more to people that they think would like it.
What are the BEST PRACTICES for going viral on TikTok
- Keep the video as short as possible
Keeping your TikTok video as short as possible is a MUST for going viral on TikTok! One of the reasons why people like TikTok so much is because of the fast-paced videos that are short but still convey something interesting or funny, whether it is a food recipe, or a dance challenge.
You must keep in mind that most TikTok consumers have an attention span of max of 8 seconds so you better cut to the chase and show only the most important details. Otherwise, if you create a 10-second video, most viewers will watch only the first 8 seconds and then they will continue scrolling to another video.
Quick tip: Keep in mind that your TikTok video needs to captivate the audience within the first 3 seconds as those are crucial for viewers to decide whether they will continue to watch that video or not.
- For starters don’t stick to a niche
You must know that anything can go viral on TikTok, absolutely anything, even a video of you slicing a watermelon. This means that you do not have to stick to one niche exclusively, but on the contrary, you should experiment and make a variety of content and play around with different formats and topics. Later on, when you get the point on what people are getting more interested in, you can narrow your videos to the topics that are most wanted.
- Put a text on the opening frame
This is also a successfully proven tip when it comes to going viral on TikTok. Actually, viewers in the For You Page are most likely to spend a few seconds reading it on one that does not have a text at all.
- Record your own audio
Even though this is as basic as it sounds, it truly goes a long way and always appeals to users, helping you target your audience. Record your voice on the video that you filmed and you can always add some trending song in the background of your video.
- Use trendy sounds or music and learn challenges
You might know that TikTok's origins are as a music app, so including the latest music trends on your TikTok videos will do great on this platform. Also, you must give it a try to catchy dances and learn a dance challenge with your friend. These dance videos are super fun and get a lot of views, so who knows, maybe the one video that you share will be the next best viral TikTok video!
In case you are not sure how to find trendy sounds on TikTok, you can always check out our blog post on that.
- Use humor
Without a shred of doubt, humor unites us all and it is the most important thing on TikTok, being the reason why so many people always get back to this platform. It is also amazing that TikTok does not restrict its users in the manner in which they show off their sense of humor, so your TikTok videos should not be an exception to that as well.
- Tell a story
TikTok viewers want to hear a story but it definitely has to be something captivating to make them want to proceed to watch your video content. If you cannot tell a full story in just one video, you can create 3 video parts to engage viewers even more so that they have to wait and get even more excited for the next video to come. You can make a story out of anything in your daily life and just get creative when filming your video.
- Share useful tips or advice
This is a great trick if you want your TikTok videos to become viral. All you need to do is get a little bit more personal and real so that other users can relate to you. So make your videos show that side of you as well.
- Stir up a little bit of “FOMO” in users
Viral videos are those that provoke some kind of emotion in viewers, so you should definitely go for a FOMO video and include simple things like, for example, showing a tasty cake.
- Experiment by being a little bit controversial
Experimenting with something that is controversial yet tasteful, can definitely make your TikTok videos viral. In addition, it will certainly bring more traffic to your TikTok profile and by saying this, you don’t have to cross lines but just mention something that will make people want to be involved.
- Watch videos to get more inspiration
This is more than obvious, the more you spend time on TikTok, the more you will be able to notice trends and get inspired for your own videos. TikTok does not have a particular interest feed so you have the chance to appeal to a wide audience.
- Don’t use generic hashtags but the right ones
One thing is definitely true, meaning you should not use generic and most commonly known hashtags. If you have a super niche video, you can put some niche hashtags as they will lead your video to the right crowd. On the other hand, if you want to post something that would appeal to anyone on this social platform, it is best to let TikTok’s algorithm do its job and decide to whom your video should be shown to.
The hashtags are a key ingredient for going viral on TikTok. Just like on any other social media platform, hashtags help users to find content about the topics that they are interested in. Make sure to use the right hashtags and the best tip here is to do your own research on the top-performing hashtags on TikTok so that you reach a bigger audience.
Therefore, you can take advantage of the right keywords to make your videos viral. Since people search for content on the Discover page, do a little research and find the keywords that are trending and viral already and use them for your own content. For example, if you are a chef and you type in something like “delicious”, or anything food-related in Discover, you can then access many videos and creators in that aspect.
If you are also using the social media platform Instagram and you are frequently using hashtags there, you might as well all about how to use hashtags on Instagram.
- Using TikTok’s editing tools
Since the TikTok app is the temple of trendy music and audio clips, you must know that for your video to be viral, you need to try out TikTok’s editing tools. This means that you have access to a variety of fun video effects and filters that are unique, so using them can help you build a recognizable style.
Quick Tip: TikTok’s algorithm is designed in a way that it is more likely to show your videos to consumers who have already engaged with those unique sounds and filters.
- Making videos that will bring traffic to your comments
You can try this approach and before you know it, it will generate traffic in your comments and therefore on your TikTok profile as well. So, you can create content that actually asks your audience about something that they can and would want to relate to. This can make a great buzz in the comment section and your TikTok content will boost up to the top, making viewers want to engage even more.
- Giving replies to all of your comments
Replying to all of your comments on TikTok is also very important because this leads to great user engagement, so when they start the conversation, obviously it is a two-way thing. You should not leave them without answers because they might feel left out and don’t visit your profile anymore.
Quick Tip: You can reply to comments on TikTok with a video. According to TikTok, since this feature launched, it sparked new conversation topics and created new subcultures.
- Create a mystery by leaving some questions unanswered
Everyone wants a little intrigue and mystery and TikTok videos should not be an exception to that as well. So, to maintain the mystery, don’t share everything in just one video. You better keep some material to make viewers intrigued, wanting for more, perhaps part 2 of the video that you just shared.
- Create content that will make viewers want to rewatch it
Basically, if a video that you create on TikTok is quite memorable and therefore viral, viewers would want to rewatch it, right?! Apart from that, there may be some parts of that video that are too fast for someone to read and understand. For instance, if the text goes by fast, viewers will probably want to rewatch it again.
Anyways, when they do this, they will spend more time on your video and this signals TikTok’s algorithm that it is a great video, making it more visible to people to access it.
- Be consistent and sustain your viral posts
Being consistent on TikTok is also one of the key ingredients to go viral on this platform. Simply put, if you want your followers to look forward to your upcoming TikTok content, you should keep posting consistently. Remember that it is always better to engage with a TikToker who posts once a week rather than the one who posts once a month because people may forget you.
So, don’t leave your followers hanging on a cliff for your next viral video to come, and sustain their frequency to once a week to keep viewers entertained.
- Get featured on the For You Page
Another important thing for going viral on TikTok is knowing how to get featured on the For You Page and Later explains that pretty well. This means that most of your views must come from new users on the For You Page, reaching a much larger audience.
Remember that the traffic you receive from the For You Page has to be higher than your personal profile or following and you can find this date by clicking on the three dots on the bottom right of a video. Then, you need to choose “analytics” and you’ll be able to analyze all about the traffic on your TikTok profile.
- Get the TikTok verified badge
Let’s also not forget that if you become a popular creator on TikTok and your videos are viral, you are getting closer to getting verified there and getting the TikTok verified badge. For those who are not familiar with this concept, the TikTok badge is something that TikTok gives to users whose videos get a lot of recognition from others.
So, the more popular and viral your TikTok videos become, the bigger the chances are for you to get verified there.
Important things to know before posting a video on TikTok
As many TikTok users witness and complain about their video showing “TikTok Video Under Review”, it is very important if not crucial to learn and know what types of videos will not be approved by TikTok and go against TikTok policies.
What does “Video Under Review” mean on TikTok?
Basically, if you see this saying, it means that your video is locked up and TikTok prevents it from getting traffic. This usually happens to videos that violate the community guidelines. It is TikTok’s AI that is responsible for this and keeps all of TikTok videos under review.
So, when it detects inappropriate content such as lots of skin, weapons, abusive words etc, that video will be put under review and you might even get shadowbanned on TikTok.
Keep in mind that the most obvious reasons why a video gets under review on TikTok are:
- Pornographically explicit content
- Videos showing violence
- Videos that promote and show crime
- Videos that violate moral conduct
- Copyright infringement
🌟 If you are using Likee, check out 6 tips on how to go viral.
Are you now ready to go viral on TikTok?
Hopefully, these tips will serve you well and you’ll become a TikTok sensation. Keep in mind that going viral on TikTok doesn't happen overnight and it may take you a while to get up and run your TikTok like most viral TikTokers do.
All you have to do is follow these ultimate guidelines and give your most creative self when making the videos. Your TikTok viral success is on its way!
