Breaking Down the TikTok For You Page

Nowadays I swear it is everyone’s goal to go viral! And of course, the best place to do so, is TikTok. Now how exactly do you go viral? How do you get on that for you page? How do you get the TikTok algorithm to push your video? Let’s break down what exactly the algorithm is, how it works, and how to become a part of it!

Knowing the TikTok algorithm is a complex system, there are multiple factors that can contribute to how your content is served to others. 

1. User Activity

   1. The more engagements (likes, comments, shares, views) a TikTok video receives, the more likely it will be served to larger audiences.

2. Subject Matter

   1. TikTok is great at categorizing content based on user interests, so things like caption keywords, sounds, hashtags and effects are important factors when it comes to the reach potential on the app.

3. Location and Language

   1. The algorithm recognizes a user’s device settings (location and language) when deciding who may be interested in a video. Elements include posting the location, language preferences, and even the type of mobile device.

4. Audio

   1. We all know that when a video includes trending sounds, the algorithm will use that to categorize the content and serve it to relevant audiences. Trending audio is a great way to reach new audiences.

5. “Not Interested” Feedback

   1. The algorithm is always trying to serve viewers high-interest videos, so it uses previous activity such as video you skip through or marked as “not interested” and users you've hidden, to determine this. 

Now that we know what does influence how the TikTok algorithm ranks your content, it is just as important to touch on a few factors that do not influence the rank of your content. The two main ones:

1. Follower Count

   1. This is more in the sense that even if you only have a handful of followers, or have never even posted a TikTok before, there is still an opportunity for your video to go viral.

2. Previous High-Performing Videos

   1. Yay! You had a video pop off with views! However, this doesn’t always mean that from here on out, all of your videos will get that many views. 

Finally! I know we are all dying to know - Amberly, how can we hack this new TikTok algorithm?

Hey thanks, I’d love to tell ya. The TikTok algorithm is always adapting, changing, and learning from user behavior. Based on what we now know about how the algorithm works, here are 10 ways to boost your performance for growth:

1. Hook your audience within three seconds

   1. Since watching a video in full is a strong interest indicators, TikTok typically favors video that are easy-to-digest, have a seamless loop, and cater to users who have a short attention span. Because of this, it’s vital to hook your audience within the first three seconds. 

2. Focus on a niche

   1. The more consistently you share videos related to your niche, the more the TikTok algorithm will recognize your expertise and begin to serve your content to the right audience.

3. Use trending TikTok Audio

   1. It goes without saying that trending audio and TikTok get along like peanut butter and jelly. Since the TikTok algorithm tends to favor videos using trending sounds, consider jumping on trends while they’re still hot.

4. Experiment with new TikTok features and effects

   1. Being a “beta” user for up and coming tools can play a role in getting more engagement on your content. Keep an eye out for new feature releases, you may want to try them out to gain more visibility!

5. Use relevant hashtags

   1. Similar to Instagram, Hashtags on TikTok help categorize content and make it easier for users to search for content. But it's important to use relevant hashtags. Think of them as keywords — they'll signal to the TikTok algorithm what your content is about.

6. Engage with similar content creators

   1. Replying to comments and starting conversations with similar creators in your niche is a great way to boost your engagement, which is a key indicator for the TikTok algorithm.

7. Create accessible content

   1. Creating accessible content is another valuable algorithm hack, and will also make your content more inclusive. The easiest way to do this is by adding on-screen text and captions. 

8. Find the best time to post

   1. While the TikTok algorithm ranks content based on a combination of factors, posting at your most optimal time is still valuable. Why? If you post when most of your community is online, you’ll reach more people right away.

9. Make shorter videos

   1. TikTok has been gradually upping video limits over the last few years. First 15 seconds, now 10 minutes. While this does create more opportunities to storytelling or be creative, there's no doubt that 10 minutes is incredibly long — especially on a platform where short is key.

10. Don’t delete old content

    1. TikTok videos can go viral days, even weeks, after they've been posted. So, there's a good chance that with a consistent posting cadence, one of your videos will land a spot on the For You Page.