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Your Handy Guide to Go Viral on TikTok

By
Teleprompter Team
January 30, 2023
·
6
minutes
Your Handy Guide to Go Viral on TikTok

TikTok really took off in recent years, and it seems like every content creator today is clamoring to go viral on the platform. Although, that’s certainly not easy. There’s plenty of competition out there on top of the constantly shifting trends and mysterious algorithms. 

But hard doesn’t mean impossible. TikTok has a lot of potential for anyone to go viral. With over 1 billion users, there’s an audience out there for you. You just have to find them. 

And to help you out, we’re going to look at what you need to know to get your content to blow up on TikTok

Make it Eye-catching 

TikTok users spend an average of 46 minutes on TikTok every day. With content that averages between 10 and 15 seconds, that means users are watching approximately 270 videos every day. To compete in that environment - you’re going to need some eye-catching content to grab viewers’ attention and say, “Watch this!.” 

Start by making sure your video is in full-screen portrait mode. That’ll be a 9:16 aspect ratio for those recording with dedicated cameras. For those using their phones, great! Just remember to record in portrait to get the most impressions on TikTok.

Beyond ratio, you need to make sure you’re properly lit. Now, you don’t need professional studio lighting to make your TikTok blow up - but the audience does need to see you clearly. Plus, if you’re recording with your phone, low-light conditions will make your videos come out grainy and unpleasant.

A simple ring light behind your camera will really make you pop, especially for up-close videos like makeup tutorials. 

Then there’s the matter of your content. All the production value in the world isn’t going to make your content go viral if it’s boring. Thankfully, you can use current trends to gain momentum with your audience.

Here are some easy tricks to use the most popular trends on TikTok to your advantage: 

  • Check out the trending sounds - Before you can hop on a trend, you have to recognize it exists. Simply go to the search function and the top of the screen and search for “viral sounds” to see what’s popular right now.

  • Add Your Own Spin - Once you’ve identified a trend you want to join, consider adding your own spin. Trend culture viewers love original content that still aligns with what it's in right now.

  • Make Something Different - While researching trends, you’re bound to have some ideas of your own. You can use the current trends to identify something that’s missing and relate to your chosen audience. With a little trial and error, you can go from trend follower to trendsetter. 

Collab with Other Creators 

First and foremost, TikTok is a social media platform. Viral content creators aren’t just throwing videos into the digital ether and hoping they’ll pick up traction. They’re interacting and networking with other content creators. 

Seek out other creators that share an audience with you. Not only will they be an excellent source of the trends that are and are not working for your niche, but they offer an opportunity for collaboration. Working together, creators can reach a broader audience, and increase impressions for their pages. So, don’t be afraid to reach out to a creator that makes similar or related content to you. They’ll likely want to collaborate on content just as much as you.
Successful collaborations are one of the best ways to go viral on TikTok. 

Engage For Engagement 

Similar to collabing with other creators, you have to socialize with your audience. If they reach out to you in comments or DMs - respond. Interacting with your audience will encourage them to interact with you. 

So, take your content and online persona beyond your content. Take it to the comment section. Talk directly to your audience whenever possible This will allow you to build a community of loyal followers that will keep coming back to your content, increasing your chances of your TikTok going viral in the process. What’s more, the current algorithm rewards this sort of interaction and that means you’re more likely to get new impressions and build your following even more.

And in terms of your actual content, it doesn’t hurt to add a call to action to encourage viewer engagement such as likes, shares, comments, or even duets. 

Know Your Metrics - Success is More Than Likes!

Here’s a little secret, anyone can access their TikTok analytics. You just need to have a TikTok business account, an account option designed to allow businesses to market on social media as a content creator. Simply go to your profile page and find the settings and privacy tab. Once there, hit Manage Account, and then under account control, switch to a business account. Then just pick the category that’s closest to your content.

This will get you access to those sweet analytics, found under the creator tools tab. 

Here you find useful information such as your top posts, reach, views, engagement rates, and much more. You’ll even be able to break down your audience by country and hourly activity.

Not only will this vital data allow you to track your progress as a creator, but you can apply this information to your future content to improve further. 

For example, knowing when your audience is most often will allow you time when you post your content to get the most impressions between your concurrent viewership and potential new viewers.

Additionally, by tracking average watch time, you can determine how well you kept the audience’s attention. If you find that the average viewer only watched half of your video, you can evaluate why you lost them and adapt your future content accordingly. 

And these are only some of the advantages of analytics. 

Be Confident on Camera! 

Whether you’re speaking directly to the camera or doing a voice-over, confidence is essential. 

Don’t expect to get in front of the camera and be an instant success. A lot of viral content takes planning and practice to take off. So, preplan your content. Know what you’re going to say on camera or in your voice-over. Then practice until you have it down.

This won’t be as easy as our other tips on its own, but with the right tools, it can be.

Teleprompter is a convenient app that can keep content creation fun and easy - as it should be! It allows you to build a convenient script and read that script while recording your content at the same time. Just plan your content, write what you want to say, and add it to your script. Then you’re ready to record. The interface is that easy!

And just like that, you’ve saved hours of practice to get your content out there faster and keep up with TikTok’s daily changing trends!

Put it All Together 

It isn’t easy to blow up on TikTok. Otherwise, everyone would do it! But you can do it with a little effort and following the tips we’ve outlined here today.

Good luck out there and we’ll see you on the For You Page. 

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