How to increase your Tiktok views and maximise your reach.
Here's the thing about going viral on TikTok: there are no set rules regarding the length, content, or number of followers the creator must have.
In 2020, this short video of Bella Poarch singing and bopping her head started going viral.
Fast forward to 2024, it has garnered over 825 million views, making it one of the most viewed videos on the platform.
Other popular videos in the most-viewed category feature creators displaying their talents in storytelling, makeup and other art forms.
Beating the algorithm and getting more views for their content is the dream of many content creators on the platform.
If you’re not getting your desired number of views yet, you’re not alone. Your low views could be as a result of the following:
- Your account might be new.
- Your videos might have sensitive content that violates TikTok’s terms of service.
- You account might have a shadowban.
- Your posting time might not be ideal for your target audience.
If you fall into any of the categories above, never worry! We’re here to help.
If you want to have your content on your target audience’s For You page and draw attention to your brand, join us as we discuss in detail everything you need to know about TikTok’s algorithm and start getting more views on TikTok.
Let’s do this!
How TikTok's algorithm works.
TikTok uses a complex system to order the content it shows its users. They are completely exclusive; no two users have the same content shown to them at the same time, even if they have the same interests.
But how does TikTok understand your interests and help you find content you love?
This system observes your behaviours and then predicts what you might be interested in.
You don’t just see content from creators that you’re familiar with. You also get to see fresh creators based on your preferences. Little wonder why the platform is addictive!
The above system only works for older accounts with history. For newer accounts, the algorithm works differently.
When you register as a new user on the platform and share your details and basic information, the platform starts ordering the content on your For You page to show you content that may appeal to you using the data they have from you.
As you scroll through these videos, you might like, comment or follow a creator. These actions will signal the kind of content you prefer, and the algorithm will work to recommend content that is similar to yours.
Key factors that influence TikTok algorithm.
In a post by newsroom, TikTok reveals how the algorithm works and the factors influencing how content is curated for each user. These factors include:
- User engagements: The TikTok algorithm is based on how you engage with content. With every like, follow, comment or repost, your For You Page represents your content preferences. This also includes the videos you’ve reported or marked as “Not Interested” and the time you spend on a video. As a creator, the type of content you create will also be recommended to you.
- Video information: This includes the captions, hashtags, sounds and effects of the videos you’re interested in.
- Device and account settings: TikTok uses device and account settings to understand your preferences. These settings include language preferences, the topics you selected as a new user, your country and the type of mobile device you use.
Your content recommendations are not permanent. You can reset your algorithm by going to your Profile, tapping Settings and Privacy > then Content Preferences and finally, Refresh.
Understanding how the TikTok algorithm is a starting point to helping you know how to increase your content visibility and increase engagement from your target audience.
How to get more views on your TikTok videos.
Here are some tips to help you work with the algorithm and get more views for your videos:
Optimise your profile and content for SEO:
Make your profile and content searchable by optimising them with relevant keywords that match your brand.
This will help searchers to find you quickly and draw in your target audience. Your captions, sounds, voiceovers and text overlay are also important places to place your keywords.
A complete user profile will get more attention and increase visibility and credibility. We recommend keeping it concise and relevant with a clear CTA. If you want to learn more about TikTok SEO, this guide does a deep dive into the subject.
You can use these tools to optimise for SEO:
- HootSuite Free Tiktok SEO tool
- Canva for profile and bio design
- Bitly for tracking links.
Creating high-quality, engaging content:
TikTok content mainly consists of:
- Short- or long-form videos
- Live streams
- Reels
- Stories
- Duets
- Picture carousels
Ensure that your sounds and visuals are clear. TikTok has built-in features to help with editing and adding trendy effects.
Check that your lighting is good, and don’t be shy about getting creative with transitions or other dynamic effects.
TikTok videos can be as long as 60 minutes for uploaded videos and 10 minutes for videos recorded on the platform.
The length of the video doesn’t always matter. The secret is to keep your audience engaged and leave a good impression.
Your caption should be easy to read and have relevant and specific CTAs.
Experiment with posting strategies:
For most people, the right time to gain more views when you post on TikTok is between 3 pm - 5 pm EST.
If you want a more specific posting time for your brand, this will help you analyse the best time for better engagement.
Posting an ideal number of 3-5 quality posts daily will help tilt the algorithm in your favour.
To make this work more efficiently, we recommend using a content calendar and other scheduling tools. With the TikTok schedular, you can plan and schedule posts for up to 10 days.
Engage with others on the platform:
Commenting and responding to comments on other creators’ videos will bring visibility to your profile.
You’ll be able to build loyal relationships if you engage your audience with replies and comments.
Collaborating with other creators and participating in challenges will broaden your audience and attract new followers.
Your videos could be a reply to content from other creators. Videos like these could be duets, stitches and video replies.
Start growing your audience:
Analyse your ideal target audience and create buyer personas.
Research and use relevant hashtags to help them find you and your content. Cross-post your content across other social media platforms with a link to your TokTok and encourage people to follow.
Another way to get noticed by your target audience is by collaborating with influencers in your niche to create sponsored posts.
Analyse and Track Your Progress:
TikTok Insights allows you to track metrics like views, engagement, reach, watch time and audience demographics.
These metrics will help you to track content visibility, audience interaction, unique viewers, and content retention.
Third-party tools like Hootsuite Insights, Sprout Social, and Google Analytics greatly help social listening. With the results obtained from these tools, you can refine and adjust your strategies.
Other strategies that might get you more views on TikTok include:
Using TikTok ads with precise targeting to attract and convert your audience. These ads could be In-Feed Ads, TopView Ads, and Branded Effects.
Encourage your followers to create User-Generated Content (UGC) using your branded hashtags. These UGC campaigns are a form of collaboration and can be used to engage with and respond to your audience.
Host live events with engaging content to keep your audience locked in. These events will help you interact with them in real-time.
TikTok has massive opportunities that could be yours if you could create more visibility for you content.
The first step to achieving this is understanding how the platform’s algorithm works and the factors that make it tick.
When you understand how the algorithm works, the next step is to prepare to make it work in your favour.
You can do this by optimising your profile and content for more reach and visibility, using hashtags, engaging your audience and collaborating with other creators.
Another important tip is to get used to looking into your insights to find areas for improvement. Consistently posting quality content will almost always ensurethat you get more views and engagement for your content.
