10 Ways to Go Viral on TikTok (2024)

This article includes 10 tips to maximize your chances of going viral on TikTok. If you're looking for general tips on going viral on the internet, check out our complete guide here.

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Follow the Latest Trends

A site like YouTube is more similar to Netflix than it is to Instagram. TikTok, though, is a lot more about social media than it is about just content creation. So, engaging with other users, trends, and what's popular on the app at the moment is incredibly important.

If something is really hot on TikTok, you'll have a bigger chance of going viral if you engage with that rather than if you make something evergreen. Putting a unique spin on a popular trend is a time-tested way of racking up the views.

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Use Hashtags Wisely

Hashtags are an important component of TikTok's algorithm, and they can be an effective way to get your posts in front of the right people. Of course, trending hashtags are always worth keeping an eye on, but there are other techniques you can use, too.

If you're making content aimed at a particular community or part of the TikTok world, using hashtags to target that niche directly is always something you should do. It's easy to get lost in a sea of TikToks, and the right hashtag can help you get discovered.

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Keep Your Posts Short

TikTok videos can be as long as 10 minutes or as short as just 15 seconds; however, the sweet spot tends to be either 60 seconds or three minutes. In general, shorter is always better. You'll be best served by making the punchiest, shortest possible video.

Longer content can do well on TikTok, but the posts most likely to go viral are on the shorter side. However, the 15-second format is generally best reserved for memes and joke content, which may not be the best fit for you.

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Grab Attention Quickly

For a YouTube video, you might get a few minutes to sell somebody on continuing to watch, but that isn't the case with TikTok, especially if you're making a minute-long post. In the first seconds of your video, you should give viewers a good reason to watch.

Teasing a reveal or outlining an engaging premise upfront are great ways to keep people's interest. Just make sure that the beginning of your video works well enough as a pitch to the viewer to get them to stop scrolling.

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Be Funny

Of course, no one way of making videos on TikTok is "correct." You can be serious, exciting, heartwarming, or anything else. Perhaps the most popular genres on TikTok, however, are ones that make you laugh. If you have a knack for comedy, exercise that whenever you can.

While humor is an incredibly important tool, it's equally important not to force it. If you're making a joke, make sure you're confident in its appeal to your target audience, and don't overstuff your videos with attempts at humor because that comes off as desperate.

Be Conscious About Timing

In general, data shows there is higher engagement on posts that go live at certain times on certain days, so that's definitely something to keep in mind. Always time your posts for the best possible chance at virality, regardless of the type of content you make.

However, depending on your location or audience, you may want to post at a specific time that doesn't neatly match the global engagement numbers. So, above all else, try and understand when your target audience is most likely to be scrolling through TikTok.

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Use Sound to Your Advantage

Songs and sounds are big parts of TikTok culture. The right ones can make the difference between an okay video and one that has what it takes to go viral. So, you'll want to make sure to keep an eye on what's popular.

However, don't overstuff your videos. A single, relevant piece of music or sound effect is more than enough for a short video. Otherwise, you may just look like you're trying too hard or trend-chasing. Less is often best, especially in short-form posts.

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Monitor Competitors

Not only is it worth following with the latest trends, but keeping an eye on other creators in your particular niche is an important habit. If others are doing something you aren't, that could be your answer to why your content isn't going viral.

Beyond that, if your content is just about the same as what everyone else in the niche is doing, that's important information you can use to change up the type of things you end up posting.

Either way, this kind of information is worth having.

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Post to Other Platforms

TikTok isn't the only place you should post your videos. Put them on YouTube as Shorts, and try to stir up as much engagement as you can on sites like X, Instagram, or Facebook. Cross-posting is worth doing even without a large following.

There's always a chance a post on another platform will go viral. If you don't have any luck posting on TikTok, that same content may have a better chance in the YouTube Shorts algorithm. Either way, get your content and name out there as much as possible.

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Interact With Followers

It's always exciting to see a creator respond to you, and that doesn't change on TikTok. As much as possible, try to interact with your followers. Respond to comments, follow them back, and watch their videos as much as you can, especially when you're first starting.

Even better, if another creator follows you, interacting with them can be a great way to make connections in your particular niche. If the right creator shares your video at the right time, you might well end up going viral, so it's always worth socializing where you can.

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