Over the years, TikTok has quickly become one of the leading social media apps in the world and currently has a staggering 689 million monthly users. For content creators, TikTok is a key platform to promote their work, products, personalities and ideas in creative ways to a global audience.
However, the saturation of videos and accounts on TikTok means that creators need to think outside of the box in order to stand out among the millions of worldwide users. Outlined below are my top five tips for making your content compelling, engaging and increasing its visibility across the video-sharing platform.
The power of a hashtag
Although it may seem tedious at times, incorporating hashtags into TikTok posts can truly make or break content’s discoverability on the platform. Being strategic about what hashtags are used and when can boost videos significantly, allowing them to reach more potential followers.
For example, if creators utilize trending hashtags, their content could just make it on the Discovery page, which is viewed by millions of users around the world every day. Similar to the algorithms implemented on Instagram and Twitter, TikTok prioritizes content that receives a lot of interaction and attention. As more users react to and comment on certain posts, the TikTok algorithm becomes more familiar with both a creator’s content and profile.
Additionally, the For You page includes posts that use specific hashtags to present content to demographics that are more likely to enjoy and interact with the videos. This is all done using artificial intelligence (AI) technology that relies heavily on users’ personal information including location and internet searches.
Above all, hashtags allow creators to seamlessly see and analyze what other users are sharing on the platform. By viewing specific hashtags, TikTok users can observe which content is performing better than others and what trends or ideas have already been shared. All of this insight empowers creators to plan out smart and strategic ideas and optimize trends that are growing in popularity.
Consistency and timing are key
According to recent research, the best global times to post on TikTok are from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). During these hours, engagement is the highest around the world and users are consuming the largest amount of content. Posting new videos during these active periods can boost exposure and lead to more users seeing the content than at any other point during the day.
Despite what research shows, however, it’s important to know that there’s not always a true one-size-fits-all answer for when to post on TikTok. Content creators need to actively look at where their followers are based, and when they’re most active and then adjust posting times accordingly.
Along with this, posting consistently on TikTok is very important in continually growing an audience and helping content be seen. According to Digital Marketer, posting one to three times a day guarantees that followers will see the content which could lead to a growth in audience. Additionally, let’s not forget, the more content you share, the more opportunities there are to increase engagement and reach more users.
Be both an active creator and consumer
Consuming videos on TikTok is almost as important as posting original content. In order to gain an understanding of rising trends and what makes videos go viral, content creators need to be active consumers as well. By monitoring and watching other users’ content on the social media platform, creators can get a better grasp on what performs well and incorporate these elements into their own ideas.
TikTok is a very trends-oriented platform. This past year, videos of cranberry juice-fueled Fleetwood Mac skateboard rides and cheesy pasta recipes flooded TikTok and eventually bled onto Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms. Observing rising TikTok trends and posting content related to these trends is one way content creators can grow their followers and broaden their presence on the platform.
However, if creators want to truly maximize the chances that their trend-related content will be seen, they need to post quickly while the trend/challenge is still hot and fresh. According to the Social Media Examiner, most TikTok users get tired of seeing specific trends and challenges on their feed three-to-five days after they’ve gone viral.
Add your own flair
On the flipside of this, creating original and engaging content is also important for TikTok users. This year, trend forecasters predict that user generated content (UGC) will skyrocket on the platform. UGC is any sort of content that users have created themselves including their own challenges, dance routines, recipes and reviews. Posting original videos is not only a great way for creators to market their content, but it can also increase their influence on TikTok should their videos go viral or lead to a slew of recreations from other users.
In addition, the majority of users want to follow creators that post original ideas that cater to their interests, are ahead of the trends or even start them. For example, Charli d’Amelio, the most followed account on TikTok, earned her 122.5 million followers by posting her own dance routines. Since her videos took off, she’s evolved her content and now creates a variety of engaging posts including makeup tutorials, sponsored content and behind-the-scenes clips. D’Amelio is just one example of how original ideas can skyrocket a creator’s engagement, reach and influence on TikTok.
Think globally
Although TikTok has nearly 700 million active monthly users, only 100 million of those accounts are based in the United States. With this in mind, it’s important that creators consider a global perspective when developing content.
For example, many creators used TikTok to share posts surrounding the U.S. presidential election in 2020. Although this content did very well in America, with some political videos during this time period reaching over 1 million likes, it didn’t necessarily resonate with users in other parts of the world who are not interested in American politics.
If users want to reach the maximum potential for engagement on the platform, they need to consider sharing content that relates to numerous demographics around the world. It’s no secret the world came together in a lot of ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, global TikTok users created a lot of content influenced by the pandemic due to its relatability to a worldwide audience. All of this has led to the #Pandemic hashtag reaching over 3.2 billion views. This is just one example of how content creators take global views into consideration before producing content for others to consume and enjoy.
Whether creators are just starting out on TikTok or are currently working toward reaching a larger views goal, consider implementing these five tips to increase the engagement, following and overall visibility of your content on one of the biggest social media platforms in the world.