Tips and tricks to go viral on TikTok
Whether you are a marketing agency looking to branch out your social content, or a brand trying to optimise short-form video and trying to understand why the Gen Z marketing girlie keeps banging on about starting an office TikTok account – you’ve come to the right place!
Yes, it is possible to post one video, go to sleep and wake up with millions of views and followers. These rare viral success stories may have drawn you to the platform in the first place. However, like everything else in life, the key to TikTok success lies in a balance between imagination, dedication, and knowledge.
In this blog, we will discuss the basics of what TikTok is (for those living under a rock), its infamous FYP and algorithm, and exactly how so many individuals and businesses go viral every day.
TikTok’s background and basics
Why is TikTok so popular?
TikTok launched in September 2015 but didn’t blow up until late 2018, when it quickly became the most downloaded app on the app store. As of March 2025, TikTok has over 1.8 billion monthly users, making it the second-biggest social media platform in the world. Once downloaded, it’s clear to see why the app is so popular. Unlike Instagram, X and Facebook, TikTok is a video-only platform where the emphasis is on the FYP (for you page).
The FYP shows you random and popular viral videos that you might like based on your personal algorithm. It provides a range of fun and informative short videos which are tailored to each individual, the goal being that the more you watch, the better your user experience becomes. The short-form video content and the ease of scrolling from video to video encourage users to become engulfed in the endless sensory experience TikTok provides, and before you know it, you have been scrolling for hours.
On average, people are spending 58 minutes per day scrolling through TikTok’s FYP, which is drastically higher than the average time spent on the Instagram explore page, looking at just 5-10 minutes per day. If this doesn’t show you just how many new people you could reach by creating on TikTok, I don’t know what will.
Although this doesn’t sound great for individuals trying to reduce their screen time, the TikTok doom scrolling addiction is a fantastic way for companies and brands to get their name out there, promote their products and services and build up a wider community, completely organically.
How does TikTok’s algorithm work?
For the most part, TikTok won’t reveal its algorithm secrets, but we do know that it works by analysing user interactions to determine what videos to show to each individual. It considers how long a user watches a video, how many likes and comments it gets, and who the user follows. It also looks at the keywords mentioned in video titles, hashtags and language preferences and compares them to terms a user has searched on the app.
More recently, TikTok has also become a powerful search engine in its own right, especially among Gen Z users. This rise of “social SEO” means that creators and brands are now optimising their content to be discoverable through TikTok search. The algorithm pays close attention to on-screen text, spoken words (via auto-captions), and keyword-rich descriptions to surface relevant videos to users actively searching for specific topics. Using strategic keywords and SEO best practices, similarly to how you would for web content, allows you to significantly boost visibility, even beyond the For You Page.
How should long TikTok videos be?
TikTok videos range from 3 seconds to up to 10 minutes when recorded within the app. Attention spans are shorter than ever. Since 2004, the average attention span on a screen has decreased from 2.5 minutes to just 47 seconds. So, when creating a video, make sure your message is clear and straight to the point.
Data suggests that the optimal time to deliver a video’s selling point is within the first 3 to 5 seconds. By combining creative short-form content with a highly tailored algorithm, TikTok is perfectly designed for fast-scrolling users. Its rise aligns seamlessly with the decline in mobile attention spans, making it a perfect addition to today’s social media landscape.
We recommend this structure for the best user engagement:
- Hook: Start with a captivating hook to immediately grab the viewer’s attention. Creators often use clickbait phrases to encourage engagement.
- Body: Deliver the main message or value in the body of the video. Make sure to include your USP here between the 3-5 second mark.
- Call to Action (CTA): End with a clear call to action, such as asking viewers to follow, comment, or visit a link or go to part two, encouraging profile engagement.
How do I go viral on TikTok?
Ok, onto the reason you are all here. What can you do to make your TikTok videos go viral?
Optimise your TikTok posting schedule for optimum views
As mentioned earlier, TikTok is an extremely popular platform where the majority of users are engaging with the app every single day. Ideally, to get the best results, you want to be showing up on an individual’s feed every time they open the app. To ensure this happens, it is recommended that posting twice per day is the sweet spot between pushing content and not overwhelming your audience.
“Twice a day!!!” Do I hear you say? Yes, it does sound like a lot of work, but the benefits of going viral on TikTok can be sooo worth it.
Perfect your visual and creative content on TikTok to encourage engagement
Like any social media platform, content must be visually appealing whilst representing the brand and its ethos. This ensures the content resonates with your target audience. But unlike other social platforms, TikTok is a place where people can go wild! Forget the perfectly colour-scaled Instagram grid or overedited YouTube videos; the people of TikTok like to keep it real.
Studies show that 94% of customers say they’re more likely to remain loyal to a brand that’s completely transparent. Use TikTok to show us behind-the-scenes, unedited footage of the faces behind the brand and brand personality.
Sisters and Seekers are a UK-based fashion brand who produce various daily vlogs and staff Q&A’s allowing their audience to get to know the team behind the brand.
Likewise, the producers behind the popular TV show Grey’s Anatomy also value behind-the-scenes content and encourage viewers to get to know the actors behind the screen.
Another way to get creative with your content is to think outside the box. Get into the head of your customers. What challenges might they face relating to your industry or target market?
Ryanair do this by using humor in their videos, highlighting common customer issues about flying. Their controversial content sparks unmatched conversation in their comments section.
Candy Kittens often opts for a more educational approach, which aligns with their target market and encourages saves and shares.
Follow these ideas for creative content creation, and watch your TikTok community grow.
Repurpose old content into high-performing TikToks
With the transparent and unedited nature of TikTok, this is the perfect place to repurpose your content. Have you created a polished video for your brand to use for advertising or on Instagram? Why not use the bloopers to create a short new video for TikTok? Make your audience laugh, stay real and relatable, and grow your audience.
How to increase visibility using trending sounds
While scrolling through your FYP, you might come across various videos using the same audio. TikTok is known for its ever-changing trends and viral sounds, which have become a key strategy to increase visibility and your chances of going viral. But be quick; TikTok trends are only ever in for a few weeks, if that! Once you see an idea, make sure to put your spin on it asap to get the most visibility.
Remember, not every post needs to make sense for your brand. Just like Duolingo has done below, respond to trends that resonate with your target market, even if they have nothing at all to do with language learning.
How to use voice-overs and annotated captions for best results
The use of voiceovers is also a popular feature on TikTok and can work very well for day-in-the-life or behind-the-scenes style videos as seen on the Samsung video avove. TikTok insights reveals that viewers trust a brand 65% more after seeing an ad with a voiceover compared to one without. Connecting with your audience and building brand loyalty really is that easy.
Remember to turn on subtitles (known as captions on TikTok) to increase inclusivity, especially as 80% of UK viewers aged 18 to 25 regularly use subtitles.
How to encourage audience communication through captions and the comments section
Captions, like any social media platform, serve the purpose of describing the videos to viewers and adding additional information such as locations, recipe instructions or tags. With TikTok running the FYP via its own algorithm, the captions also play a valuable role in pushing your videos out to others using text-based discoverability to enhance TikTok SEO.
As well as working behind the scenes to drive visibility, captions on TikTok videos also work to spark conversation in the comments section, another way TikTok’s algorithm chooses which videos to push. Communicating with your audience is a great way to drive this visibility whilst also connecting with your audience.
Tips for creating a good caption:
- Ask your audience a question – drive conversation in the comments.
- Use relevant hashtags and tags to make sure the right people find your video – Utilise TikTok SEO and research competitors and your target market to find out what sort of words you should be targeting. TikTok also provides guides on current trending hashtags, which you can find here>
- Use a call to action – Phrases such as “Tag a friend who would love this!” encourage engagement and video shares, or “Click the link in bio to shop” allows viewers to find products or services quickly.
- Use clickbait – Spark curiosity and keep viewers watching by opening your videos with an attention-grabbing phrase such as, “This is what [Name] really does at work (don’t tell HR) 😬”
Captions on TikTok not only boost visibility through SEO, but also encourage audience interaction by sparking conversation in the comments so don’t neglect this area when wanting to go viral!
Key takeaways for TikTok success
To truly thrive on TikTok, you need to create engaging content while balancing the platform’s technical SEO and algorithm. Use a mix of trending sounds, audio narration, and captions to make your content more engaging and accessible. Clickbait-style hooks can work wonders to draw viewers in, but don’t forget the golden rule of consistency—posting regularly is key to staying on the radar of the algorithm. A structured content plan can help maintain this consistency while allowing space for creativity. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to be a little silly and take risks! TikTok rewards originality, humor, and authenticity, so embrace the platform’s chaotic and fun nature to make your content stand out.
To get support in developing your TikTok strategy, get in contact with our team. For more information on content planning that is not just TikTok-specific, download our example content plan here>