With catchy tunes, cool dance moves, and the ability to go viral in split seconds, Tiktok has become the next big thing on the internet. The short video-sharing app originally started as a social media project called “Douyin” in China. Later, it went global as “Tiktok” and gained a whopping 1 billion monthly users.
It has even bypassed big names like Snapchat to become the most downloaded app of 2022 worldwide. It is a great source of entertainment and nobody can seem to put it down. Tiktok is also a great platform to market your goods and services as you can get very high visibility. So it is no surprise that influencers, celebrities, and brands are all scrambling to set up their online presence on Tiktok.
But filming yourself lip-syncing to trending songs or dancing to Doja Cat is only the first step to making it big on Instagram. Like any social media platform, you need to get people to watch and engage with your content. How else are you going to build up a brand presence? This calls for a solid marketing strategy to help you bring in viewers and build a loyal community. Read on to find out how to get more views on Tiktok when you’re starting out.
How Does Tiktok Work?
Before you jump into marketing strategies and tactics to bring in more views, you need to know the basics of Tiktok. Here is a crash course on how the app works for content creators and brands. Understanding Tiktok will help you leverage the tips below.
What counts as a “view” on Tiktok?
Views are measured differently on different social media platforms. But on Tiktok, the views metric is fairly simple to understand. The second a user watches your video, it is immediately counted as a view. Getting them to watch till the end is a harder task.
But with the tactics you’ll read below, you can make it happen. When users loop your video or come back to watch it again, it will count as more new views. Of course, the views will not increase when you watch it yourself.
How much will you earn per view?
Tiktok launched a Creator Fund in 2020 to pay the most successful creators on the app. There is no fixed amount but you can expect to earn $0.2-$0.4 per 1000 views. You have to meet a certain criteria as a content creator before you can apply for the fund.
The Best Ways to Get More Views on Tiktok
Use hashtags
If you want to learn how to get more views on TikTok, hashtags are a great way to start. Hashtags are essentially what helps the algorithm determine your niche and the target audience. They also enable users to discover your videos through the search feature.
Many content creators believe that trending topics end up on the For You page often. So you may want to keep an eye out for the Discover tab to see which hashtags are currently trending. For example, the #raindrop challenge was able to bring up its views to 1.1 billion in 2021.
Keep it short
Tiktok videos can now run up to 3 minutes long. But 15-30 second-long videos have higher chances of ending up on the popular end of the For You Page. Viewers are also more likely to rewatch it since it’s more engaging this way. Think about it, would you rather watch someone drone in for 3 whole minutes or catch your attention with a short video that’s packed with a punch?
Find a niche audience
The short video app is filled with so many kinds of videos from different creators. Hence, there is a specific sub-genre of Tiktok for every user out there. The next step is to figure out your niche and observe how similar content creators are making Tiktok work for them.
You can also leave likes and comments to form a connection with the target audience. This way viewers will come across your responses and engage with your videos.
Use trending sounds
Besides hashtags, Tiktok sounds also cycle in and out of popularity. So stay alert for sounds that start recurring all of a sudden. The trends come and go so often that you’ll come across a new popular sound every day. You can discover trending sounds by tapping on the Create feature and going through the sounds list. You’ll be able to see the current most popular songs at the top of the list.
Make educational content
If you get tired of dancing to pop songs, note that educational content is also a big hit on Tiktok. People usually get bored of long, informative videos. So they are more receptive when the content is served in bite-sized pieces or in this case, a 30-second video. Tutorials are especially popular with the crowd. But even answering FAQs or sharing interesting facts about your niche can bring in a ton of views.
Try the Duet feature
The Duet feature on Tiktok is a great way for you to take advantage of a video that has already become popular. If you’re serious about learning how to get more views on Tiktok, you should pay full attention to this.
With this feature, you can share a split-screen with the original creator and make a literal duet. You can sing along, dance, have a hilarious dialogue etc. It is a great way to pump out content when you’re out ideas for an original video.
Collaborate with other creators
Crossovers are bound to get everyone’s attention focused on your videos. So consider collaborating with an influencer, brand or another creator to gain access to a new audience. When your guest pushes your videos forward, their fans will flock to your profile. Before you know it, you’ll be drowning in views.
Cross-promote your Tiktok channel
If you’re a content creator or you run a brand, Tiktok is most likely a part of a larger digital marketing strategy. So you might be active on other social media platforms too. You can redirect those audiences to your TikToks by sharing sneak peeks on your other accounts. A short Instagram story and a link on Twitter go a long way in building up a cross-platform social campaign.
Also Check, The Best Time to Post on Tiktok
Keep viewers engaged till the end
A new view is added to your view count the moment someone starts watching your Tiktok. But it is also important to keep them hooked till the video ends. This is because the Tiktok algorithm favours videos that have higher completion rates.
It prioritizes recommending quality content to the For You Page. Don’t worry too much though about how to keep them hooked though. You just need to rouse their curiosity at the start and promise a satisfying ending. You can also use captions to build suspense.
Set up a Creator/Business account
A Tiktok Creator or Business account won’t give you priority on the For You Page. But you can still use it to get access to insights and metrics to study and understand what the audience wants. These metrics show you your existing audience, their activities, and preferences. All of these data are useful for planning your videos and executing them perfectly.
Post frequently
Similar to Twitter, things move very fast on Tiktok too. Even Tiktok recommends posting at least 1-4 times a day to stay ahead of everyone else. The more Tiktoks you produce, the more likely you are to pop up on someone’s For You Page.
This way your videos will lead them to discover more content on your profile. Remember not to compromise on the quality of your Tiktoks since you’ll be making a lot of them every day.
Create quality videos
Tiktok favours high-quality videos that are filmed with good lighting and sound. You get even more points if you put a trending sound on your Tiktoks. After all, people will enjoy your content more if it appeals to them. You should also consider investing in a good phone or digital camera if you want to learn how to get more views on Tiktok.
Add captions
Leveraging the caption is a great solution when you’re wondering how to get more views on Tiktok. Although you only get 150 characters to create a pitch, you can still use it to get the audience’s attention. A good caption can also help convince users that they need to watch your videos. You can use it to get the conversation going in the comments too.
Time your posts
If you post when fewer people are active, you are definitely not going to get any hits on your Tiktoks. So the first thing you need to do after getting a Creator or Business account is to check the analytics report. You’ll be able to determine when the target audience is most active and plan your content schedule accordingly.
Conclusion:
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the “Sheesh” videos or the Kiki challenge everywhere. These are just a few of the many trends that have blown up on Tiktok. It is a great platform for content creators to promote themselves and create brand awareness. There is a huge audience you can tap into and unlimited features you can use to make your Tiktoks stand out from the rest.
But real growth on Tiktok requires more than a few hastily prepared videos. If you’re frustrated about how to get more views on Tiktok, you can rest assured that you aren’t the only one. You can use these tactics to enhance your videos and start bringing in a ton of views.