So you’ve started posting with TikTok, have you? You’re in good company! The biggest brands and independent creators have found huge success on this platform following new and sometimes unconventional methods. But it’s not always easy! On TikTok, it’s all about the views. They increase your visibility on the platform, enhance engagement, and can lead to more followers. High view counts also improve your chances of earning money through the Creator Fund by attracting brand partnerships. In short, views attract more views.
So in this blog, we’ll share some simple tips to make your videos more likely to be discovered. We also answered many of the top questions TikTok users have to help make their black box a little more transparent. So let’s dig in!
TLDR: To get more views on TikTok, focus on these key strategies:
- Create High-Quality Content: Use clear audio, sharp visuals, and engaging editing.
- Optimize for the FYP: Use attention-grabbing hooks, relevant keywords, and trending sounds and hashtags.
- Post Consistently: Regularly share fresh content to build momentum and stay visible.
- Engage with Your Audience: Like and reply to comments, and use features like Stitch and Duet
1. Set up a TikTok Creator or TikTok Business account
Next up, in order to follow the rest of these optimizations, you’ll want to create a creator or business account. Not only does this signal to TikTok that you mean business, but it unlocks specific tools to amplify your account. If you want to make any money through your account whether it’s through views or ads, you need to start here.
- Creator Account: Ideal for individuals and personal brands.
- Business Account: Best for brands that want to promote products and run ads.
To set up your account:
- Go to your profile and tap the three dots in the top right corner to open Settings and Privacy.
- Select "Manage Account."
- Tap on "Switch to Pro Account."
- Select "Creator" or "Business" based on your needs.
- For a Creator Account, choose your category (e.g., artist, comedian).
- For a Business Account, select the category that best represents your business.
2. Create high-quality TikTok videos
While TikTok values authenticity, quality is still key.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean professional or elaborate animations and transitions. Some of today’s most successful brands create user-generated-style videos and memes that perfectly suit their brand! The key is that they’re well done. So whether you’re creating videos for your personal account or brand, make sure quality is your top priority.
Here are some universal ways to showcase quality in all of your videos:
- Clear audio: Ensure your microphone picks up clear sound without background noise.
- Sharp visuals: Good lighting and stable camera work make a big difference.
- Consistent branding: Maintain a cohesive look and feel across your videos.
- Engaging editing: Use professional cuts, transitions, and effects to keep viewers interested, but don't overdo it.
- Optimize for mobile: Film content specifically for the small screen.
3. Optimize content for the TikTok For You Page (FYP)
The TikTok for your page (FYP) is a launchpad for content. Each video is competing for your audience’s attention. You can think of it as a popularity contest - the most watched and remembered videos win.
There's no guaranteed formula for hitting the for you page, but several strategies can increase your chances. Here's how to optimize your content for the FYP:
- Attention-grabbing hook: You have 3 seconds to to grab viewers' attention and stop them from scrolling, so start strong with a hook.
- Creative and entertaining: Provide value, humor, information, or entertainment from the start to make them want more.
- Use hashtags: Be sure to include hashtags like #foryoupage and #fyp
- Use trending audio: Using trending and familiar audio tells your viewers a lot about your video in only a few milliseconds. This makes your video more likely to go viral because viewers know what to expect and are eager to see new takes on the trends.
TikTok's audience values authenticity over polished content. Behind-the-scenes or unfiltered footage helps brands appear more real and relatable, resonating with users who prefer imperfection and a human connection in their entertainment.
Gursharan SinghCo-Founder, WebSpero Solutions
4. Keep your TikTok videos short
As of July 2024, the ideal length for TikTok videos is generally between 15 to 60 seconds. Although the maximum length for TikTok videos remains at 3 minutes, shorter videos often perform better. It’s all about creating quick, engaging, and digestible content.
Here are some short and sweet TikTok video templates under 30 seconds.
5. Add keywords to your TikTok descriptions
You can’t escape the importance of keywords online, no matter the platform! Using relevant keywords helps your content get discovered by users searching for specific topics or trends. They also help TikTok to understand what kind of content you create so it can point users in the right direction.
Try to work them into your video’s description naturally, rather than stuffing them in. This subtlety makes your brand seem more approachable and genuine. Don’t worry – if you can’t fit them all in, you can turn to your hashtags and captions!
6. Add hashtags
In addition to your description, you should work your keywords into your hashtags. Hashtags are another tool that helps users find your content. We recommend using a mix of “evergreen” hashtags that are relevant to your product or brand, including your brand name, as well as a mix of trending and topical hashtags.
For example, I might add the following hashtags to a TikTok video promoting a new skincare product: #skincare #trendingskincare #viralskincare #drunkelephant #skincareroutine #fyp #skincarecommunity #clearskin #healthyskin
7. Add captions
Captions boost the accessibility of your videos for hearing-impaired viewers and help to widen your audience. Adding captions makes your videos easier to watch IRL when the viewer might not want or be able to play the sound aloud.
You can use TikTok’s automatic caption feature makes it easy to subtitle your video. Or, you can do it yourself to sneak in some more keywords.
8. Use trending sounds on TikTok
Trending sounds are the most well-known part of TikTok! They’re the starting point of countless trends and a key to viral success.
By using trending audio, your video has a better shot of appearing on the for you page. Because TikTok knows people are already engaging with that sound, they're more likely to recommend it to others. These trending songs and sounds also foster a sense of community online. People from all walks of life can use this sound as a blueprint to create different takes on a joke, tell stories, or participate in challenges.
But use just any old trending sound! While it can help get views, make sure the sound fits your brand and your video's concept. Keep in mind that the best TikToks often combine popular sounds with fresh ideas. Like this one by Hootsuite!
9. Post on TikTok at the right time
Have you ever posted and seemingly done all the right things but your video still didn’t get views? It could be because it wasn’t posted at the right time.
The best times to post on TikTok will vary depending on your specific audience and location, but generally, peak times for engagement are:
- Weekdays: Early morning (7 AM to 9 AM) and late afternoon/evening (around 4 PM to 7 PM).
- Weekends: Saturday mornings and evenings (7 AM to 9 AM and 7 PM to 9 PM) often see high engagement.
But remember to analyze your own TikTok analytics to find the times that work best for reaching your specific audience.
10. Post on TikTok consistently
The TikTok algorithm favors accounts that post fresh content regularly. Essentially, you’re providing it with more videos and more opportunities to serve your content to others. Consistent posting helps you build momentum and stay top-of-mind with your followers and the constant churn of trends.
In the long run, posting quality content consistently can lead to a snowball effect, where more views and engagement attract even more followers. Plus, the more you create, the more comfortable you’ll get with video creation and the better you’ll know your audience! Like all things, you’re sure to get better with practice.
11. Interact with users frequently
The power is not solely in the posting! Engaging with your audience signals to both TikTok and your audience that you’re in it for the long haul. By liking and replying to comments, stitching videos from your fans, and tailoring content to your audience, you’re building an engaged and active community.
And, of course, it helps your algorithm too. While TikTok’s algorithm is a bit of a black box, we know that consistent engagement with your followers is a factor that helps your videos shoot to the fyp.
12. Collaborate with TikTok influencers and creators
TikTok is a great platform for collaboration! TikTok influencers are experts at making creative, natural, and authentic content that resonates with their audience. By dueting others’ content or creating content together, you’re able to share engaging content that boosts your credibility and relatability.
Sephora does this exceptionally well by working with beauty influencers and expanding their reach to their platforms:
13. Stitch and duet others’ videos
Speaking of collaboration, TikTok’s duet feature makes it extremely easy to collaborate with others online. Duets let you create a split-screen video where another’s video and yours play at the same time. It's a common way for users to respond to, collaborate with, or riff off of existing content.
One of my clients, a skincare brand, was doing everything TikTok advice tells you to do. Still, nothing landed. What actually worked? The founder sat down, phone in hand, and reacted to a viral video. She didn't sugarcoat it. Just said, "Please stop doing this, here's why," then explained how it damages skin and what to do instead. No script, no setup, just a frustrated skincare nerd being real. It hit 300k views in a few days.
Nirmal GyanwaliFounder & CMO, WP Creative
Or, stitch a video to show two videos, the original and your response, right after the other! Here’s a great example from Heinz:
When looking for opportunities to collaborate and duet, make sure you select an original video that aligns with your brand and where you can craft meaningful response. You can easily build your recognition with key industry leaders and influencers (and come up with new ideas) by looking at what others are creating and playing off of their existing content.
Then, your content reaches their audience and vice-versa! It's a win win.
14. Cross-promote your TikTok videos on other platforms
TikTok is a massive platform, but it's not the only game in town.
You've already poured time and creativity into making your videos – so get the most of them! By sharing your videos on other social media channels, you can expose them to entirely new audiences who might not have found you on TikTok. And now that YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and other platforms have optimized their algorithms for TikTok-style videos, cross-sharing content is easier than ever.
One stone, three birds, and three times the reach from a single piece of content? Sign me up!
Bonus tips from the marketing experts
We asked the experts what unexpected and unconventional strategies they've had success with on TikTok. Here's what we learned:
Create micro-educational videos
"One surprisingly successful TikTok strategy I've seen cut through the clamor is teaching hyper-specific, oddly niche skills that offer solutions to micro-problems viewers didn't even know they had. A cleaning company, for instance, went viral when it showed 'how to properly fold fitted sheets with hospital corners' - something we all need to know, but it's a topic no one talks about. It worked because it combined three core elements: 1) The specificity made it feel like an exclusive 'insider' tip, not just general advice, 2) it touches on that universal satisfaction of learning a life hack you could never master, and 3) because of it's odd focus, it was immediately shareable as a 'why did I never know this?' moment."
- Sunaree Ko
BS in Psychology, Digital Marketing Specialist, Founder, TarotCards.io
Build anticipation
"Because our industry is about transformation, we have found that telling part of the story, rather than the whole thing, wets people's appetites to learn more and see the finished result. So by starting with our team beginning a project but not the end in one video, we entice people to see look for more to see the entire beautiful transformation."
- Dana Le
Director of Marketing & Sales, 405 Cabinets & Stone
Don't be afraid to be messy
"One of the most unexpectedly effective strategies I've seen on TikTok—and used with clients—is intentionally breaking the aesthetic. I know, coming from a branding strategist, that sounds counterintuitive. But there's something magnetic about content that ditches polish for raw specificity. Here's what I mean: Instead of trying to "package" the message, I've seen founders show up in messy buns, talking straight to the camera from their car or kitchen, sharing a hyper-specific insight, story, or unpopular opinion tied to their brand mission. No trending audio. No choreography. Just clarity, vulnerability, and authority. The reason it works? It feels real. And in an ecosystem flooded with sameness, realness wins. When you cut through the noise with something that sounds like a conversation—not a commercial—people listen. They pause. They follow. They convert."
- Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
TikTok video templates
Need help getting started? Check out these free TikTok video templates that were optimized using the tips above!
