How To Go Viral on TikTok: 5 Tips
Going viral on TikTok is something that many of us dream of. However, there are actionable steps you can take to turn this luck into predictable and highly effective ways to go viral on TikTok.
1. Keep your video short and punchy
The average human attention span is only a few seconds long. If you want to make a TikTok video go viral, you need to make sure it grabs the audience’s attention in the first few seconds - any longer and most people will have already swiped away. To add, you should also ensure your video has some kind of impact. Often, the videos that go viral on TikTok are those that start with a bang. There isn’t silence at the beginning of the video. Transitions are quick and obvious, and the whole purpose or point of the video is immediately evident - whether it be humorous, educational, or anything else.
There are a few ways you can cut down your video length. Begin by repeatedly watching your video as you’re editing it and figure out where you can cut it down. Even half a second can make a huge difference. Next, understand what the hook of the video is - the point in which you grab the viewer's attention - and make sure it is obvious and visible or audible in the first few seconds of the video.
2. Make sure there is a purpose or story behind your content
It is much easier to go viral on TikTok if your video has a story - but not in the same way a book or a movie does. The best TikTok videos are quick, snappy, and attention-grabbing with a purpose at the same time. Whether that’s sharing an insight, showing a humorous moment, recording a short tutorial or anything else, your TikTok video needs to have a reason for being.
In fact, this ties in perfectly with point #1 and finding the hook to your video. It’s much easier to grab and hold your viewers’ attention if you can pique their interest in some way. Ultimately, you do this by providing some form of value. Whether that’s a good laugh, a useful life-hack or even just some inspirational content - that’s up to you.
3. Spark engagement within your viewership
As mentioned, one of the best ways to go viral on TikTok is to find what interests your wider audience and piques their interest. There are several ways you can achieve this, but it’s a great idea to start with the fundamentals: controversial, inspirational, humorous, relatable, unique and mysterious videos are often the ones that work best. For example, relatable videos often encourage viewers to tell their own stories in the comments, while funny videos are more likely to be shared.
Another great way to drive engagement is to reply to comments you receive on your videos actively. Not only will this make you look like an active account, but extra engagement will help further boost your video’s performance and could be all you need to go viral on TikTok.
4. Use trending audio, voiceovers, and captions
A big part of the TikTok subculture is all the trending songs and audio clips used in videos. Pairing a trending audio clip with voiceovers is another must-have if you want to make your TikTok videos go viral. As we’ve mentioned, people need to understand quickly and easily what your video is about. Voiceovers are a great way to do this, whether your own or automated using CapCut.
Lastly, don’t forget the importance of captions. Sometimes people watch TikTok videos without audible sound, or simply might not have caught what the voiceover said. If this is the case, captions are a lifesaver and help to hugely boost the potential reach and thus virality of your video.
5. Aim to get featured on the “For You” Section
Wondering what happens if you go viral on TikTok? Most likely, you will have been featured in the “For You” section. If your goal is truly to go viral, you’ll need far more than just your followers to watch your video. The “For You” section is where your video can get recommended to those that TikTok thinks might be interested.
Unfortunately, there is no failsafe strategy to get there. However, you can make a great start by ensuring your content is not too niche. For your video to go viral on TikTok, it needs to have a wide appeal. Next, you can start to use appropriate hashtags for your content. Try to find those that have a nice balance between being specific and being focused.
Bonus tip: Choose your video editor wisely
When posting content to a platform like TikTok, one of the most important things is to have a video editor you know your way around. CapCut offers the tools and interfaces needed to achieve all of the above 5 tips and much more. Better yet, it's free, incredibly simple to use, fast, and completely. Read more about what CapCut is capable of.
