Gen Z influencers might not jam out to that Kesha song from nearly a decade ago, but they clearly know the rules of the Tik Tok party that we are all trying to get invited to.
The plebeians of Tik Tok (and don’t worry I fall into this category too) dream of making it to the luminous “For You Page.” On this page, a user can go from rags to riches overnight. While many apps have a basic formula to get likes, engagements, and reach, Tik Tok has sort of been the odd man out.
Sometimes videos go viral with no sound, description, or hashtags. Other videos have the works to get the attention they need from people like hashtags, viral trends, etc. However, with over 1.5 billion people on Tik Tok now, finding a “need in a hay stack” seems actually doable than getting on the For You Page.
So… how does a creator or brand commit to best practices that lead to great engagement and following?
Don’t sleep on the Trends
Trends are what keep Tik Tok running. Some trends happen overnight and are gone with a week. Others last a bit longer. For example, the “Bills bills bills” trend is rounding on three weeks. However, who knows? It might be replaced tomorrow!
I’m my most recent post with Tik Tok, I jumped on the sound trend of a movie line from “Remember the Titans.” Thanks to the viral push it was getting and the appropriate hashtags, I was able to get my most views and likes ever.
Pro tip: Make your video and upload within hours of seeing a trend. Don’t sleep on these movements and be ready to go!
Choose a Niche
The world is bigger than we know and if you think you are a part of a group, turns out you might be a member of a giant club!
From books, to makeup, to sports, to family life, to tv reviews, to DIY, to dancing, there is a “club” for everyone. People are more likely to engage with people who can speak on their behalf, especially with influencing their buying and decisions too.
In this video on my personal account, I stitched a video commenting on cleaning practices of a restaurant kitchen at night. Having previously worked in a restaurant for three years, I felt I could definitely speak from experience and joke around. I threw in a hashtag that was trending and made sure my other hashtags spoke to what I was communicating too. This was the first time I put auto captions as well because it is good practice to make sure you are inclusive to those needing them.
Turns out, the video went viral getting about 200K views within a week…and then it went viral again a few weeks after pushing it to 1 million views. I quickly learned that it appears everyone who has worked in a restaurant has thought the same as I had! (Alexa, play ‘It’s a Small World After All.’)
Pro tip: Choose topics you enjoy, know and/or thrive in!
Know The Best Times to Post
For a app that’s based on a clock, one should make sure they are posting at the right time.
Influencer Marketing Hub examined over 100,000 posts and gathered the data on what were the best times for one to post. The grid above shows these times.
In this particular video, I waited for both 7pm on a Wednesday, jumped on a sound trend, and made sure to use appropriate booktok hashtags. At the time, 60 likes was my best engagement so it was a major win!
Pro tip: Post at suggested times to make the most out of your video’s longevity and potential viral push!
However you Tik Tok, remember… through trial and error, you can grow your account solidly through examining trends, communities, and timing.
Happy posting!
