The time has come: you have created a tiktok account. congratulations!
you’ve embraced the short form video app that’s taken the world by storm (2 billion downloads and counting!) and you’ve been creating videos, honing your tiktok editing skills, and honing your dance moves from doja cat.
but making creative videos about cereal donuts or mom pranks is just one step to building a successful tiktok presence. because you have to get people to watch your videos too.
We’ve got you covered. Read on for 15 essential strategies to get more views on tiktok. we will make you a star!
what is a “view” in tiktok?
Different social media platforms measure “views” in different ways, but on tiktok, it’s very simple: the moment your video starts playing, it counts as a view.
If the video autoplays or loops, or if a viewer returns to watch it multiple times, all of that counts as new views. (However, when you watch your own video, those views are not counted.)
make someone watch all the way to the end? that’s a different story. but with that pretty low barrier to entry for what counts as a “view”, racking up the metrics on tiktok isn’t too hard.
how much does tiktok pay per view?
tiktok launched its creator fund in August 2020 to offer payments to the platform’s most popular and successful users. or, as described by tiktok itself:
“Through the tiktok creator fund, our creators will be able to earn additional earnings that help reward the care and dedication they put into connecting creatively with an audience that is inspired by their ideas.”
There’s no standard fee amount or payment plan (the amount available in the creator pool changes daily, apparently), but expect to earn between $0.02 and $0.04 per 1000 views.
source: tiktok
but not everyone can take advantage of tiktok’s generosity. To be eligible for tiktok creator fund payments, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- be at least 18 years old.
- have a minimum of 10,000 followers.
- Have had a minimum of 100,000 video views in the past 30 days.
- Be based in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy. (sorry canada!)
- your account must comply with the tiktok community guidelines and terms of service.
if that’s you, you can apply for the creator fund through the app. Go to settings and privacy, then creator tools, then tiktok creator background. if eligible, you will be asked to enter your contact information and agree to the creator funding agreement.
should you buy tiktok views?
no! you shouldn’t buy tiktok views! for! Put down that credit card!
as we learned from our recent experiment of buying tiktok followers, it is not possible to buy to be successful on social media.
maybe your viewing metrics will go up, but your engagement rate will plummet, you won’t gain followers, and the audience you’ve hired to watch will eventually be wiped out by tiktok anyway.
save your money and spend your time instead…by following these helpful tips to build genuine, lasting engagement.
15 ways to get more tiktok views
1. add hashtags to your videos
hashtags are a powerful tool in your tiktok arsenal. this is how the almighty tiktok algorithm identifies what you are posting and who might be interested in seeing it. Hashtags are also essential in helping users discover your content through search. If you’re looking to make a tiktok hashtag strategy, you’ll definitely want to check out our video:
going for a niche with specific hashtags relevant to your audience and topic is one angle to take.
There’s also some evidence to suggest that trending topics are more likely to end up on the page for you, so it may be worth keeping an eye on what’s currently trending and engaging in the conversation with related content ( which is still authentic to your brand, of course).
To find out which hashtags are trending, tap the discover tab, then tap trending at the top of the screen.
a little information to help motivate you: 61% of tiktok users said they like brands more when they create or participate in a tiktok trend.
2. keep it short and sweet
although tiktok videos can now be up to three minutes long, videos under 30 seconds are more likely to end up in the fyp. someone is also more likely to rewatch something that is fast and furious a second or third time.
noodles the dog stands his ground with this 12 second video that made it to fyp. short, sweet and squid-themed: ingredients for success.
3. trending sound effects
hashtags aren’t the only element of tiktok that has its own trend cycle. tiktok sounds also tend to go through waves of popularity. keep your eyes (well, your ears, the eyes of the auditory system, if you will!) for recurring sound clips that you might as well improvise on.
You can also discover trendy sounds by tapping the create (+) button in the app and then tapping add sound. here you will see the currently most popular audio clips.
4. find your specific audience
there’s a specific subgenre of tiktok for everyone, from the oh-so-literary booktok to a vibrant community of rugs. Find out who you want to date and look at the popular accounts in those communities to see what kind of hashtags, formats, and references they might be using to inspire their own related content.
Commenting and liking can also help you build relationships with your targeted audience. Hopefully, your insightful answers will inspire a fellow bookworm (tok) to see what kind of content he’s creating on his own page.
5. try an instructional video
educational content works great on tiktok, so get smart-ass and share your wisdom with the world.
How-to videos are particularly popular, but even answering a frequently asked question or shedding light on a surprising element of your industry, job, or product can be a delightful break from the never-ending dance-a-thon.
These vintage restock upcycling videos, for example, get a lot of views. Will they be able to combine three pairs of pants in one? we’re glued to the screen, waiting to find out!
6. dabble in some duets
tiktok’s duets feature is a great way to capitalize on an already popular video to create your own views.
with duets, you can share a split screen with another user’s video to sing along, create some funny dialogue or give your opinion… and take advantage of some proven content to collect your own sweet views. (check out our how-to guide for tiktok’s most popular video editing features here!)
7. join an influencer or special guest
Whether you’ve hired a celebrity influencer or guest star or teamed up with another brand for a crossover opportunity, incorporating some outside voices into your tiktok videos is an easy way to tap into a new audience.
your special guest will help highlight the content you’ve created and draw fans’ attention to your video, just like calvin klein photographer maryv did.
8. promote your tiktok content on your other social channels
tiktok is most likely part of your broader social media strategy, and you’re probably active on a few other platforms. attract those audiences to your tiktoks by sharing teaser videos elsewhere.
a little snippet on instagram stories here, a link on twitter there, and you’ve got a full omnichannel social campaign on the go!
9. keep them watching
While it’s true that viewers only need to watch a fraction of a second of your video for you to get a “view”, it’s actually very important to keep them watching until the end.
That’s because the tiktok algorithm prioritizes videos with high completion rates. You want to offer quality content in terms of your page recommendations.
so… how do you keep your audience’s attention until the bitter end? play on their curiosity and offer value. hook them in the first few seconds with a promise of what’s next if they stick (video tutorials and recipes are great for this!) reveal.
10. don’t forget the caption
There may only be 150 characters to play with in the tiktok caption, but they may serve you well. Your caption is an opportunity to tell viewers why they should watch your video (hopefully until the end, see above!) or start the conversation in the comments.
Ultimately, you want people to watch and engage with your video, so the algorithm learns that, yes, this is the good stuff. Your caption is a free and easy way to make one more pitch to your audience about why they should talk or sit back and enjoy.
Meanwhile, the title is a crucial place to plant your topic keywords if you have a tiktok seo strategy. By getting your tiktoks ranked in search, you’ll generate more views in the long run, not just following trends. To learn more about tiktok seo, watch our video:
11. set up a tiktok creator or tiktok business account
professional tiktok accounts won’t give you a boost, but both creator and business accounts give you access to metrics and information that can help you better analyze and understand your audience.
It’s easy to switch to a business or creator tiktok profile. Just go to manage account and select switch to business account. pick the best category and you’re ready to dig into the data.
This information can reveal who your current audience is, when they’re online, and what kind of content they like to watch, all useful for creating your content calendar and planning the best time to post.
speaking of which…
12. post your video at the right time
If you’re posting when no one is using the app, you definitely won’t get the views you crave. so check your account analytics to find out when your followers are active so you can drop your latest video at just the right time for maximum exposure.
using hootsuite, you can schedule your tiktoks for any time in the future. (native tiktok scheduler only allows users to schedule tiktoks up to 10 days in advance). our tiktok scheduler will even recommend the best times to post your content for maximum engagement – exclusive to your account!
13. upload several videos a day
things move fast in the tiktokaverse. Don’t worry about overwhelming your followers – just be creative and produce that quality content. in fact, tiktok recommends posting 1-4 times a day.
the more videos you have, the more likely it is that you end up on someone’s page for you, and the more likely they are to come looking for more.
14. create high-quality videos
well, if you’re not going to say it, we will: duh.
make sure your videos look good (decent lighting and sound quality, some animated edits) and people will be more likely to want to watch them.
This couple, for example, has invested in some high-quality cameras for their mirror selfies… and it’s worth it. is this a hollywood movie?
tiktok also tends to prioritize high-quality videos in the fyp, so you’ll want to give them the good stuff. shoot vertically, add sound and use effects (for bonus points, try using one of tiktok’s trending effects).
once those views start rolling in, of course, your tiktok journey has really only just begun. the real money metric? followers: loyal followers who will be there through thick and thin.
15. make a playlist
tiktok playlists (also known as creator playlists) are a relatively new feature that allows creators to organize their videos into playlists. this makes it easier for viewers to consume videos that are similar to content they have already enjoyed.
Playlists sit at the top of your profile, above your regularly posted or pinned videos (as shown in the photo below).
tiktok’s playlist feature is not available to everyone. only select creators have the ability to add them to their profiles.
You’ll know if you’re in the club if you have the option to create playlists in the video tab of your profile.
conclusion
Now that you know how to get more views on tiktok, head over to our guide to getting tiktok followers to start building your dream team of fans. Imagine the views you’ll rack up then!
grow your presence on tiktok along with your other social channels using hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts for the best times, engage your audience, and measure performance. try it free today.
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