How to Become Popular on TikTok

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Although TikTok began as a lip-syncing app, the platform is now one of the most popular places to find viral videos of all kinds. Becoming famous on TikTok translates to real-life success—just look at Lil Nas X, Charlie D'Amelio, and Olivia Rodrigo! All it takes is one or two great videos to become TikTok famous—no long list of followers necessary. [1] Although there's no specific formula for going viral on TikTok, most TikTok-famous people combine their talents (or shortcomings) with the latest trends.

1

Make content you care about.

PDF download Download Article
  1. It can be hard to stay motivated and dedicated if you're making videos about things you don't care for. You should also try to make sure this content is something there's an active audience for, although there's most likely a niche audience for anything you're into! Here's some examples:
    • Dancing
    • Singing
    • Acting
    • Swimming
    • Cleaning
    • Life Hacks
    • Chef/Cooking
    • News/Crime
    2. Advertisement
2

Post as often as you can.

PDF download Download Article
  1. [2] Unlike Facebook or Instagram, where posting too often can get on peoples' nerves, people expect a lot of content from each creator on TikTok. If you can get your average viewer count up, you’ll be more visible to a greater number of new users. [3]
3

Bring out your unique skills and stories.

PDF download Download Article
  1. What is something you know a lot about or can do well? Are you an avid record collector? A nurse working on a COVID-19 unit? A rapper? A mom who has nailed easy Instant Pot meals? Use the search field on the Discover page to check out what types of videos already exist for topics you know a lot about and think about how you could add value to those topics. [4]
    • Having a focus doesn’t mean that you must only make a certain kind of video, but it does help to build a following.
    • If you run a business, try promoting what you do. For instance, if you have a hair salon, you might post before-and-after transformations! [5]
    • You could also try focusing on what you don't know, or things you're comedically bad at!
    2. Advertisement
4

Put your signature spin on every trend.

PDF download Download Article
  1. TikTok is a platform that celebrates fresh and wacky ideas, so don’t hesitate to be bold and do something that hasn’t been done before. [6] Remember to use the same hashtags in your video as the original creator so your video is easy to find.
    • It’s fine to use another person's video as a template for your TikTok. This isn’t usually seen as copying so much as it is perceived to be a user participating in the format.
5

Use trending and relevant hashtags.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Look at popular TikToks to see how they use hashtags in their videos, and try to hop on a trend as early as possible. [7] Never skip this step—hashtags are crucial, especially when doing challenges.
    • Tap the Discover option at the bottom of the app to see the latest trending hashtags, sounds, and effects on TikTok. When you tap a trending hashtag, sound, or topic, you'll see popular videos that have used those features.
    • If you can incorporate any combination of trending topics into one or more videos, you're more likely to wind up on peoples' For You pages.
    • While you don't want to mirror someone's content exactly, you can gain inspiration from TikTokers who are already popular on the platform.
    • As long as you're using at least one or two popular hashtags, you can add some goofy or ironic ones. For example, if you’re singing a love song to your cat, you could use #TrueLove, #HeHatesMe, or #We’rePurfect, to add a funny element to your video.
    2. Advertisement
6

Use a popular song or sound.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Music is a massive part of TikTok and videos with popular songs can get billions of views! [8] Sometimes doing your cool, creative, or funny performance to a trending song is enough to make you go viral.
    • For example, #FakeTravel was a popular hashtag that used foreign-language songs and weird costumes to make it seem like the user was in a different part of the world.
    • Children’s songs like “Baby Shark” or "Castaways" from The Backyardigans are always trending and can make for some funny videos.
7

Participate in meme trends and make remixes.

PDF download Download Article
  1. From Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” to the surprising time traveler, there is no shortage of memes that originated on TikTok. TikTok also makes it easy to add your take to someone else's video by stitching or duetting your spin on someone else's video, which is essentially how viral memes are created—a video takes off, and other TikTokers "remix" the original song or punchline to add their jokes, hot takes, lyrics, dances, or stunts. [9]
    • Making people laugh is a great way to get views. Rather than telling straight-up jokes, most comedic TikTok creators tell funny or embarrassing anecdotes, record goofy missteps, and dig into the most hilarious aspects of day-to-day life .
    2. Advertisement
8

Jump in on a TikTok challenge.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Since they use the same hashtag for all videos in the challenge, they have a built-in audience! Challenges can be dances, lip-syncing, hilarious stitches, or even stunts. To make a challenge video, study a few examples and try to put your spin on the format. [10]
    • Take your time when crafting challenge videos, since they’re more likely to be seen than your normal videos.
    • Some popular challenges are the "Waking up in the morning" challenge, "Tell me (insert topic here) without tell me you (insert topic here)," #InMyFeelingsChallenge, and #UnMakeupChallenge.
9

Collaborate with friends and influencers who have larger fanbases.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Let your friends know that you’re trying to get more followers and politely ask to be in one of their videos. As long as you aren’t hurting anyone or damaging anyone’s property, pulling pranks on friends or family members can make for excellent TikTok content too!
    • Duets and stitches are great ways to collaborate with popular TikTokers.
    • If you’re focusing on comedic skits, come up with an idea together and act it out over a funny song.
    2. Advertisement
10

Leave insightful or hilarious comments on other videos.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Follow popular influencers and TikTok creators. [11] You can comment on how funny or relatable a video is, or you can crack a joke. If your comment gets a lot of likes, it will be more visible to other people checking the comments section of the video.
    • Avoid getting into public arguments in comment threads. People won’t want to click on your profile if they think you’re rude or aggressive.
11

Make the kind of quality content you'd like to see.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Yes, your videos don't always have to be giant productions, but setting up a video with good lighting, clean editing, and crisp audio can make a difference. [12] Consider things like:
    • Location: Consider filming in weird or funny locations or switching up the lighting in your room.
    • Lighting: Natural light is best, but if it's nighttime, you'll want to make sure people can see you. Consider investing in a good ring light if you don't have a location bright enough to film in.
    • Volume: If people can't hear you over the music, why would they want to see more of your videos? Listen to your video before sharing it to make sure it sounds the way you want.
    2. Advertisement
12

Get inspiration from your For You page.

PDF download Download Article
  1. The For You page is the seemingly random assortment of videos that appear when you open TikTok. Winding up on peoples' For You pages is central to becoming famous on TikTok—this is why it's important to pay attention to what shows up on your For You page, as many of these videos have already been liked or shared a bunch.
    • TikTok tailors each user's For You page to their interests, which means that no two For You pages are alike. [13]
    • In general, people react to things they recognize. If you can capitalize on a popular trend, you can easily increase your number of followers.
13

PDF download Download Article
  1. Some of your friends or followers on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook may not know that you’re on TikTok. Link the videos to your other social media accounts to share your material with a wider audience. Include a link to your TikTok profile in the description so that people can quickly click it to follow your account. [14]
    2. Advertisement
14

Participate in dance challenges.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Just think of the dance videos with audio from Megan Thee Stallion, Drake, The Weeknd, and other artists. [15] And many of the most popular dance videos are just funny takes on the originals—you don't even have to be a particularly good dancer to take part in a dance challenge!
    • If dancing isn’t your strongest quality, simply have fun and use goofy moves to draw your audience in.
    • Have you noticed more than one video that contains a particular dance routine? It's probably a challenge. Try learning it, or at least film yourself stumbling through the process.
15

Go viral with recipes and food preparation.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Since the lockdown days of early 2020, videos focusing on cooking particular dishes have exploded in popularity. [16] Easy but delicious recipes, budget bites, plant-based meals, and creative fusions are all massively popular on the app.
    2. Advertisement
16

Try out lip-syncing and dialog reenactments.

PDF download Download Article
  1. But lip-syncing to a popular song isn't enough to go viral—some of the most popular videos on TikTok are of people lip-syncing to other people's TikTok videos, scenes from movies, and other non-musical sounds. Get creative with the audio you choose, and you’re more likely to gain a following.
17

Know your audience.

PDF download Download Article
    • If your audience is Gen Z you might include some trendy songs, emoji's, crazy colors or slang.
    • If your audience is Generation X, you might want use less slang, mature colors to appear serious and respectful.
    2. Advertisement
18

Have a unique style.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Many people on TikTok are trying to do the same thing you are, so having some unique style to your videos can make you stand out. Think of ways you can use the latest trends to entertain your audience with your personality.
    • For example, if you talk in your videos have a unique way of saying hello. Like: "What's up my ________!" or "Hey _______! How yall doing?"
    • Have a way of saying bye. "That's it for today! See y'all later!" or "We're done! See ya'll ______ later!"
19

Make an uploading schedule.

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you have a team, set up schedules for them to do their jobs.
    • Write to-do list and online schedules to use.
    2. Advertisement
20

Come from another platform.

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you started doing social media on a different platform and you want to expand to TikTok too, keep the same content as before. This is so people will know you for what you do.
    • For example if you posted swimming pictures on Instagram. Post videos of swimming on TikTok, or tutorials on swimming.
    • Another example is if you posted dishes that you cooked on another platform, show how you cook it on TikTok.
    • Attract followers from the other platform. Let your followers know that you are now expanding to TikTok and they can now find you there. You will start getting more followers on TikTok from the other.
      • Put the link to your TikTok on your other platform for easy and simple clicks.
    • Keep the same uploading schedule. Sticking to the same uploading schedule is important so you won't be overwhelmed. It doesn't make sense to upload on Wednesdays and the other on Fridays. If you think you can handle it, sure, but this is just to keep it simple.
      • Give reminders like, "Just posted _____ on _______. Check it out!"

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I go live on TikTok?
    Aasim
    Top Answerer
    Tap on the "+," choose the "Go Live" tab, then choose the red "Go Live" button. You need 1,000 fans to do this.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 192 Helpful 310
  • Question
    How do I know if my video is on the "For you" page?
    Aasim
    Top Answerer
    Some users comment "For you" when your video makes it on the for you page. Also, watch the view count; a video with several thousand views or tens of thousands of views might have made it on the for you page. The view count can be viewed on your profile page.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 109 Helpful 247
  • Question
    How do I become popular on TikTok in a few days?
    Aasim
    Top Answerer
    To become popular in a few days, you need to post excellent quality content. Note, however, that people popular for one thing are known as "one-hit wonders" and these people may not seek the same level of growth as people who post good content regularly.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 5 Helpful 13
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Reader Videos

      Submit a Video Tip!

      Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

      Submit a Video

      Tips

      • If you focus only on getting famous, you may get frustrated. Focus on having fun and the followers will come.
        Thanks
        Helpful 43 Not Helpful 6
      • It can take a long time to get a following. Be prepared to work hard and spend a lot of time on it!
        Thanks
        Helpful 30 Not Helpful 5

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Don't forget to promote your TikTok account on other platforms where you already have an audience. Letting your existing followers on Instagram or YouTube know you're on TikTok makes it easy for them to find and follow you.
      • Using trending sounds and hashtags is a good way to get more eyes on your videos. But always add your own unique spin so your take stands out in the crowd. Combining popular elements with your own style is key.
      • Try collaborating with more popular TikTokers by asking to be in their videos or doing duets. Getting an influencer with a big following to tag you in their content is a great way to reach their audience.
      • Make sure you have good lighting and video quality. Investing in decent equipment really helps make your videos stand out. Viewers can tell when a creator puts effort into production value.
      • Don't stress too much over hate comments as your audience grows. Some negativity comes with the territory unfortunately. Just focus on making content you genuinely enjoy.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Never give your personal information out online.
        Thanks
        Helpful 30 Not Helpful 4
      • There may be some unpleasant people out there commenting on videos. Don’t get upset if your video doesn’t go over well. Some people get a kick out of being mean, but you can’t let that ruin your goal!
        Thanks
        Helpful 30 Not Helpful 5
      • Never start or encourage dangerous challenges that could seriously harm, injure, or even kill people. These include the skull breaker challenge, the crate challenge, the Benadryl challenge, and the cereal challenge.
        Thanks
        Helpful 15 Not Helpful 2
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      4 Ways to See TikTok Profiles & Videos Without People Knowing
      Can You Go Live on TikTok Without 1,000 Followers?
      The Grabovoi Numbers Trend, Explained
      How to
      Contact TikTok: 8 Ways to Get Support
      The Complete Guide to Reviving Your Broken TikTok Streaks
      3 Simple Ways to Download the TikTok Mobile App
      9 Strategies to Help You Gain 1,000 TikTok Followers in No Time
      How to
      Comment with Pictures on TikTok (And Why Some Can't)
      Can TikTok Auto Scroll? How to Play TikTok Videos Automatically
      How to
      Know if Someone Blocked You on TikTok
      What Does Each Can Tab Mean and Why Do People Give Them Out?
      What is The 690452 Challenge On TikTok & How Does It Work?
      What Zesty Really Means on TikTok
      How to
      Get More Likes on TikTok: The Ultimate Guide
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://popsters.com/blog/post/become-famous-on-tiktok
      2. ↑ https://thetab.com/uk/2020/01/17/how-to-get-tik-tok-famous-138720
      3. ↑ https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/2/18201898/tiktok-guide-for-you-challenge-creator-trend-algorithm-privacy
      4. ↑ https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/exploring-videos/discover-and-search
      5. ↑ Brian Honigman. Marketing Consultant. Expert Interview. 16 April 2021.
      6. ↑ https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/7-ways-to-maximize-the-viral-potential-of-your-content-marketing-efforts/575878/
      7. ↑ https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/7-ways-to-maximize-the-viral-potential-of-your-content-marketing-efforts/575878/
      8. ↑ https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/13/22832231/tiktok-2021-roundup-music-songs
      9. ↑ https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/06/11/142394/this-is-where-internet-memes-come-from/
      1. ↑ https://slate.com/technology/2018/09/tiktok-app-musically-guide.html
      2. ↑ https://www.searchenginejournal.com/get-social-media-followers/208397/
      3. ↑ https://www.searchenginejournal.com/get-social-media-followers/208397/
      4. ↑ https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you
      5. ↑ https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-tik-tok/
      6. ↑ https://time.com/5880779/best-tiktok-dances-2020/
      7. ↑ https://contentgod.com/best-tiktok-video-ideas/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Study trending videos to see what those users are doing.
      2. Use trending hashtags and sounds in your own videos.
      3. Combine your own skills or shortcomings with trending topics.
      4. Do TikTok challenges and always use their hashtags.
      5. Dance, dance, dance.
      6. Post high-quality content, and do it often.
      7. Be hilarious and relatable.

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,011,329 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement