Would you pay $1,000 for a pair of Crocs?
Sure, they are comfortable. But $1,000? That’s far-fetched, isn’t it?
But Crocs actually made it happen. All with a viral TikTok campaign.
While users created their own classed-up versions of Crocs, Post Malone created one too. The limited edition shoes sold out within 10 minutes!
So while it might sound superficial to run behind virality, it actually matters in 2024.
Here are some more stats to drive home the importance of going viral on TikTok.
TikTok has over 1.92 billion monthly active users.
Adult Americans spend an average of about 1 hour on TikTok. Every single day.
The figures make it clear. TikTok needs to be a top priority for brands and businesses.
So let’s come to the key question: How to go viral on TikTok?
Find that out in this blog right here, where we’ll walk you through:
- Complete details about how does the TikTok algorithm work
- 5 things that work to help you go viral on TikTok
- 5 things that don’t matter when you want to go viral on TikTok
- 9 actionable tips to make your posts go viral on TikTok
- 3 case studies for viral TikTok campaigns
- Measuring success on TikTok
- FAQs on how to go viral on TikTok
Let’s dive right in.
How Does The TikTok Algorithm Work?
What might seem like a random post to many often becomes a cultural phenomenon.
Courtesy the TikTok algorithm.
Ever felt that your TikTok feed matches your mood a little too perfectly? It is actually a little creepy, in fact. It seems like TikTok is snooping on us.
But the truth is that it is the TikTok algorithm, which decides what you see. It apparently uses thousands of cues based on your behavior within (and sometimes outside!) the app. And then suggests content that users love.
So if the algorithm suggests content to users, that means the algorithm also decides (in a way) whether your post will get a million views or just 10.
All you need to go viral then is do what the algo likes. That’s easier said than done.
Bytedance, TikTok’s parent company, never revealed how the TikTok algorithm exactly works. Does that mean you just have to post and pray?
No.
In 2020, TikTok finally revealed some key factors that determine what shows up on someone’s For You feed.
The factors include:
- User activities like:
- Likes,
- Shares,
- Follows, and
- Comments
- Video details such as:
- Captions,
- Sounds, and
- Hashtags
- Device and account settings, including:
- Language preference, and
- Country settings
Below is a simplified version of how we assume the TikTok algorithm is in action.
Key Takeaway: Your content needs to pass the “performance evaluation” phase. That’s how your posts get continuously pushed to new viewers, which helps you go viral on TikTok.
Now let us take a look at the 5 factors that matter the most when you want to go viral.
Going Viral On TikTok: What Matters, What Doesn’t
First, let’s find out what works
What matters for going viral on TikTok
- Watch time and completion rate
That’s the holy grail of TikTok.
The longer people watch your video, and the closer they get to the end, the better. This tells the algorithm your content is engaging and deserves to be shown to more viewers.
- Video engagement
Likes, comments, shares, and even re-watches signal that people are enjoying your video and interacting with it. High engagement is a big green flag for the algorithm.
- Repeat views
If people are coming back for more of your content, that’s a strong indicator of virality. The algorithm takes note of repeat viewers and pushes your video out to a wider audience.
- Sharing rate
When people share your video with their friends, it exposes the content to a whole new network. Sharing indicates your content is valuable and entertaining. This prompts the algorithm to promote it further.
- Completion rate of sound
Did you use a trending sound or create your own catchy audio? The algorithm tracks how much of the sound people listen to. Are your viewers sticking around for the entire soundbite? It suggests the audio is engaging and could lead your video to virality.
What doesn’t for going viral on TikTok
There are a lot of factors that do NOT affect virality potential. So here are 5 things you shouldn’t lose sleep over.
(#4 will shock you!)
- Follower count
Do you believe you can go viral only if you have a million followers?
Well, more followers certainly help. But it’s not a guarantee for virality.
New creators with engaging content can still go viral. Even with a small following. That’s because the algorithm prioritizes watch time and engagement over follower count.
- Profile completeness
A polished profile with a bio and profile picture is, again, a good idea. But it doesn’t directly affect how the algorithm promotes your videos.
So instead, focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with viewers.
- Number of Posts
Posting consistently is important. But there’s no magic number for virality. You don’t have to have X number of posts before you can go viral.
You can go viral with your very first post on TikTok as well.
- Posting time
Most brands and influencers stress too much about posting at the ‘right’ time. But, here’s the inside scoop: There is no right time to post.
The right time is when your audience is the most active. So stop looking for proven good times to post. Instead, try to understand when your target audience is the most active on the app.
This will naturally increase the chances of your posts being seen during their scrolling sessions.
- Video length (within reason)
TikTok allows videos up to 10 minutes, but the ideal length can vary.
Shorter videos definitely tend to have higher completion rates.
However, informative content might benefit from a bit more time. So you don’t just worry about always finishing your video in 15 seconds. Focus on delivering value.
Take cues from Rihanna’s makeup brand, Fenty Beauty.
The brand regularly posts tutorials and shares makeup tips, which are more than 15 seconds long. But because their posts offer value, they still go viral.
Fenty Beauty’s 30-second video about the SoftLit foundation that got 254k+ views on TikTok.
Now you know how the TikTok algorithm works. So let’s check out 9 actionable tips to make your posts go viral on TikTok in 2024.
9 Actionable Tips To Make Your Posts Go Viral On TikTok
Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds
Attention spans are short on TikTok. And even otherwise.
So grab viewers immediately. You can do it with a surprising visual or a funny intro. Or maybe a thought-provoking question.
This initial hook is crucial to stop the scrolling thumb and get people invested in your video.
Participate in trending challenges and hashtags
Trending challenges and hashtags are goldmines for discoverability.
When you participate in a popular challenge, you tap into an existing wave of interest, and your video is more likely to be seen by people searching for that specific trend.
The flavored water brand, Waterdrop did exactly that when it rode the SquidGames wave on TikTok.
The brand has a pretty strong following and all their videos get a couple thousand views. However, when they took the SquidGames challenge and used #SquidGames, their video truly went viral with 180k + views.
So do your research and find trending challenges and hashtags that align with your content style. Then put your own unique spin on them to stand out.
Master the art of storytelling
People love a good story. Even if it’s condensed into a short TikTok video. So craft a narrative arc into your video, even if it’s simple. Set up the scene, introduce a conflict or question, and offer a resolution or punchline.
This structure keeps viewers engaged and wanting more, which can lead to shares and repeat views.
Not sure if so much effort is worth it? Check this out:
According to TikTok for Business, compelling storylines hook viewers early, make them curious, and extend watch time by 1.4x.
Leverage trending sounds and music
A study revealed that 90% of TikTok users consider sound as an important part of their experience.
In fact, for smaller profiles, using trending songs increases engagement by 20%.
You can also consider creating your own catchy soundbite that can become its own trend!
Optimize your captions and include CTAs
It is easy to assume that no one is reading the captions on TikTok. But it is not true.
Captions are crucial.
Stats have shown that TikTok posts with captions get 55.7% more impressions.
Use clear and concise captions to describe your video and add context. Don’t make them long and boring though. Space them out and spice them up with emojis.
This is especially useful for viewers who might not have the audio on.
Also, include a call to action (CTA) in your caption.
This doesn’t always have to be “buy now”.
It could be a question or encouraging viewers to follow you. This sparks engagement and keeps people interacting with your content.
Post consistently and at strategic times
While there’s no single “best” time to post, consistency is key.
The algorithm favors creators who post regularly, keeping them at the top of viewers’ minds. Analyze your audience insights to see when your followers are most active and try to schedule your posts for those times.
Collaborate with other creators
Teaming up with other TikTokers, especially those in your niche, can be a powerful strategy.
For example, Dunkin’ collaborated with TikTok star Charli D’Amelio to promote their new menu items.
The video went viral. (It has over 9.7 million views!)
What’s important is that it resulted in:
- 57% increase in Dunkin’ app downloads, and
- 20% rise in their cold brew coffee sales.
Duet challenges, stitched-together videos, or guest appearances can expose you to a new audience and let both parties leverage each other’s followings.
Collaborations can also spark creative ideas and lead to more engaging content.
Use high-quality visuals and editing
Fancy, thousand-dollar equipment isn’t the key to going viral on TikTok. But good lighting, clear audio, and smooth transitions are important.
These factors can make your video more visually appealing. So it would pay to learn basic editing techniques or hire someone who can do it for you.
Respond to comments and build a community
Building a community around your content is a surefire way to boost engagement and go viral.
Respond to comments, answer questions, and participate in discussions. Show your audience you value their interaction, and they’ll be more likely to share your videos and keep coming back for more.
By following these actionable tips, you can be on your way to growing your audience and getting your posts to go viral on TikTok.
Remember: Don’t give up if your post doesn’t go viral just yet. Stay consistent and creative!
3 Case Studies of Successful TikTok Campaigns
Here’s a glimpse into how different brands leveraged TikTok virality to achieve remarkable results.
Duolingo
There have been many instances when Duolingo went viral on TikTok.
Duo – the owl – jumps on every other Instagram trend. It can be seen jumping around on trending songs and offering commentaries on popular audio.
Take their recent viral video, for example.
In this video, which got 229K+ views in just 18 hours, you can see Duo trying to video call Dua Lipa.
In fact, their comment section is always filled with people trying to trigger the owl by telling it that they missed their lessons!
Scrub Daddy
Scrub Dadddy’s success can be attributed to several key factors like
- Incorporating humor (sometimes dark!) into their content.
25.1 M views
Scrub Daddy vs. Scrub, Daddy! – the difference a comma can make.
- Staying trendy by participating in popular TikTok trends.
- Regular giveaways that incentivize audience engagement and loyalty.
- Creative collaborations with other brands or personalities
- Active audience engagement
All this has contributed to ScrubDaddy becoming one of the most popular brands on TikTok.
Oreo
Oreo – the popular cookie brand – is a pro at using TikTok. To begin with, their personalization of the cookie makes their TikTok super fun. (That’s the golden key to going viral on TikTok!)
Plus, they leverage a lot of user-generated content.
Moreover, they also do collabs and stitches with other popular personalities.
Oreo’s collab with Jimmy Fallon got 336k+ views on TikTok
How To Measure Success on TikTok?
Every brand dreams of going viral on TikTok. But going viral on TikTok doesn’t equal business success.
A viral TikTok video does little other than show that you reached a wide audience. However, there are better benchmarks for brand success than just reach.
Here are 2 key reasons why:
- Viral videos can see a sudden spike in views. But after a week or two, the engagement dies down.
So while you do reach a lot of people when you go viral, it doesn’t mean they will stay interested in your business later on. It also doesn’t guarantee brand recognition or loyalty.
- Chasing trends can lead to inauthentic content that doesn’t resonate with the target audience.
So you might actually lose your real audience after a viral TikTok campaign.
That’s why instead of views and likes you also need to look at qualitative metrics, like comments and shares.
These metrics give a better view of what the audience feels about your brand.
Seeing positive comments and higher shares?
That’s a sign that your customers are brand advocates.
Also, the ultimate goal, for any business, is to drive sales and see a return on investment (ROI).
So tracking website traffic and conversion rates after TikTok campaigns is important to reveal the effectiveness of the channel in generating sales.
Not getting the required results even after going viral on TikTok?
Let’s look at what might be holding your TikTok campaigns back.
reasons that may be holding back your marketing success on TikTok, along with some tips to help address them:
1. Your product isn’t suitable for TikTok’s user base. TikTok has a young, trend-focused audience. Products or services that are complex, expensive, or aimed at a niche B2B market may struggle to connect with them.
2. Views may be good, but sales aren’t, as people like a good laugh but still won’t buy what you are selling.
3. Your content isn’t authentic. Gen Z viewers crave authenticity. Trying to force trends or faking enthusiasm will backfire.
4. You’re not posting frequently enough. TikTok’s algorithm rewards consistent, frequent content. Sporadic posting limits visibility.
5. Your content is too polished. TikTok users prefer raw and relatable content to high-production videos. Overly slick promotions can feel out of place.
6. You’re too slow to ride on waves of trends on TiKTok.
It’s obvious; TikTok isn’t fun and games when you’re responsible to show cold hard numbers such as Cost-per-Click for the money you invest on TikTok marketing.
In fact, we don’t even claim that this is something you can easily solve. For most brands, it’s much better to redistribute their marketing budget to other channels that can offer quicker and better results.
Consider this:
The CPC for Facebook Ads is $0.44. That’s less than half of what you have to spend for a single click on TikTok, whose CPC is $1.
If you have an email database of existing customers, it’s even better to allocate more of your marketing dollars there.
The point is, TikTok should definitely be on your radar for its potential as a marketing channel. But, do not underestimate the costs and effort.
If you’re confused about how you should allocate your marketing budget to maximize ROI, we can help. At RetainIQ, we believe in the wisdom of ‘do few things, but do them well’. We can boost your email marketing ROI with personalization. And we can boost your Facebook Ads campaigns with proven-effective tactics and cutting edge machine learning technology.
Studies show that personalized emails have an impressive 29% open rate and a stellar 47% click rate.
For example, using RetainIQ helped Haanum, a fashion retailer, boost revenue by 34%. All with personalized recommendation emails. They didn’t go viral on TikTok. However, they reached their audience via a more suitable format.
So don’t let the urge to go viral consume you. Pick a suitable platform and reach your target audience, not just the masses.
Final Word
TikTok is a mix of creativity and strategy. But most importantly, it is driven by luck.
Going viral on TikTok can help you achieve several business goals – from boosting brand awareness to reaching a wider audience and making more sales.
Here’s a quick recap of how to go viral on TikTok in 2024:
- Learn how the TikTok algorithm works.
- Follow the actionable tips to make your posts go viral on TikTok.
- Keep experimenting till you hit the right spot.
And above all, don’t chase any formula or virality. Look at the data, and decide what’s the best use of your marketing budget.
FAQs
How many views make a TikTok viral?
There is no threshold number of views or likes you are supposed to get on a post/video to classify it as ‘viral’ on TikTok.
Generally, videos that hit millions of views within a few days get the viral tag.
The key here is how fast those views come in. That’s because the TikTok algorithm uses post metrics to decide whether to show it to more viewers or not.
Did you get 10,000 views in the first couple of hours?
That’s a really good sign; your video could snowball into virality.
Struggling to get even a hundred views in the first few hours?
This post might not be your chance at achieving TikTok virality.
Can old TikTok videos go viral?
Yes, long-forgotten videos with bare minimum views and likes have gone viral, days, weeks, months, and even years after being posted.
How?
Either due to TikTok’s changing algorithm, which suddenly starts pushing the video to more users.
Or due to chance timing.
For example, see how this TikTok creator explains that a video she posted in Jan 2022 went viral in April 2022.
What do you get for going viral on TikTok?
Going viral on TikTok is great. In more ways than one. For example, a viral TikTok video can help you:
- Reach tons of people and build brand awareness
- Make more sales and boost your bottom line.
- Get paid via the Creator Fund.
The TikTok Creator Fund rewards creators based on how many people watch their videos. So going viral means you get more money.
I went viral on TikTok. Do I keep posting the same content?
It’s tempting to stick to what’s been successful. But that can quickly get boring for your audience.
So instead of copy-pasting the same video again and again, here’s what you should do:
- Make more videos in a similar style.
- Make more videos about the same topic.
- Slowly experiment with new ideas and video formats.
How often does the TikTok algorithm update?
Nobody knows that. However, what we know for sure is that the TikTok algorithm is constantly learning and changing based on how people use the app and what kind of videos do well.
So don’t worry about updates, and focus on creating high-quality, entertaining videos.