TikTok: how to go viral

Considered the app of the moment, with a net worth of over $75 billion, 1 billion active users worldwide and more than 3 billion downloads.

Who are we talking about?

Obviously from TikTok which, launched for the first time under the name Musical.ly , is the application par excellence, much acclaimed (and criticized) in recent years.

But how was this platform born? And how can you use it to be successful?
Let's see it together!

How was TikTok born?

TikTok is a Chinese platform created to create lip-sync videos, i.e. videos in which the background music is synchronized with the lips, and dances for teenagers.

It falls into the category of " social media for children ", a completely incorrect statement for two main reasons:

• TikTok is not a social media comparable to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, but rather an entertainment platform rather similar to YouTube or Twitch. In fact, it was not created to connect people, but to entertain users through a myriad of videos offered on the Home page.
• TikTok is certainly not a social network for children . This is because, although the initial objective was to focus on an adolescent audience, as TikTok has grown it has embraced a much broader target, belonging to any age.

But what is the cause of TikTok's high potential?

The heart of this application is creativity .

Users who land on the platform find themselves face to face with an endless number of videos, each one different from the other and with a distinct whimsy.

Here, any Creator, or TikToker, has the possibility of appearing in any person's feed, based on the latter's personal algorithm (therefore based on their actions performed on the platform and their tastes).
The more a video is viewed, the more TikTok will showcase it in other users' Homes .

We then explained how the circle of friends is not put at the center of the experience, but creativity.

I know! Now you are surely wondering what the secret to going viral is, right?

Well, in simple words , whoever manages to keep the viewer glued to the screen the most wins .
Of course, impressions such as likes, comments and shares also count.
But the most relevant parameter is the average viewing duration .

The reason for this choice is more than clear. Just like on any platform, the more time people spend on it, the more ads they see and the more money comes into TikTok's pocket.

But now that we understand (broadly) how the TikTok algorithm works and on which parameters its judgment is based, let's see together how to create effective content and the tricks to make it viral.

How to create valuable content on TikTok

To understand how to create effective content, you need to keep in mind that the viewer's average attention span is increasingly shorter: around 3 seconds.
This means that if the video doesn't start well, it won't have a chance of reaching high numbers.

Based on what has been mentioned, we summarize some simple tips for creating interactive videos suitable for the TikTok platform:

• Synthesis is everything . TikTok videos are famous for their simplicity. Creating videos that are too long and complex doesn't help. Keep it short, concise and dynamic.
• Focus on those three seconds previously mentioned to capture the user's attention . Introduce your content using few, clear words. By doing this you will be able to immediately communicate the context of your video.
• Be original . We know, no one likes boring things. Be engaging and make your video more captivating, both from a visual point of view (therefore using particular cuts, transitions and shots), and from a sound point of view (therefore using sounds and songs already popular on the platform).
• Call to Action . At the end of the content, always use effective CTAs to ask the viewer to perform a certain action. Such as an appointment for the next video, an invitation to duet or follow the profile.
• Use the right #hashtags . Just like on Instagram, here too it is useful to use hashtags, but the right ones. The secret is not to overdo the quantity, but stay around 4/5 per video, alternating them from time to time without always repeating the same ones.

Conclusions

Making videos to entertain the public is a fun activity which, however, requires time and practice to obtain feedback.

The main purpose of TikTok is to reward spontaneity and authenticity.
So, the more you are yourself, the more people will like you, just like in real life.

Give vent to your creativity, be simple and intuitive and you will have nothing to fear.

Do you want to know more about the topic?
Ask for help at GILBI.CO . We are waiting for you!