The TikTok Algorithm Explained + Tips to Go Viral

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Have you ever wondered why some videos go viral on TikTok in a day and some never catch fire? This secret mechanism that makes your content go viral is the TikTok algorithm.

TikTok is the hub among all the social channels, with the highest average engagement rate of 5.96%, making people share consistently on the platform. However, every piece of content that appears on the user’s For You Page is monitored by the TikTok Algorithm and is strictly per the user’s interest.

Wondering how does TikTok Algorithm work?

You are looking for a neat and direct answer, aren’t you? The truth, my friend, is a bit more complex. Finding the formula behind the TikTok Algorithm is like catching smoke with bear hands. And, being an industry giant, TikTok knows how to keep its cards closed.

Like every other social channel, TikTok is also not perfect. However, TikTok is a rich ground for getting the online presence you are looking for. So, while you search for ways to reset TikTok Algorithm and appear on more For You Pages, you will actually gather valuable insights to enhance your reach on TikTok organically.

But first, let’s begin with the basics.

What Is TikTok Algorithm?

The TikTok Algorithm is a mechanism that works with Artificial Intelligence and creates a personalized For You Page, showing you the content that you are most likely to engage with. So whenever you wonder how TikTok reads your mind, it is because TikTok has a machine learning algorithm that constantly analyzes user behavior.

Every user’s For You Page (FYP) is unique based on their preferences, location, language, following, likes, dislikes, and more. When a new user enters TikTok dimensions, the feed shows content based on the people’s interests in the same demographic.

The TikTok algorithm is never the same for two people or a single user; it shifts as their preferences change. When a user engages with something new, the algorithm catches it, feeds it into the formula, and shows them that type of video.

So, when you are looking for what is TikTok algorithm, there is no definite answer. Like every other social media algorithm, the mechanism keeps changing from time to time, adding and subtracting elements to suit every user preference.

How does TikTok Algorithm Work?

After learning about the TikTok algorithm and its importance in going viral, you must be wondering how does TikTok algorithm works. What factors matter the most, and what does not play any significant role in it?

We can not say that TikTok has been completely transparent about its algorithm, but over the years, it has revealed some of the factors that have proven to affect content reach.

TikTok algorithm takes note of thousands of signals; a few of the factors that influence the algorithm the most are given below:

Ranking Signals that Influence TikTok Algorithm

The primary factors influencing the TikTok Algorithm are user interaction, video information, and device and account settings.

These factors are responsible for the algorithm’s ability to match the content with the users’ preferences precisely.

1. User Interactions

The most impactful aspect that can affect TikTok Algorithm is the user interactions. This includes the engagement part and beyond that.

It clearly identifies the user’s interest in the type of content they want to see the most based on their interaction and engagement.

Accounts and creators they follow
Videos they like and share
Videos they mark as not-interested and not-appropriate
Videos they mark as favorite 
Comments they have posted
Creators they have hidden
Content they have created
Videos they watch toward the end or rewatch
Interest in organic content or ads

Based on these factors, your video is pushed by TikTok Algorithm for views. So, for creators and other users, it is vital to create content that aligns with the audience’s interests.

2. Video Information

After analyzing your interactions, the TikTok algorithm moves toward checking the content in the video you have interacted with. This way, it identifies the subject matters with the help of the below-listed factors:

Sound
Hashtags
Caption keywords
Effects
Cover text

3. Device and Account Settings

Device and account settings are not as influential as the above two. They are usually set up manually by the user as per their preference from day one.

Country settings
Language preference
Device type
Interested categories

The official article published by TikTok in 2020 included a glimpse of these ranking signals, discussing how it recommends content to users. However, the weightage of each one in the TikTok algorithm was not explained.

Factors that Do Not Influence TikTok Algorithm

Unlike Facebook and Instagram algorithms, TikTok does not recommend content based on the number of followers or high-performing past videos.

TikTok Algorithm 2024 is not affected by account age, posting frequency, and paid promotion. This means that to stay relevant and popular on TikTok, you must consistently create engaging content.

This means that even if you are new to TikTok, you can go viral by creating high-quality videos showcasing good content.

Types of Content TikTok Algorithm Never Recommends

Before the TikTok Algorithm actually pushes your content to more and more viewers, it runs a quality and authenticity check itself. And, if your content falls in any of the below categories, TikTok will not recommend it to the audience:

Anything against TikTok community guidelines
Spam content
Duplicated content
Already watched content
Not interested/not appropriate content
Under review content
Unsafe and offensive content
Low-quality, blurry videos.
Content shared by below 18 users

Signals impacting and not impacting the TikTok algorithm explained above can help create a strong strategy that aligns with viewers’ expectations and increases the chance of going viral.

Busting the Biggest Myths About TikTok Algorithm

TikTok is one of the biggest social channels right now, with more than 50 million users scrolling through its feed daily.

This makes many marketers and creators desperate to make their content go viral, and eventually, they start following anything they hear to appear on the For You Page.

They tend to believe in several myths that are not even close to the real TikTok algorithm system. So, we have felt the need to clear some air and tackle some of the biggest issues about the TikTok algorithm.

1. Watching Your Own Videos Boosts Visibility

If you think watching your own video repeatedly on TikTok will make you go viral, you’re wrong! The TikTok Algorithm focuses on unique views and engagement for every video.

Just because it seems that more views mean more visibility does not mean the algorithm will not identify where the views are coming from. It’s smarter than that.

2. Changing to Pro Account Reduces the Reach

Some TikTokers with good visibility feel that changing their account to pro might hinder the algorithm, impacting their reach.

However, this is not the case. TikTok has stated that account type has nothing to do with algorithm changes and distribution. Upgrading to pro actually gives access to the analytics feature, which helps brands and creators better understand the audience.

The same goes for verified accounts; it generate a sense of authenticity and trustworthiness for viewers about your content and helps improve reach and engagement.

Want to get yourself verified on TikTok? We have got you covered!

3. Removing Low-Performing Videos Improves Reach

If you have a few videos that didn’t get much love, don’t try to delete them. Deleting underperforming videos will not give you the desired visibility.

The TikTok algorithm judges each video individually. None of the previously shared content, whether good or bad, will increase or decrease the reach of your next video in any way.

4. More Followers Means More Views

Having a wider and bigger following might seem like a final destination for good reach. However, the real effect is made with real engagement (likes, comments, and shares) and the quality of your content.

Having a big follower base can give the initial push for views, but the actual viral factor can be achieved with unique engagement. (Learn how to get more views on TikTok)

5. Videos Only Go Viral in First Hour

The TikTok algorithm has never claimed the duration in which you can expect your video to go viral; this can happen at any time, any day. Even your content shared months ago can hit the fire today.

Persistence and consistency are two crucial factors for long-term engagement and visibility. So, keep creating content; you never know when you might gain popularity.

6. #FYP and #ForYou Increases Chances of Getting Featured

Hashtags like #FYP, #ForYouPage, and #ForYou are very widely used on TikTok video captions. Many believe that these hashtags can get them featured and trend.

In reality, only the content that people can’t stop watching can get you on the For You Page. The hashtags that resonate with the users and are relevant to your content are more entertained by the algorithm.

7. Posting Too Frequently Reduces Reach

One of the lamest myths about TikTok is that posting too often is bad. The TikTok algorithm doesn’t penalize your feed for being active and sharing videos regularly.

Being consistent with your content on TikTok actually boosts your reach and increases your chances of going viral as you are making your profile more interesting and engaging.

8. TikTok Promotes Videos with High-Production Value

Going viral is all about creativity and connecting with your audience. You don’t really need a fancy budget to get featured. Millions of people go viral on TikTok with smartphone-shot videos.

Good production can enhance the video. However, it does not affect the algorithm or its reach that much. Even if you don’t have a high budget, you can create videos that outperform others.

Instead of believing and following anything you hear about how the TikTok algorithm works, try understanding your audience and planning content smartly. Go through TikTok analytics on the native application to learn about performance and fine-tune your approach for better reach.

11 Expert Tips to Hack the TikTok Algorithm in 2024

Understanding how does the TikTok algorithm works and beating it to the core is every creator and brand’s dream. It’s like cracking the secret code to the best TikTok strategy.

Here are 12 tips by the experts to help you charm the TikTok algorithm and generate higher reach.

1. Switch to Pro Account

If you have a pro account, you have better insights about your content performance. Pro accounts get access to TikTok analytics, which helps them understand their growth.

This data is demonstrated on a weekly and monthly basis, also giving insights on followers’ growth and providing you with every possible detail about your performance.

2. Find Your Niche

Finding your niche is like picking your favorite theme and becoming an expert in it. Once you have discovered your own subculture, it’s important to stay within the lines.

If you are a creator passionate about DIY, stick to it, and don’t move around talking about dance. If you are a food brand, talk everything food or similar subjects; don’t talk about software.

This is because occasionally changing the niche will confuse your audience, who followed you for a specific purpose. It will also become difficult for you to attract new followers.

3. Leverage TikTok SEO

If you are hearing it for the first time, let us repeat it for you. Yes, TikTok has its own SEO. You can optimize your TikTok videos and content with relevant keywords to make them appear in the FYPs.

TikTok SEO works the same as hashtag strategy on the platform. This strategy is supported when you want to work with the algorithm.

Any keywords used in the caption will help the TikTok algorithm understand your content type and push it to the interested audience, increasing your chances of getting better engagement.

Need help optimizing captions for your TikTok content?

Try SocialPilot Free AI-Powered TikTok Caption Generator. It is a time-saving tool that can understand your needs in a few words and generate creative captions in different languages and tones.

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