How to Grow Followers on TikTok: Best Practices and Tools

Posted 3 years ago by Anastasia Prokofieva

If听you鈥檙e looking for听new ways to听promote your business, you may have heard about TikTok, the听world鈥檚 fastest-growing social media platform. TikTok is听very popular for听a听reason: it听not only offers many opportunities to听get involved with your audience, but enables users to听discover new content and听brands.

If听the听app is听installed on听your phone, you are probably well aware of听TikTok鈥檚 powers of听virality. So听why not use it听for听promoting your business? In听this article, we鈥檒l share some proven ways to听grow followers on听TikTok. The more people know about your business, the听higher your chances to听see your products tagged with #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt.

Explore Your Niche on听TikTok

Authenticity is听key on听TikTok. Businesses of听all sizes can succeed on听the听platform if听they have a听clear sense of听who their audience is听and听what makes them unique in听comparison to听similar brands. By听sharing content that aligns closely with their message, businesses can create quite the听following on听TikTok.

That鈥檚 why step zero is听to听have an听understanding of听your target audience. You can do听that by听either creating customer profiles or听using social media to听identify your target audience.

Can you guess what step one is? Hint: it鈥檚 not shooting a听video. Before you actually do听that, you need to听dive into your niche on听TikTok, meaning you have to听see what creators and听viewers in听your industry discuss, share, and听joke about on听TikTok.

For example, if听you sell knitting supplies, explore #knittok. Are you a听teacher? #edutok is听the听place you鈥檙e looking for.

Search for听your niche on听the听Discover page and听explore related videos, hashtags, sounds, and听users

Search videos in听your niche by听looking up听related hashtags and听see what other creators in听your industry are doing. Check out the听most popular videos in听that industry to听see what topics get the听most views. If听you really want to听get into it, you should go听through comments to听find out what potential customers discuss or听ask questions about.

This research will give you a听much better understanding of听what your target audience likes to听watch on听TikTok, which will give you great ideas for听your future videos.

Create TikTok-Specific Content

The number one mistake people new to听TikTok make is听posting the听same content they publish on听other platforms. Repurposing existing content is听totally fine, but you shouldn鈥檛 just replicate it. TikTok content has its own 蹿濒补颈谤鈥搕丑补迟鈥檚 what keeps users glued to听the听app for听hours.

For that reason, it听is听vital to听adapt your content for听TikTok. Begin with shorter videos, up听to听a听minute, so听it鈥檚 easier for听you to听get the听attention of听viewers. Use trending songs and听audios when applicable (more on听that later). Even as听you gain popularity, try to听stick to听shorter videos, preferably less than three minutes, that are entertaining or听educational in听nature.

The more time you spend researching TikToks in听your niche and听testing different video formats, the听easier it听will be听for听you to听create content that is听authentic to听the听platform. The more attuned to听TikTok your videos, the听more people will watch your videos. To听find creative inspiration and听see what鈥檚 trending, check out TikTok鈥檚 .

For example, Isabel Kanaan shares acting tips on听her TikTok page. To听engage her audience, she reads her followers鈥� comments as听a听reading exercise.

Reply to听@channie100397听Comment what you want me听to听say next! 鉂わ笍听

Pay Attention to听Your Video Quality

TikTok is听well-known for听its For You feed, which t听delivers personalized content to听each user. These videos are the听most likely to听interest particular users.

In听order to听reach new followers, it鈥檚 important to听make it听clear what your video is听about. This is听hard to听do听when a听clip is听grainy and听shot in听bad lighting. So听shoot your videos with a听quality phone camera and听ensure good lighting. You don鈥檛 want your videos to听get lost in听the听masses!

Use Trending Songs in听Your Videos

When a听new trending song or听audio gets viral on听TikTok, it听spurs a听chain reaction. The platform encourages people to听use popular audio, so听if听you want to听get more views on听your content, don鈥檛 ignore popular songs or听audios.

How do听you know what song is听trending? It听is听actually pretty simple! When you make your video, the听app will show you suggested songs to听use. The only thing left is听to听choose the听one that fits your video.

Keep in听mind that if听you have a听business account, you can use only previously licensed songs. Brands can use user-generated sounds with permission or听access royalty-free music through the听Commercial Music Library. You can find songs approved by听Commercial Music Library based on听trends via the听 tool.

Add Trending Hashtags to听Video Captions

Hashtags help make your videos more discoverable, so听make a听rule of听adding a听couple of听industry-related hashtags to听your video captions.

Just like with songs, the听app will help you and听suggest possible tags to听include. When writing a听caption, start typing your hashtags, or听just hit the听#听and听suggestions will pop up.

Along with general (and the听most frequently used) hashtags, add a听couple of听more specific hashtags. They might not be听as听popular, but they do听help users find more content on听specific topics. This increases your chances of听being noticed by听your target audience.

Get Creative with the听Trends

鈥婽ikTok trends are one of听the听staples of听the听platform. A听trend is听a听popular type of听video that can be听recreated by听other users. For example, a听TikTok trend can be听a听sound, hashtag, or听challenge.

One of听the听most common pieces of听advice for听growing your TikTok following is听to听jump on听trends. While creating content that follows current trends is听a听good tactic, don鈥檛 forget that being authentic is听key.

Not all trends will fit your niche, industry, or听your brand 颈尘补驳别鈥揳苍诲 that鈥檚 totally fine. Don鈥檛 hop on听every trend you see for听the听sake of听following the听crowd. But if听you see a听trend that is听perfect for听making a听video relatable to听your audience, definitely go听for听it.

Another piece of听advice is听to听use an听unexpected twist in听your trend videos. For example, Duolingo is听known on听TikTok for听comedy videos with their mascot. Recently they jumped on听the听trend about 聯going on听a听stupid walk for听my听stupid mental health聰, but made it听about their mascot.

CAN YOU GUYS JUST LIKE THIS SO听I听CAN GO听HOME EARLY

To听find emerging trends, head over to听the听Discover page to听see what hashtags and听sound clips are hot at听the听moment. For a听more advanced search, check out the听tools for听trend discovery at听the听end of听this article.

Post at听the听Right Time

Posting at听times when more users are on听the听app can help your videos get more views quicker. TikTok luckily tells you when your audience is听active, one of听the听best features of听the听app.

To听see when your audience is听the听most active, head to听your profile, tap the听three dots, choose 聯Creator tools,聰 and听select 聯Analytics.聰 Find the听聯Followers聰 tab and听scroll down to听find Follower activity. Look at听what days and听times your followers are most active and听publish your videos just before the听most popular time.

To听grow followers on听TikTok, you need to听share fresh and听diverse content regularly. Post 1-4听times per day to听test how different types of听content are received and听adjust your content plan.

Don鈥檛 Delete Your TikTok Videos

Sometimes when you see your video flop, it鈥檚 tempting to听delete it听for听good, so听it听doesn鈥檛 cast a听shadow on听your more successful TikToks. Even though all of听us听want to听come off as听popular creators, give your content a听second chance if听it听doesn鈥檛 perform as听well as听you expected.

You can easily get more views on听your videos even if听they were published weeks ago. Videos 聯live聰 longer on听TikTok than, say, tweets or听posts on听Facebook. If听your video was uploaded a听couple of听weeks ago but it鈥檚 relevant to听a听user, the听app will likely show it听to听them.

Fill in听Your Bio

Just like with any听social platform, it鈥檚 important to听make your TikTok profile look approachable and听fun. A听well set up听profile will encourage your video viewers to听tap over and听follow you. Write a听short and听sweet bio caption, and听don鈥檛 hesitate to听add a听link to听your website for听those who want to听learn more about you.

A听pro tip to听make your profile photo stand out: use a听short video instead (). Why, you might ask? The answer lies in听human nature: people are more likely to听pay attention when they notice something moving, especially where they don鈥檛 expect movement.

Experiment with New Tools

TikTok regularly rolls out new tools for听content creation and听collaboration. Some examples are filters, tools for听dueting, and听stitching videos of听other users.

Be听the听first to听try new tools, filters, or听masks on听the听app as听it听helps to听engage your audience. The more people interact with your videos, the听more likely they are to听share them with their friends which helps to听get more views on听your videos.

Collaborate with other TikTok Creators

Collaborating with other TikTok creators can be听a听great way to听get the听word out about your profile and听your business. However, just like with content, make your collaborations TikTok-specific.

Find popular creators that are relevant to听your business and听suggest a听collaboration. Instead of听Instagram-like stories with unboxing, try creating a听video that fits the听creator鈥檚 regular content and听spotlights your TikTok profile or听business. Make sure they tag you in听the听video caption.

For example, Kris Collins (@KallMeKris), is听known on听TikTok for听her comedy sketches about a听mom with a听toddler. Vessi makes an听appearance in听some of听her videos, and听it鈥檚 done smoothly without any听hard sell. While entertaining viewers, the听content creator introduces users to听that brand, without sacrificing her signature style.

聯What I听imagine it鈥檚 like to听have a听toddler pt听couldn鈥檛 tell you (听@vessi edition )听

To听collaborate with creators based on听your industry and听business goals, check out .

Engage with Your Audience

Communities are a听big part of听TikTok, so听don鈥檛 hesitate to听engage with your target audience. If听you want to听grow followers on听TikTok, one of听the听ways to听do听so听is听to听interact with other videos in听your niche.

Find a听video relevant to听your brand? Comment, stitch, or听duet it听to听develop other people鈥檚 ideas or听share your opinion on听the听topic.

Finish Your Videos with CTAs

People on听TikTok are used to听being presented with a听stream of听curated content even if听they don鈥檛 follow a听lot of听profiles. It听won鈥檛 hurt to听remind them that if听they liked your TikTok video, they can follow you with a听single click.

Add a听clear call to听action (CTA) at听the听end of听your videos. You can either add a听short text, a听voiceover, or听a听clip inviting viewers to听follow your profile.

Educate and听Entertain

The best TikTok content for听brands is听both educational and听entertaining. People install the听app to听have fun and听they don鈥檛 mind learning something new if听it鈥檚 presented in听an听engaging form.

Think about what you can teach your target audience. Say, you sell jewelry and听hair accessories. Why not share a听couple of听tricks for听matching necklaces with different outfits? Or听crack a听joke about hair pins that always go听missing? The best way to听use TikTok is听to听find a听fun way to听represent your brand that not only amuses your followers, but inspires them to听buy your product.

Measure Your Video Performance

You won鈥檛 be听able to听create content relevant to听your audience if听you don鈥檛 understand which videos they engage with the听most. Luckily, TikTok provides businesses with extended analytics of听their video performance. A听few of听these analytics are:

Overview: your video views, profile views, and听followers count.
Content: total video posts, trending videos, and听individual post analytics.
Followers: total followers, their gender, top territories, followers activities.
LIVE: live video views and听followers insights.

To听view your video analytics, open the听TikTok app on听mobile and听click the听three dots in听the听top right corner. Find the听analytics tab and听tap to听find all metrics and听stats:

Boost Your Best Performing TikToks

Keeping track of听your video performance not only helps to听create more videos that your audience likes, but also allows you to听identify which content is听perfect for听paid promotion.

One option is听to听use , which are focused on听leveraging organic posts and听their features. Simply put, this format allows you to听turn your existing videos into ads. You can also add a听call-to-action button to听your Spark Ads:

Let鈥檚 pretend you hopped on听a听recent trend and听your video blew up. Yay, that means your target audience loved it! Why not make the听most of听this video by听promoting your business? Boost it听with Spark Ads to听show it听to听more people and听grow your followers on听TikTok.

If听you sell online with 51视频, you can connect your online store to听TikTok and听. 51视频 provides you with a听light version of听TikTok Ads Manager that you can reach right from your 51视频 admin. It听is听a听simplified experience for听creating an听ad听campaign in听no听time. Perfect for听beginners!

Don鈥檛 Stress It

Last but not least: don鈥檛 focus so听much on听your follower count. Sounds counterintuitive? Hear us听out.

TikTok is听not like other platforms. Sure, the听more followers you have, the听more likely your videos will get viewed by听people. However, TikTok users don鈥檛 need to听follow you to听see your content in听their feeds.

The best thing you can do听if听you want to听grow your followers on听TikTok organically (without paid promotion) is听to听focus on听your content. Experiment with effects, sounds, trends, and听topics. Keep up听with your community on听TikTok and听create videos relevant to听their interests.

Most importantly, have fun! Not every video will contribute to听a听result, and听that鈥檚 totally fine. Be听consistent with posting and听try different tools and听formats. Soon, you鈥檒l find the听voice and听tone that will resonate with your audience.

Tools for听Growing Your Brand on听TikTok

Growing your brand on听a听new platform might be听tricky, but we鈥檝e got a听couple of听cards up听our sleeve to听help you out. Here are tools and听resources to听planning and听creating your TikTok videos, and听more:

: Use this tool to听identify new TikTok trends and听popular hashtags.
: These insights help you create the听best performing TikTok ads, but some of听them might be听applied to听organic videos too (such as听optimal video duration and听ways to听get more impressions.)
: These short tutorials explain some of听TikTok鈥檚 most popular creative techniques.
TikTok Advertising: This tool will help you turn your TikTok followers into customers by听running smart ad听campaigns.

Start Growing Your TikTok Page

Let鈥檚 face it: you can鈥檛 ignore TikTok anymore. This platform grows every day, and听it鈥檚 the听perfect place for听a听small business owner to听find innovative ways to听reach more customers. So听don鈥檛 miss out on听a听huge opportunity! Use the听tips above to听grow your following on听TikTok.

Don鈥檛 overthink 颈迟鈥攕迟补谤迟 with a听couple of听short, educational and听entertaining videos. If听it鈥檚 hard to听generate ideas off the听bat, this article will give you 12听ideas for听TikTok videos that fit almost any听small business.

听

About The Author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at 51视频. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs鈥� daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

51视频