If you want to become famous on TikTok (and who doesn’t!?), understanding the algorithm is even more important than following TikTok trends.
Now, the word “algorithm” may sound dull, and I would be surprised if you truly understand what it is and how to leverage it to your advantage.
If you’re unfamiliar with how the TikTok algorithm functions, you’re in the right place.
Table of Contents
What Is the TikTok Algorithm?
The TikTok algorithm is a “hidden” set of in-app rules, not visible to the average user, that determines how well each user’s videos rank and appear on others’ For You pages.
It is essentially a recommendation system that determines the types of videos that will appear on the For You page.
When you show a preference for a specific type of video, TikTok’s algorithm will recognize this and recommend more videos that align with your taste.
Have you ever felt that TikTok can understand your thoughts and emotions?
Yes, I feel the same way. The algorithm quickly detects your searches and transforms them into interests, which it later uses to present you with more content of a similar nature.
Imagine you’re on a diet and craving some delicious doughnuts. You watch videos of sweet treats, hoping they will satisfy your cravings, right?
Well, TikTok identifies this as your interest and continues to show you more videos of delightful sweets and tempting doughnuts.
How do you discover videos related to your interests on TikTok, which the algorithm then uses to show you more similar content? Hashtags!
How can you leverage the TikTok algorithm to ensure your videos appear on other people’s For You Page? Use relevant HASHTAGS!
Further details will be provided later.
How Does the Algorithm Work?
Social media platforms typically do not disclose how their algorithms function.
However, due to heightened media pressure and concerns about privacy, many social networks have disclosed their algorithm secrets.
While algorithms should remain confidential as they contribute to the uniqueness of social media, understanding how the TikTok algorithm functions can be beneficial for those looking to achieve significant growth.
The TikTok algorithm primarily relies on the following factors:
1. User Interactions
User interactions are centered around your viewing of other people’s TikTok videos.
In simple terms, the TikTok algorithm “notices” what you enjoy watching or whom you follow, and curates your feed based on your interests.
The data and actions listed below assist the TikTok algorithm in identifying your preferences:
2. Information about Videos
The video information is tailored to your search preferences on the Discover tab.
This aspect of the algorithm’s operation includes the following details:
3. Device and Account Settings
This may not be the most crucial aspect of the algorithm, but it is still somewhat significant, as TikTok recommends videos based on your location and preferred language.
Account and device settings that influence the TikTok algorithm:
4. Level of Interest – Strong and Weak Indicators
Each user has a unique For You page or feed that is tailored to their interests.
There are both strong and weak indicators.
The most significant indicator is your video completion rate, which reflects the percentage of TikTok users who have watched a video from beginning to end.
In simple terms, if you watch a video from start to finish, TikTok will recognize that you enjoy that type of content.
The more people who watch it until the end, the more popular the video will become.
4. Number of Followers (IS NOT IMPORTANT)
For a long time, it was believed that only TikTok users with a large number of followers could appear on the For You page.
However, TikTok has recently denied that.
Certainly, having more followers provides a stronger foundation for increased views; however, this does not exclude smaller accounts with high-quality content whose videos are fully watched by viewers.
Regardless of the number of followers you have, you can still get on the FYP and win the algorithm’s favor.
How to Use the Algorithm to Your Advantage
There are numerous steps and rules to becoming popular on TikTok or going viral. However, I will discuss how you can leverage the algorithm to enhance the popularity of your videos.
Understanding how the algorithm functions can be beneficial, but it cannot operate without your involvement.
1. Identify your niche
Your goal is to identify a specific niche that will define you and share content that is exclusively (or primarily) related to that topic.
Why?
Well, if TikTok recognizes that you’re posting, for example, tips for cleaning the house, and someone watches housecleaning tips from another account, the algorithm will identify this as that person’s interest and display other similar videos.
At the same time, it will recognize that this is your area of expertise, so who better to feature on that person’s FYP than an expert like you?
2. Use relevant hashtags
How can you discover new videos on TikTok?
You search for a term, and new related videos appear as if by magic?
Not magic—hashtags.
That’s why you should use only relevant hashtags in your videos.
If your video is about plant care but you use the “#baking” hashtag, a person searching for baking tips who encounters your video will likely not watch it for even 2 seconds. This will signal to the TikTok algorithm that viewers are not interested in your content, which may prevent it from reaching anyone’s FYP.
3. Utilize Trends
People enjoy staying informed, and in the realm of social media, this is achieved through trends.
So, if you encounter a video that follows a particular trend, you watch it and “like” it, more similar videos will appear.
If someone else is watching and enjoying a video that follows a specific trend, and you have a video related to that same trend, the likelihood is that your video will reach the person who has already viewed similar content.
4. Use Subtitles
Accessibility has always been crucial, but it has become even more significant recently.
If you want the algorithm to favor you and your content, you need to make it accessible. The most effective way to achieve this is through the regular use of subtitles.
This will make your videos accessible to people with hearing impairments, and it will also ensure that those who cannot currently turn on the sound can understand them.
A better understanding leads to longer watch time, which in turn generates more favor from the TikTok algorithm.
5. Engage with the audience
Another way to gain favor with the algorithm is to engage with your audience.
No one enjoys a one-sided conversation, so if others comment on your videos, be sure to respond! This will make your viewers feel as though you’re genuinely creating content for them, encouraging them to return and ultimately benefiting you in the TikTok algorithm.
Conclusion
The TikTok algorithm and its secret workings may seem dull, but understanding how to leverage it to your advantage can make learning the basics enjoyable.
In summary, the algorithm is a set of hidden rules that TikTok employs to create your unique FYP. Once you understand what makes your videos more visible, success on this platform is nearly guaranteed!
