How To Go Viral On Tik Tok: Tips from Top Accounts

TikTok is one of the hottest platforms on social media right now. The video-based sensation attracts users across a broad range of demographics—and it’s also spawning a new wave of digital celebrities.

Knowing how to go viral on TikTok is something that countless fame-hungry video superstars ask themselves every day. Droves of forward-thinking brands and marketers are also looking to make an impact on the platforms to reach wider, more digitally-native audiences.

Whatever your exact motivations, getting your TikTok marketing efforts right will help your content go viral—elevating you to influencer (or celebrity) status quicker than you can say OOMF!

To guide you towards unrivaled TikTok success, here we explore what is considered viral content on the platform and explore some top tips inspired by tried and tested methods.

What is considered viral on TikTok?

When you’re exploring how to go viral on TikTok quickly, it pays to understand what is considered viral in the eyes of platform users.

A good starting point is seeking an answer to the question, how many views is viral on TikTok? While there is no precise number when it comes to viral content, as a general rule, around 250,000 views will take your content into the realms of mildly viral.

If your video reaches one million views, it is considered medium viral (which will certainly earn you a healthy flow of new followers while boosting your status on the platform). And, if you get five million views within a three to seven-day period—you will officially become a viral TikTok sensation.

To get your creative juices flowing, here is quick-fire compilation of some of the most popular, or viral, TikTok videos:

Now you know what is viral on TikTok, you can start thinking about the type of content you would like to create for your audience.

Remember: In addition to the numbers (views, comments, engagements, shares, etc.), riding the crest of a trending wave or capturing the vibe of a specific moment in time is a little sprinkling of magic that propels a piece of content from average to iconic.

How to make your video go viral on TikTok

Now you know what makes a popular piece of content, we’re going to look at how to go viral on TikTok by working through some top tips.

Disclaimer: Typically, going viral on this most exciting of platforms doesn’t happen in an instant—it requires a certain level of persistence coupled with doing the right things consistently.

@axelwebber, for example, rose to TikTok viral fame pretty swiftly, but reaching the status of viral hit sensation took a steady stream of content that was fun, appealing, and resonated with his fan base.

With a hint of humor and a liberal dollop of honesty, Axel has earned millions upon millions of TikTok followers by chronicling his life in New York while living in a tiny apartment. A simple concept delivered in a timely, authentic fashion.

Armed with a little Axel inspiration, let’s dive into our top TikTok viral tips.

1. Be one of the first people on TikTok to use a trending sound

This may seem strange, but when looking at how to get viral on TikTok, exploring trending sounds is an excellent strategy.

Emerging music, as well as sound bites that are trending on the platform, often earn a lot of engagement and by keeping your ears to the virtual ground, you can be one of the first people to hop on an emerging audio TikTok trend—increasing the potential of earning viral status in the process.

2. Do it better than the all the rest

When hopping on particular trends in your niche, you don’t always have to beat everyone to the punch—taking inspiration from others and doing something that’s either better or more original can help you go viral.

An excellent example of studying trending topics or content, sitting back a little, and adding an original spin that resonates with a wide audience is @benjikroll.

With over 27 million followers, Benji propelled himself into TikTok fame by talking about trending topics or rehashing old jokes on the platform with on-point facial expressions, quirky humor, and trending tunes or sounds.

He wasn’t the first one to jump on the bandwagon, but he quickly learned how to approach his content in a way that earned more engagement than the competition.

3. Pick a TikTok niche and understand it inside-out

When you’re viral video marketing on any platform, taking a broad or general approach to your content rarely works. Your videos are likely to get swallowed up in a sea of content if you don’t pick a niche—and know it inside-out.

To make your video go viral on TikTok, you must study your competitors’ content while understanding your target audience on a deep, personal level. Carrying out this level of creative research will give your content authenticity and originality while capturing the attention of your potential fan base.

Here are two resources that will help you form solid foundations for your TikTok video content strategy and help you stand out in your niche:

• 7 tips on getting to know your customers better

• Virtual competitive research components lesson

4. Leverage the right partnerships

If you’re looking for viral TikTok success, another key factor is leveraging the right partnerships. Sometimes, two heads are better than one—and by teaming up with another notable TikTok-er, you can expand your reach while doubling the impact of your creative efforts.

If you are looking to team up with another TikTok creator, sparking up a partnership with some relevance or crossover to your niche or subject matter is essential.

@tiktok10quiz, for example, is partnering with the likes of @hankgreen1 who became a guest for an edition of his famous TikTok Top 10 Quiz to maximize the reach and engagement of their videos.

Another excellent example of viral-level cross-promotional partnerships comes from well-known celebrity lookalikes teaming up on TikTok to create fan videos and create a real buzz on the platform (like this offering from the fake Ed Sheeran and Annemarie):

5. Duet responsibly

A TikTok Duet is a split screen video where two content creators can either collaborate with or react to one another, and it’s another way to generate a big buzz on the platform. And, if you get creative with your dueting efforts, you may well create a viral hit.

Journalist, Marcus DiPaola, for instance, became the muse for a wave of comedic TikTok duets when he introduced his girlfriend on the platform.

Marcus’ girlfriends somewhat uneasy look on the original video sparked a wave of amusing hostage spoofs, many of which went viral.

Oh, and there was this TikTok user who advised the Web to duet responsibility and only use the functionality to add value to existing videos and became subject to an ironic chain of virtual dueting spoofs.

The lesson here is, you should absolutely duet trending video content, but to make a positive viral impact, make sure you don’t alienate your audience in any way and ensure your effort has either a point or a definitive creative direction. If it doesn’t, it will earn little or no engagement.

What hashtags go viral on TikTok?

Now that you know how to create a buzz, let’s look at what hashtags to use on TikTok to go viral.

You can connect with the most popular hashtags on Tik Tok by checking in with populartiktokhashtags and using them to promote your content.

But, it’s also worth noting that many of the most popular or well-paid TikTok stars sometimes use the hashtags of trending movies or trending TV shows to expand their reach, even if it’s not directly related to their content.

Also, if you’ve created a video that is directly related to your niche and truly aimed at your audience, it’s likely that TikTok’s algorithm will pick it up and deliver it to the right people. This is why you often see popular content with terms like this video found for a reason; as you can see, no hashtags, etc. included within their descriptions.

The bottom line is that using relevant hashtags will certainly help your content reach the right people and expand its reach, but there is no substitute for hopping on trends in an original way or knowing your audience. If you know the best times to post content on TikTok, that will also help to drive more engagement.

Learn how to go viral on TikTok by taking a social media course

Now that you know how to go viral on TikTok overnight (or at least rather swiftly), it’s time to start creating and sharing your content.

To build the best possible foundations for your TikTok advertising or marketing success, building a solid following across your social media channels is the best way forward. With DMI’s certified Social Media Marketing course you’ll learn how to research, strategize, and fully exploit all social media platforms to help you stand out from the crowd.

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