Let’s Talk TikTok
Earlier this week, I made a thread on Twitter about TikTok, which you can read here. I talk about how I’ve spent the past six (almost seven) months growing my account from zero to roughly 2.5k, and the things I’ve noticed that have helped nudge growth along. I was so happy that for the most part, it seemed to really resonate with people and help shed some light on the mysterious and difficult to grasp app! Since it was in tweet-form, I didn’t have much space to work with, so I wanted to write everything out in a blog (and maybe make this an ongoing series) so it’s 1. Easier to read, and, 2. I can share everything that Twitter’s character limit made me leave out. Grr!
Also, here’s my disclaimer that I am NOT an expert. Seriously. These are just things that I’ve noticed and work for me personally, but social media is an ever-changing beast and anyone else could have a different experience. That said, I am a full-time content manager at a digital marketing agency, so I’m fairly well acquainted!
Last thing, you do NOT have to be on TikTok. I cannot stress this enough. If you genuinely don’t want to do it, don’t, because people will be able to tell your heart isn’t in it. And you deserve to do things that make you happy! But for those who are intrigued by the app and would like to get more familiar with it, I hope sharing my findings helps save you the time it could have saved me if I had known these things early on.
Let’s start from the beginning:
TikTok is a booming social media app where users create videos varying across a multitude of topics. Literally whatever you want! If you’re a writer, you might be inclined to make “relatable writer content” and tease about your book here or there. That’s typically what mine tend to be about, but to each their own!
The objective of TikTok is ultimately to get views, which is how many people see your video. In this blog, I’m covering how to do this organically, meaning without paid advertising.
While going viral is pretty awesome, it’s also a total crapshoot. There, I said it. There’s so much involved, like timing, luck, the algorithm, ugh. That said, there are definitely ways to help you potentially go viral.
Use trending sounds!
Before I get into it, let me backup and explain what a sound is. Basically, every TikTok has a sound. If you’re talking to the camera, that’s your sound. If you choose a song to back you, that’s your sound. But TikTok also allows users to create shareable sounds, meaning they can be used by other individuals. Typically, these are the ones that help videos go viral and end up “trending.”
You can find sounds at the very bottom of a TikTok when you’re in the app. In this cringey still-shot, it’s where the red arrow points:
My best advice for finding trending sounds is to swipe through your For You Page (fyp) and see which keep coming up in different videos. From there, brainstorm how to put your own spin on it and click on the sound. It will show you how many views it has and gives you the option to save it to your library so it’s easy to find. Another great thing is to hop on a sound before it’s trending, when it has between 5k-12k views. There are also accounts that project trending sounds. I link a few of my favorites at the bottom!
Even if a trending sound doesn’t make you go viral, that’s okay! It still should help push your video out, which is equally helpful. The next step is creating a caption. Captions in TikTok are super concise, because you have to leave room for hashtags. I usually use between 4-6 hashtags that center around my niche, but some people suggest more and some say none at all! I guess it just depends on your account.
What’s really important though is always using some form of #fyp or #foryou. This helps it get onto other peoples For You pages, which is like an Instagram explore page. It’s how you can get discovered by more accounts.
Now for the most important part…
Once you post your video, don’t you DARE delete it. I will find you!!! I know it’s easy for imposter syndrome to sneak in and to start doubting yourself if you’re not getting views and likes, but sometimes it can take WEEKS for a video to go viral. What if the one you panic-deleted could have been your golden ticket? I promise no one’s judging you for a poorly performing TikTok. Most of the time, it’s the algorithm’s fault, and we’ve all been there. You’re growing, so have patience!
At the core of social media, it’s not about going viral. It’s about the friends you’ve made along the way. Can you tell I write found family books? But I’m serious! Making connections with other authors is gold, plus your videos being liked, shared, and commented on is what’s going to lead to them eventually trending, because all those things boost them. But you have to do the same in return! It’s a time commitment for sure, but commenting on other people’s vids and having thoughtful interactions is huge. It comes back to you.
As promised, here’s a few of my favorite accounts that help guess trending sounds before they trend. They also share other tips about social media and growing your platform:
And if you want to follow me, you can do so here.
If you’ve been wanting to get into TikTok, here’s your sign to start! Worst thing that happens is you decide you’re not into it and delete the app. No shame in that either! And please don’t get discouraged if you feel like you’re not growing as quickly as you want to be. Everyone grows at their own pace and you never know what video might help you take off. Good luck!
