In 30 seconds:
- Wondering how to get more views on TikTok? We’re giving you the insider tips you need to know.
- Don’t break these rules of thumb. We’ve shared a few fundamental guidelines to get you started.
- Ensure your strategy measures up. Your data will help you build a watertight plan to rake in the views.
If you want to know how to get more views on TikTok, this is the place to be. With its 1 billion active users (and counting), there are plenty of eager eyes to get your brand’s content in front of.
But to really boost your reach, you need to create a strategy that will up your view count and create that snowball effect. You also need to ensure your content reaches the right audience’s For You Pages; otherwise, it’ll be hitting a brick wall.
To do this, you may need to put aside some of what you already know about TikTok. The way to get views is by adapting, and 2023 is revealing new thought processes on how to nail your campaigns and get them in front of millions. Lucky for you, we’ve got the inside scoop. Here’s the down low.
What counts as a TikTok view?
Unlike other social media networks, a TikTok view is instant. It counts whenever someone plays your video (even for 1 second). They don’t have to watch to the end. Every time someone rewatches a video, it also counts as a view. So, if you start a video, scroll away from it and then go back to it, that would be two views.
So effectively, whenever someone plays your content, it counts as a view. The only time this doesn’t apply is when you watch your own video.
You can see how easy it can be to rack up that view count on TikTok. But remember, this is only if you’re getting it to the right audiences.
Does TikTok pay per view? TikTok does pay the top influencers through their creator fund. Business accounts are not eligible, and there are other criteria creators need to have in order to gain access. Note that when an influencer does branded content with a company, this is not eligible for the TikTok creator fund either, so businesses must pay their collaborators fairly.
A few rules of thumb
Before we get into our juicy insider tips, there are a few rules you need to abide by to ensure you start raking in the views.
Check your content will rank
To make sure you’re actually getting views on your TikTok content, you must check it complies with the channel’s terms of agreement. You also need to ensure your content doesn’t contain spam, profanity or breach any copyright laws. You don’t want to face a shadowban.
You can read more about this in our article: Why is My Brand Getting No Views on TikTok (and How to Fix it).
Don’t buy TikTok views
Paying for views just does not work. Why? Bots and non-humans may increase your view metrics, but your engagement will nosedive, making gaining traction on the channel even harder. This goes for followers, likes, and any other metric online companies are trying to sell you. Just don’t do it.
Understand your target audience
At every step of the way to viewer success; you need to think about your audience. It’s all well and good, boosting your video reach, but if it isn’t impacting the right people, you won’t hit your KPIs. So when thinking about our tips, remember this point and think about the type of content your fans would like to see. You will need to come back to it time and time again if you want to see your TikTok views rise.
8 simple insider tips to getting more video views.
Now that we’ve explained the necessities, let’s explore the more exciting stuff. If you’re asking, “how can I increase my TikTok views?” these tips are the way forward. They will help you up your viewings and boost your reach, all whilst harnessing the power of the TikTok community. So let’s look through them.
1. Keep things short, and long
TikTok has gained massive popularity due to its short-form video format. But that seems to be adjusting. Keeping content snappy and engaging can hook your audience in, but influencer experiences show longer TikTok videos are also gaining traction.
Some creators say that TikTok is prioritising longer videos over short videos and pushing them to people’s FYPs.
@michlmedia The TikTok algorithm seems to be prioritizing longer videos that exceed at least one minute, and right now longer videos around 1:30 to 2 minutes are performing the best and going viral. Even large creators are struggling with low views, and most have theories that this has to do with TikTok pushing to make ad revenue from longer videos. If you're seeing low views and low engagement on TikTok right now, try making longer videos! Give a test and see if it improves. Personally, I'm still using trends because its easy filler in between longer videos. I'm still hoping that short videos will have their place on this app...but it seems like TikTok is trying to be YouTube? Let me know if you're experiencing this in the comments! #smallcreators #tiktokupdate #tiktokalgorithm #contentcreators #tiktokstrategy #monetizetiktok @Michelle | TikTok Strategist ♬ What on earth is going on in the house of commons - ItsZKRM
So what does this mean? Brands must include longer videos and shorter videos in their TikTok marketing strategy to gain maximum views. Don’t forget no matter how long your video is; you still need to grab your audience’s attention in the first few seconds.
The TikTok algorithm works in several ways, one of which is analysing completion rates. If you can use enticing hooks to get your viewers to watch more of your content (or rewatch it multiple times), it will push it to other For You Pages and start snowballing your views. So, create impactful, high-quality videos that will pique your audience’s interests to ensure your number of views expands.
2. Use hashtags
The right hashtags can catapult your content onto viewers’ screens. Why? The TikTok algorithm considers hashtags when users search for videos. The channel uses them to categorise content too, so if you implement them correctly, your videos will go to the right kind of viewer (making them more likely to watch your content).
Of course, you can inject your TikTok caption with popular hashtags (like #FYP and #foryou) but note that these are generally quite competitive. Using hashtags with more views doesn’t necessarily mean your video will get more views. It comes back to the audience’s rule of thumb. You need to think about the kind of hashtags your audience will be searching for and try to rank for that.
If you want to nail your hashtag strategy on TikTok, check out our article: Viral TikTok Hashtags: How to Use Hashtags to Skyrocket Your Brand.
3. Master TikTok SEO
If you’re wondering how to get more views on TikTok hashtags, the trick is not to rely solely on them. Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok uses more than just hashtags at the end of a description to determine the content.
In the last year, TikTok has become the go-to search engine for young people. Perhaps this is because of the powerful TikTok algorithm and how it recommends material to viewers.
TikTok users can find content around a search term, not just direct pages based on a keyword (like they do on Google). They also get to discover engaging and popular videos instead of (often long) pages of writing. So it goes without saying that the right TikTok SEO is a powerful tool. How can you do that? Here are some simple hacks:
- Check what people are searching for on the channel. Go to the TikTok search bar and take a quick look at what is already trending there (you’ll see TikTok suggestions under the bar). You can also start typing certain keywords and watch what comes up as suggestions. These will also be hot topics.
- Make sure you include relevant terms in your video description. Think about the hashtags you’re using and utilise those as keywords in the description too.
- Add these keywords in your closed captions in the actual video too. The algorithm will pick this up.
Want to master TikTok SEO? Take a look at our article: TikTok SEO: How to Get Discovered on TikTok
4. Don’t archive your content
If you’ve put a piece of content out there and it’s not gaining many views, it may be tempting to archive it. Don’t. TikTok actually re-rotates your content onto FYPs, so videos can become viral videos weeks after they were first posted. If, at first, your video doesn’t succeed, then hold off. Continue creating new videos and see what happens. You might be surprised by the results.
The only time you should delete videos is if they go against TikTok’s guidelines. These videos may damage your other content, so getting those off your account is best.
If you find, even after weeks of exposure, some of your videos aren’t doing as well; it’s not time to delete them. It’s time to consider why they aren’t performing (and why some of your other content might be). This analysis will help you adapt and grow your TikTok account, improving your reach one step at a time.
5. Don’t get caught up in vanity metrics
This is going to sound counterintuitive. To get more views, you may need to ditch some TikTok followers. Why on earth would we recommend this? When you create content, TikTok pushes it to your followers first. If some of those are not engaging with that content (i.e. watching it, liking it, sharing it or commenting on it), the algorithm may think that the content is not as valuable.
So, you need to say goodbye to any unengaged followers. Having a large following is not necessarily going to up your views. You need to know your community will respond to your content so that the algorithm will extend your reach. One way to do this is to create a video asking followers who aren’t interested in your content to unfollow. This is a scary step, but it’s an important one if you want to engage with the right people. Building a community of active users is key to drumming up more TikTok views, so don’t focus on vanity metrics.
6. Stay on trend
On TikTok, trends are king. If you can leverage what’s trending on the app, you’ll soon see your views skyrocket. There are several ways you can do that.
Jump on trending topics
Why do TikTok videos on certain subjects get so much reach? Because people are actively interested in that topic. If you can jump on these themes, you’ll leverage their existing traction. Just remember to keep your content authentic (don’t talk about subjects for the sake of it. Make sure they relate to your brand’s values).
Use trending sounds
Nearly 90% of TikTok users shared that sound is key to the TikTok experience. Your brand can harness this power. Using viral sounds or sound effects makes your content more likely to trend and reach more viewers. As a brand, you may need to tread carefully with trending sounds, so check out our article on TikTok trending sounds to ensure you’re taking the right steps.
Accept challenges
TikTok has a plethora of hashtag challenges. The channel exudes creativity, making it the ideal place to discover new trends. Find hashtag challenges with which your brand can connect to throw your content into the spotlight.
Create a trend
To really up your views, try creating a whole new trend for yourself. Not only does this give you creative freedom, but it also allows you to stamp your authority on the channel. Consider what kind of trend your audience would want to get involved in and test it out.
How do you know what’s trending and when? There’s a simple solution. Sign up for our weekly TikTok trends newsletter. It doesn’t just tell you what’s trending but also how you can use each trend.
7. Use TikTok features
TikTok features are there to help you gain more views. It’s always worth using the channel’s newest features as they may be testing these out (and therefore pushing them onto more FYPs). Some parts are especially helpful for gaining more views:
Duets
TikTok duets are when you make a video alongside another user’s video. Creating a duet with another TikToker lets you piggyback off popular, quality content. It helps you gain further reach (since you’re already using a video with views) and can also increase your engagement. Choose videos with a great view count, then add value to them through a funny response, hot take or even just by sharing your thoughts. Again, think about your audience here to curate the right duet for them to respond to.
Stitch
TikTok stitch is when you stitch a video together with another user’s video. That could mean adding a funny transition, a reaction (after the video rather than during) or even an alternate end. With TikTok stitch, you can use only the parts of a video that you like. Read more about how to use this feature in our article: Introducing TikTok Stitch.
8. Work with influencers
When it comes to increasing your reach, nothing quite compares to influencer marketing. To give you an idea, posts of TikTok macro-influencers with 100,000 to one million followers received an average of 38,517 views.
It’s worth pointing out that micro-influencers can also help you gain traction. Since micro-influencers receive higher engagement rates of 17.96% on TikTok, this can actually affect views too. Higher engagement often results in more shares and further viewership, so don’t always aim for massive followings.
Before you work with any influencer, you must ensure they’re the right match for your brand. Authentic content is key on TikTok, so if you partner with the wrong creator, your videos won’t land. Check that each creator aligns with your values and allow them to be their true selves. Get them to shine a light on your videos to gain more TikTok views through in-video collaborations (by inviting them as a special guest, for example). You’ll access a whole new audience; if you do it right, they’ll start viewing more of your content.
How do you know who the right match is? You need to do your research. Influencer outreach is a process, and if you want to know how to ace it, check out our article: Influencer Outreach: 5 Tips for a Successful Strategy.
Since using the right influencer is key to your strategy, we wanted to find an easy way around that. That’s why we created Bytesights, our in-house social listening and data insights tool that helps us nail the ideal collaboration partners for clients. Read more about Bytesights here.
Measure-up
Views are helpful but aren’t the only thing you should consider within your TikTok strategy. Building engagement and a connected community can be extremely powerful on the channel, so thinking about your goals and measuring the best plan to achieve them is essential.
Trialling new content and analysing your data is also vital. A business account (or creator account if you’re an influencer) is a non-negotiable since you need to be monitoring your progress to continue growing. Keeping a keen eye on this will help you make strategic decisions to ace those KPIs.
Our research shows that young people use social media channels for specific reasons. TikTok is for entertainment and fun. So lean into that. You can also use other platforms to access audiences looking for this kind of content. For example, you could share your TikTok videos through Instagram stories to gain further reach and funnel the right audiences to your content.
If you’re unsure how to measure up the right social media marketing strategy for your brand, get in touch. We’ll discuss how we can help you get your content from trial to viral (and beyond).
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