TikTok has finally revealed how its algorithm works and, if you want to understand it better, stay with us in this article and we will tell you all the secrets! Whether you are a social media manager or a brand owner, analyzing how to create content and improve your interaction will only bring you benefits. Having your videos delivered to more people, seeing your content being consumed, and going viral with these amazing tips, can you imagine? So let’s go, let’s start by unraveling how the algorithm works, then consider some important evaluation metrics, and, finally, how to use the algorithm in your favor.
1. How does the TikTok algorithm work?
It all starts when you create your TikTok account. From the moment you enter your preferences information, the algorithm starts to act. This complex system is adjusted to try to understand what is most relevant to deliver to users, based on their interests. According to the platform, the objective is to inspire and make people happy, so even the content that you indicate you are not interested in is very important to shape what will be suggested to you.
2. Indicators of interest
There are several factors that influence the functioning of the TikTok algorithm and that determine the content delivery metrics. Let’s go to them:
Interactions: the greater the likes, comments, shares, and new views of the video, the greater the likelihood that the tool will expand its delivery; Subject: when it comes to reaching new followers, the subject matter is very important, as the app is great at categorizing by interests, that is, here comes the importance of having a specific niche as the app delivers its content to users with interests related. Video info: inserting hashtags and keywords into your captions makes all the difference in algorithm recognition, just like the niche we talked about above. Audios: using songs or sounds that are on the rise expand and favor the delivery of your content. Settings: your posting location and language are relevant information from your device settings taken into account by the TikTok algorithm. Activities and Interests: the way you interact, and even the content you watch again, help to suggest new videos, as well as the use of the “not interested” feedback tool, which helps the algorithm to know your preferences.
All these indicators of interest are used by the platform to suggest videos in the “For you” tab, making this your personal and completely unique feed. TikTok explains that it learns from our interaction and that it does not only use the information from the “For You” feed to understand the preferences of the followers. The way you browse the app and even who you start to like, even if it’s a friend of a friend, it all becomes very relevant. Another great feature that gauges user interest in content is watching a video until the end. When this happens, there is an understanding that the content was relevant, and the more users watch the videos to the end, the greater the understanding of relevance and the greater the delivery. Think about that when creating your content. Another issue that has been discussed a lot and is really very important is the impact of the first five seconds of a video. On social media, content should be impactful right from the start, as a simple and quick movement of dragging to the next content can compromise your engagement. What is your ability to generate curiosity in those who are watching and keep them, in the sequence, watching your video until the end? Spark curiosity right away and plan how to hold users’ attention until the end. Oh, and if the user watches the video again, the greater the chance that the TikTok algorithm will suggest your content to more people. And, there is another great insight of this social network, as the platform informs: “neither the follower count nor whether the account had previous high-performing videos are direct factors in the recommendation system”. And do you know what that means? There’s always a chance to make your videos go viral!
3. Using the TikTok algorithm in your favor
Now that we have a better understanding of all the indicators that the tool uses, we can start strategizing using the TikTok algorithm in our favor. We talked above about the importance of holding the audience’s attention through the initial five seconds of your videos, but we will list below five other ways to increase your engagement:
Trending audios Find your niche Create accessible content Try new features Co-brand
a. Trending Audios
It goes without saying that trending audio and sounds have the power to go viral and deliver far beyond our favorite songs. With that in mind, look for the audios that are on the rise and create your content with them. But remember the importance of riding this wave while it is growing. For this reason, it is important to always be attentive and ready to use your creativity with the hits of the moment. We will now show you three ways to find them:
Select the “Discover” tab from the main screen, then click on the magnifying glass and scroll to find a tag called “TikTok Popular Music”. In “Record Video” mode, click “Add Sound” at the top center of the screen. Scroll down until you find “ViralizouBR”, “TopBR” or “#challenge”, for example. If you are scrolling your feed and notice a song that is repeated, you can click on the name of the song and check how many clips have already been made with it. To use it select “Use this sound”.
b. Find your niche
Here TikTok works as a booster of your professionalism because the more you publish videos in a specific niche, the more authority you demonstrate about it. In this way, the greater the possibility of the tool suggesting its contents to audiences of similar interests. Using strategic and niche-specific hashtags also helps the TikTok algorithm understand your profile and, consequently, get your videos out to the right audience. Search the accounts of big personalities in your industry and the accounts of users that are growing in your niche and get some ideas. Another important consideration that we cannot ignore when we talk about the separation by niche is that the system relates the tastes and preferences of users with accounts with similar interests, creating as if it were a network of clips that are pleasant for both parties. Therefore, your content can reach people through your followers and also through your competitors. So there’s no point in giving the same basic tips and the same as what they are doing out there. Use your creativity and put all your personality, your understanding of that subject with your way of seeing, your way of talking, and reap the positive results.
c. Create accessible content
Of course, people use social media to socialize and relax, so content can and should reach everyone in subtle, creative, and intelligent ways. Thinking like that, it’s no use using fancy words if that’s not the way to communicate with your followers. Knowing your ideal audience is the best strategy! And that’s where the formula, almost mathematical, for accessible content comes in. The more accessible your video, the longer the watch time, consequently the greater the audience reach and, therefore, the greater the delivery of that content to new accounts. And do you want yet another tip on how to make your video more accessible? Insert text and captions on the screen and reach people visually and audibly. Did you know that the TikTok algorithm even analyzes some effects included in video productions to find and suggest content with similar items to users? Well, remember that almost everything is analyzed by the tool, so no posting just for posting, huh? Even memes have their value in brand strategies.
d. Try new features
Constantly including many new features and tools to engage users, platforms seek to bring features to be tested frequently. With that in mind, being a Beta tester of the app can help you get more engagement. Do you know why? Because TikTok, as we said above, tracks all the resources used in the creation of the videos and, as soon as the Beta resources are used by you, the probability of increasing the delivery of your content will be much greater.
e. Co-brand
Co-branding is a joint marketing activity, through commercial partnerships. You can use this feature to promote your brand through influencers in your region or who have the same characteristics as your target audience. As much as this option on TikTok is still only available for accounts above 10k followers, and you may not yet be part of this group, it is very important to inform your followers when you are making a business partnership. Making this information clear in video subtitles is an option for smaller accounts. The benefits of collaborations between brands and influencers are already clear to everyone. However, it is always worth analyzing calmly and carefully with whom to link your brand. Make sure that the values and discourses are aligned with your company’s before starting a partnership, to avoid a reverse problem. Instead of gaining followers and future customers, you may end up losing the ones you already have and were hard-won. And that would be sad, wouldn’t it? In short, just knowing all the tools and possibilities is not enough if you don’t apply them strategically. There is no ready-made recipe for you to follow exactly what must be done, but there is an understanding of the context and a strategic planning work that must be done. Analyzing who your ideal customers are and, with the knowledge of the process, using the right tools to find them, delight them and turn them into customers is the first step.
So, were you able to better understand how the TikTok algorithm works?
So tell us in the comments which of these tools you haven’t explored yet. And don’t forget to also learn the best time to post on TikTok!
