5 Tips For Growing Your TikTok Followers Organically
With 689 million monthly users internationally, 100 million users in Europe and almost 1 in 5 internet users globally using the platform, TiKTok is far more than just the new kid on the block. It’s the new, incredibly popular, record-breaking kid on the block.
Yet, like with other social media platforms, many businesses are being left behind when it comes to growing a following and making the most of everything TikTok has to offer.
So if you’re looking for a leg-up when it comes to growing your TikTok followers - without having to spend a penny on paid ads - then this is the article for you.
What’s the goal?
On TikTok, the primary goal for your brand is to get your content on your target audience’s For You page. The For You page is the platform’s primary content feed, but it’s not like your regular social media news feed; it is a curated, highly personalised feed which is unique to each user. Using a powerful algorithm, it shows users content based on their individual preferences, including what they’ve previously watched, liked and shared, as well as the creators and accounts they follow.
There are still ways for your account and content to be discovered on TikTok even if it doesn’t reach the For You page - for example, there’s a search bar where users can search for your account, a Following feed, and a Discover section (more on this later).
But how do you get to that all important For You page and start growing your following on the world’s most up-and-coming platform? Here’s 5 tips to help you on your way.
1. Know your target audience
Contrary to popular belief, TikTok’s user base isn’t restricted to Gen Z. In fact, according to the platform itself, 67% of users are over the age of 25 and TikTok prides itself on not “silo[ing] different groups,” explaining that “on TikTok, mindset trumps generation.”
That leaves a huge, diverse audience of TikTok users waiting to see your content. But, as with any social media platform, what works well for one demographic may not be suited to another, so it’s important to identify your target audience from the outset. What does your ideal customer or consumer look like? What are their interests? Which creators, trends and topics are they likely to be engaging with? Research which content these users are demanding and tailor your own content with this in mind.
Ryanair does this brilliantly on TikTok, using humour and the language of Gen Z to connect with potential customers and highlighting the benefits of its services in a light-hearted, organic way.
It’s also worth noting that, while your goal is to get more followers, you also want to ensure these are the right followers for you (i.e. are they interested in your brand? Are they likely to buy your products or services?). Rather than fixating on the follower count, keep your overall brand goal in mind and use TikTok first and foremost as a marketing tool to help you reach this goal.
2. Leverage trends and take part in challenges
TikTok is known for its creative, wide-ranging - and sometimes downright baffling - trends and challenges, and leveraging these is a sure-fire way to increase your discoverability and grow awareness of your brand.
How to find trending sounds and hashtags on TikTok
Head to the Discover section of the app and you’ll see a list of the top trending sounds, hashtags and effects. Tap on any of these trending items to see popular videos that have been created using that sound, hashtag or effect. For sounds, click on the ‘Use this sound’ icon to record your own TikTok using the trending audio. To increase your reach even further, remember to use associated hashtags too!
While it may be tempting to jump on every trend you can find when you’re just starting out on the platform, make sure you’re only leveraging trends that are relevant to your brand and that you can put your own spin on. Use the opportunity to showcase your personality, get creative and connect with your followers, rather than following trends for trends’ sake. If there’s one thing for sure about this generation of digital natives, it’s that they will sniff out an irrelevant, inorganic and sales-heavy TikTok from a mile off, and almost definitely swipe straight past it.
3. Promote on other channels
If you’re thinking of dipping your toes into TikTok, it’s likely that you already have some knowledge or experience using other, more ‘traditional’ social media platforms. If you do, you’ll probably have built up an existing community or brand presence on those platforms, so why not make the most of it?
Although you’ll want to have a separate social media strategy for TikTok (it’s best practice, particularly because of how different it is to other platforms), it’s also a good idea to let people know what you’re up to over on TikTok. Share some of your content across other channels or simply share your account details and tell your followers where they can go and find you. This may give your TikTok following a much-needed kickstart.
If you’re strapped for time and money (maybe you’re a one-man social media band), recycling and repurposing TikTok videos to other platforms like Instagram Reels is also an option. Just make sure to remove the TikTok watermark or, better yet, record the content externally before uploading separately to Reels and TikTok, to avoid being penalised by Instagram’s algorithm.
4. Engage with other creators
Engaging with other creators increases your engagement and allows you to grow your brand awareness among other TikTok communities. The platform has made it super easy to engage with other creators easily with its Duet and Stitch features.
How to create a Duet
TikTok’s Duet feature allows you to make videos with other creators. In a Duet, the original creator’s video and your new video are displayed beside one another in a single video that can be shared to your TikTok and beyond. Not all videos have Duet enabled (users can choose whether or not to allow Duets), so keep that in mind when getting started. To make a Duet:
Tap Share, located at the bottom of the right side panel
Tap Duet
Begin recording alongside the selected video
Engaging with other creators could also include creating and participating in challenges. Many challenges on TikTok are based around dancing - and if you’re up for cutting some shapes, jump straight in - but they are more varied than this. The most important element of a TikTok challenge is the audio, so if you’re looking to start a challenge, choose a strong, memorable sound clip, and if you’re looking to participate in one, you can discover them via trending Sounds in the Discover tab.
5. Be consistent and keep persevering
Just like growing your following on other platforms, if you want your brand to succeed on TikTok, you’ll need to consistently show up and solidify your presence there. The more frequently you engage with and create great (and trending) content, the more likely you are to start showing up on users’ For You pages.
Don’t become disheartened if you don’t build a massive following right away. Though going viral overnight can happen on TikTok, it’s not something you should fixate on. Persevering with quality content, trying out new trends, creative features and formats, and staying true to your brand’s values and personality are the most important elements to TikTok success. Remember the ultimate goal isn’t the quantity of followers, but finding the right followers to help you reach your wider brand goals.
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