The Tik Tok Algorithm & How You Can Use It

  Tik Tok is a Chinese-owned social video networking app that’s boomed in popularity over the last several years. The App is known for being particularly addictive, serving up content to users that keep scrolling for hours.   But just what makes Tik Tok tick? What’s the magic sauce that makes the App so good at finding the perfect videos to hold users’ attention? It’s Tik Tok’s algorithm, which we’ll explore here.  

How Tik Tok figures out what videos to show you

  Tik Tok’s video-choosing algorithm is showcased beautifully on each users’ “For You Page.” As the page name implies, each user’s “For You Page” is curated based on their unique taste.   But how does Tik Tok determine what a user’s taste in videos is? Like other social media apps, Tik Tok leverages data on users’ interactions to serve them more personalized content.    If you watch a long video in its entirety, Tik Tok’s algorithm takes notice – you appear to enjoy that content, so the algorithm will try to provide you with similar content in the future. Conversely, if you quickly swipe past a video after only watching for a second or two, Tik Tok’s algorithm will try to avoid serving you with similar content in the future.    As you watch more and more videos, the algorithm will become more and more accurate, because it is leveraging more and more data.    The keywords you use to search for new content also provide valuable information on your taste. If you frequently search for certain phrases, hashtags, music categories, or trending topics, TikTok will try to provide you with more content related to those searches in the future.    Even your account settings influence what videos you’ll be presented with. Your language, home country, device type, and “interested categories” are all factored in.    Finally, Tik Tok’s algorithm will also try to prevent you from seeing certain content that you may dislike. It tries to screen out clips you’ve already seen, duplicate content, spammy content, and any content that may be upsetting.  

How to use Tik Tok’s algorithms to help you go viral

  Going “viral” on Tik Tok is extremely difficult – of the millions of pieces of content uploaded every day, only a tiny fraction “make it big.” But being aware of some of Tik Tok algorithms’ key attributes can help give your video a better shot at reaching more viewers.    Here are a few important steps you can take to up your Tik Tok game:   Get a Pro account Tik Tok offers Pro accounts for both creators and businesses. Not only is Tik Tok’s algorithm “friendlier” towards content created on Pro accounts, but a Pro account will also give you access to data on your content engagement and audience. If you know more about the types of people who are watching your videos, you can better cater to their interests and likes.   Interact with your subculture Frequent interactions with your Tik Tok “subculture” will boost your popularity and give you a leg up with Tik Tok’s algorithms.    Perfect your video content You don’t have long to win over Tik Tok viewers – most will swipe past your video within seconds if they’re not impressed. Make sure your content is as polished and compelling as possible. Make content so great that people just can’t swipe away!   Caption your videos Video captions are super important to boosting your performance with Tik Tok’s algorithm. Clear, relevant content will help direct searchers towards your content. If applicable, try to use trending captions for your content, as they’ll receive extra search volume.   Shoot in HD  Sharper, higher-quality videos get more views, so make sure you shoot all your Tik Tok videos in HD.   Schedule your videos  Scheduling your videos lets your audience engage with them more consistently. Plus, there are certain “peak times” for releases that tend to generate greater engagement.    Use the right hashtags Just as is the case with captions, using relevant, trending hashtags can help direct more users to your content.     If TikTok’s algorithm is interesting to you, a career in software development may be a good option.    Apprentice Now offers an immersive online learning experience that can help you land a software development job. With employer-paid learning, it’s a risk-free pathway to a fulfilling, high-paying career.