5 Tips to Increase Your Reach on TikTok
The possibilities of growth are endless when it comes to TikTok. Its positive effect on business’ success is apparent in the way other social media platforms are creating their own versions of TikTok in-app– from Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts. However, nothing can compare to the “real thing”, which shows in the over 1 billion users TikTok had in just Q1 of 2022, and about that same amount of videos are watched on TikTok every single day (source).
So to make sure you aren’t missing out on the growth train coming from TikTok, here are 5 tips to increase your video reach!
1. Use Hashtags in Your Caption
Hashtags are an essential piece in making sure you’re showing up in search results, and it helps the algorithm figure out what you’re posting so that they can show it to people who might be interested.
HOW TO FIND HASHTAGS
The best way to find what hashtags you should use is to search different keywords related to your industry or niche. Then, simply see what hashtags others are using. While you’re on the search page, don’t forget to check out the “Others searched for” section. You know how you can type one or two words in the Google search bar, and tons of popular/suggested searches will come up for you? This is basically that– TikTok is literally giving you even more terms that people are searching for.
2. Use Trending Sounds… Quickly!
Try using trending songs in the background of your videos or put your own spin on trending sounds. The only thing to be mindful of is that the early bird gets the worm. Trends on TikTok come and go so quickly, so if you come across a new trend that you want to try, we recommend getting your video up within the next couple of days after. Also pay attention to how many videos there are to that sound or song. Sounds that still have less than 100k videos to them means you have a better chance of coming up, versus being drowned out in a pool of 1M+ videos to that sound. You can check this by tapping the sound at the bottom of the video, then finding the number of videos underneath the sound name.
With trending songs, it’s okay to just use them as background music in your video. In fact, it’s best to try to add background music to all of your videos, especially if it’s a tutorial or talking video.
3. Create Shorter or Quicker Videos
Yes, there’s a 3 minute recording time and even 10 minutes for some accounts, but when you’re first starting out, sticking to 30-60 seconds is best. People love quick content and attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, so we have to adapt to what the people want! If you have an idea that would need a longer recording time, try splitting it up into a few parts and making a series. This can also be a great idea because it entices viewers to visit your profile to watch the next part, which then means they can see even more of your content, read your caption, follow you, etc.
When it comes to making “quicker” videos, if you post a conversational/talking video, try not to speak too slowly or leave a ton of pauses in your video. Remember that you don’t have to record all in one clip; you can record sections of your video in multiple clips. Then, in the TikTok app, you can trim down your clips if you need to remove pauses in the beginning or end.
Pro tip: Don’t worry about your video being “too fast.” People often rewatch videos anyway, and if they need to replay your video a couple of times, this actually looks great to the algorithm.
4. Add Text to Your Videos
Be sure to utilize text boxes in your videos before you post. Try adding a title or reinstating a point made in the video with text boxes. Not only does this make the content that much more digestible for viewers but TikTok also takes text in your video into account when displaying search results, especially when it’s in the title/first few seconds of the video.
On the same note, we recommend turning on TikTok’s closed captions feature for all of your videos that have speech. They’re automatically dictated, but you can go in and correct any mistakes. There’s no harm in making sure your videos are accessible to everyone (us moms watching during nap time will thank you).
5. Try Creating Stitches or Duets
On TikTok, stitches are when you can choose a portion of another video to play (whether yours or someone else’s), then you can continue recording afterwards. If you have a hot take you want to share that was sparked from another video or just have more thoughts to add, stitches are perfect for this.
Duetting a video means the video you’re recording now and another video of your choosing will display side by side. This is great for filming reaction content, giving your real-time thoughts as the video plays, etc. Both stitches and duets are super popular on TikTok, so we definitely encourage you to give them a try.
And there you have our top 5 tips to increase your reach on TikTok, getting more eyes on your content and increasing your brand awareness. Remember, the TikTok algorithm is its own beast, so don’t be discouraged if you aren’t seeing results right away. As long as you’re consistent in your efforts and posting regularly, you’ll reap the benefits that TikTok has to offer!
