How to Hack the TikTok Algorithm in 7 Actionable Steps
- by Yiming Xuzhou
- Last Updated: August 24, 2021
- 5 Min Read
- TikTok
Have you ever posted a video on TikTok that barely got any engagement—no likes, comments, or shares—and then all of a sudden it goes viral and blows up?
This can be due to a number of factors:
- The sound you used could be gaining traction in the algorithm
- Your hashtags could be trending
- TikTok’s algorithm was late to assign your video to the correct niche audience
What if you could hack the TikTok algorithm?
What if we got rid of the randomness? That’s the question we asked when we first started researching the TikTok algorithm in depth. After gathering a ton of information on it, we put together this guide with 7 actionable steps.
So if you want to know how to understand and hack the TikTok algorithm, keep reading.
How to Hack the TikTok Algorithm in 7 Actionable Steps!
How to Hack the TikTok Algorithm and Get More Engagement
While you can’t definitively “hack” the algorithm in your favor, you can use these tricks to get on the For You page more consistently. These are the steps you need to take in order to hack the TikTok algorithm:
Hack #1. Try out TikTok Duets
TikTok duets are side-by-side videos that feature the original creator and another user. These videos are typically positioned as “reaction” TikToks.
You can use duets to manufacture a snowball effect on the original TikTok. The more duets the video gets, the more likely it is to go viral.
@mycolordad ##duet with @paintturner put him to the test!
♬ original sound - Brendan
You can also try to encourage your audience to create duets out of your original TikToks. This is an effective way to drive engagement with organic shares and traffic.
Hack #2. Optimize for Completion Rate
Videos that are under 20 seconds long are more likely to go viral and reach a wider audience. If you can create a short video that viewers watch in full, you will have a much higher chance of beating the algorithm.
Of course, there are more factors that will contribute to viewer completion rate—but making short videos is a good place to start.
@mingbutdemon So that’s what Hard Summer 2021 looks like… ##rave ##concert ##rezz ##trippy ##woah ##hardsummer ##hardsummer2021
♬ original sound - yimyangg
This is an example of a TikTok I made that had a longer “Average time watched” than the actual length of the video.
For a 9.3 second video, it performed very well in the algorithm.
Hack #3. Schedule your Posts
Did you know that it’s actually possible to schedule your posts on TikTok using the official website?
TikTok recently introduced the video scheduler tool, “a new feature that allows Creators and Business Accounts to schedule a post up to 10 days in advance.”
All you have to do is follow a simple guide they posted on their business blog.
Scheduling posts is a great way to improve your chances of beating the TikTok algorithm—even if you have a busy schedule to keep up with.
It also helps you with the next hack, which is staying consistent with your content.
Hack #4. Be Consistent
Just like with any other social media platform, the key to steady and consistent growth is consistency.
Although posting all the time is generally frowned upon, TikTok’s fast-paced algorithm is geared towards consistent posting.
Depending on who you ask, you should post at least 1-2 videos a day, or up to 5.
TikTok is the perfect platform to test out different types of content and diversify your videos.
Hack #5. Utilize New Features
TikTok is one of the most popular platforms in the world currently. As a result, they are constantly shoving out new updates and features.
At the end of the day, TikTok is a business. They want their users to embrace and share new features so that the platform gets more engagement as a whole.
You can turn this into an algorithm hack by always using new features as soon as they come out.
A good example of this is the top photo crop feature.
@sunisalee_ @tylerdownss howd i do
♬ knock knock pitched - Shadow Banned 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗶
TikTok’s marketing team loves to share new features on their newsroom page. If you take advantage of new features, you could even see your content posted on their official website.
Be sure to stay updated with TikTok’s marketing team so you never miss a new feature.
Hack #6. Don't Delete Your TikTok Videos
Like I said at the start, sometimes TikTok videos take a while to hit the For You page.
In fact, it’s not rare to find a video from a few weeks ago all of a sudden go viral.
Even if it looks bad on your feed, you never know when an old video will turn around and become an algorithm killer.
Hack #7. Optimize Your Bio
Anytime you show up on the For You page, a percentage of your viewers will check out your bio.
This is your chance to strike an impression and encourage them to follow your account. It helps to make your profile approachable and interesting so that every time someone new checks you out, you can earn a new follower.
Some best practices include:
- Adding a video as your profile icon
- Including your niche/the type of content you post in your bio
- Say your age or hometown
- Include your Instagram @
- Include your email address for collaborations and sponsorships
- Use Solo.To to make a landing page with links to all your social media handles and websites.
Concluding Thoughts
There you have it. 7 actionable hacks that will help you beat TikTok’s algorithm. If you read this far, I hope you found this free course easy to read and follow. I also created a full guide on how to go viral on TikTok with 10 extra tips that could help you reach your viral goals.
As a bonus, here are the software tools I like to use in order to manage and grow my social media profiles (affiliate links):
- CoSchedule (Content/Marketing Planner)
- Canva (Graphic Design)
- Solo.To (Linktree Alternative)
- Crowdfire (Social Media Management)
- ConvertKit (Building an Email List from my Traffic)
Also, if you have more tips or hacks on how to grow your TikTok account, please leave a comment below so everyone can see it!
Want my Free Course: 7 Steps to Viral Social Media Growth?
Enter your name and email address and you’ll get instant access to my free course as soon as it releases—how to build and grow your viral social media presence (using content creation strategies).
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