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8 Tips for Growing Followers Organically on TikTok
TikTok has emerged as a force in the competitive social media marketing landscape. This platform, known for its short-form video content and a user base dominated by Gen Z and Millennials, offers a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with their target audience. While paid advertising on TikTok can yield results, there’s another avenue that deserves attention: organic TikTok marketing.
1. Know Your Audience
You cannot cater to everyone’s preferences. By identifying your audience, you can effectively capture their attention. Having a clear understanding of who your target audience is (and isn’t) is essential for landing your content on their For You Page (FYP). The FYP, also known as the For You Page, is the initial landing page when you open TikTok. It’s the prime location you want your content to appear in!
If you’re unsure about your audience’s interests, ask them! Leverage your presence on other social media platforms to inquire about the type of content your followers would like to see on TikTok. Instagram polls and questions can make this process engaging and inform your followers that you have a TikTok account they should follow.
Examining content from similar creators and brands within your industry is also beneficial. Recognise excellence when you see it. Since you share an audience with these creators, it’s akin to acquiring free research!
2. Create Niche Content
Creating niche content that resonates with TikTok’s subcultures is pivotal for building an engaged and loyal following. TikTok’s diverse user base is segmented into various subcultures, each with unique interests and preferences. You demonstrate authenticity and a deep understanding of your audience’s passions by tailoring your content to a specific niche. This fosters stronger connections and encourages viewers to become devoted followers. Moreover, niche content is more likely to go viral within its specific subculture, amplifying your reach and impact. In a platform saturated with content, finding your niche and connecting with subcultures is the key to standing out and thriving on TikTok.
As well as this, when embarking on their TikTok journey, numerous individuals exhibit a haphazard approach to content creation. They commence with a few educational videos, dance routines, and sporadically throw in vlogs amidst their content feed. This approach yields limited results unless you’ve already established a considerable reputation. Suppose one of the D’amelio’s following adopted this approach on TikTok. In that case, it might work for them, given their pre-existing fame. However, for most people, the key to TikTok’s success is identifying and sticking to a niche.
3. Stay Consistent
Sustaining a consistent posting schedule is important in getting the TikTok algorithm to push your content. Many individuals falter in their quest to amass a substantial following simply because they fail to uphold consistency. If you aim to share at least one video daily and follow the other tips outlined here, it’s only a matter of time before you achieve success. Recognising that daily content creation may pose challenges for some, consider aiming to post several times each week. The key is to post at least one video each week.
Remember always to create content. The more content you have in circulation, the greater the likelihood of landing on For You Pages! Therefore, refrain from deleting your TikTok videos. Occasionally, a video that has been posted for several weeks can suddenly gain mass visibility on the FYP and go viral on its own. Whether it’s due to timing or just sheer luck, having a surplus of content in the algorithm enhances your chances of appearing on more For You Pages, potentially translating into free TikTok followers. Alternatively, try changing the caption using different keywords and constantly test your content against the algorithm.
4. Trends and Challenges
Challenges are one of the prevalent trends on TikTok and have the potential to boost your follower count significantly. Challenges can encompass a wide range of activities, from the “core memories” challenge with 3.1B views to the “journal prompt” challenge with 433.6M views.
Remember to consider which challenge or trend you should participate in. Some challenges gain rapid popularity, while others fade away quickly. The ease with which they can be replicated and their relatability are key factors contributing to their success. But this doesn’t mean you should just partake in any challenge. It’s important to note which challenges fit your brand and if your audiences are interested in the particular trend.
5. Hashtags
When you use the right hashtags, individuals who are not currently following you can find your content. You’ve probably seen #ForYouPage or #FYP if you’ve spent more than a minute on TikTok. That is attributed to the 14094.4B times that hashtag has been used. Solely using the hashtag #ForYouPage in your videos is probably not the best use of hashtagging. However, the chances of your video doing better are substantially higher if you mix niche hashtags with popular ones. Try 3-8 hashtags with a mix of niche, branded and popular hashtags within your videos for better visibility.
Determining which hashtags to use can still feel like a shot in the dark. Fortunately, TikTok provides a way to identify trending hashtags through the in-app hashtag suggestion tool. You can access this tool when creating captions for your videos. Click the “#” symbol, and relevant suggestions will appear. Additionally, using tools like hashtag generators makes it simple to locate terms that apply to your content.
6. Sounds & Music
If you examine the current chart-topping songs, many of them are popular on TikTok for a reason. TikTok plays a significant role in the music industry and collaborates with record labels to promote specific songs within the app. Align your content with one of these trending songs, and your video stands a better chance of being featured on For You Pages.
Additionally, to discover the top sounds your followers have listened to in the past 7 days, visit your Analytics tab (a TikTok Pro account is required for this feature). Within the Followers tab, scroll to view the various music and audio tracks your audience is enjoying.
7. Duet & Stitching
TikTok offers a unique feature known as Duets. These are side-by-side videos featuring the original creator alongside a TikTok user. Duets serve various purposes, including commentary, compliments, responses, or contributions to the original video. They provide an engaging and interactive means of participating on the platform.
Duets encourage individuals to share and engage with your brand’s content, increasing its visibility and the likelihood of attracting diverse users. They promote robust brand engagement and offer opportunities for additional followers who may have yet to encounter your content.
Stitching allows users to extract and integrate segments from another user’s video into their own. Like Duets, Stitching offers an avenue for reinterpreting and enhancing existing content, extending narratives, tutorials, recipes, educational content, and more. It represents yet another engagement tool that can increase visibility and, subsequently, more TikTok followers.
8. Cross Promote
Most individuals use multiple apps simultaneously. According to a 2023 article on social media usage, when considering time spent on social media apps in the UK, users spent an average of 27 hours per month on TikTok, 7 hours on Instagram, 14 hours on Facebook and 15 hours on YouTube. Sharing your content on various platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, enhances overall visibility and directs traffic to your TikTok profile.
Want to Grow Your TikTok Audience?
Organic TikTok marketing offers an effective way to connect with your target audience, build brand loyalty, and achieve long-term growth. By creating engaging content, fostering authentic connections, and monitoring performance metrics, you can harness the power of TikTok to enhance your brand’s presence in the digital space.
Organic TikTok marketing undoubtedly offers numerous advantages. However, complementing organic efforts with paid TikTok advertising campaigns can significantly enhance visibility and reach on the platform. The Good Marketer specialises in leveraging the power of TikTok for brands. We understand that a strategic blend of organic and paid marketing is essential for success.
