If you listened to last week's episode, you know that Darla is FIRED UP about TikTok (it may or may not have taken over her life). They talked about why you should jump on the TikTok bandwagon before it’s completely saturated. This episode has become part two of a TikTok miniseries—and for good reason. TikTok has spilled the beans on HOW their algorithm works. 

TikTok is the only platform where you can have ZERO followers and get a million likes on a video that goes viral. Their company values transparency, so they’re opened up about how their algorithm works. That means designers can learn how to get ahead of the curve. So Darla and Natalie spill the algorithm secrets in this Wingnut Social minisode. Don’t miss it!

• [0:35] TikTok SPILLS their algorithm Secrets

• TikTok

These hashtags are just another way for you to leverage TikTok’s discovery page AKA the “For You” page. Using various iterations of that hashtag can help you get discovered faster. It works synergistically for your enjoyment of the app by contributing to the curation of your page, i.e. the algorithm works in reverse. For example, if you use the hashtag #NoisyNeighbors, that hashtag will show up in the hashtag feed PLUS your #ForYou feed. What comments do you like? What videos do you like? What do you watch? They all influence what you see. 

Just like any other platform, TikTok also takes into account the number of likes and views. TikTok doesn’t take into account the number of followers or the popularity of previous posts. Instead, their algorithm judges the standalone quality of each video. How long is the video? Did the viewer watch to the end? Did they watch your video again? It all matters.

So a unique way that you can trick the viewer into continually watching your video is by using loops. They trick the eye so that you aren’t sure where the video begins or ends—so the viewer watches it a couple of times (and it tricks the algorithm). But it can be tricky to master. 

Another tip to increase the likelihood of being featured: make your content entertaining and engaging. The key to getting engagement is working with the algorithm to get on as many ‘for you page’ feeds as possible. You can also jump on the bandwagon with trending interests—but make sure you put your own spin on it. 

BONUS TIP: If you spend two hours making videos, you can save them in your drafts and spread your videos out throughout the week. You should also post at least once a day to become a TikTok influencer. 

Learn more about the TikTok algorithm and how to keep viewers engaged by listening to the whole minisode!

• www.WingnutSocial.com

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