Whether you’re a small business owner, a micro-influencer, or any other kind of TikTok content creator, you’ll know the TikTok growth rat race is a real pain. A major component of making it big on TikTok is getting your content regularly or semi-regularly featured on the infamous ‘For You’ Page (FYP).
So if you’re wondering how to get TikTok famous, read on for some strategies you can use to get on the FYP.
How does one crack the FYP?
This is only possible if you learn the ins and outs of the FYP, and of TikTok as a whole.
By design, TikTok’s main aim is to bring people to the app, then keep them there by providing endlessly entertaining content. This function is carried out on the For You Page, which is the main landing page for TikTok users. It shows users content based on their interests and their content engagement history.
Naturally, then, to achieve TikTok growth, your goal should be to have your content frequently reach this page.
Fortunately for you, we have put together a list of five main strategies to follow to maximize the chances of your content landing on the FYP.
1. Post consistently with perfect timing
If there’s one essential fact to note about TikTok, it’s that the top accounts post…a lot. As mentioned earlier, TikTok wants to make each user session on its app as long as possible, so it rewards content creators who can help in this regard by becoming a reliable source of regular (and high-quality!) content.
The parenthetical point is important–simply churning out bad posts at a fast pace will get you nowhere. This means you should avoid spamming TikTok with content that is low-effort, low-quality, does not have a cohesive concept behind it, and does not make any effort to appear relatable and/or entertaining to the audience. Make sure to identify your audience, and create original, engaging, and meaningful content that you are sure will maximize user engagement on your TikTok videos.
Knowing what to post is the first part of it. The second part is knowing when to post. Not every time is a good time for engagement, and not every time is a good fit for every account.
You will either need to figure out the times at which your content gets most views and likes manually, or look at your analytics via some third-party app. Here’s a helpful graphic showing the best times to post on TikTok in 2023 (EST).
Posting twice or thrice a week is a good place to begin, and you can slowly work your way up to even daily videos at the optimal time.
2. Post authentic content
This might seem like cheesy and overused advice, but in fact the power of original, authentic content that speaks to your audience on a personal and unique level cannot be overstated.
This is content that is smart, does not push sales, and offers something to the audience that no other accounts on TikTok offer.
TikTok creator Thea von Engelbrechten uses her Sylvanian Family dolls to construct elaborate, hilarious dramas on her TikTok series called Sylvanian Drama.
The unique, if slightly nutty idea to have Sylvanian Family dolls act out plot-heavy TikToks proved to be a hit with the app, and Engelbrechten currently has a following of over 2M, appearing regularly on the FYP.
You can help make your own authentic content stand out by putting thought into how you design your TikTok backgrounds. Unleash your creativity and fully customize your content the way you want it.
3. Hop on the latest trends
More than any other social media platform, TikTok is governed by trending challenges, hashtags, and especially sounds.
Since these trends are extremely fast-paced and changing all the time, your research into weekly and even daily trends needs to be immaculate if you want to achieve TikTok growth. Using the ‘Discover’ page for sounds within TikTok is an easy way to stay informed of the trendiest music and other audio.
Use trending sounds and/or challenges to attract views, likes, and other forms of user engagement on your videos.
If you are a small business or brand, you can even challenge your audience to join in by jumping on trending hashtags and challenges. This will help you obtain user-generated content, which is a cheap and easy way to grow your business.
4. Don’t be afraid to be controversial (sometimes)
Any publicity is good publicity…within reason, of course.
Australian food vlogger mom Fatimah Omran frequently recreates healthier versions of junk food her daughter requests. These range from acceptable alternatives to downright bizarre concoctions that have people shouting at her in the comments. One of Fatimah’s most popular videos is her recreation of fairy bread (an Australian quick dessert made with bread, butter, and rainbow sprinkles) with dyed coconut shavings, which she calls ‘Healthy Fairy Bread’.
This nauseating creation had hundreds of TikTok users crowded in Fatimah’s comments section, creating a mock outcry over her child’s rights to sugary treats.
Nevertheless, the video racked up a whopping 10.7M views and over 750K likes.
This simply goes to show that TikTok, like other social media apps, thrives on controversy. So don’t be afraid to post that risky video you’ve been sitting on. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make it to the FYP and become the next Healthy Fairy Bread Woman.
5. Collaborate with influencers
TikTok influencer marketing is a highly effective path to take when it comes to chasing TikTok growth (and the proverbial FYP).
Collaborations are a sure-fire way to boost reach and engagement. If your own chances of reaching the FYP seem slim, you can choose to partner with an influencer who frequently appears on it. When their collaboration with you reaches the FYP, you can take advantage of this too.
In fact, TikTok influencers hold more influence over their audience than influencers on any other social media app. According to this study, they wield massive amounts of power in creating brand awareness among younger audiences who frequent the app.
For example, Chipotle pulled in Zach King, one of the biggest influencers on TikTok, for their Halloween challenge ‘#Boorito’. King brought his signature video transitions to the collaboration, which was an immediate hit with 4M+ likes and nearly 90M views.
Check out this article to learn more quick tips on achieving organic TikTok growth.
Take your best shot at the FYP
Nobody can guarantee any strategy or combination of strategies will get you to be a regular feature on the FYP. But these tips are your best foot forward, after all. Shoot for the For You Page, and even if you fail you might land among some of the TikTok stars.
