Summary
TikTok has become an increasingly popular platform for brands and influencers alike. From trending challenges to viral dances, TikTok has it all.
Because of this unique aspect, being successful on the app isn’t as easy as it seems. However, there are several workarounds that you can do to make your content land on TikTok’s holy grail, the For You Page.
There are several ways to be entertained, whether through music, comedy, or just plain fun. Launched in 2016, TikTok became a way to enjoy this much-loved form of entertainment.
Over the years, the social media platform has become a hub for viral content. You must have seen all kinds of crazy dances, videos, and memes on the app. But its equally making waves as a great platform for influencer and native marketing. Many influencers and businesses use the app to gain more visibility and grow their audience. But how do they do it?
In today’s article, I’ll walk you through how TikTok’s algorithm works and how you can use it to your advantage. Keep scrolling to find out how you can earn a spot on TikTok’s For You Page.
What Is TikTok’s For You Page (FYP)?
The For You Page (FYP) is the first page you land on upon opening the app when you’re on TikTok.
If you’re an avid TikTok user, your feed is probably full of videos from people you haven’t even heard of. That’s because TikTok’s algorithm shows you content that you might enjoy.
The app maps your activity and interests and looks for videos that you might like based on the content you’ve engaged with. That said, your TikTok For You Page is personalized.
Thus, no two users’ For You Pages are alike. Additionally, your “For You Page” aims to expose you to content you may like, regardless of following the creators.
Why Getting on the FYP is Important
Because the For You Page is TikTok’s main screen, it’s also where most of the content discovery happens. Simply put, it’s where users watch TikTok videos and engage with them.
So, if you don’t surface on your intended audiences’ For You pages, they might not be able to engage with your content.
While there are other ways to engage with creators’ content on TikTok, the For You Page is the way to go. Not only is it scarily accurate, but it’s also fun to use.
Additionally, most users spend their time on their For You Pages, making it the key element to anyone’s TikTok experience.
Understanding the TikTok FYP Algorithm
Like I’ve said, TikTok maps your activity and interests on the platform based on different factors. Thus, the content on your For You Page is specifically for you.
Here are the factors that affect the content on your For You Page:
1. User’s in-app actions
The more interaction your video gets, the more likely the algorithm will pick it up. This includes likes, shares, comments, and even duets.
However, remember that if the audience is not interested in seeing videos from creators, they can opt out of seeing these videos.
Your video completion rate also matters. As more users view your content to the end, the more exposure it can get.
2. Video information
Captions, sounds, and hashtags are vital when it comes to TikTok content. It’s a simple and effective way to highlight your posts and ensure that you’re reaching the right audience.
For example, using a trending hashtag makes your content more likely to be picked up by the algorithm.
3. Account and device settings
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Your TikTok For You Page can curate your FYP based on your device, location, language preference, and country settings.
However, these factors don’t have as much impact as the others, allowing you to reach a wider and even global audience.
Why You Should Start Optimizing Content for the For You Page
If you’re a creator, the TikTok For You Page is your main means of success on the platform. This is mainly because your content resonates with your audience, and it adds some value.
When the algorithm picks your content up, it means that it acknowledges your content’s quality and adobe other videos on the platform.
Here’s what it means for influencers and business owners:
- Platform growth – Once you’ve reached success on TikTok, you can increase your traffic by redirecting your audience to your other platforms. This way, you can start growing your audience base across various platforms.
- Followers and monetization – Landing on the For You Page helps you gain followers at a faster rate. If you hit the 10k goal, you can start monetizing your content with the TikTok Creator Fund.
- Free exposure – If you usually get 100 views per video, landing on the For You Page can increase them to hundreds of thousands. Of course, this is great exposure without having to spend on paid advertisement.
- Sponsorships and sales – You might gain more awareness from a wider audience when you start getting recognized in your niche. This can help you land sponsorships and more sales for your business.
How You Can Land on TikTok’s FYP
If you’re a creator, you should know that there’s no concrete recipe for social media success. However, you can increase your chances of landing on the For You Page.
So how do you get the TikTok ball rolling?
Know your audience
If you want to get your content seen by your audience, you need to understand who they are. They may consume different types of videos than you, so it pays to understand who they are and their personality.
So what better way to do this than by creating the kind of content they enjoy?
One way to better grasp your audience is to check your TikTok analytics, which shows your audience’s gender and location. If you’re new to the platform, you can get started by using your Instagram analytics.
Use the right hashtags
If you’re looking to get into the TikTok game, then you need to know that hashtags are especially helpful on the platform. Not only do they help your content gain visibility and recognition, but they also find videos users are looking for.
When users search for a challenge or topic, they’re more likely to find your TikToks if you use a hashtag.
The #FYP hashtag is the most widely used hashtag on social media platform. Thus, using #FYP on your content will significantly improve your chances of showing up on the For You Page.
Hop on TikTok challenges and trends
TikTok trends come and go almost weekly, so you must research popular challenges and trends on the platform. Since these videos are viral, they are TikTok’s most popular content.
That said, creating a challenge video gives you higher chances of gaining viral momentum and more TikTok exposure.
If there’s something on your For You Page that comes up daily, you should try it. Additionally, doing this also boosts your video, as some users may use it as inspiration.
Know when to post
Your “For You Page” is a place for you to see many video clips from just the past few days.
For optimal results, you’ll want to post your content at the right time. Specifically, this is when your target audience is already online and scrolling on the app.
Of course, the right time depends on many factors, including your audience’s activity patterns. However, I do recommend using these times as a starting point:
- Tuesday: 7 AM Pacific time
- Thursday: 10 AM Pacific time
- Friday: 5 AM Pacific time
Add trending music
TikTok was first launched as a lip-syncing app that offers challenges and voiceovers that you can join in. But over time, sounds on the platform have become a ranking indicator for TikTok’s algorithm.
So, if you want to boost your chances of surfacing on more For You Pages, start using trending audio clips. It’s also important to use clips that are relevant to your content.
If you’re unsure about what’s trending, browse the Discovery tab or scroll through your own For You page.
Create high-quality and engaging content
If you’re looking to earn a spot on the For You Page, you can do that by improving your video quality.
Of course, your viewers may not want to watch your videos if they’re not high-quality. Thus, it only makes sense to invest in the highest quality content possible.
Besides video quality, your content should also be engaging.
Make sure your content’s relevant by engaging in topics that matter to your audience. You can do this by creating content based on trending dances, topics, and music.
TikTok Do’s and Don’ts
With many leading social media platforms, content creators have different methods for going viral.
Now, you might think that what works for YouTube may work for TikTok. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Unlike other leading social media platforms, TikTok is unique in many ways. Firstly, its audience is younger, the content is shorter, and its algorithm is also one-of-a-kind.
That said, here are a few do’s and don’ts you’ll have to remember if you want your TikTok career to succeed.
- TikTok’s audience is a young crowd. Thus, your videos should now be boring for people in Gen Z.
- TikTok is a platform for short video clips. If you have ads, make sure they’re short, sweet, and straight to the point.
- TikTok gives creators a unique way to go viral, and that’s through different challenges and trends. So, if you want to go viral, make sure you join lip syncs, dances, and other challenges.
Optimize Your TikTok Content Now
TikTok stardom is quite difficult to achieve because of the platform’s unique algorithm. However, following these tips will significantly increase your chances of landing on the For You Page.
And remember, hashtags and dance challenges won’t help if your content doesn’t resonate with your audience.
Liked this post? Read more about success in social media below!
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