As of 2022, TikTok is now one of the most widely used social media platforms on the planet (with over 1 billion monthly active users). As a result, there is ample potential for businesses to grow their TikTok follower count and increase their reach. However, many marketers might be struggling to figure out exactly how to get there. If this sounds familiar, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we will explain how to get more followers on TikTok with the help of these 16 agile and easy-to-implement tactics. Before we dive into how to grow on TikTok, let’s first explore why it matters.
- Why do TikTok followers matter?
- How to get followers on TikTok?
- Understand the algorithm
- Abide by community guidelines
- Follow TikTok trends
- Assess TikTok Analytics
- Work with influencers and celebrities
- Engage with your audience
- Use hashtags
- Get familiar with Gen Z
- Leverage TikTok Ads Manager
- Participate in branded challenges
- Publish TikTok videos at the right times
- Share user-generated content
- Create TikTok stories
- Experiment with TikTok Duets and Stitching
- Consistency is key. Post consistently
- Go live
- FAQs
Why do TikTok followers matter?
Amassing a large following on TikTok can benefit your business in a number of ways. Firstly, it will ensure that your content gets in front of a wider net of users. This can boost engagement, brand awareness, and your chances of making it onto TikTok’s For You page (FYP).
Landing a spot on TikTok’s FYP can also do wonders for reaching a new audience, getting your brand out there, and going viral on the app. As a result, your business can enjoy more sales, a better reputation, and improved engagement with your audience.
The best way to gain a following on the app is to employ a stellar TikTok marketing strategy.
How to get followers on TikTok?
1. Understand the algorithm
If you’re wondering how to gain followers on TikTok, it’s vital to understand the TikTok algorithm and how it works. Once you have a solid understanding of the algorithm, you’ll be able to keep its inner workings in mind when creating content in the hopes of increasing follower count.
The TikTok algorithm centers around several components, including but not limited to:
- Video duration: Although TikTok videos can be up to 10 minutes long, shorter is usually better as shorter videos tend to keep users’ attention. It’s advisable to insert a strong hook in the first three seconds to encourage users to watch your video until the end.
- Content topic: The TikTok algorithm categorizes content by user interest, which means that the topics you explore in your videos are a top priority.
- Hashtags and keywords: If you want to gain TikTok followers, you need to understand their behaviors on the app. Hashtags and keywords are two key ingredients in this process as these are the words that users are typing into TikTok searches; in other words, hashtags and keywords are directly representative of what people are looking for on the platform. When you use them, the algorithm is better able to direct users who would be interested in your content to your videos.
The better you understand and abide by the TikTok algorithm, the more likely it is that your content will appear in the native feed, also known as the “For You” page (FYP). The FYP is the feed that is shown as soon as a user opens the app. When your content appears on the FYP, you know it is being seen by a high volume of users, thereby improving your chances of gaining more TikTok followers. Best of all, when your content is strong enough to land on the FYP, this is essentially a form of free TikTok marketing and is almost guaranteed to increase your number of free TikTok followers.
2. Abide by community guidelines
When using TikTok for business purposes, it’s essential to abide by the rules and regulations set by the app. TikTok has very specific Community Guidelines that all creators – including businesses – need to follow. A failure to do so can result in some serious consequences.
TikTok’s Community Guidelines “establish a set of norms and common code of conduct that provide for a safe and welcoming space for everyone.” This set of rules seeks to protect the safety, diversity, inclusion, and authenticity of all TikTok users. Community Guidelines cover a wide range of areas, including:
- The protection of minors
- Dangerous acts and challenges
- Suicide and self-harm
- Disordered eating
- Adult nudity and sexual activity
- Bullying and harassment
- Illegal activities and regulated goods
- Copyright and trademark infringement
In the event you fail to follow the standards set by Community Guidelines, your content could be removed from the app. In some extreme cases (or if you have a record of Community Guidelines violations), your account may experience a TikTok shadow ban. A TikTok shadow ban is an unofficial ban or blocking of your account; this prevents your content from appearing on the FYP.
A few warning signs that your account is under a shadow ban include:
- A sudden and drastic drop in views and/or engagement (i.e. likes, comments, saves, shares)
- Videos are failing to upload (the status may appear as “processing” or “under review” for extended periods).
- Content is not visible on the FYP and/or in the search results when you conduct a targeted search
If it looks like you are experiencing a TikTok shadow ban, don’t stress. Instead, try some of these tactics to remove it and continue your TikTok marketing initiatives:
- Delete any content that has been flagged for violating Community Guidelines
- Avoid engaging in spam-like behavior on TikTok
- Get in touch with TikTok support to find and resolve the root issue
3. Follow TikTok trends
Visual effects and filters, sounds and songs, dance moves – there are countless elements that feed TikTok trends. To boost your TikTok follower count, it’s crucial to keep all of them in mind when creating content.
It’s in the TikTok algorithm’s nature to promote types of content that users continue to engage with. Trends, by their very nature, fall into this category. Therefore, when you create content in alignment with topical trends, you will have a better chance of engaging more users and recruiting more TikTok followers.
Certain businesses have done a fantastic job of this already. For example, Duolingo used the viral “Enchanted” song by Taylor Swift and mimicked the trend in which users convey great dismay as the track plays. Since it was published in late 2021, the video has gained over 500,000 views.
4. Assess TikTok Analytics
As a TikTok Business Account user, you will have access to TikTok Analytics, which can help you understand your target demographic and their behaviors. By assessing TikTok Analytics, you can determine which of your videos have performed the best and factor these performance metrics into their creative process.
As an example, you can also see when your TikTok followers are most active on the app (days and times throughout the week). You can then factor these behaviors into your TikTok marketing strategy by posting at these times. This will result in broadened reach and increased access to users who fall into these demographic categories.
Using a tool like Sociality.io’s Analytics module can help you visualize and interpret this data, so you can make informed action plans. For instance, the dashboard offers a quick visual overview of all your TikTok activities. Or, for a more comprehensive look, you can export detailed performance reports to analyze key KPIs. These analytics give you the insights you need to identify your best and worst-performing content, identify trends, and uncover new opportunities.
5. Work with influencers and celebrities
Partnering with famous TikTokers (which can include both TikTok influencers and celebrities) is an excellent way to leverage that person’s power and reach. By collaborating with these users with expansive followings, businesses can tap into new audiences and recruit TikTok followers at unparalleled levels.
Consider Disney and American Eagle’s partnership not only with each other but with TikTok powerhouse Addison Rae. In 2020, the two corporations collaborated with the famous TikToker in a promotional video, which featured Rae dancing alongside the animated character Mickey Mouse. At the time of this writing, the video has accrued more than 5.7 million likes and over 33,000 comments.
6. Engage with your audience
First and foremost, TikTok is a social media platform, not simply a video-sharing platform. As a result, it’s crucial to encourage interaction and foster engagement. Additionally, the TikTok algorithm rewards content that spawns this kind of interaction and engagement.
That’s why brands – particularly those that are striving to spike their TikTok follower count – should have engagement-driven strategies at the forefront of their TikTok marketing strategy. When creating content, consider creative ways to prompt users to interact with your content, such as by Stitching or Duetting the video.
This is exactly what the NBA did in one of its promotional videos featuring Chicago Bulls star Zach Levine. In the video, Levine prompts users to “tell me you’re an NBA fan without telling me you’re an NBA fan.” The caption to the video goes one step further, inviting viewers to “Stitch your reply to this video!”
Implementing a tool like Sociality.io’s Engage module can help you optimize audience engagement. It facilitates collaborative workflows so that you can stay on top of all your social media comments from one dashboard.
Features like team performance reports, internal notes, and approval and revisions, enable your social media teams to work together seamlessly. You can also adjust access permissions depending on the role or level of seniority and assign conversation owners for an even distribution of work.
The mobile app consolidates cross-channel engagement, letting teams easily engage with your audience. Plus, the social CRM tool gives you the power to manage TikTok comments at scale. That way, you can effectively manage your community and provide consistently exceptional customer support.
7. Use hashtags
When it comes to how to gain followers on TikTok, one of the key tactics comes down to one word: hashtags. Hashtags are another key component of the TikTok algorithm as they facilitate the circulation of content, particularly to users who are following or have used that same hashtag.
However, hashtags need to be strategically chosen; avoid generic hashtags like #FYP as these are extremely oversaturated (with over 250 billion views at the time of this writing). Instead, use more specific hashtags that relate to the content of your video or a specific TikTok trend or challenge. For example, if you’re showcasing cooking videos on your profile, include more niche hashtags like #CookingTips or #CookingTutorial.
8. Get familiar with Gen Z
Over 60% of TikTok users are Generation Z (those born after 1996). As a result, if you’re hoping to gain more TikTok followers, a significant portion of these new followers will likely fall into that age group. Therefore, it’s key for you to understand this generation, their identities, and what motivates them.
For example, according to Forbes, members of Generation Z (also known as Gen-Z) are open to fluid and micro-identities. This means that they reject stereotypes linked to identity and are more likely to connect with people who hold different interests or ideologies.
Gen-Z is also distinct from Millennials in that they prefer to create content, while Millennials enjoy consuming content. This is likely why TikTok has seen such astronomical levels of success with the younger generation; it not only facilitates the creation of content but encourages it.
9. Leverage TikTok Ads Manager
TikTok Business Account users have access to TikTok Ads Manager, a powerful in-app tool that allows you to assess the performance of your TikTok ads. You can create TikTok ads from scratch or by repurposing existing videos on your account. By promoting your videos as TikTok ads, you can allow more people to discover your videos, generate more web traffic, increase sales, and secure more followers.
There are a few key types of TikTok ads to choose from, including:
- In-feed ads – Ads that appear organically on the FYP.
- Brand takeovers – Full-screen display ads that appear for a couple of seconds as soon as a user opens the app.
- Branded hashtag challenge – TikTok creators share an original clip of themselves dancing to audio, encouraging other users to replicate the video themselves.
- Branded lenses – Ads that appear in TikTok’s more creative, AR-based spaces.
When creating TikTok ads, one of the steps you’ll need to complete is choosing an objective, one of which is Community Interaction. When you select this objective, the primary goal of your ad becomes driving followers and/or increasing traffic to your profile page. You can learn more about choosing the right TikTok ad objective here.
10. Participate in branded challenges
Whether you create your own or participate in an existing one, branded TikTok challenges are powerful marketing tools. This practice circles back to the engagement-driven nature of the app because these challenges encourage users to use branded hashtags and/or create their own videos of them performing certain actions (such as dancing).
For instance, Bliss – a skincare and beauty brand – launched the #ThisIsBliss challenge, which even included an original song for users to feature in their videos. The trend was used by some extremely famous TikTokers, including Larray, whose video has over 1 million likes and more than 5,000 comments.
11. Publish TikTok videos at the right times
You’re posting high-quality TikTok content and getting pretty good engagement. So, why isn’t your follower count going up?
Remember, regularly posting great content is just the beginning. You also need to post it at the right time. To do this, you’ll have to analyze your audience–where are they located? When are they active on the platform? Then, you’ll use this data to decide when to post your content on TikTok.
Generally speaking, posting in the mornings and the evenings garners the highest engagement rates. That said, the exact times differ from day to day.
Getting this right is an art and a science, so browse our guide on the best time to post on TikTok.
12. Share user-generated content
Nothing beats word-of-mouth referrals when it comes to winning new followers (and potential customers). As traditional advertising continues to drop in popularity, user-generated content (UGC) is the new kid on the block.
UGC is content created by your brand’s followers, fans, or influencers. Examples include reviews and testimonials, unboxing videos, or simply content where the creator is using your product.
Why is it so effective? Well, first of all, it inspires trust. Much like traditional word-of-mouth referrals, UGC comes from a trusted source, meaning users are more likely to believe it.
Another reason why it works so well is that it exposes your brand to a whole new audience. Let’s say you reach out to some micro-influencers whose follower base falls within your target audience. By having these influencers promote or vouch for your products, you get your brand in front of a new audience that is likely to be interested in your offerings. This is an excellent way to get your follower count up.
13. Create TikTok stories
Understanding how the TikTok algorithm works plays a major role in gaining new followers on the platform. That’s because the algorithm highly favors content with high engagement (a large number of likes, comments, shares, etc.).
TikTok Stories encourage users to interact with your content, which usually garners plenty of engagement. As a result, they can seriously boost your chances of landing on TikTok’s FYP. And the more often your content makes it on the FYP, the higher your odds of attracting new followers.
The moral of the story? Be sure to add plenty of TikTok Stories to your content plan.
14. Experiment with TikTok Duets and Stitching
Coming up with brand-new, original content can get tiring. Fortunately, collaborative tools like TikTok Duets and Stitches can take some of the legwork out of the process.
Duets lets you split your screen with another video so that you can share your reaction or commentary. Not only does that save you from the constant pressure to make new content, but it also creates some opportunities for humor.
Stitching, on the other hand, allows you to mix a five-second clip from another video into your own content. Unlike Duets, the videos play one after the other (not simultaneously).
Stitches also create opportunities to play around, have fun, and put a fresh spin on existing content. This could be other TikToks or clips from your favorite movies.
Browse our guide on how to stitch on TikTok to get started.
Another big advantage of experimenting with these TikTok features is the potential to reach new audiences. Jumping on the latest TikTok trends can make your account more discoverable and increase the shareability of your content. In turn, this can lead to more followers.
15. Consistency is key. Post consistently
We probably don’t need to tell you that one of the best ways to grow your TikTok following is to post consistently good content. Doing this will entice new users to hit the follow button and come back for more.
First of all, you’ll need to collect data to decide how often to post new content. This can be a balancing act: too little will hurt your chances of gaining new audiences, but too often can lose you followers. Then, of course, you need to consistently stick to your schedule until you see results.
If this all seems a little headache-inducing, that’s because it is (especially if you manage multiple accounts). Luckily, has recently TikTok launched an API for social media management solutions, which allows these tools to schedule content and manage engagement.
For instance, Sociality.io integrates with TikTok and allows your team to create and stick to a consistent TikTok schedule. What’s more, you can monitor comments, track engagement, and see the best times to post content on the app. All from one dashboard.
Using a social media management tool frees your team up to create viral-worthy new content and gives your posts the best chance of scoring high on engagement. In turn, this leads to new followers.
16. Go live
When it comes to building stronger relationships with your audience and gaining new followers, it’s hard to beat TikTok Live.
This feature allows you to interact in real-time with your followers and live stream while you answer their questions, showcase new products, or accept virtual gifts.
If your business has ever used Instagram Live or YouTube Live, it works in pretty much the same way.
Gaining new followers on TikTok means constantly coming up with new ways to present content, interact, and engage with your audience. And going live is an ideal solution.
There are a few things to bear in mind, though. Firstly, you need to have at least 1,000 followers to use TikTok Live. Secondly, users must be 16 or over to launch TikTok Live.
Finally, only users over the age of 18 can send or receive gifts during a live stream.
For more details, check out our guide on how to go live on TikTok. It covers everything from how many followers on TikTok to go live to the best practices you have to try.
FAQs
Who has the most followers on TikTok?
The hilarious Italian TikToker Khaby Lame is officially the most followed account on TikTok with an impressive 161.9 million followers.
How to get TikTok famous?
You don’t have to have a huge following to go viral on TikTok. With the right content posted at the right time, you could find yourself hitting the big time. That said, there are some ways to increase your chances:
- Find your niche and create content that audiences in this niche will love
- Make high-quality videos
- Jump on TikTok trends to reach new audiences
- Be consistent (it can happen overnight, but it can also take time)
- Use social media management tools to engage your audience and measure performance
What is the most-watched TikTok?
Zach King’s incredible Harry Potter illusion holds the crown for the most-watched TikTok of all time. With over 2.2 billion views and 22.5 million likes, it’s going to be hard to knock him off his throne.
What is the most-liked TikToks?
The current reigning most-liked TikToks is Bella Poarch lip-syncing to M to the B by Millie B. It currently has 62.7 million likes and 2.4 million comments.
