Understanding the TikTok Algorithm:
The TikTok algorithm is complex. it is the system behind what videos are recommended to what people. Of course, understanding how these recommendations are made and how to work the algorithm in order to increase reach and viewership is what every Marketing Director and Business Owner wants to know. How do you get visibility and engagement without paying for every view and click? How do you stay relevant? How do you grow your audience? Get ready for insights, tips, and tricks to help you work the TikTok algorithm in your brand's favor.
TikTok's Algorithm Serves Like-Minded Viewers Like-Minded Content
Remember the name of the company behind TikTok: BYTE DANCE! Why is it called that? Because the creators of the app (and the cloned strategy in other apps for vertical video consumption) realized they could study the bytes that make up the videos that people are watching, and then send them videos with similar elements in them. That's why if you've been watching a bunch of cats, you will suddenly be seeing a ton of cat videos. And if you've been watching pranks, you will suddenly be seeing a ton of prank videos.
It's not just about WHO you follow on TikTok, it's about WHAT you watch for the longest duration and comment on. So for consumers that a brand wants to interact with, look at what types of content their target audience is watching and stay true specifically to that kind of content. the look, the camera style, the feel, the humor, the delivery, and the type of objects in the frame. TikTok will serve your clips to people who are watching similar content, so it's more than just following some stupid trending sound. It's actually looking at the content style, delivery, and information that people who might buy your brand are watching, and then finding a way to creatively serve them originality within that framework.
Brainiac Offers Social Media Video Production Packages that make "User Generated Looking Content" specifically for your brand channel, in a style and voice that is relevant to your target audience. You can get 31 social videos per month for the cost of one Commercial Advertisement and they even offer bulk packages that cover you for professional broadcast commercials and monthly 31 video packages in the same affordable order.
In Social Media, Video Runtime Is Everything
Look at the length of content your target viewer is likely to watch. Are they watching 60-second workout videos or 15-second show off my new outfit videos? Runtime factors heavily, for multiple reasons.
Keeping your video short is key to telling TikTok people want your content. If they run away before the video is over, it tells the algorithm that people don't like that video, and the algorithm stops serving your clip.
Heavy interaction. equals organic travel.
Everyone knows the algorithm is going to be influenced by user interactions. If people like, comment, share, and save your videos as a favorites, then those same people will be the first to receive your next videos.
And as an added bonus, people you've never interacted with who watch content that is like what they watch, are also likely to be served your videos to see if it's relevant to them.
How TikTok decides how many people are served your video:
The first people who receive your video is a mix of a small portion of your followers and a small portion of people watching like-minded (or like-byte-ed) content.
If those viewers react well, watch the entire video, like, share, and save, then TikTok rolls it out to a slightly larger portion of your followers and viewers of that hash-tag and byte-structured content. If the video tests well there, then they roll it out to a ton of more people.
Other factors in who receives your videos (less important, but still important):
Hashtags, descriptions. These can broaden the viewership past your initial followers. Location, Language Settings, and how it was uploaded factors in. Captions written within the system are known to help as it functions like another set of keywords, and what time of day the clip is uploaded is VERY important.
The time you post matters most
If you are targeting young people, serve them the clip when after school. If you are serving B2B information content, at the beginning of the work day may be a good idea. Test different time periods and use the creator tools to see when your followers are on the app most to come up with the right posting times.
Scheduled clips from the desktop are known to bomb on TikTok and uploaded duplicate content also is a surefire way for a clip to fail. That said, it is not impossible to generate a ton of free viewership for your brand, but keeping in mind how the algorithm works when creating and posting is key.
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