20 Tips on How to Get More Followers on TikTok

As of November 2023, TikTok has 1.5 billion users. That's 16% more than in 2022. 

If you're running a business of any kind and you want to supercharge your social media marketing, now's the time to start growing your TikTok audience. The user base is booming, the algorithm is smarter than ever, and you're likely to find interested people on the platform no matter what you sell. 

Why is follower growth such a big deal on TikTok?

Follower growth isn't about vanity – it's an integral part of your performance as a creator, especially if you're serious about it. TikTok's algorithm prioritizes popular content, so improving your follower count can increase your video views and engagement. This means it can also lead to more opportunities for monetizing your content.

Follower growth also opens doors to TikTok's Creator Fund, enabling creators to monetize their content through ad revenue. Moreover, a substantial follower count often attracts brand partnerships, leading to potential sponsorships and collaborations.

If you're posting on TikTok as a brand and you're not necessarily looking to monetize your content, follower growth is still important. A higher follower count means a larger pool of potential followers to reach with your brand message and the potential for increased brand awareness.

In addition to these practical reasons, having a large following on TikTok also adds to your credibility as a creator – that's exactly how social proof works. It shows that people are interested in what you have to share and that you have influence within the platform.

That being said, here are some of the essentials you can do to increase your follower count on TikTok.



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Pick a niche and stick with it

First things first: identify your niche. TikTok is a diverse landscape, catering to myriad interests. Pick a niche that aligns with your passion and expertise, and stick with it. Consistency in content theme fosters a dedicated audience base.

But staying true to your chosen niche doesn’t mean being stagnant. You can evolve within your niche, exploring various angles and topics that resonate with your target audience while staying authentic to your core content theme.

The reason niche original content is more likely to attract followers is that it caters to specific interests and provides value to a particular audience. People are more likely to follow an account that consistently shares content they are interested in.

For example, if you talk about home design tips in a general sense, you might get lost in the ocean of similar videos. However, if you talk about cozy cottage home design, you'll likely attract a crowd interested specifically in that.

Want to get more tips on content creation? Check out our guide to making videos for TikTok.

Know your audience

Understanding your target audience is the foundation of your TikTok growth. It helps you determine your main video concept, what types of videos to use, what relevant hashtags to tap into, and, ultimately, how you want your videos to look.

So you want to make sure you get this right from the beginning:

Look at your analytics

Dive into TikTok analytics to comprehend your viewers' demographics, preferences, and behaviors. Create content specifically for them, post when they're likely to be online, and be sure to "go" where more of these people hang out.



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Ask your audience

Not sure what your ideal audience likes? Ask them through polls, Q&A sessions, or live streams. Engaging with your audience in this way gets you valuable insights into their preferences and interests, and allows you to tailor your content more effectively.

Find your TikTok subculture

TikTok subcultures abound, and you don't have to stick with just one. You can be a part of various subcultures depending on your content and preferences. The key is finding the right ones that align with your niche and tapping into your audience base. By connecting with like-minded creators and using the power of collaborations, you can expand your reach and attract more followers.

Jump on trends

Trends are the fuel of TikTok.

If you want to gain more visibility, stay updated on the latest viral dances, challenges, hashtag challenges, and memes. Incorporating these trends into your content not only keeps it fresh and relevant, it also helps you piggyback on other popular videos to reach a wider audience.

Consider putting your unique spin on trends. Adding your creativity to popular trends can help your content stand out from all the similar videos. At the same time, you must make sure your video is recognizable within the trend, making it easier for the algorithm and your followers to understand what is going on. 

Educate & entertain

Strive to both educate and entertain your audience. Engaging content leaves a lasting impression, whether it's sharing tips, creating skits, or offering insights in original videos. Interactive content, such as quizzes or tutorials, not only educates but also encourages active participation from your audience, fostering a stronger connection (and boosting your reach in the process).

Engage with other creators

TikTok is a social media platform – so get social!

Remember that collaboration is key if you want to grow your following and make the most out of TikTok. Engage with fellow creators, reply to comments, and foster a community. Partnering up amplifies your reach and exposes your content to new audiences.

The Duet and Stitch features allow you to participate in challenges with other creators. This expands your reach and introduces your content to their followers, potentially gaining you new loyal fans.

Use popular music and sounds

Trending songs and audio clips can help you ride the popularity wave on TikTok. Users often search for content using these popular sound clips, increasing your chances of being discovered. Also, the algorithm tends to feed users with clips that use music and sounds they've already interacted with in other videos, so this is a great way to gain more attention for your brand.

You can use your original sounds and popular songs, but when you're just starting out as a content creator on TikTok, you want to reach a larger audience. Trending sounds are a great way to gain your first batch of loyal followers.



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Reply to your comments

Replying to comments is crucial for two primary reasons. First of all, it fosters a sense of community and engagement among your followers. When followers see that you're responsive and actively engaging with them, they feel valued and are more likely to stay engaged and loyal to your content.

Secondly, engagement is a key metric in the TikTok algorithm. The more engagement a post has through likes, shares, and comments, the more it gets pushed out to new audiences. Therefore, by replying to comments, you can increase your post's visibility, potentially attracting new followers.

Create a series

Developing a series with a compelling hook can keep your audience eagerly anticipating the next installment. Consider involving your audience in the series' development by asking for their input or suggestions, making them feel more invested in the content.

To make sure your series is a success, keep the following tips in mind:

Plan ahead

Planning your content in advance is a crucial step in ensuring the continuity and consistency of your series. This allows you to develop a cohesive narrative or theme, maintain a consistent posting schedule, and avoid last-minute scrambles for content ideas.

Furthermore, knowing what's coming next enables you to build anticipation among your followers, which can lead to a higher engagement rate and greater visibility on the platform. In essence, a well-planned content series can be a powerful tool for boosting your TikTok presence and growing your follower count.

Post consistent content

Regular posting on TikTok is paramount for maintaining a strong presence. Consistency sends a signal to the TikTok algorithm that you are an active user, which can boost your visibility on the platform. It also gives your audience a reason to check back daily, fostering habitual interaction with your content.

Remember: it's not about bombarding your followers with content, but about creating a reliable cadence they can expect and look forward to. This consistency in posting increases engagement rates and helps reinforce your relationship with your audience, ultimately leading to a growing follower count.

Adapt & pivot as needed

Sometimes, your plan might not work (any social media manager will agree that it happens to pretty much everyone in this business). Your hook might not resonate well with your audience, or you may find yourself facing a creative block. It's essential to be able to adapt and pivot when necessary.

Pay attention to your analytics and take feedback from your audience seriously. If something isn't working, don't be afraid to try new things or change course. Just remember to stay true to your niche and add value to your audience

Build a hashtag strategy and use smart captions

Craft smart captions and use a mix of hashtags (relevant, branded, trending, etc.). Captions should be concise, engaging, and readable. Hashtags broaden your content's discoverability, so pick 1-2 popular hashtags to use in your videos to broaden your reach. 

Also, ensure you regularly explore new and niche hashtags to tap into different communities and expand your content's visibility to diverse audiences. Once you gain more popularity, you can also create a branded hashtag challenge – but when you're just starting out, using hashtag trends is a smart way to get more reach. 

Caption should be more than just a bland description of your video and a collection of hashtags. Remember this is TikTok, and if there's something the average TikToker loves more than the app, it's creators who are candid and raw.

If you want to research trending and accurate hashtags, you can use TikTok's search function to look at videos popular in your niche and choose 1-2 topic-specific hashtags you can incorporate in your own videos. 



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Want more tips? Check out our guide to the best TikTok strategies to use.

Include closed captions on videos

A lot of people will scroll through TikTok on mute – so if you have an important message to send out (or just a really funny story), closed captions can help you ensure your audience gets it even if their sound isn't on. Here are some tips to help you create and include closed captions people actually like:

• Keep it short and to the point: your closed captions don't necessarily have to be a word-for-word transcription of your audio. Instead, aim to capture the main message or punchline in as few words as possible.
• Use emojis and formatting: Closed captions don't have to be plain text. Add emojis or change the font size, color, and style for emphasis and visual appeal.
• Check for accuracy: While it's okay to deviate from the exact words spoken, make sure your closed captions are accurate and convey the same message as your audio content.
• Use relevant keywords: Including relevant keywords in your closed captions can help your videos rank higher in searches and attract new followers interested in those topics.
• Time every caption correctly: Make sure it shows on screen when the corresponding audio is playing, and disappears when it ends. Poor timing can make your video look unprofessional and may discourage viewers from watching until the end.

Timing matters (a lot)

Post when your video is likely to perform well. This means the time of day and day of the week when your customers or audience are likely scrolling up and down on TikTok. Some ways to find the right time of the day include:

• Analyzing past performance
• Conducting A/B tests of different posting times
• Researching when your target audience is most active on TikTok

Once you find the right time, post consistently at that time to build a habit in your followers. This will also help boost your visibility and engagement rates. Remember, it's not just about what you post, but when you post it.



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Experiment with video length

Variety keeps things interesting, so experiment with video lengths to see what resonates best with your audience. Sometimes, concise content shines; other times, longer videos engage better. As a general rule, people on TikTok like shorter videos that are up to 40 seconds. But when they're hooked, they'll happily watch as much as they can.

So the best way to figure out what your audience likes is by testing things out. If you find your customers like shorter content, don't give up on longer videos too – you can always break it into bite-sized pieces.

Tap into user-generated content

Encourage user-generated content through challenges or duet videos. It boosts engagement and creates a sense of community around your content.

You can also acknowledge and feature user-generated content in your videos. This rewards your audience's participation and encourages others to contribute.

Invest in video quality

Although TikTok has this "homemade" vibe to it, high-quality content still matters. Invest time in creating visually appealing, high-quality videos. Aesthetically pleasing content tends to captivate and retain viewers.

Experiment with different video editing techniques and tools available on TikTok to enhance the visual appeal of your content and make it more engaging.

Remember: you don't need expensive equipment – but you do want to make sure it's well-lit and the audio is clear. A steady hand goes a long way in creating professional-looking videos, too.

Create a lot

Quality is often a byproduct of quantity, so give yourself a chance to experiment with different ideas, play around with features (like filters and effects), and create content regularly.

The more you create, the better you get at understanding what works best for your audience. This also helps you establish a consistent presence on the app, which is crucial for growing your follower count.

Keep an eye on metrics

Monitoring metrics like watch time, engagement, and reach is vital. Watch time reigns supreme; the longer viewers watch, the more TikTok's algorithm favors your content.

Regularly analyze your top-performing content to understand what resonates best with your audience and replicate those successful elements in future videos.

Use TikTok Ads

Social media ads aren't normally a good way to gain organic followers, but TikTok Ads are a different kind of animal. What makes them unique is they look, feel, and act like organic content.

TikTok Ads appear in users' feeds alongside other content, adding to the overall viewing experience. That's why they're powerful; you can reach a wider audience and build brand awareness without compromising authenticity. 



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TikTok: the next frontier for your social media presence 

For the longest time, TikTok was synonymous with "content for teenagers." This has changed drastically. Once considered an odd and unappealing social media network for brands that didn't target teens, TikTok is now one of the fastest-growing, most engaging, and rewarding social media platforms. In other words, TikTok's the next big hot social media channel to jump on – and fast!

They do a lot of things well: from an algorithm built to hook people on the platform to providing you with social media marketing tools that enhance your brand's social media presence. Popular hashtags, songs, trends, and the organic feeling of ads on TikTok all create the perfect environment for you to reach more people, engage them, and sell your products. 

Not long from now, books about social media will write about TikTok and how it managed to not only break into a market that seemed impossible but also change it forever. So jump on the trend and make sure you include TikTok in your social media plan!

Need help getting started on TikTok? Contact Mayple and hire a social media management agency vetted by us. We'll match you with the best one for your industry, and you'll be ready to work with them in a matter of days!