TikTok has exploded in popularity over the past few years, with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide as of 2023. It‘s become one of the go-to platforms for creators to showcase their talents, connect with their audience, and even build a business. But with so much competition, how can you stand out and grow your following on TikTok?
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll share 12 proven strategies to get more TikTok followers in 2024. Whether you‘re just starting out or looking to take your account to the next level, these tips will help you attract a loyal and engaged audience. Let‘s dive in!
1. Post High-Quality, Engaging Content Consistently
The number one key to TikTok success is posting great content on a regular basis. Aim to post at least 1 new video per day to keep your followers engaged and attract new ones. Focus on creating short (15-60 second), entertaining videos that showcase your unique personality and talents.
When brainstorming content ideas, think about what your target audience would find valuable, interesting or entertaining. Some popular content formats on TikTok include:
- Dancing/lip syncing to popular songs
- Comedy skits and jokes
- Helpful tutorials and how-to‘s
- Day-in-the-life vlogs
- Unique talents or skills
- Reactions/duets to other videos
- Inspirational/motivational advice
The more authentic, creative and engaging your content is, the more likely it is to be watched, liked, commented on and shared. Which brings more new eyes to your account and grows your following over time.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
To create content that resonates, it‘s important to know who your target audience is. Who are you trying to reach on TikTok? What are their interests, pain points, goals and desires? What kind of content do they enjoy?
TikTok provides valuable insights into your audience demographics. To access it, switch to a Creator or Business account, then go to Settings > Creator Tools > Analytics. Here you‘ll find data on your followers‘ gender, age range, location, and most active times.
For example, let‘s say your analytics show your audience is mostly females ages 18-24 located in the US, who are most active on Wednesday at 7pm EST. You could create content that appeals to young adult women and post it on Wednesdays shortly before 7pm to maximize your reach.
You can also look at your competitors‘ or similar accounts‘ content to see what‘s performing well. Put your own unique spin on proven content formats to engage your specific audience.
3. Hop On Trends Early
TikTok is all about trends – songs, dances, challenges, memes, etc. that go viral across the platform. Hopping on a trend early is one of the best ways to increase your exposure and attract new followers.
To find trending content, scroll through the Discover page, which shows currently popular hashtags and songs. You can also use third party tools like Tokboard or Exolyt to see trending songs, hashtags, creators and videos.
When you find a trend that resonates with your niche, put your own unique spin on it. Don‘t just copy what everyone else is doing. Add your own personality, talents or comedic twists to stand out and entice viewers to follow you for more.
4. Optimize Your TikTok Profile
Your TikTok profile is like your storefront – it needs to instantly grab attention and compel visitors to hit that follow button. Here‘s how to optimize it:
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Username: Choose a short, memorable username that reflects your brand or niche. Avoid using numbers or underscores if possible.
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Profile Pic: Use a close-up, high quality photo that shows your face and personality. Avoid generic graphics or logos.
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Bio: Write a short, punchy bio that tells people what you‘re all about and why they should follow you. Use keywords related to your niche and include a call-to-action to follow.
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Link in Bio: TikTok allows one clickable link in your bio. Use it strategically to funnel traffic to your website, landing page, or other social profiles. You can use a tool like LinkTree to include multiple links.
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Highlights: Pin your top 3-6 videos to the top of your profile to showcase your best content and give new visitors a taste of what you offer.
Treat your TikTok profile like a mini landing page to convert profile visitors into followers. Revisit it periodically to keep it up to date.
5. Use Relevant Hashtags
Like on Instagram and Twitter, hashtags are a key way to increase your TikTok reach and help the right people find your content. When you use a hashtag, your video gets added to that hashtag‘s page, where people can discover it.
TikTok recommends using 3-5 hashtags per post, including a mix of trending and niche-specific tags. Trending hashtags will help you reach a wider audience, while niche ones will attract people interested in your specific topic.
To find relevant hashtags, type a keyword into the Discover page and see which tags pop up. Look at the hashtags your competitors and similar accounts are using. You can also use a tool like Sistrix to generate popular TikTok hashtags by topic.
Some tips for using TikTok hashtags effectively:
- Be specific and descriptive vs generic
- Create a branded hashtag for your content series or challenges
- Combine popular and less popular hashtags
- Don‘t use irrelevant hashtags just because they‘re popular
- Put hashtags at the end of your caption vs stuffing them in the middle
By using a few strategic hashtags on each post, more of your ideal followers will be able to find and follow you.
6. Engage With Other Accounts
TikTok is a social platform, so being social and engaging with other creators‘ content is key for growth. Here are some ways to do that:
- Like, comment on and share videos from creators in your niche
- Reply to comments on your own videos to boost your engagement
- Use TikTok‘s Duet and Stitch features to create videos with other creators‘ content (with credit)
- Participate in TikTok challenges created by others in your industry
- Send DMs to creators you admire to start a conversation (but don‘t spam)
- Hop on trends that are popular in your niche to reach new audiences
- Attend or host TikTok Live collabs with other creators
The more you engage with others, the more they‘ll likely reciprocate. You‘ll gain exposure to their audiences and build relationships with potential collaborators. Just make sure your interactions are genuine vs spammy.
7. Promote Your TikTok On Other Channels
To attract your existing fans from other platforms to your TikTok, promote it on your other social media channels, website, email list, etc. Here are some ideas:
- Create "follow me on TikTok" graphics to share on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Embed your best TikTok videos in relevant blog posts or web pages
- Add a TikTok icon to your website header or footer that links to your profile
- Run a contest or giveaway that requires following you and/or sharing your TikTok
- Include your TikTok handle in your email signature
- Mention your TikTok in your YouTube videos, podcast episodes, etc.
- Add TikTok as a contact option on your contact page or press kit
By promoting your TikTok across your other marketing channels, you‘ll drive more of your existing audience to it. Just make sure you‘re not just recycling content – give them a reason to follow you on TikTok specifically.
8. Run Contests and Giveaways
People love free stuff, so running contests and giveaways is a great way to incentivize people to follow you and engage with your content. You can run a contest right on TikTok by asking people to:
- Follow your account
- Like and/or comment on a specific video
- Create a duet or stitch with your video
- Share your video on their story or with friends
- Use your branded hashtag in their own post
Choose a prize that‘s relevant to your niche and will appeal to your target audience, like your products/services, gift cards, special discounts, shoutouts, etc. Make the entry criteria simple yet valuable – the easier it is to enter, the more entries you‘ll likely get.
You can use the TikTok contest rules as a template and customize it for your needs. Make sure to clearly state the start and end dates, entry criteria, prize details, etc. You can check entries manually or use software like Wishpond or Gleam to automate it.
Once the contest is over, announce the winners on TikTok and your other platforms to build buzz. Follow up with a new post or contest to keep the momentum going.
9. Post When Your Audience Is Most Active
Timing your posts can have a big impact on your reach and engagement rates. If you post when the majority of your followers are online, your video is more likely to get seen and engaged with, which tells the TikTok algorithm to show it to even more people.
According to research by Influencer Marketing Hub, the best days and times to post on TikTok in 2024 are:
- Monday: 6 AM, 10 AM, 10 PM
- Tuesday: 2 AM, 4 AM, 9 AM
- Wednesday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 11 PM
- Thursday: 9 AM, 12 AM, 7 PM
- Friday: 5 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM
- Saturday: 11 AM, 7 PM, 8 PM
- Sunday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM
But these are just general guidelines – the best times to post will vary by your specific audience. Use TikTok Analytics to see your follower activity by the hour and schedule your posts accordingly. Experiment with different posting times and measure your results.
You can also use a TikTok scheduler tool like SocialPilot or Loomly to plan and automatically publish your posts at the optimal times. Just make sure they comply with TikTok‘s community guidelines and terms of service.
10. Invest In TikTok Ads
If you have some budget to invest into TikTok growth, running TikTok ads is a great option. TikTok offers several ad formats, placements and targeting options to help you reach the right audience and achieve your goals, like:
- In-feed video ads that look like native posts
- Spark Ads that use existing organic videos as ads
- Pangle Ads that are placed across TikTok‘s ad network
- Carousel ads that include multiple videos or images
- TopView ads that appear when someone opens the app
You can create TikTok ad campaigns for different objectives, like followers, web traffic or conversions. Use eye-catching visuals, on-brand messaging and a clear CTA to compel people to follow you.
The key to TikTok ads is to make them feel native to the platform. Don‘t use overly polished or salesly videos – keep them short, entertaining and similar to your organic posts. Test different ad formats, copy and targeting with a small budget before scaling up.
11. Post User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to engage your audience, build social proof and attract new followers. UGC refers to any content posted by your fans or customers, like:
- Videos of them using or reviewing your products
- Testimonials or stories about their experience with your brand
- Duets, stitches or responses to your branded challenges
- Posts using your branded hashtags or soundtracks
Encourage your audience to create UGC by running contests, creating challenges, offering incentives, or simply asking them to share their experiences. Then, repost the best UGC on your own profile (with credit to the original creator).
UGC feels more authentic and relatable than branded content. It shows potential followers that real people enjoy your products or services. Seeing others engage with your brand builds trust and FOMO.
Make sure to get permission from the original creator before reposting their content. You can reach out to them directly on TikTok or use a content rights management platform like TINT to legally acquire UGC at scale.
12. Measure and Improve Your Results
Getting more TikTok followers is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. It‘s important to regularly measure your progress and adjust your strategy to optimize your results.
Use TikTok Analytics to track your key metrics, like:
- Follower growth over time
- Views, likes, comments and shares per video
- Video completion rate and average watch time
- Top territories and viewer demographics
- Trending videos and sounds
Look for patterns in your top-performing videos. What elements (hook, length, music, etc.) make them successful? Try to create more videos like them.
Also look at your videos with low completion rates or views. What about them isn‘t resonating? Maybe the hook isn‘t strong enough, or the video is too long or not relevant to your audience. Keep tweaking your content until you find a winning formula.
You can also use third party analytics tools like Iconosquare or Sprout Social to compare your TikTok metrics to your other social platforms and competitors. Seeing the big picture will help you allocate your resources effectively.
Don‘t be afraid to experiment with new types of content, trends or features to keep things fresh. The TikTok landscape is always changing, so staying up-to-date and adapting is crucial for long-term growth.
Jumpstart Your TikTok Growth Today!
Growing your TikTok following takes time, consistency and creativity. But by implementing these 12 proven tactics, you can attract more of your ideal audience and turn them into raving fans.
Focus on creating authentic, engaging content that showcases your unique personality and expertise. Post regularly, hop on trends, engage with others, and promote your TikTok wherever your audience hangs out. Over time, you‘ll build a strong community of loyal followers who can‘t wait to see what you post next.
Remember, TikTok followers are just vanity metrics – the real goal is building genuine connections and providing value to your audience. Prioritize quality over quantity, and always stay true to your brand voice and values.
Now go out there and create some epic TikToks – your next superfan is waiting to discover you!
