How TikTok’s Algorithm Works: Everything You Need to Know

Have you ever wondered how the TikTok algorithm operates? TikTok's official documentation reveals three pivotal factors in shaping its algorithm. Let's explore these factors together.

User interactions on TikTok refer to users' actions when engaging with a particular video. These interactions are either positive or negative and can significantly influence the type of content the platform showcases to users.

TikTok’s positive user interactions include:

• Posting a comment
• Following an account
• Liking a video
• Or spending more time watching videos

These user interactions trigger the platform’s algorithm to display content similar to the user. On the other hand, negative user interactions have the opposite effect.

Understanding how the TikTok algorithm operates empowers content creators to tailor their content to encourage the right kind of engagement from their audience. In practice, user engagement plays a crucial role. For instance, a viral video that you liked, commented on, or shared was subsequently featured on my For You Page (FYP).

Even if you didn’t follow the creator, your interaction contributed to the video's widespread appeal, leading to the creator's follow-up video appearing on your FYP, demonstrating a level of trust in TikTok's algorithm.

TikTokers often express this trust in comments like "Trusting the algorithm to bring me back," indicating their interest in the content without necessarily following the creator.

Video Information

TikTok's algorithm considers multiple elements of video information, including sounds, captions, hashtags, video descriptions, and text overlays. This information plays a crucial role in how TikTok identifies and promotes content. For example, TikTok's association with trending sounds enables the algorithm to identify users who enjoy videos featuring specific sounds.

Trending sounds aren't limited to viral dances; they can also benefit brands seeking broader visibility. Additionally, creators are discovering that captions, hashtags, and video descriptions are integral to their success. Including relevant keywords in video descriptions optimizes content for TikTok's search feature, improving discoverability.

To harness video information effectively, TikTok experts advise conducting keyword research within the app and strategically incorporating keywords into your video, captions, and hashtags. By doing so, creators can increase the likelihood of their content being discovered by users interested in the type of content they create.

Device and Account Settings

Although device and account settings have a lower weight in TikTok's algorithm, they still impact user experience. For instance, language preferences and country settings are significant determinants of user-generated content.

TikTok strives to provide videos in users' preferred languages, making engaging with content that resonates with them easier.

Moreover, device type is also factored into the algorithm. TikTok may prioritize videos compatible with a user's device, ensuring a smoother viewing experience, particularly on older phones or smaller screens. While these settings play a role, their influence is less pronounced than user interactions and video information.

To fully understand the TikTok algorithm, it's essential to recognize the factors that boost your video's visibility and be aware of what might hinder your content from being recommended.

By doing so, you can tailor your content to meet the platform's guidelines, resulting in higher engagement and better visibility. To make your content thrive on TikTok, keep these key elements in mind:

• Previously Viewed Content: TikTok may limit the exposure of content users have already watched. Therefore, offering fresh and engaging material is important to keep your audience interested.
• Spammy Content: Avoid creating spammy or low-quality content, as it can negatively affect your reach on the platform. Instead, focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience.
• Duplicate Content: Replicating or reusing the same content multiple times can limit your video's distribution. To avoid this, strive to create new and unique content for your audience.
• User Marked as "Not Interested": If users mark your content as "Not Interested," TikTok's algorithm may reduce the likelihood of recommending your videos to them in the future. Therefore, it's essential to create content that meets the needs and interests of your target audience.
• Potentially Harmful or Upsetting Content: Content potentially harmful or distressing can face limitations, so creating content that adheres to TikTok's guidelines and community standards is critical. Doing so can ensure that your content reaches a wider audience while creating a positive impact.

Here are the top 5 TikTok tips that can help you optimize your TikTok content and reach more audiences:

TikTok Algorithm for Views: To capture your audience's attention within the first 3 seconds of your video, quickly convey value to your viewers. TikTok's fast-paced environment can make them scroll past if you fail to do so, leading to missed opportunities for engagement and brand awareness.

TikTok SEO: While TikTok primarily relies on its algorithm, optimizing your videos for search can broaden your reach. To achieve this, you must use relevant keywords, strategic hashtags, informative video descriptions, and engaging captions to foster interactions with your audience.

Focus on a Niche or Subculture: Concentrating your content within a specific niche or subculture can elevate your success. Consistently creating content within a niche helps TikTok's algorithm recognize your expertise and target the right audience. Ensure your chosen niche aligns with your interests and audience preferences.

Collaborate with TikTok Users in Your Niche: Collaborative efforts with other TikTok users who share your niche can foster community and audience engagement. You can follow trends, answer questions, remix ideas, and engage with trending content to connect with users and boost your brand presence.

Publish a Series: Posting related videos, gradually unveiling more information each time, can encourage more viewership. This approach enhances audience engagement, provides storytelling opportunities, increases watch time, builds a content library, establishes your expertise, and opens doors to collaborations. Plan and structure your series thoughtfully to meet your audience's expectations.

By staying informed about the platform's evolving algorithm and implementing these strategies, you can achieve better results and expand your presence on TikTok in 2023.

As an official marketing partner of TikTok since its inception, our company has experience launching advertising campaigns for various clients on this platform. We always recommend TikTok as a preferred platform for advertising when it aligns with the client's goals and target audience.

To understand TikTok's reach and audience, make the most of its unique advertising dynamics. TikTok's vast and distinct audience makes it an excellent choice for marketers. Its user base doesn't overlap entirely with users on other advertising platforms, providing a fresh social platform to tap into. This distinctive aspect often leads us to recommend TikTok as a preferred platform for advertising.

The essence of TikTok lies in its easy-to-use tools and filters that empower users to create videos effortlessly. This unique design provides advertisers a valuable opportunity to gauge the effectiveness and relevance of their content. TikTok offers diverse interests that perform exceptionally well, especially when campaigns are targeted within a specific geolocation.

One common misconception about TikTok is that it is exclusively for a younger audience. In reality, TikTok boasts a mature user base with significant purchasing power, making them critical targets for advertisers.

Our media buying team has observed that TikTok ranks traffic based on the analysis of user comments. Positive and negative comments have an impact on your advertisements. TikTok Ads Manager Playbook recommends keeping user comments on to help ads achieve more impressions and conversions. You can use comment management tools to hide, pin, and reply to comments.

To create a compelling presence on TikTok’s platform, meticulously explore all its algorithm's intricacies. User engagements, video data, and device configurations profoundly impact TikTok's algorithm, which is crucial in shaping the content you experience and create.

Yet, to guarantee that your videos captivate a broader audience, you must carefully consider limiting factors such as redundant or uninspiring content, user disinterest, and potentially upsetting material.

Adhering rigorously to TikTok's guidelines and community standards is important to sustaining the platform's integrity and ensuring a secure and enjoyable experience for all users.