Why Your Videos Aren’t Going Viral On TikTok
Updated: Jan 25, 2024
Written by: Samantha Vlasceanu, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As a TikTok coach, one of the most coveted experiences on TikTok by my clients is that of creating a viral video. In fact, “how to create a viral video” is one of my most-asked questions, and, coming as no surprise, it’s not one that can be answered in one sentence. If your videos aren’t going viral, there could be a variety of culprits, from low video quality to uninteresting content. However, there are several key mistakes people make all the time on TikTok that keep them from going viral—and I’m sharing them with you today.
You’re using overly generic hashtags
You only have 150 characters for an enticing caption, including all of your hashtags—so wasting this space by using generic hashtags such as fyp or viral is only hurting your engagement.
While using these hashtags might get your video seen, it won’t get it seen by those interested in it—meaning it won’t get it shared. And, as you may have guessed, shareable content goes viral much more easily than non-shareable content.
You’re not speaking to a niche
Tying in with number one is this hard truth: If you’re speaking to (and being seen by) everyone, you’re actually speaking to (and being seen by) no one. You may think that, in order to go viral, you have to appeal to 100% of TikTok users, but think about this: TikTok sees 1 billion users every month, meaning you only have to get a like from 0.1% of TikTok users in order to get 1 MILLION likes. Isn’t that crazy?
And, it’s much easier to get likes (or any kind of engagement) when you are appealing to a niche of people who are interested in the kind of content you’re producing—so don’t be afraid to appeal to the 0.1%!
You have no call-to-action
If you want people to share, comment on, or like your video, telling them to do so is one of the best ways to actually make it happen.
There is a reason that videos saying things like “_ likes and I’ll shave my head” get so much engagement: There is a clear expectation or request set by the video creator that tells their audience exactly what to do, and offers them a reward for doing it.
Next time you create a video, try adding a call-to-action such as “Like this video for more content like this!” or “Comment below with any questions you have!” in order to boost engagement.
As a TikTok coach, my goal is always for my clients to get steady, consistent engagement on their videos and to build a community instead of a following. While going viral is never my main goal for them, it is exciting when it happens—and they never go viral doing any of the above!
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming successful on TikTok, grab my latest Ultimate A-Z TikTok For Business Guide 2.0.
Samantha Vlasceanu, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Samantha Vlasceaunu, The TikTok Coach, is on a mission to convince businesses and brands that TikTok is not just for our teenagers (and no dancing required)! When COVID-19 hit, her other traveling business had to shut down and she had to pivot - FAST. That's when she realized that she'd been organically reaching her audience on TikTok all along and realized the power TikTok could have for businesses if they gave them a chance. Fast forward to today, Sam works with marketing agencies, coaches, lawyers, corporate Brands - you name it! Sam ensures all her clients are using the app with intention as a sales funnel in finding their target audience and coaching the strategies of converting their followers into ACTUAL paying clients.
