How to Get More Likes on TikTok: The Ultimate Guide

Co-authored by A.J. Aldana and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: February 23, 2023 References Tested

Are your TikTok videos not getting enough likes and comments? TikTok is a very crowded social platform, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to get popular! In fact, there are plenty of simple things you can do today to increase your TikTok likes and followers instantly, from creating eye-catching videos that put your own spin on hot trends to optimizing your TikTok profile. This wikiHow article will teach you 18 surefire tricks that will surely increase your likes on TikTok!

Things You Should Know

The first 2 to 3 seconds of your video are your biggest opportunity to hook viewers—use them wisely!
Add relevant and trending keywords to your video descriptions and TikTok profile so the right people can find your content.
Use popular (but relevant) hashtags and sounds in every one of your videos.

1

Establish your identity or persona.

Popular trends will help you find new audiences, but originality lies in finding your niche. Whether your account focuses on a unique skill, video style, or realm of humor, viewers should have a clear idea of the type of content you create so they know what to expect if they follow you.^{[1]
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Research source} TikTok's algorithm will show your videos to users who tend to like content from your niche, which will result in more likes on your videos.

2

Make the first 2 to 3 seconds of your videos count.

Aim to hook viewers early with eye-catching content. According to a scientific study, social media users' attention spans decrease over time.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Nature
Respected Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal
Go to source} This means you'll need to capture peoples' attention quickly if you want to keep it! If you don't entice your viewers early, they might swipe past your video before watching the entire thing. Always start your videos with a compelling hook, such as a story that starts strong or a striking (or hilarious) visual.
- When making informational videos, start with a hook line. For example, if you want to talk about great places to bring your dog on vacation, start by saying "Here's the top 10 places to take your dog on vacation" instead of easing into the subject.^{[3]
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- People love a relatable video! If you can show viewers that your video contains something they can relate to early, they're likely to watch the whole thing and like if they agree!

3

Hop on trends early (but don't just follow the crowd).

The key to getting noticed on TikTok is to be a part of a trending moment. Stay on top of trending hashtags, sounds, challenges, and effects, and use them in your videos. Be sure to put your own creative spin on each TikTok trend to avoid blending in with the crowd.
- Most users now see the Friends tab at the bottom of TikTok instead of the old Discover page, which used to make it easy to find trending topics.^{[4]
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  Research source} You can still get a sense of what's trending by scrolling through your For Your page.
- The #trendalert hashtag is especially useful now that Discover is gone. TikTok users use this hashtag to talk about hot new trends gaining in popularity.^{[5]
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4

Use the right hashtags.

Always use relevant hashtags, especially when those hashtags are trending. TikTok users often search for videos about specific topics. To make sure your target audience can find your awesome videos, use hashtags that contain the keywords people are looking for. ^{[6]
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Expert Source

A.J. Aldana
Social Media Specialist
Expert Interview. 9 March 2021.}
- To get an idea of how popular a hashtag is, tap the magnifying glass icon and search for it, then tap Hashtags at the top to filter the results. You'll see how many people viewed videos containing that hashtag, as well as similar hashtags containing the same word or phrase.
- For example, if you're an up and coming rapper, you might search for "rap" and tap Hashtags at the top of the results. Here you'll find a list of the most popular hashtags containing the word "rap" and how many views each hashtag has accrued.

5

Take advantage of popular TikTok effects.

Creative effects, text, voiceovers, stickers, and transitions can really take your videos to the next level. You can use popular effects from other peoples' videos or just experiment with creative effects that add depth to your content.
- Voiceovers are hugely popular on TikTok. For example, if you record several clips throughout the day and join them into a single video, you can add a voiceover to the final product to narrate your day.
- Try the Text to Speech effect to automatically narrate any text you add to your video. To use it, type your desired text when creating a video, tap the speaking head icon, and then tap the different heads to choose a speaking (or singing!) voice.^{[7]
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- Transitions are a create way to add cool cinematic effects between video clips. If you're joining two or more clips together, using transitions between those clips can create dramatic (or hilarious) jumps in time.^{[8]
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6

Incorporate popular music and sounds into your videos.

Popular sounds will attract more users to your videos. If you notice a particular sound is getting a lot of attention on the For You page, don't hesitate to create your own video with this soundtrack. A good way to find trending sounds is to tap + (like you're creating a new video), select Add sound, and explore the Discover tab.
- According to TikTok, when a brand uses a memorable and distinctive sound, viewers are 8 time more likely to remember that brand.^{[9]
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  Research source} Put your own unique spin on the most popular sounds, such as a voiceover, to make sure your videos make a lasting impression.

7

Improve your lighting and video quality.

Great-looking videos get more likes. Use good lighting and a decent-quality camera for your videos. Lighting is crucial to how your videos look, and the better the lighting in your videos, the more they will dazzle your viewers.^{[10]
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- Take advantage of sunny days and bright natural light for best results.
- If your phone's camera isn't great in low light, invest in small lighting equipment like a ring light.
- If you don't have a tripod to hold your camera, you can create a DIY phone tripod from a spray can cap.

8

Be a part of the community.

TikTok is a community of people, not just an app full of videos. Find creators whose content you like and create real human connections. Like and comment on other peoples' videos and they'll like and comment on yours! You can also create duets and stitches with popular or trending like-minded creators to chime in on topics and show your support while increasing your visibility at the same time.
- When viewers comment on your videos, be sure to respond! Commenters love when creators acknowledge them—giving your viewers some personalized attention is a great way to keep them coming back to your videos.^{[11]
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- While you should definitely stay true to your niche, you don't have to stick to a single TikTok community.^{[12]
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  Research source} You can still cater to your core audience and create content that other communities will enjoy.

9

Ask thought-provoking questions.

Start interesting and relatable conversations in your comments section. When you ask viewers for their thoughts, opinions, ideas, or advice, they're likely to reply in your comments. The more people that comment on your videos, the more likely it is that your videos will appear on a wider audience's For You feeds.
- When you start a conversation, it's important to engage with participants. People who agree with you will like your comments as well as your videos.

10

Make it easy for friends-of-friends to discover you.

TikTok can recommend your videos to people with mutual connections. If you enable this feature, your videos will get more views (and hopefully more likes) because friends-of-friends will see these suggested videos in their For You feeds. The more likes you get from people you know (or might know), the more likely it is that your videos will be promoted on other peoples' For You feeds as well.
- Tap the menu at the top-right corner of your profile and select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Privacy.
- Tap Suggest your account to others.
- Tap the switch next to "People with mutual connections" to allow TikTok to suggest your videos to friends-of-friends.
- You can also enable the other switches ("Contacts," "Facebook friends," and "People who open or send links to you") to make sure the people you already know will come across your content.

11

Optimize your TikTok profile.

Use relevant keywords in your TikTok profile so people can find you. When you take the time to completely fill out your TikTok profile with catchy and relevant information, you'll increase your chances of being discovered by people who love the type of content you create.
- Have a short, memorable username that's meaningful to your brand or niche.
- Use relevant keywords in your profile so people searching for those keywords can find you. You don't have to phrase these keywords as hashtags. For example, if you're a sous chef who makes cooking videos, make sure you the keywords sous chef and cooking are both in your bio.
- Use a unique profile photo or avatar that stands out on the page.
- If you have a website, add the URL to your profile so people know how to find you off TikTok.

12

Be an active, prolific content creator.

Unlike on other social media platforms, there's no shame in being extra prolific on TikTok. Popular TikTok influencers create videos throughout the day, and you should do the same. Make sure to post frequently, at least two or three times a day. This will get your videos out there, and help audiences remember your content.

13

Write engaging descriptions for each video.

When posting your videos, don't neglect the description field. This is a great place to add helpful keywords, funny quips, relatable quotes, and descriptive text that adds context to your video. Adding hashtags to your descriptions is important, but this field is also an opportunity to show more of your personality.

14

Go live!

Creating live TikTok content is a great way to get discovered. TikTok commonly shows live videos to people scrolling through the app, which can expose you to new audiences who haven't yet experienced your videos. Some popular live streaming ideas are how-to videos, show and tell, routines, playing games, educational content, and even just casual chit-chats.^{[13]
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- While you're streaming live, check the comments regularly and engage with your audience. If people are asking questions or showing support, respond to them directly in your live stream.
- Go live at a time that your audience is likely to be scrolling through TikTok. While primetime hours are usually the best times to go live, the best time for your audience may vary.^{[14]
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- If people enjoy what you do live, they'll be likely to follow your TikTok account and like your videos.

15

Make your content accessible to all.

When sharing videos that contain your speaking voice or a voiceover, use closed captions so you don't leave anyone out. When you add subtitles to your videos, people who are hard of hearing (or scrolling through TikTok with the sound off) will be able to experience your video just like those who can hear you. Just select Auto captions on the Edit page before posting—you don't even have to type them yourself.^{[15]
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- You can also create automatic text-to-speech voiceovers from any text. Just tap the Text link to type text yourself, select the text, and choose Text-to-speech.^{[16]
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- When adding text to your videos, use a simple light-colored font on a darker background so it'll be easier for everyone to see. Avoid complicated ornate fonts to maximize accessibility.
- Avoid flashing or strobing effects, both when choosing from TikTok's built-in effects and when recording with your camera.

16

Collaborate with others TikTokers to promote your account.

Coordinate with your community to create memorable and shareable content. Have you made friends with creators who get more likes than you? Have you exchanged messages with a creator who your followers also follow? See if they'd be down to do a duet, stitch, or other type of collaborative video that can bring more attention to your own content. As your videos gain popularity, your fans will enjoy seeing you collaborate with similar creators they also follow. Plan a duet with a creator that will blow peoples' minds and watch the likes pour in.

17

Promote your TikTok on other social media platforms.

Make sure your Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter contacts know how to find you on the app. Share a link to your profile on each platform, and, if possible, add your profile URL to your other social media profiles.

18

Use the TikTok creator portal.

Check TikTok's Creator Portal regularly to stay on top of the latest features and content strategy ideas. TikTok wants to help its creators succeed—after all, having a lot of popular creators on the platform does increase TikTok's overall revenue. Add the Creator Profile to your bookmarks and check back often for updates: https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I get people to notice to me on TikTok?

A.J. Aldana
Social Media Specialist
A.J. Aldana is a social media specialist who has been using platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram, and YouTube for over 5 years. A.J. has worked with brands to curate content that has garnered thousands of interactions for various social media campaigns and is passionate about contributing to innovative and trending articles on wikiHow. He holds a BS in Product Design from Stanford University.

A.J. Aldana

Social Media Specialist

Expert Answer

Hop on the Discover page and browse the trending hashtags, then include those in your posts. Also, if you follow general TikTok trends as they happen and create a post in that style or trend, you're more likely to gain traction with your posts.
Question

If I like my videos but set it so no one can see, will I get more likes, as people think I have more likes than I do, making me look more likeable so people want to follow/like me more often?

Aasim

Top Answerer

Liking your own videos probably will not work. At the end of the day, people like content because they enjoy it, and that is not going to change if you artificially inflate the number of likes you have.
Question

I want to get followers and likes, how can I do this?

Jayna Akanova

Community Answer

If you want more followers/likes, you have to do the same thing as explained in the article. If you get more followers, then more people will like your videos.