In this guide, you’ll learn how to grow your following on TikTok to 10,000 followers in 7 simple steps - from a creator who's already done it.
First, TikTok has over a billion active users and a highly diverse audience. Chancers are, your customers are on there.
Second, the “For You” page has a high discoverability factor in comparison to other social media platforms. This means that with the right strategy, you can can easily reach potential customers organically - no paid ads!
Third, your business has a lot of creative freedom and a good opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competitors on TikTok.
In summary, TikTok offers businesses a chance to reach target customers in its large and engaged audience, potentially go viral at a relatively low cost, and experiment with creative content that will help you stand out from competitors. Read more to get started.
New to TikTok? Scroll for a few hours to understand the types of trends and video edits that are popular. This will also give the algorithm time to figure out where to direct your account in the future. Focus on interacting with accounts in your industry during this time.
[UPDATE 04/2023: Frequent interactions on the app are becoming increasingly more important for growth. TikTok has revealed that the algorithm favors accounts that are active in the TikTok community. This means your account will get a boost if you frequently like, comment, and save other videos. These interactions don’t necessarily have to be just within your niche.]
Your niche can start off broad. Once you start posting, you can narrow it down based on what content your audience likes and what you enjoy making.
For example, I started making videos within the travel niche. Eventually, I narrowed my topics down to culture and dating as a solo female traveler in Australia.
You can learn more about how to define your intended audience HERE.
If you need help figuring out who your target audience is, I offer social media strategy assistance here.
Your posts should bring value to your viewers. Posts should be entertaining, interesting, or educational, and you should deliver them with a unique flare.
Think: why should people follow your account over other accounts in your industry? What can you bring to your followers’ feeds that others can’t?
Now it’s time to start creating content! Here are 3 things to keep in mind if you want your videos to blow up:
You’ve probably seen the ring lights or professional set-ups that a lot of content creators usethese days use. Good news: You don’t need all of these fancy gadgets! A bright, natural light by a window is my preferred method of lighting.
Your first few videos are going to feel awkward, and that’s okay. It took me months to feel comfortable getting in front of the camera. If you don’t want to show your face, that’s okay, too. Just make sure that your videos reflect who you are and what your brand stands for. (See: Brand Identity services here.)
The attention-span of social media users is shrinking day-by-day. Some studies show you have a maximum of *2 seconds* to grab the attention of TikTokers.
When you’re planning your videos, think: how are you going to utilize your first 2 seconds? Some examples of good hooks are:
HOW TO - (ie. go viral on TikTok)
WHY YOU - (ie. need a brand identity)
HERE’S - (ie. a 10-minute, easy soup recipe)
I could write a whole article about successful hooks, but we’ll leave that for another day. (Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter below to get notified when this blog post is released!)
Unsure of where to start with posting? Check out my TikTok strategy service here.
When you’re first starting out, flood the algorithm with videos. I’d recommend posting 3-6 videos every day (I know, it’s a lot of work!) and as soon as one of your videos takes off, replicate it! Analyze why it became popular, and do it again.
Your feed should become binge-worthy on whatever caught your viewers’ attention in the first place. People will follow you if they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST you as a creator. Gaining trust from strangers on the Internet is a tough challenge, but if your feed is consistent, it will be much that much easier for people to develop these feelings towards your account and hit the “Follow” button.
As soon as a video takes off, start responding to comments/questions using the “Reply with video” feature.
Try to respond to as many comments, questions, etc. on your videos as you can. You can also go "Live" to chat directly with your audience once you hit 1,000 followers.
It’s going to be a lot of work at the beginning, but once you get your first 10k on TikTok, it will get easier because you’ll have more experience, a more defined account, and a growing community.
If you have any more questions, feel free to contact me here.
