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How Does The TikTok Algorithm Work? | June 2022 Update
To get the most out of TikTok, you need to understand how its algorithm works. While there isn’t a magic recipe for success- coming to grips with this will help maximize your chances and make it easier to reach the top!
What’s the key to going viral? The answer might be as close as your phone. TikTok, an app that allows users to create short videos with music and effects, has become one of the most popular social media apps in recent years. One of the main reasons brands and creators love it, though? The algorithm makes going viral easy for anyone with an idea!
The algorithm is actually quite simple yet powerful. It launches you in the right direction and helps boost your chances of success if you cater to its preferences.
In this article, we’ll talk about what you need to know when it comes time for your video content strategy. There isn’t a magic formula that will make all of the difference but knowing how the TikTok algorithm works can help give you an advantage in reaching more people on the app!
What is the TikTok algorithm?
With the recent rise in the popularity of TikTok, many people have been wondering how it works. The TikTok algorithm has made it possible to personalize video recommendations for each user. It determines which videos a person might like based on their individual interests and displays them on the For You page so you can find clips that resonate with what you like!
The algorithm that decides which videos are shown on your For You page is called an “algorithm” for a good reason! An algorithm is a set of instructions that decides how to behave or perform specific tasks! The algorithms found in social media sites such as TikTok can help you decide which videos appear next.
With the personalized For You page, TikTok offers a unique experience for each user. What you see on your own ForYou will not be like what other people get – it’s completely customized based on what your watching habits suggest you might want or need! This means that someone with interest in beauty and makeup content will naturally find more recommendations than somebody whose main focus lies elsewhere else.
As a result, the types of content you see on this page will change over time as your viewing behavior, and preferences change. For example, if your interests shift from crafting projects to cooking videos, then TkTok will make sure that those types of videos show up more often for you.
Key components of the TikTok algorithm
So which are the key components of the TikTok algorithm? The app ranks and recommends videos to you based on several factors:
Video information
The app TikTok uses artificial intelligence to look at the video information, identify what the video is about and decide what you would be interested in. It looks at details such as captions, hashtags, or sound clips for keywords, so the algorithm knows what the video is about and serves its users with the most relevant content!
User interaction
TikTok is a social media platform that values your activity on the app. Their algorithm, which is a complicated mix of signals, weights your interactions with the platform to determine what you might like. TikTok considers key data points such as likes, comments, and shares, in addition to who you follow and what videos you add to your favorites or those you hide from your feed.
TikTok also takes into account how much time you spend watching each video to determine what content is most interesting for you. Engagement is crucial when it comes to weighting the TikTok algorithm. Watching a video in its entirety will carry more weight, indicating to the algorithm that you’re interested in the content. Besides that, TikTok will be much more likely to show you content from accounts with which you engage regularly compared to those that you follow but don’t interact with as often.
Device and account setting
TikTok takes into consideration your device and account settings, but not as much user activity or video information. It uses these factors more like an optimization tool for performance rather than content recommendation signals because users don’t express them directly through preferences. Some of the things that Tik Tok considers include device type, location, and language preferences.
How the TikTok algorithm works
The TikTok algorithm is a complex system even for those who work with it on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your content seen. There are multiple elements that influence how users see and interact with posts on this app—including who they follow or what content they watch.
It’s been hard to get an accurate understanding of how the TikTok algorithm works. The company doesn’t share everything publicly, though, so we don’t know all about this process. But it seems that certain factors are involved in recommending content.
These include:
User activity
TikTok has been able to draw on user data gathered from the app’s analytics and learn about what each individual prefers. It does this in order for them to create a more personalized experience, ranking videos based on their unique preferences so you can find your next favorite video!
With TikTok, you can increase the visibility of your video by getting feedback from viewers. When a user uploads their video to TikTok, the app displays indicators of engagement such as likes, comments, shares, watch time, and also rewatches. The more engagements you get on your content, the higher will be your chances of being seen by a larger audience and potentially even going viral!
The best way to get your content seen is by making it interactive. Create content that is so interesting that your viewers will want to share it with others. The more they interact and engage with your video, the higher will be your chances of getting exposure on the app!
Video information
When it comes to TikTok, one of the most critical factors in reaching potential users is the type of content you create. The app categorizes videos based on user interests which means you can easily find what you’re looking for.
TikTok has a ton of information on the video itself, like captions and hashtags that help them understand how to rank the content and determine where it will appear on the app. TikTok is using this info in their algorithm so that they can show you relevant content when browsing the For You page!
So when you upload content to TikTok, make sure the video is labeled with appropriate hashtags and keywords, so the algorithm knows what it’s about and shows it to the correct audience.
Location and language
Video posts on TikTok are tailored to your specific needs, like a personal assistant the app knows what you need. The algorithm recognizes user settings, including location and language preferences, when deciding who may enjoy watching videos – so it can provide just what each person desires most out of their social media experience!
However, since users don’t actively express those preferences, the algorithm is more likely to place greater importance on other strong indicators of interest, such as watch time and engagement.
Audio
The algorithm will use the sounds and music in your TikTok videos to categorize your content and serve it to relevant audiences who have already engaged with those trending sound effects. Tapping into those trends is a great way of reaching new people, as the trend has been seen by many before you can make an impression on them with what they are already interested in seeing.
“Not interested” feedbacks
The TikTok algorithm is constantly trying to give you the best videos possible with the goal of keeping you interested and engaged for as long as possible. It uses your previous activity as criteria so that it can find what topics will keep you coming back for more!
As a result, the app lets you filter out what’s not worth your time on social media. It looks at the videos marked as “not interested” and users you have hidden in order to show only clips which will be of interest to you, so it can make sure there isn’t any unnecessary content cluttering up our feeds!
Factors that do not affect the TikTok algorithm
As already discussed, there are many factors that go into the TikTok algorithm’s ranking system. However, some factors which surprisingly do not affect the TikTok algorithm. Those less important metrics that the app doesn’t consider when suggesting videos for your feed include: whether a video has been viewed before, if it’s duplicate content, a potentially upsetting clip, or even if the video has been flagged for spam.
And the best of all? Even if you are a new user on TikTok or have an account with a low following, the algorithm doesn’t use follower count as one of its ranking signals. This means that even small accounts still have the potential to get viral and have a high reach on this social media platform!
Wrap up
The viral nature of TikTok is an excellent opportunity for businesses to take their digital campaigns up another notch. With so many people using the app, there’s no shortage in finding new ways to reach out and connect with potential customers if you know the workings of the app!
Knowledge of the TikTok algorithm is essential if you want your content to be successful on this platform. Leveraging it and aligning your content and brand with what people like to view can give your brand an edge and make things work in favor of visibility for content creators who are looking toward building influence within this new ecosystem. It’s also a great way for creators and advertisers alike, as it can help them gain visibility through networking with other users who may share similar interests or goals!
