Understanding TikTok’s Algorithm

I was taking the subway home the other day and when I looked up from my phone screen, I couldn’t help but notice that most people were mechanically swiping up watching TikTok videos. But what’s the secret sauce that keeps them hooked?

I personally don’t have a TikTok account but I am very well familiar with its contents since Instagram decided to go as far as to copy the TikTok video format and call them Reels. Now, whether they’re TikToks or Reels, the fact is that this type of content became so successful, so addictive that it’s a must-do for branding and advertising. The question is, how does it work ?

A brief introduction to TikTok (even though it’s 2022 and you shouldn’t need one)

Before diving into the mechanics behind the app, allow me to introduce you to a couple of facts :

• TikTok has been installed on devices over 3 billion times worldwide.
• As of January 2022, TikTok counts 1 billion monthly active users (yes, a little less than Instagram).
• 167 Million Tiktok videos are watched in an Internet Minute.

The first thing a user sees when opening the TikTok app is the “For You page” (FYP). The app’s algorithm creates recommendation based on different factors, meaning that each FYP is completely unique. Sometimes it enven feels like the app simply reads your mind…

What’s even more fascinating, is that one does not even need an account in order to get personalized content. That means that every user can get content regardless of who they might follow. Being famous or having an important following is not what is necessarily needed for TikTok videos to go viral. It is all about creating interesting content and understanding TikTok’s algorithm.

Understanding TikTok’s algorithm

The factors that influence TikTok’s algorithm are as follows :

• Video likes, comments, shares, completions and re-watches : The more a user engages with a video, the more likely similar contents with be presented to them.
• Subject matter : The app is great at categorizing content depending on the user’s interests.
• Device settings : The app considers the users’ location and language and thus shares local content.
• Audio : Using a trending sound or song in a video increases its chances of being served to a large audience.
• Hashtags and caption keywords.
• User activity and “Not Interested” feedback : with this, TikTok makes sure to provide videos based on what the user like and what they do NOT like.

TikTok explains that some of these indicators are considered strong (like whether or not a user finished watching a video) while others are considered weak (like whether the viewer and the creator of the content are from the same country. So clearly, playing on the strong indicators is key :

Tip # 1 : Hook your audience within 3 second

TikTok recommends content based on how long a person spends on one video before moving on to the next one. The reason why it can be so addictive is because it allows its user to be instantly entertained. Consequently, if you do not want TikTok to flag your video as irrelevant and unengaging, you need to captivate your audience within the first 3 seconds of the video. That way, you can avoid having people dismiss your content too early.

Tip # 2 : Jumping early on trending audio

This can help you appear on the trending feed. The more viewers watch a certain type of content, the more likely TikTok’s algorithm will recommend similar videos using the same audio.

You may find the trending audios by clicking on a sound and finding out how many videos were created with it or simply by clicking on “add sound” and following the current trends.

Tip # 3 : Focus on a Niche

Last but definitely not least, you need to connect with your audience and not just randomly hop on trends. By sticking to a certain category, TikTok’s algorithm will label your content and start recommending it to the fitting audience. You can help yourself by sticking to the hashtags that describe your content best.

When it comes to content creation, creativity and hard work matter. However, one shouldn’t forget the importance of understanding the platform they are using as a medium. By understanding the platform, the content creator increases the reach their content can have. Having creative and entertaining content is great. Being able to maximize the chances of it being seen, is even greater.

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About this article

This article has been written by a student on the Grenoble Ecole de Management’s Advanced Masters in Digital Strategy Management. As part of a content creation assignment, students are given the task of writing articles based on their digital interests and disseminate the articles online. Articles are marked but we make minimal changes to the content. Thanks for reading! James Barisic, Programme Director, MS DSM.