How to get more views on TikTok

by Lina Thorne • Updated 9/9/2025 · Posted in Marketing

Over the past few years, TikTok has become one of the most influential platforms in the world. It gives businesses of all sizes an incredible opportunity to reach new people, share ideas, and even go viral overnight.

It’s true that the app’s algorithm can show videos of new creators to new people right away. But not every video gets the attention it deserves. While some videos go viral instantly, others fail to get more than a few hundred views. With over 1 billion active users and millions of videos uploaded daily, every creator wonders: “How do I cut through the noise and get more views?”

Luckily, getting more views on TikTok isn’t purely a matter of luck. With the right strategies, you can improve your chances of being noticed, land on the For You Page, and foster a loyal community.

In this guide, we’ll explore why views matter, what the algorithm favors, and the exact steps you can take to make your content more visible. You’ll also discover why it’s important to add captions and watermark to your videos before sharing them online.

Why Getting More Views on TikTok Matters

Some creators say they don’t care about numbers, but on TikTok, views are an incredibly important metric. Even more important than likes. Here’s why:

1. More views = more reach. TikTok’s recommendation system cares about engagement. Both high view counts and great completion rates send a clear signal to the algorithm that people enjoy your content. As a result, your videos are then pushed to more and more people.
2. Views lead to followers. Every view is a chance to make an impression. If someone enjoys your video, they might check out your profile and follow you. And the more followers you have, the more views your future videos will get right away. After all, your videos will always be shown to your followers first, and then to new audiences.
3. Opportunities for monetization. Higher view counts make you more appealing to potential collaborators. A big and engaged audience is your ticket to the TikTok Creator Fund and, most importantly, partnerships with brands. Companies will be ready to pay for access to your viewership.
4. Cross-platform impact. TikToks often get reposted on Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and even Twitter. If people enjoy your content on TikTok, they might also follow you on other social media platforms.

What the TikTok Algorithm Favors

TikTok can push content from anyone, even a brand-new account with no followers, to a large audience. That’s because TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t rely on follower count. It’s designed to prioritize content discovery and content relevance.

When you upload a video, TikTok shows it to a small test group. If those users watch it to the end, like, comment, or share, TikTok will push the video to a broader group of people. The cycle continues as long as the video keeps performing well.

This means your success on TikTok depends less on who follows you and more on how well your video resonates with people. It also means that your content needs to prompt people to watch it from start to finish. Maybe even rewatch it several times. Your content should be shareable and commentable, too.

How to Get More Views on TikTok

Now, let’s move on to the most important part of our guide. Here are practical tips to help you grow your TikTok views.

1. Relatability matters. Keep in mind that content relevance is crucial to TikTok’s algorithm. So, you need to create content that feels personal and tailored to your audience.

Don’t know where to start? Try to ask ChatGPT what the biggest struggles for your ideal audience in your niche are. For instance: “What are the biggest struggles for beginner food photographers?” Once you’ve identified the struggles, make videos about solving those problems. People love easy fixes to their issues!

2. TikTok rewards authenticity. Your videos don’t have to be perfect or polished. Especially nowadays, since people see tons of polished, squeaky-clean content online. You don’t need any fancy equipment. All you need to do is to find some good lighting – somewhere close to the window or invest in a ring light – setup your tripod and your phone, then start recording.

3. People buy from people. Your audience needs to be connected to you. In your videos, talk casually, like you’re talking to a friend. People love real, “raw” moments. Don’t show only the wins – share your struggles, too. Your shortcomings are what make you human.

4. Grab attention quickly. On TikTok, attention spans are short. If your video doesn’t grab attention within the first 3 seconds, viewers will scroll to the next video.

To create a strong hook, you can:

• Start with a bold statement: “You’ve been cooking pasta wrong your whole life…”
• Ask a question: “Did you know your phone can do THIS?”
• Show action or intrigue immediately. For instance, show the final result first, then explain how you got there.
• Your intro shouldn’t be long.
• Start your video with some text that teases what people are going to see next.

5. Use trending audio. Trending audio can increase the chances of your video appearing in searches or playlists related to it. Always check the Creative Center and the Discover page for trending sounds, then add popular sounds to your favorites so you can use them later.

Keep in mind that TikTok trends come and go pretty quickly. So, you need to act fast. Also, it’s a good idea to use a mix of audio: sounds that are currently trending and sounds that are evergreen.

6. Utilize relevant trends. Trends can help you get noticed by new people. But you need to adapt those trends to your brand. And not every trend will make sense to your brand. That’s okay. Remember that trends are merely a tool. You need to identify which trends will resonate with your audience, then tie them to your brand.

7. Be smart about hashtags. Hashtags help TikTok understand your video’s content and audience. So, use them strategically.

• Stick to 3-5 relevant hashtags per video. Don’t go overboard.
• Use a mix of trending, broad, and niche-specific hashtags.
• Do some research and see what hashtags your competitors are using.
• Be consistent with niche hashtags to help TikTok learn what your area of expertise is.

8. Post consistently. Consistency is more important than perfection. TikTok rewards active creators who keep posting. You need to post at least once a week, but posting 3–5 videos per week is ideal.

Don’t rush to delete underperforming videos. Some can start getting views days or even weeks after they were posted.

9. Be as active as you can. Just like on any other social media platform, it’s crucial for you to be active and…well, social. If you want views and reach to grow, you need to interact with your audience:

• Reply to comments and DMs.
• It’s also a good idea to reply to comments with videos since this creates fresh content and makes followers feel heard.
• Pin an engaging or funny comment to the top to spark discussion.
• Go LIVE. It’s a great way to connect with your audience and build a loyal community.
• Spend 10–15 minutes each day engaging with other creators’ content.

Finally, collaborate to expand your reach. Collaborate with others in your niche through Duets and Stitches. Use TikTok’s Creator Marketplace to find influencers to partner with. Make sure it’s a well-matched collab, though. For instance, if you are a florist, you can collaborate with a wedding photographer. Collabs help you tap into each other’s audiences.

You need to show TikTok that you’re not only a consistent content creator, but also an active participant.

You should also encourage interaction. Prompt your viewers to comment, share, or duet.

• Ask for opinions: “Which outfit looks better?”
• Invite participation: “Duet this with your reaction.”
• Create cliffhangers: “Part 2 coming tomorrow. Follow to see it.”

10. Build a content pillar strategy. Content pillars are the core topics of your brand. Ideally, your content should fall into one of these categories:

• Nurture content. BTS, day in the life, workspace tour.
• Authority content. Tips, tutorials, how to.
• Lead generation content. Offers, lead magnets.

But don’t be afraid to experiment with the types of content that you post. Try out different styles to see what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t .

See what your competitors post and learn from them. Don’t just copy and paste. Adapt elements and ideas to your content. You need to add a personal touch and put your own spin on things.

11. Optimize video length. Short videos (10–20 seconds) often perform well because it’s much easier for people to watch them to the end. As it has already been mentioned, completion rates matter. Please note, though, that longer videos can also succeed if they’re structured to hold attention.

Here are some tips for making your video more interesting:

• Use jump cuts to keep the pace lively.
• Add captions (more on this below).
• End with a hook for replays: “Watch again to catch the detail you missed.”

Another important thing to keep in mind is that even short-form content needs a story arc. The most successful videos have a clear structure:

• Act 1 (0-3 secs): The Hook (The Problem).
• Act 2 (3-20 secs): The Journey (The Process/Solution).
• Act 3 (20-30 secs): The Payoff (The Result). End with a satisfying resolution or a call to action.

For instance, if you’re a photographer, show your idea for a creative photoshoot first. Share what you struggled with, then tell how you solved the problem. And show the final photos in the end.

Don’t know how to make your video smaller? Check out this guide.

12. Pick the right time. Timing can affect early engagement. Post when your audience is most active. Generally, evenings and weekends work well, but this varies by niche. So, check TikTok analytics for insights and do some more research. It’s also a good idea to experiment with posting at different times to figure out what works best for your content.

13. Analyze. Guessing what works is a losing strategy. Research and analysis are the keys to getting more views on TikTok. If you haven’t already, switch to a Business account to get more insights. Every week, review your analytics to answer the following questions:

• Which videos had the highest engagement?
• Where are my viewers located?
• How are people finding me? Through sounds or hashtags?

Then you need to create more of the content that people enjoy and make sure to post in their time zone. If people are finding you mostly through sounds, then try to post more videos with trending sounds.

The Power of Captions

Adding text to your videos is absolutely essential. It’s simple, yet really powerful and effective. If this is something that you’ve been neglecting to do, now is the time to start. Here’s why:

• Accessibility. Captions make your videos inclusive for people with hearing impairments. Additionally, TikTok is a global platform, and captions can make it easier for non-native English speakers to understand your content. Being inclusive is a smart marketing tactic.
• Silent mode. Studies show quite a lot of people watch videos on mute while they are in public places or at work. Captions allow them to understand what your video is about even without sound. This drastically improves completion rates.
• SEO benefits. TikTok’s algorithm can read text overlays, which can help it categorize your content better.

Here’s a tip. You can use TikTok’s caption tool, but always proofread and edit your captions to avoid mistakes. The caption tool doesn’t always get everything right. Sometimes, you get different words or the timing is incorrect. If you want more professional results, use video editors like CapCut to add stylish fonts and animations to your captions.

Why You Should Watermark Your TikTok Videos

Watermarking means adding your username or logo to your videos. While TikTok adds its own watermark when you download videos, having your own brings extra benefits:

1. Brand recognition. If your content gets reposted on Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or Twitter, new audiences will know exactly where to find you, driving traffic back to your TikTok profile.
2. Content protection. Unfortunately, content theft is common. A custom watermark embedded in the video itself makes it significantly harder for thieves to steal your work and claim it as their own. It shows people who the real creator is and simplifies the process of filing copyright reports.
3. Professionalism. A video with a brand logo looks more polished and professional, which can help if you’re building a business.

Remember that your watermark shouldn’t be too obtrusive. It’s better for it to be small, semi-transparent, and placed where it won’t block any important elements.

Conclusion

The key to getting more views on TikTok is to create authentic and engaging content that is shareable and relatable to your audience. If you want to set yourself up for success, make sure your videos have attention-grabbing hooks and tell a story, use a mix of relevant hashtags, and utilize trending audio. Post consistently when your audience is active and interact with them. Analyzing the insights will help you determine which content you should produce more of.

Don’t overlook the small details, either. Adding captions to your videos is extremely important if you want to be inclusive and optimize your videos for SEO. Meanwhile, watermarks can help with protecting and promoting your content online. Remember, growth takes time. Not every video will go viral, and that’s okay. Be persistent, keep experimenting, and have fun in the process. Eventually, you’ll succeed.