The TikTok For You page is the first thing a user sees when they open the app — making it a huge opportunity to reach new people and grow your community.
As a creator or business, creating videos with the For You page in mind is a great strategic approach for boosting engagement.
In this blog post, we’re sharing 6 tried-and-tested ways to land a coveted spot on the TikTok For You page.
What Is the For You Page on TikTok?
Like Instagram’s Explore page, the TikTok For You page is an endless feed of curated content that TikTok’s algorithm thinks you’ll be interested in.
The algorithm takes into consideration videos you’ve interacted with in the past, the accounts and hashtags you follow, your location and language preferences, and the type of content you create.
There’s one major difference between the Explore and For You pages, though.
On Instagram, the Explore page is a secondary tab — to see it, you have to click away from your main feed, made up of photos shared by the people you follow.
On TikTok, it’s reversed.
The For You page is the app’s homepage. But instead of being populated with videos from the people you follow, it’s filled with videos TikTok’s algorithm thinks you’ll enjoy, mostly from creators you don’t already know.
For creators and businesses, this is a good thing.
You don’t need a ton of followers to be featured on the For You page — and if you do get featured, it’s an opportunity to be seen by a huge new audience.
Want expert advice on how to succeed on TikTok? Check out these 10 tips from marketers whose videos went viral.
How to Get on the For You Page on TikTok
Every TikTok creator wants to be featured on as many For You pages as possible — it’s the best way to increase brand awareness and followers.
But with so many people vying for a coveted spot on the FYP, how can you compete?
While there’s no surefire formula for getting your videos on the TikTok For You page, the following tips can improve your chances:
Post at Peak Times
Use Effective Hashtags
Hop on Trends
Be Creative in Your Niche
Experiment with Video Length
Collaborate with Other Creators
Tip #1: Post at Peak Times
Figuring out the best time to post on TikTok is the first step to reaching a larger audience.
The math is simple: If you post when most of your target audience is online, you’ll reach more people.
And the better your video performs initially, the better your chances of having it picked up by the For You page.
Unfortunately, there isn’t one universal perfect time to post — the best time for you will be different from the best time for other brands.
There is however an easy way to figure out what your ideal posting time is. Just create (or switch to) a Pro Account on TikTok. You can do this under “Manage Account” under your user settings.
With a Pro Account, you can access insights about your audience, including the time of day that your followers are most active and engaged.
Once you’re equipped with this intel, you can adjust your content calendar accordingly.
Tip #2: Use Effective TikTok Hashtags
As you scroll through the For You page, you’ll notice that most videos have hashtags in their descriptions. This is because using hashtags is one of the most effective ways to increase your reach on TikTok.
Just like on Instagram, TikTok hashtags help categorize your content and increase its discoverability.
There’s no need to go overboard with hashtag use, though. Instead, use strategic, popular hashtags that are relevant to your content.
Here are 2 easy ways to find relevant TikTok hashtags:
Scroll through the Discover tab. You’ll see some of the top trending hashtags, conveniently curated by TikTok.
Search for relevant topics and hashtags. At the top of the Discover tab, you’ll see a search bar. If you search for keywords relevant to your videos, you’ll see related hashtags and, most importantly, the number of views that videos using those hashtags have garnered collectively.
There’s also been a lot of speculation around whether TikTok For You page hashtags, such as #FYP and #foryoupage, can increase your chances. Some users adamantly believe these hashtags help, but we haven’t seen any concrete proof to confirm or deny this.
Tip #3: Hop on Trends
Trends quickly come and go on TikTok — and, thanks to their viral nature, they make up some of its most popular content.
The For You page is populated with videos of creators trying out the latest trends, some of which incorporate a song or video effect. You can see what’s popular on the app’s Sounds page and use it as a springboard for creating content with your own take on a trend.
Joining in on these trends is a simple way to increase your chances of appearing on the FYP.
NOTE: Music and other trending sounds are a key element of viral TikTok videos — learn more about TikTok Sounds here!
Tip #4: Be Creative in Your Niche
From the outside looking in, TikTok seems like a platform filled with lip-syncing and viral dance videos. But all sorts of niche topics thrive on the app, and users like to follow unique accounts.
So focus on creating fun, creative content that’s relevant to your business.
When you do this, your content will come off as more authentic (which is important on TikTok) and becomes easier to classify (which helps the algorithm decide which users to share your videos with).
Take @jasminerdh, for example.
The Houston-based dental hygienist uses TikTok to post videos about oral health — and they’ve been a huge hit so far.
She’s amassed over 630,000 followers in less than a year by creating content that’s both informative and fun. At the same time, she’s been able to build her brand as a dental professional.
Tip #5: Experiment with Video Length
A popular theory among some successful TikTok creators is that shorter videos are more likely to get featured on the For You page.
Why? Shorter videos tend to have a higher completion rate, and many people believe TikTok’s algorithm favors videos that users watched the entire way through or multiple times.
You can create videos that are up to a minute long on TikTok, so it’s worth experimenting with your video length. Keep track of how it affects your view, likes, comments, and follower count.
Tip #6: Collaborate with Other TikTok Creators
Collaborating with other TikTok creators is a great way to cross-promote your account and reach new audiences. Plus, if the creator you work with frequently appears on the For You page, you’ll likely benefit from their viral reach!
Take @starface, whose TikTok feed is full of influencer content.
Last year, Starface gifted @tonyyounmd — a plastic surgeon with nearly 3 million followers on TikTok — some of its products. After trying them out, he posted about the company for free.
The original video has since garnered 638,000 views, and Starface’s repost of that video has 57,000 views. That’s a ton of brand exposure for both collaborators.
And that’s just one example — brands of all sizes are making creator collaboration a part of their TikTok strategy.
By following these 6 tips, you’ll increase your chances of reaching more TikTok For You pages — which is the best way to grow your following on TikTok.
So experiment, have fun, and stay true to your niche!
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