How to get more followers on TikTok: Proven methods

Growing your TikTok following can feel daunting, but with the right strategies, it’s entirely achievable. This guide explores effective methods to enhance your presence on TikTok, from understanding your audience to leveraging the latest trends. 

Whether you are a creator looking to boost your reach or an artist aiming to connect with more TikTok users and fans, these proven tactics will help you engage and expand your audience.

Ready to elevate your TikTok game? Let’s get started!

• Identify and understand your target audience to tailor your content effectively.

• Consistently create and share engaging, original content that leverages relevant hashtags and trending songs and sounds.

• Collaborate with other TikTok creators and actively engage with your audience to build community and reach.

• Optimize your profile, use eye-catching thumbnails, and participate in TikTok challenges to enhance visibility.

• Leverage Gelato’s on-demand products and TikTok integration to transform followers into customers.

Growing your TikTok followers amplifies your reach, enhances brand visibility, and fosters a dedicated community. A large follower base attracts more viewers and opens the doors for collaboration opportunities, enhancing your influence and credibility. 

It’s essential for creators and artists looking to expand their presence and turn their passion into a viable career.

Ready to boost your TikTok following? Whether you're a seasoned creator or just getting started, here's your go-to guide for effective strategies that will help you gain more followers and maximize your reach in 2024.

1. Understand your target audience

Before creating content that resonates, it's crucial to understand who you're speaking to. Here's how you can identify your target audience:

• Demographics: Consider the age, gender, and location of your ideal followers. This helps in crafting content that appeals directly to them.

• Interests and values: What does your audience care about? Align your content with their passions and values for more meaningful engagement.

• Content preferences: Pay attention to the types of videos they interact with the most. Do they prefer challenges, educational content, or humor?

• Engagement patterns: Observe when your audience is most active on TikTok. This will help you post at optimal times.

2. Create engaging and original content

Creating engaging and original content is at the heart of any successful TikTok strategy. Here’s how you can ensure your content captures attention and encourages followers: 

• Focus on storytelling: People love a good story. A strong narrative can make your videos memorable, whether funny, emotional, or informative.

• Keep it visually appealing: Invest in good lighting, clear audio, and high-quality visuals to make your content more professional and enjoyable.

• Incorporate trends creatively: Add your unique twist to trending topics or challenges to make them your own while still tapping into popular content.

• Offer value: Provide informative, educational, or entertaining content that gives your audience something valuable to take away.

3. Use trending hashtags and sounds

Leveraging trending hashtags and sounds is vital to increase your visibility on TikTok. Here’s how you can effectively use trending hashtags and sounds: 

• Identify trends: Watch the "Discover" page to spot trending hashtags and sounds that align with your content.

• Use relevant hashtags: Incorporate trending hashtags pertinent to your niche to enhance discoverability.

• Create with trending sounds: Identify trending sound clips and use that same sound clip in a few videos to increase the chances of your content being featured on more 'For You' pages.

• Engage with trends: Participate in trending challenges or themes to reach users already interested in those trends.

4. Post consistently

Consistency keeps your audience engaged and signals to the TikTok algorithm that you are an active, reliable creator. This increases your content's chances of appearing on the "For You" page. 

Here's how you can post content consistently:

• Set a schedule: Decide how often you can realistically post. Adhering to a daily, bi-weekly, or weekly schedule helps build audience anticipation.

• Batch content creation: Plan and create multiple videos in one sitting. This way, you have a backlog of content and avoid last-minute scrambles.

• Use analytics: Review your TikTok analytics to determine the best times to post. Posting when your audience is most active increases engagement.

• Engage between posts: Consistency isn't just about posting videos. Regularly interact with your audience through comments and live sessions to keep them engaged.

5. Collaborate with other creators

Collaborating with other creators is an effective way to expand your TikTok reach. Here are some actionable tips to make the most of these collaborations: 

• Find the right partner: Look for creators who align with your brand values and style to ensure a natural and seamless collaboration.

• Plan your content: Coordinate with your partner to create engaging and dynamic content that showcases both of your strengths and appeals to both audiences.

• Share resources: Pool your assets, such as camera equipment, editing software, or creative input, to enhance the quality of the collaboration. 

• Interact with mutual followers: Engage with followers from both creators, answering questions and participating in discussions to build a stronger community.

6. Engage with your audience

Interacting with your audience is crucial for building a loyal following on TikTok. Here are some effective ways to engage with your audience: 

• Respond to comments: Respond to comments on your videos. This simple action makes your followers feel valued and encourages further interaction.

• Host live sessions: Going live lets you interact with your followers in real time. Answer questions, give shout-outs, and share behind-the-scenes content to create a more personal connection.

• Run contests and giveaways: Engaging your audience with exciting opportunities to win prizes can boost your follower count and increase engagement.

• Ask for feedback: Encourage your followers to leave feedback and suggestions in the comments. This can help you create content that resonates more with your audience.

7. Optimize your profile

Your TikTok profile is like your business card—it's the first thing potential followers see. Here are some tips to get you started: 

• Profile picture: Choose a high-quality image that accurately represents you or your brand. Consistency across social media platforms can aid in brand recognition.

• Username and display name: Keep it simple and memorable. Ideally, it should reflect your brand or the type of content you produce.

• Bio: Craft a compelling bio clearly stating who you are and what followers can expect from your content. Use relevant keywords that resonate with your target audience.

• Links: Use the link in your bio feature to drive traffic to your other social media profiles, website, or online store.

8. Leverage TikTok trends

Keeping up with TikTok trends can significantly boost your visibility and help you gain more followers. Here's how to leverage TikTok trends effectively: 

• Stay updated: Regularly browse the Discover page to see what’s trending.

• Put your twist: Add your unique spin to popular trends to stand out.

• Participate quickly: Trends evolve fast on TikTok, so act quickly to stay relevant.

• Engage with trendsetters: Comment on and share videos from creators who are leading the trends to get noticed by a larger audience.

9. Utilize TikTok ads

To accelerate your growth on TikTok, leveraging TikTok ads can be a game-changer. Here’s how you can make the most of TikTok ads: 

• In-feed ads: These native ads appear as users scroll through their For You page. Make these eye-catching and engaging to capture immediate attention.

• Branded hashtag challenges: Encourage users to participate in your trend. This will boost engagement and increase your content's visibility.

• TopView ads: These ads appear as soon as users open TikTok. They offer high visibility and are perfect for making a strong first impression.

• Branded effects: Create custom filters, stickers, and lenses. This strategy can enhance interaction and make your content more shareable.

10. Promote on other social media platforms

Promoting your TikTok content across another social media platform can substantially increase your follower count. Here's how:

• Cross-post your videos: Share your TikTok videos directly to Instagram Reels or Facebook Stories. This can lure your followers from these platforms to your TikTok account.

• Embed TikTok videos: Use the embed feature to showcase your TikTok content on your blog or website, driving traffic back to your profile.

• Engage in cross-platform promotion: Mention your TikTok content in your other social media posts to create anticipation and encourage followers to check out your videos.

• Use platform-specific features: For instance, use Instagram’s “Swipe Up” feature in Stories to link directly to your latest TikTok video.

11. Use eye-catching thumbnails

Thumbnails act as the first impression of your video and can significantly influence whether someone clicks to watch. Here's how you can create catchy thumbnails: 

• High-quality images: Use clear and attractive images that represent the content of your video accurately.

• Consistency: Keep a consistent style across your thumbnails to establish a recognizable brand identity. This could include specific color schemes, fonts, and layouts.

• Text overlays: Adding concise, catchy text can enhance your thumbnail and give potential viewers a quick understanding of the video's topic.

• Contrast: Ensure the thumbnail stands out by using contrasting colors that make the image and text pop.

• Relevance: Ensure your thumbnails accurately reflect the video content to build trust and avoid misleading viewers.

12. Participate in TikTok challenges

TikTok challenges are an exciting way to boost your visibility and engage with a broader audience. Here's how you can implement this:

• Join trending challenges: Keep an eye on the Discover page for trending challenges. Join those that align with your content style for maximum engagement.

• Create your own challenge: Launching an original challenge can set you apart and attract participants, further spreading your content and gaining followers.

• Use relevant hashtags: Always include the challenge's hashtag in your post. This helps your content get found by others following the trend.

• Encourage audience participation: Ask your viewers to join the challenge, creating a sense of community and increasing engagement on your videos.

13. Share user-generated content

Sharing user-generated content (UGC) can significantly boost engagement rates and make your followers feel valued and appreciated. Here are some tips for integrating UGC into your TikTok strategy: 

• Encourage submissions: Create specific hashtags or challenges related to your niche to prompt your followers to share their own content.

• Showcase fan art and videos: Highlight the creativity of your followers by regularly featuring their TikTok videos or artwork on your page.

• Offer incentives: Reward or shout out users who submit exceptional content to motivate others to participate.

• Engage with their posts: Like, comment, and share user-generated content to nurture the relationship with your audience.

14. Use CTAs

Call-to-actions (CTAs) are fantastic tools for guiding your audience toward desired actions such as liking, sharing, or purchasing. Here's how you can use CTAs:

• Be clear and concise: Ensure your CTA is easy to understand and straight to the point.

• Create a sense of urgency: Phrases like “limited time offer” or “only a few spots left” encourage quick responses.

• Use action verbs: Words like “follow”, “join”, “watch”, or “buy” are direct and impactful.

• Place CTAs strategically: Position them at key points in your videos where they are most likely to be noticed.

• Engage with your CTAs: Respond to comments and interactions that stem from your CTAs to build a deeper connection with your audience.

15. Participate in duets and stitches

Duets and stitches are powerful tools on TikTok that can help you tap into the follower base of other creators and showcase your creative responses or additions to trending content. Here's how:

• Choose popular or relatable content: Select videos already trending or highly relatable to your audience for maximum impact.

• Be creative and authentic: Add your unique twist or personality to the duet or stitch to stand out and attract more viewers.

• Collaborate with other creators: Partner with other influencers or creators to benefit from each other’s follower base mutually.

• Engage with your followers: Respond to comments and questions on your duets and stitches to build a stronger relationship with your audience.

16. Monitor TikTok analytics

Monitoring TikTok analytics is crucial for understanding what works and what doesn’t. Here are the key metrics you should focus on: 

• Follower growth: Track your daily and weekly follower increases to see what's trending with your audience.

• Engagement rate: Measure likes, comments, and shares to determine how engaging your content is.

• Video views: Keep an eye on the number of views each video receives to identify popular content.

• Watch time: Understand how long viewers are sticking around to watch your videos; this can indicate the quality and appeal of your content.

• Traffic source: Analyze where your viewers are coming from to optimize your promotional efforts across different platforms.

By integrating Gelato’s print on demand solutions with your TikTok content, you can easily turn trending videos into profitable merchandise. Offer products such as t-shirts, mugs, wall art, phone cases, tote bags, and photo books that reflect your brand and appeal to your followers. 

Gelato simplifies the process with its seamless integration with TikTok Shops, allowing you to effortlessly connect your TikTok Shop, manage orders, and keep your customers informed with real-time updates. Focus on creating engaging content while boosting your follower count and sales.

Ready to elevate your TikTok presence? Sign up for Gelato today and choose a subscription plan that suits your needs.