How to get more likes on TikTok: Key strategies

Are you struggling to get more likes on TikTok? Wondering how some videos go viral while others barely make a dent?

Imagine your videos consistently garnering likes, attracting followers, and boosting your online presence. With the right techniques, you can turn your TikTok account into a powerful tool for personal branding or business growth.

In this article, we'll share key strategies to help you get more likes on TikTok. From understanding the algorithm to creating captivating content, we've got you covered. Start implementing these tips today and watch your TikTok likes soar!

• Engage directly with followers to increase likes, build community, and reach a wider audience.

• Participate in trends to gain visibility and garner more TikTok followers.

• Craft engaging content and compelling calls to action in videos to encourage interaction and get more followers.

• Launch custom print on demand products to boost engagement, monetize your audience, and achieve TikTok success.

• Utilize Gelato’s TikTok integration to synchronize content and product launches.

Likes on TikTok are crucial (like all other social media platforms) as they signify user approval and boost a video's visibility. They contribute to the platform's algorithm, increasing the likelihood of your content appearing on more users' For You pages. More likes can lead to greater engagement and reach, amplifying your audience and getting the attention of other TikTok users to your account.

Ready to skyrocket your TikTok likes? Below are 13 proven strategies that can transform your TikTok presence.

1. Understand your target audience

Getting more likes on TikTok starts with clearly understanding your target audience. Using TikTok analytics, you can gather invaluable data about your audience's demographics, location, and video performance. Here's how:

• Analyze demographics: Examine age, gender, and interests to create resonant content.

• Monitor video performance: Identify which types of videos get the most views and engagement.

• Engage directly: Reply to comments and questions to build a community.

• Use audience insights: Align your content with your audience's likes and dislikes for better engagement.

2. Create high-quality content

Creating high-quality content is essential for capturing and maintaining your audience's attention on TikTok. It's not just about filming videos; it's about ensuring every aspect of your content is top-notch. Here are a few tips to enhance the quality of your content when posting videos: 

• Use good lighting: Proper lighting can dramatically improve the visual appeal of your videos.

• Invest in a decent camera: While smartphones are great, a quality camera can take your content to the next level.

• Edit meticulously: Spend time editing your videos to ensure they are polished and engaging.

• Keep it relevant: Make sure your content aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience.

• Short and sweet: Attention spans on TikTok are short. Keep your videos concise but impactful.

3. Hook viewers in the first few seconds

Capturing attention within the first few seconds of your TikTok video is crucial. This initial engagement determines whether viewers will continue watching or scroll past your content.

Here are some effective strategies to hook your audience right from the start:

• Start with a bang: Kick off your video with a surprising or eye-catching moment to immediately grab attention.

• Use compelling visuals: High-quality, visually appealing elements can captivate your audience's eyes instantly.

• Ask a question: Pose an intriguing question that makes viewers curious and eager to see the answer.

• Show something unusual: Highlight something odd or rarely seen to pique viewers' interest immediately.

• Incorporate trending sounds: Use popular sounds or music to resonate with what engages users on TikTok.

4. Follow trends

One of the quickest ways to get more likes on TikTok is to follow trends. Trending topics and challenges can significantly boost your video’s visibility and engagement. Here's how you can implement this strategy:

• Identify current trends: Spend time browsing the “Discover” page to see which hashtags, sounds, or challenges are gaining traction.

• Adapt trends to fit your style: While it’s important to capitalize on trends, ensure your videos reflect your unique personality and niche.

• Join challenges early: Getting involved in trending challenges as soon as they emerge can increase your video's chances of going viral.

• Create your own spin: Put a unique twist on a popular trend to stand out and make your content memorable.

5. Post consistently

Sharing your content regularly is crucial for building and maintaining your TikTok presence. Consistency tells the algorithm you’re an active and reliable creator, which can improve your chances of being featured on the For You Page (FYP).

Here's how:

• Stick to a schedule: Try posting at least one to three times a day to keep your audience engaged and maintain a steady flow of content.

• Find the best times: Experiment with different posting times to determine which hours yield the most engagement from your audience.

• Batch-create content: Set aside time to create multiple videos in one session to ensure you have a consistent pipeline of content to release.

• Engage daily: Regularly interact with your audience through comments and direct messages to stay on their radar and encourage consistent engagements.

6. Use relevant hashtags

Hashtags are crucial on TikTok to boost the visibility of your content. They function as keywords that help users discover your videos. Using the right hashtags expands your reach and ensures your content is shown to the right audience. 

Here are some pointers to make the best use of hashtags: 

• Use popular hashtags: Incorporate trending hashtags to widen your video’s exposure.

• Be specific: Include niche-specific hashtags that resonate with your target audience.

• Branded hashtag: Creating and promoting your unique hashtag can build brand recognition and community.

• Mix and match: Combine broad hashtags with more focused ones to capture wide and targeted audiences.

7. Leverage trending sounds

Leveraging trending sounds can dramatically increase your video engagement on TikTok. These sounds are often central to popular trends and challenges, making them a quick way to join conversations and get noticed.

Here’s how you can effectively use trending sounds to boost your likes:

• Stay updated: Regularly check TikTok’s "Discover" page to see which sounds are trending.

• Be authentic: Choose sounds that align with your brand or personality. Authenticity resonates more with viewers.

• Combine with trends: Use trending sounds with popular challenges or dance routines for maximum impact.

• Act quickly: Trends on TikTok can be fleeting. Follow trending sounds as soon as they gain traction.

• Engage creatively: Use trending sounds in a unique way to stand out. Personalize them to catch viewers' attention.

8. Engage with your audience

Engaging with your audience is crucial for increasing likes and building a loyal follower base on TikTok. Responding to their interactions creates a sense of community and makes your followers feel valued. Here are some strategic ways to engage effectively:

• Reply to comments: Take time to reply to comments on your videos. This shows that you value your followers' feedback and encourages more people to interact.

• Host Q&A sessions: Regularly host live Q&A sessions. This lets your audience engage with you in real time, increasing your visibility and fostering deeper connections.

• Encourage user-generated content: Ask your followers to create content around a specific theme or challenge. This not only engages your audience but also broadens your reach.

• Pose questions in captions: Use your captions to ask questions. This encourages viewers to leave comments, boosting your video’s engagement.

9. Collaborate with other creators

Collaboration with other TikTok creators can significantly amplify your reach and increase likes. Partnering with other creators allows you to tap into their audience, bringing fresh eyes to your content while fostering community. Here are some effective ways to collaborate: 

• Choose the right partner: Make sure to collaborate with creators whose audience and content style align with yours.

• Participate in duets: Use TikTok's duet feature to create engaging videos with others, showing your interaction and creativity.

• Host joint live sessions: Going live with another creator can draw in a large audience, increasing engagement and more likes on your videos.

• Co-create content: Work together on a series or challenge that showcases your talents and encourages your audiences to engage.

10. Tell a story

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can transform your TikTok videos from ordinary to extraordinary. By weaving a compelling narrative, you capture your audience’s attention, evoke emotions, and keep viewers engaged from start to finish. Here’s how you can tell a captivating story in your videos: 

• Start with a strong opening: Immediately grab viewers' attention with an intriguing beginning. This could be a question, a bold statement, or a visually striking scene.

• Build a narrative arc: Ensure your story has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Introduce a conflict or problem and then show how it's resolved, which keeps viewers hooked.

• Show emotion: Emotion is key to effective storytelling. Ensure your narrative evokes genuine feelings, whether humor, sadness, or excitement.

• Keep it authentic: Authentic stories resonate more with viewers. Share personal experiences or real-life events that your audience can relate to.

11. Utilize TikTok's editing tools

Mastering TikTok’s editing tools can make all the difference in captivating your audience and increasing likes. Whether it's adding effects or refining your transitions, these tools are designed to enhance your storytelling capabilities. 

Here's how you can utilize these tools effectively:

• Use effects strategically: TikTok offers many effects that can make your videos more engaging. Experiment with different effects to see which resonates best with your audience.

• Play with transitions: Smooth transitions can keep viewers hooked from one scene to the next. TikTok’s tools make it easy to create seamless cuts and transitions.

• Adjust video speed: Speeding up or slowing down parts of your video can add a dramatic flair and draw attention to key moments.

• Add filters: Filters can set the tone of your video and make it visually appealing. Don’t be afraid to try various filters to see which fits your content style best.

12. Add captions

Adding captions to your TikTok videos can significantly boost engagement. They help convey your message clearly, making your content accessible to everyone, including those watching without sound or hearing impairments. 

Here's how to make the most out of captions: 

• Sync with actions: Place captions at strategic times, such as punchlines or key moments, to emphasize the message.

• Infuse with personality: Use humor, wit, or heartfelt emotion in your captions to make them stand out and resonate with your audience.

• Pose questions: Craft captions that engage your audience by posing intriguing questions that invite comments and interaction.

• Pique curiosity: Write captions that create intrigue and encourage viewers to watch the entire video.

• Include hashtags and tags: Add relevant hashtags and tag other users to increase the visibility and discoverability of your content.

• Highlight essentials: Use text overlays to highlight critical information, especially in tutorial or informational videos.

13. End videos on a cliffhanger

Mastering the art of the cliffhanger can dramatically boost your TikTok likes. Leaving viewers hanging at the end of your video creates anticipation and makes them eager to see more from you. This strategy keeps your audience coming back for more and increases engagement. 

Here's how you can implement this: 

• Create suspense: You can introduce a problem or question and not resolve it within the video. This approach can leave viewers curious and more likely to engage.

• Tease future content: Hit at what's coming next. Social media thrives on curiosity, and a well-placed tease can keep your audience hooked.

• Use cliffhanger endings: If your followers know there’s more to the story, they'll likely like and follow for updates.

• Encourage interaction: Ask viewers to comment on what they think will happen next. This not only boosts engagement but also taps into TikTok's interactive nature.

Engaging TikTok users with custom print on demand merchandise is a great way to boost your presence and create lasting connections. With Gelato's seamless print on demand solution, you can easily create and sell various other products, such as t-shirts, mugs, wall art, phone cases, tote bags, and photo books.

Gelato ensures that your followers can own a piece of your creativity with minimal effort on your part.

Sign up for Gelato today and choose a subscription plan that effectively suits your needs to monetize your TikTok popularity!