TikTok’s capacity to pump out content as people endlessly scroll the For You page is great for visibility, but there’s less focus on followings. Your videos may do numbers, but are views converting into follows? Making money on TikTok largely depends on possessing an engaged audience, which is measured in the number of followers you have. They’re quite different from scrollers who chance upon your videos.
If you want to become a TikTok influencer, views alone aren’t enough. Here are six things you should do (and one you shouldn’t) to increase your TikTok followers.
1. Talk to a targeted audience.
When Buffer writer Kirsti Lang grew her TikTok following by over 1,000% in 30 days, she discovered lower view counts within targeted communities were more impactful than higher counts in crowded ones. Over 163,000 views on a Taylor Swift concert video netted just 36 followers, while 70,000 views on a video about finding remote work earned over 750.
Broad trends may bring views, but content that resonates deeply with a niche community is more likely to turn people into followers.
“If you do find a video you enjoy or find helpful in your [For You page], you may tap over to the creator’s profile to see if there are more,” Lang writes. “And if what you find there is a hot mess of all sorts of unrelated things, you’re going to bounce back to the FYP without tapping ‘Follow’ real fast.”
Luckily, TikTok communities cluster around specific hashtags. Consider exactly who you’re talking to, and then use hashtags to put your videos in front of those most likely to follow for more.
Most experts say the TikTok algorithm favours three to five hashtags, so start with a general tag and then go increasingly niche. BookToker Muhammad Mustafa, who posts @goatfantasybooks (61,700 followers), for example, recently posted a video on “cozy fantasy” combining relatively wide-reaching hashtags (#booktok, #reading) and more niche and specific ones (#legendsandlattes, #fantasy).
2. Ask for the follow.
Simple requests can go a long way. Let’s return to Mustafa’s “cozy fantasy” video, specifically the last few seconds. “As always, drop a follow and go subscribe on YouTube or else,” Mustafa swiftly finishes, pointing a cricket bat at the camera.
It’s quick, unobtrusive, and cheekily comedic. Aim for the same by closing videos with a call to action (CTA) asking viewers to follow for more. The more traditional option is to thank existing followers for their support; it may be just the nudge others need to follow you themselves. You could also add a simple text overlay toward the end that asks for a follow without interrupting the video itself.
“The best time to use this tactic is when you’re creating a video series or posting a multipart video,” writes Chloe West for Sprout Social. “Simply add a text sticker that says something like, ‘Follow us to catch Part 2!’”
3. Be personal.
“Make sure you show your personality as much as you can, because you want to attract people to you as an individual,” Janelle Zharmenova, of @janellezharmenovaa (2.5 million followers), told Wonderland. “People stay for you and not for the type of content you make.”
Your videos may be useful, entertaining, or inspiring, but people follow people as much as they follow good content. Forging personal connections is a key part of how to get more TikTok followers, because it lets viewers feel closer to you – and that’s when they want to tap “Follow.”
Be relatable by being yourself and sharing your honest thoughts, opening up and showing your minor mistakes, and showing your face so people can see you as you talk.
“I think my fans can relate to me being unapologetically myself,” Bella Poarch, of @bellapoarch (93.2 million followers), told Clash. “Whether that be my more silly videos or me singing on TikTok live, I try not to take myself too seriously when it comes to content.”
4. Engage with viewers and creators.
“I would never see them as just numbers,” Khaby Lame, of @khaby.lame (161.4 million followers), told Forbes of his followers. “Everybody is someone I want to build relationships with, both offline and online. I love to meet them in real life, and to engage them in my life.”
You, too, should see viewers and followers as more than just numbers. These are real people. Engaging directly is part of what makes them feel seen and part of a community. That promotes more than a healthy follower count – it’s what makes being a TikToker so rewarding.
Stay engaged with your audience by:
- Responding to messages and comments
- Creating video replies to answer questions or highlight cool comments
- Posing questions for people to answer in the comments
- Creating challenges or contests
- Encouraging viewers to make Duets and Stitches from your content
Creating Duets and Stitches of your own based on content from relevant creators in your niche encourages them and their audience to follow you, potentially leading to collaborations. Remember: There’s often something of a follow-for-follow approach. If you see a creator in your preferred niche, following them, liking a few videos, and leaving a few comments can prompt a follow in return.
5. Be consistent.
“What truly sets you apart on these platforms is consistency,” Eva Violet, of @evaaviolett (4.9 million followers), told OutLoud Culture. “I used to upload videos all the time – three times a day, every single day – for years. It was my commitment to consistency that propelled me to where I am today.”
If viewers don’t see regular content coming from your account, why should they follow in the first place? If they “follow for more” and no more is forthcoming or only arrives fitfully, why wouldn’t they unfollow? You don’t necessarily need to post three times a day, but try posting at least a few times a week.
6. Dig into the analytics.
Earning at least 100 followers unlocks the Followers tab for your analytics, which you’ll find in Creator Tools. It’s a gold mine for learning about your followers, including metrics such as growth rate, gender split, location, and most active times.
You can track which videos generate the most followers and adapt future content in that direction. Even getting the timing right makes an impact.
“It is a relatively small piece of the puzzle of how to get more followers on TikTok,” Rochi Zalani writes for Buffer. “But it can help your TikTok content get that initial boost it needs to get in front of the right audience at the perfect time.”
The analytics can point to which day of the week – or even time of day – is best to post in order to keep your followers engaged.
7. Refrain from buying followers.
Buying followers is a short-term answer for how to grow on TikTok, but it’s likely to hinder your chance of long-term success. Here’s how it works:
- You buy 1,000 followers from click or bot farms.
- Click and bot farms create view spikes with oddly low engagement.
- TikTok’s algorithm detects unnatural activity and reduces your reach, imposes a shadowban, or flags your account.
Even spending more with companies who use real, active accounts instead of bots won’t help because engagement won’t be natural and the community won’t feel organic. Genuine viewers are good at smelling a rat and may desert you if your followers appear bogus.
And future brand deals or UGC collaborations? Those can be scuppered by any history of deception concerning your follower count.
Your best bet is to follow steps one to six to build an authentic TikTok community.
