TikTok has exploded from a niche app to one of the hottest social platforms in under 5 years. With over 1 billion monthly active users, it‘s also one of the most competitive spaces for creators and brands. Building a huge following takes time, creativity and the right strategy.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore how to get TikTok famous and build your influence in 4 achievable steps:
1. Unleash Your Creativity with Unique Content
One major key to TikTok is content that‘s highly original and disruptive. Gen Z users, who make up much of TikTok‘s base, crave videos that are fresh, funny, weird and different.
You need to think way outside the box from conventional platforms. Standard vlogs, dances, and lip syncs can only take you so far.
To stand out:
- Brainstorm creative concepts that put a totally unique spin on trends. For example, comedian Brittany Broski went viral just by posting a video of herself comically chugging cranberry juice.
- Show your personality. Follow trends, but inject your own flavor into them. Lean into your quirks – people respond to authenticity.
- Take advantage of effects, edits, captions and other tools to make high-quality, polished videos that pop. Good editing can make an average idea amazing.
- Leverage trending sounds for discoverability, but put your own twist on them. For example, creator Megan Pla used the popular Rasputin sound in a video of her hilariously attempting to belly dance.
With creativity and personality, you can create disruptive content that performs well and gets noticed.
2. Choose A Niche and Stick to It
While experimenting with different content types can be helpful at first, data shows that picking and committing to one niche is the #1 key to growth on TikTok.
The platform‘s top creators have all become known for a certain topic or style of video. For example:
- Spencer X – Beatboxing
- Charli D‘Amelio – Dancing
- Tabitha Brown – Vegan cooking
According to analytics firm Oberlo, some of the most popular current niches include:
- Comedy – 15.2% of top posts
- Dance trends – 14.9%
- Life hacks – 9.6%
- Pets – 8.1%
Study what‘s currently working, and choose a niche that fits your unique skills and personality. You‘ll have the most success in a category you‘re naturally passionate about creating great content for.
Once you pick your niche, stick to it consistently. Jumping around too much content won‘t build a loyal audience. For example, lifestyle vlogger @laurDIY posts a mix of fashion, beauty and lifestyle videos – all fitting her niche.
3. Strategically Partner and Collaborate with Other Creators
Collaborating with the right influencers is a powerful way to tap into new audiences and get discovered. But how do you collaborate with larger creators when you‘re just starting out?
Here are some proven tips:
- Use TikTok‘s Discover page to research creators posting popular content in your niche. Engage genuinely with their content over a period of time by liking, commenting and sharing.
- Once you‘ve established a connection, propose video collaboration ideas that are creative and mutually beneficial. For example, a joint dance video merging both of your styles.
- Patience is key – influencer relationships take time to build. Be persistent yet gracious in reaching out. Offer sincere compliments before pitching collaborations.
- When first collaborating, cross-promote each other‘s content heavily with your audiences. This introduces your followers to a new creator, and vice versa.
According to marketing firm Mediakix, the #Collab hashtag has over 5 billion views on TikTok. Strategic partnerships give you access to new audiences and help increase credibility.
4. Invest in Targeted Advertising
Organic growth through great content should be the priority. But investing some budget into TikTok ads can accelerate results.
- TikTok‘s self-serve ad platform is still relatively new, but opening up more targeting options. Minimum campaign budget is currently $500.
- Ad pricing is on a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) basis, starting around $10 per 1,000 views. Very competitive compared to platforms like Facebook.
- Work with a social media manager to create custom audiences and test ad creative based on your goals. Be prepared to optimize based on performance.
- Focus on ad content that fits the entertaining, fun vibe of TikTok. Leverage influencer partnerships here as well.
According to eMarketer, more than one-third of US TikTok users are open to interacting with branded content on the platform.
While ads shouldn‘t replace a solid organic approach, they can provide fuel for faster growth with the right strategy.
Final Thoughts
Gaining TikTok fame takes a mix of consistent hard work and executing the right tactics. By sticking to a creative niche, collaborating with relevant creators, and investing in promotions, you can beat the algorithm and build a highly engaged audience on one of the world‘s fastest growing platforms.
What niche fits your skills and personality best? What creative ideas do you have that could go viral? Brainstorm how you can apply these strategies, and you‘ll be well on your way to influencer status on TikTok.
