How Does the TikTok Algorithm
Really Work?
- by Yiming Xuzhou
- Last Updated: August 25, 2021
- 10 Min Read
- TikTok
We analyzed every article online that talks about the mysterious enigma known simply as the “TikTok Algorithm”.
From studies organized by WSJ to information leaked by former TikTok employees…
We found out everything there is to know about the TikTok algorithm.
Now it’s time to share what we discovered.
Here is our Ultimate Guide to the TikTok Algorithm
Before we get into the exact details of our in-depth analysis of the TikTok algorithm, let’s go over the contents of this article.
Chapter 1:
TikTok Fundamentals
What is the TikTok Algorithm?
When TikTok first became popular, we were all in love with its For You page. This curated feed appeared to magically send us new videos that were related to our profiles, locations, interests, and hobbies.
Although our viewing options on TikTok were slim—you can either watch TikToks from people you’re following or watch your For You feed—the app still managed to keep us engaged for hours at a time, all thanks to the algorithm.
The TikTok algorithm is a tool that TikTok uses in order to recommend new videos to its users. Due to a new press release from 2020 and a handful of studies, our knowledge of the algorithm has become fairly extensive.
Why is the TikTok algorithm important?
Understanding the algorithm will give you an advantage when it comes to going viral on TikTok. Even if you only know a little bit, having practical knowledge is still better than going at it in the dark.
Here are some more benefits of taking the time to understand the TikTok algorithm:
- Learn why you see the content that shows up on your FYP
- Boost your overall viewership
- Have more people share your content
- Understand what your audience needs and wants to see
- Improve your engagement numbers
- Get better at video storytelling
How do you beat the TikTok algorithm in 2021?
In the next few sections, we’re going to go over exactly how you can beat the TikTok algorithm using hacks, tips, and best practices.
At its most basic form, TikTok uses its algorithm to send users more content that reflects their interests. By using engagement behaviors to predict user reactions, TikTok is constantly learning and relearning the best ways to deliver content.
Chapter 2:
How the Algorithm Works
How does the TikTok algorithm work?
According to TikTok’s direct press release,
“On TikTok, the For You feed reflects preferences unique to each user. The system recommends content by ranking videos based on a combination of factors – starting from interests you express as a new user and adjusting for things you indicate you’re not interested in, too – to form your personalized For You feed.”
What factors contribute to the TikTok algorithm?
The factors that directly contribute to what shows up on the For You page include the following:
- User Interactions
- Video Information
- Device and Account Settings
- What you Explore in the Discover Tab
In addition to user factors, TikTok’s FYP also follows a handful of rules.
- TikTok purposely avoids sending the user repetitive patterns – You won’t see two videos in a row with the same sound or made by the same content creator.
- TikTok doesn’t show you duplicate content – This includes content you’ve seen already or content that is flagged as spam.
- TikTok sends you diverse recommendations too – You will also receive videos that may not be immediately relevant to your interests or received a lot of likes/comments.
- TikTok doesn’t recommend graphic content – This is true unless you opt in to see content like medical procedures or substance use.
We’ll go over these factors with specific details and more information in the next chapter.
Want my Free Course: 7 Steps to Viral Social Media Growth?
Enter your name and email address and you’ll get instant access to my free course as soon as it releases—how to build and grow your viral social media presence (using content creation strategies).
Chapter 3:
In-Depth Algorithm Factors
What are all the factors that play a role in the
TikTok "For You" Page?
Although TikTok’s 2020 press release brought a few factors (such as user engagement, video information, etc.) to our attention, the algorithm can be broken down even further.
Here is a list of all the factors that play a role in what content you will see on the platform:
- Indicators of Interest:
- 1. Videos you like
- 2. Videos you shared
- 3. Videos where you leave comments
- 4. The type of videos you create
- 5. Videos that you watch from start to end
- 6. Type of videos you explore in the discovery tab
- 7. Videos created in the same country as you (weighted less)
What are the TikTok interest indicators? (INFOGRAPHIC)
Essentially, these indicators will tell TikTok the type of videos you are interested in seeing. Then, the platform ranks and shows you content based on how likely you would be to enjoy it.
What are the factors that impact your TikTok's views, likes, and shares?
If the reason you want to understand the TikTok algorithm is because you want to go viral, this article here explains the entire process in detail.
These are the factors in the TikTok algorithm that can help you grow your following numbers and views:
- Hashtags
- Captions
- Completion Rate
- Viewer Engagement
- Trending Songs/Sounds
- Posting Time
- Video Editing
- Original Sounds
Now, let’s talk about each factor in depth.
1. Hashtags
Using hashtags is a great way to let TikTok know what your content is all about. Hashtags that are related to your content help the system send your videos to users who are interested in your niche.
You can see how important hashtags are for TikTok’s algorithm because they show you how many views each hashtag gets. If you check out the Discover tab, you can see all the hashtags that are currently trending.
If you’ve spent time on the For You page, you’ve probably seen a lot of videos that utilize the #fyp and #fypage hashtags.
Although these do show up (sometimes) on viral videos, it is not the end-all, be-all.
Putting irrelevant or overused hashtags can actually result in your video getting penalized as spam in the TikTok algorithm. Your best bet is to use niche relevant and trending hashtags for your videos.
2. Captions
Captions are a vital factor of how TikTok ranks your video for viewers.
In general, you should not treat TikTok captions like Instagram or Facebook captions. Instead of writing long, descriptive captions, you should keep your captions short, relevant, and simple.
The best captions are jokes, short questions, calls to action, and mysterious call outs. It’s also smart to include relevant hashtags.
3. Completion Rate
TikTok is similar to Instagram because it sends users posts that they tend to interact with. Video completion rate is the strongest ranking indicator when it comes to user interaction.
So if people are watching your TikTok from beginning to end, your video has a better chance of reaching a larger audience and going viral.
4. Viewer Engagement
Viewer engagement encapsulates factors like completion rate, likes, comments, and shares.
Basically, the algorithm looks at how often viewers engage with your new content before sending it to other For You pages. It also interprets the percentage (how many people skip / how many people engage) of engagement to see if your TikTok deserves to reach a larger audience.
5. Trending Songs/Sounds
Incorporating trending sounds and songs into your TikToks can help the algorithm disperse your content.
If you want to discover what sounds are currently trending, go to the video editor and click on “Sounds”. This will show you a scrolling bar of trending songs.
You should also check out Tokboard—a billboard website that ranks the top-ranking sounds of the week.
6. Posting Time
Although posting time isn’t as vital as it is for Instagram stories and Twitter posts, you can maximize your TikTok views by posting videos when your audience is the most active.
How to Check Your TikTok Analytics
Go to your profile settings and head to the “Business Suite” tab.
Next, click on “Analytics”.
This will take you to a page where you can see various insights on your content.
Look at the times and territories where your viewers are the most active. As you know, your location is a ranking factor in the TikTok algorithm.
Posting at the right times can also help your content get discovered organically.
7. Video Editing
If you read my guide on how to go viral on TikTok, you know that editing a perfect loop can result in a well-performing video. Having people watch videos two or three times over is a big indication to the algorithm that your video is shareable.
Craft out a solid content plan with well-edited videos and you could find yourself beating the TikTok algorithm in no time. I’m a CoSchedule customer because their software actually makes content planning kinda fun. And it helps me stay on top of my social media goals.
8. Original Sounds
Using original sounds that you record yourself can help the TikTok algorithm discover your niche and send your content to relevant audiences.
If you find yourself using popular songs for most—if not all—of your TikToks, consider recording original sounds. This could help you perform better and get more viewer engagement.
Chapter 4:
How to Hack the TikTok Algorithm
How to Hack the TikTok Algorithm
In this section, you will learn the tips and tricks it takes to unravel TikTok’s complicated algorithm.
THIS IS EXCLUSIVE CCI CONTENT
Enter your email to subscribe and unlock the rest of this course.
Chapter 5:
What the Experts Have Said
Wall Street Journal's Study on the TikTok Algorithm
On July 21, 2021, the Wall Street Journal revealed the results of a massive study they conducted on the TikTok algorithm.
The study went like this:
First, they created a bunch of automated accounts that viewed thousands of videos and collected valuable data.
These bot accounts were assigned specific “interests”. They were programmed to pause or replay any TikToks that contained images or hashtags that were related to those interests.
What were the results of the bot experiment?
The main conclusion from this study was how quickly users can be thrown into “rabbit holes” of irrelevant content. According to the Journal, TikTok’s algorithm was able to identify some of the bot’s interests in less than 40 minutes. Out of these bots, one of them was sent into a rabbit hole of depression-related content.
What is a "Rabbit Hole"?
When you accidentally linger on a video that isn’t relevant to your interests, TikTok could flag it as something you enjoy watching. Then, the algorithm might send you a string of videos that are related to this niche.
The content that is shown in these rabbit holes tend to be less moderated and less popular.
🔴 Look at this hashtag map we put together. In the middle is the mainstream of TikTok. The arms are the rabbit holes. As you go down the arms, the content has less views and can be less moderated. https://t.co/Niva4NT7LO pic.twitter.com/dKp2NtQ3lu
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) July 21, 2021
Basically, if you hesitate on a video that you don’t actually enjoy, the TikTok algorithm doesn’t know how to differentiate that hesitation from a positive reaction.
Watch the Entire Study of the TikTok Algorithm by WSJ
The entire study contained lots of other interesting findings too. You can watch the whole video right here.
Concluding Thoughts
I hope this guide gave you a deeper understanding of the TikTok algorithm.
Now, I’d like to turn it over to you, the content creators.
What is one tip you can use to help yourself create great TikTok content?
Do you have any other tips that can help other creators grow?
Or maybe you have a question about something you read in this course.
Either way, leave a comment below so we can all see it.
Want my Free Course: 7 Steps to Viral Social Media Growth?
Enter your name and email address and you’ll get instant access to my free course as soon as it releases—how to build and grow your viral social media presence (using content creation strategies).
Reading your article helped me a lot and I agree with you. But I still have some doubts, can you clarify for me? I’ll keep an eye out for your answers.
I agree with your point of view, your article has given me a lot of help and benefited me a lot. Thanks. Hope you continue to write such excellent articles.
I agree with your point of view, your article has given me a lot of help and benefited me a lot. Thanks. Hope you continue to write such excellent articles.
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
I have read your article carefully and I agree with you very much. This has provided a great help for my thesis writing, and I will seriously improve it. However, I don’t know much about a certain place. Can you help me?
I have read your article carefully and I agree with you very much. This has provided a great help for my thesis writing, and I will seriously improve it. However, I don’t know much about a certain place. Can you help me?
Reading your article has greatly helped me, and I agree with you. But I still have some questions. Can you help me? I will pay attention to your answer. thank you.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Our website offers an amazing selection of tiny house inspiration and practical advice.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me? https://accounts.binance.com/it/register-person?ref=JHQQKNKN
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks! https://www.binance.com/zh-TC/register?ref=PORL8W0Z
sizde uygun fiyatlardan heets satin alin.
At the beginning, I was still puzzled. Since I read your article, I have been very impressed. It has provided a lot of innovative ideas for my thesis related to gate.io. Thank u. But I still have some doubts, can you help me? Thanks.
I am a website designer. Recently, I am designing a website template about gate.io. The boss’s requirements are very strange, which makes me very difficult. I have consulted many websites, and later I discovered your blog, which is the style I hope to need. thank you very much. Would you allow me to use your blog style as a reference? thank you!
I am a website designer. Recently, I am designing a website template about gate.io. The boss’s requirements are very strange, which makes me very difficult. I have consulted many websites, and later I discovered your blog, which is the style I hope to need. thank you very much. Would you allow me to use your blog style as a reference? thank you!
Can you be more specific about the content of your enticle? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me. https://accounts.binance.com/en/register-person?ref=P9L9FQKY
I may need your help. I’ve been doing research on gate io recently, and I’ve tried a lot of different things. Later, I read your article, and I think your way of writing has given me some innovative ideas, thank you very much.
Thanks for shening. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good. https://accounts.binance.com/en/register-person?ref=P9L9FQKY
The point of view of your article has taught me a lot, and I already know how to improve the paper on gate.oi, thank you. https://www.gate.io/ar/signup/XwNAU
The point of view of your article has taught me a lot, and I already know how to improve the paper on gate.oi, thank you. https://www.gate.io/th/signup/XwNAU
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long asI provide credit and sources back to your website?My blog site is in the very same niche as yours and my users would certainly benefit from some of the information you present here.Please let me know if this okay with you. Thanks!
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me? https://www.binance.com/it/register?ref=FIHEGIZ8
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me? https://accounts.binance.com/zh-CN/register?ref=V2H9AFPY
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me? https://accounts.binance.com/zh-TC/register-person?ref=JHQQKNKN
Your article gave me a lot of inspiration, I hope you can explain your point of view in more detail, because I have some doubts, thank you.
Thank you very much for sharing, I learned a lot from your article. Very cool. Thanks. nimabi
Thank you very much for sharing, I learned a lot from your article. Very cool. Thanks. nimabi
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me. https://www.binance.com/lv/register?ref=FIHEGIZ8
I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.
Fantastic beat I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site how could i subscribe for a blog site The account helped me a acceptable deal I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear concept
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks! https://www.binance.info/ka-GE/join?ref=V2H9AFPY
Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue together with your site in internet explorer, would check this·IE still is the marketplace chief and a large element of other folks will leave out your magnificent writing due to this problem.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me? https://www.binance.info/lv/join?ref=JHQQKNKN
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you. https://accounts.binance.com/ar-BH/register?ref=V2H9AFPY
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article. https://www.binance.info/kz/join?ref=GJY4VW8W
obviously like your website but you need to test the spelling on quite a few of your posts Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very troublesome to inform the reality on the other hand Ill certainly come back again
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you. https://www.binance.info/pt-BR/join?ref=B4EPR6J0
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you. https://www.binance.com/id/join?ref=W0BCQMF1
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you. https://www.binance.info/ka-GE/join?ref=RQUR4BEO
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you. https://accounts.binance.com/tr/register-person?ref=T7KCZASX
This stage is fabulous. The magnificent information uncovers the publisher’s excitement. I’m shocked and anticipate additional such mind blowing substance.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good. https://www.binance.com/zh-CN/join?ref=YY80CKRN
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
I have read your article carefully and I agree with you very much. This has provided a great help for my thesis writing, and I will seriously improve it. However, I don’t know much about a certain place. Can you help me?
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.