The ever-shifting world of social media is full of surprises, but one thing always remains the same: Everyone wants to go viral. Yet the road to virality is anything but straightforward. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, it can be hard to know where to focus your efforts.
Understanding how long it takes for a TikTok to go viral can help you develop a more innovative approach to creating viral short videos, whether you’re focusing on TikTok, Viral Instagram Reels, or both. Crayo AI clip creator tool has quickly emerged as a favorite among video creators for its ability to streamline the process of creating short viral videos.
Table Of Contents
- How Long Does It Take for a TikTok to Go Viral
- What Makes a TikTok Go Viral
- 11 Tips to Make Viral TikToks
- 10 Viral TikTok Content Ideas
- Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
How Long Does It Take for a TikTok to Go Viral
Average Time to Peak Views
Most TikTok videos reach their peak audience about 8 days after posting. The exact timing depends heavily on the size of your account and your existing audience.
Impact of Follower Size
Large accounts with strong followings hit their peak in 7 days because their content gets more immediate traction. Small accounts often take longer, around 11 days, because the algorithm tests their videos with smaller audiences before expanding reach.
Faster Virality Possibilities
Some videos can blow up within 24–72 hours if early engagement is very high (high watch time, shares, likes, and comments). Overnight growth is more common when the video taps into a trending sound, popular challenge, or highly relatable moment.
The Viral Window
Most videos that go viral will do so within the first week to two weeks. If a video hasn’t gained significant traction within 14 days, it’s less likely to explode, though it’s not impossible—TikTok occasionally revives older content.
Algorithm Behavior
TikTok first shows a video to a small test group. If that group engages strongly, it expands the reach in waves. The more waves your video passes through, the faster and wider it spreads.
What Makes a TikTok Go Viral
Key Factors Influencing TikTok Viral Potential
Understanding what makes a TikTok video go viral is crucial for creators and brands looking to expand their reach and engagement on the platform. While there is no guaranteed formula for virality, certain elements can increase your chances of success. Here are some key factors to consider:
1. Authenticity
TikTok users value realness over polished content. Authentic videos that showcase personality, humor, or relatable moments are more likely to resonate with audiences and be shared.
2. Trends
Staying on top of the latest TikTok trends and challenges is essential for virality. Incorporating trending sounds, hashtags, or formats into your content can boost discoverability and engagement.
3. Emotional Appeal
Videos that evoke strong emotions, whether it’s laughter, joy, or empathy, are more likely to be shared and go viral. Consider how your content can connect with viewers on an emotional level.
4. High-Quality Production
While TikTok is known for its raw, unfiltered aesthetic, high-quality videos still stand out. Good lighting, clear audio, and thoughtful editing can elevate your content and make it more shareable.
5. Engaging Hooks
Capturing viewers’ attention within the first few seconds is critical for TikTok success. Use intriguing visuals, questions, or bold statements to entice users to watch your video in full.
6. Strong CTAs
Encouraging viewers to like, share, or comment on your content can significantly boost engagement rates. Include clear calls to action in your captions or videos to prompt user interaction.
7. Niche Targeting
Creating content for specific communities or interests can drive engagement from highly targeted audiences. Experiment with niche topics to tap into dedicated follower bases and expand your reach.
8. Collaborations
Partnering with influencers or creators can introduce your brand to new audiences and increase engagement. Leverage collaborators’ followings to boost discoverability and shareability for your content.
9. Timing
Posting at optimal times can maximize initial views and engagement, signaling to the algorithm that your content is worth promoting. Experiment with different posting schedules to find what works best for your audience.
10. Algorithm Understanding
Familiarize yourself with TikTok’s algorithm and how it promotes content based on engagement, shares, and watch time. Use this knowledge to inform your content strategy and boost your viral potential.
The TikTok Algorithm: What You Need to Know
The TikTok algorithm is a complex system that determines which videos appear on users’ For You Pages. While the exact workings of the algorithm are unknown, understanding its key factors can help creators optimize their content for discovery and engagement.
1. User Interactions
The algorithm tracks how users engage with content, including likes, shares, comments, and profile visits. Analyzing this data helps the app tailor For You Page recommendations to individual preferences.
2. Video Information
Captions, hashtags, and sounds play a crucial role in helping the algorithm understand your content. Using relevant keywords and trending audio can boost discoverability and reach.
3. Device and Account Settings
Factors such as language preference, country setting, and device type influence initial algorithm recommendations. However, these elements become less significant over time as the algorithm learns user behavior.
4. Account Type
TikTok offers personal and business account options, each with unique features. While switching to a business account may provide analytics insights, some experts believe it could limit organic reach.
5. Trend Timing
Tapping into trends early can increase your chances of virality, as the algorithm promotes fresh, timely content. Stay updated on the latest trends and experiment with creative, original spins to stand out.
6. Engagement Signals
The algorithm prioritizes content that encourages interaction, such as questions, challenges, or relatable scenarios. Fostering engagement helps boost your video’s visibility on the platform.
7. Watch Time
Videos that keep viewers engaged for more extended periods signal quality to the algorithm. Aim for captivating hooks and compelling storytelling to maximize watch time and improve reach.
8. Originality
Unique, creative content is favored by the algorithm over repetitive, formulaic videos. Experiment with different formats, styles, and ideas to set your content apart and enhance discoverability.
Timing Your TikTok Posts for Maximum Engagement
Timing your TikTok posts to coincide with peak user activity can significantly boost initial visibility and engagement, helping your content gain traction on the platform. While optimal posting times can vary by audience and location, general guidelines suggest posting in the morning and evening on weekdays and mid-afternoon on weekends. Experiment with different schedules to determine when your followers are most active, and use that data to inform your content calendar.
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11 Tips to Make Viral TikToks
1. Create Short-Form Videos with Crayo AI
Crayo AI is an advance for video creators. This tool allows you to generate unlimited short-form videos quickly and easily. You can craft a variety of clips simultaneously, tailoring them to your needs. Plus, Crayo streamlines the process by automatically generating captions, effects, background visuals, and music. This frees you to focus on your content rather than technical details. The ability to produce high-quality videos in a matter of minutes can help you capitalize on trending topics and go viral. Try Crayo’s free clip creator tool today — no account needed!
2. Understand TikTok’s Algorithm
Like the other social media platforms you use, TikTok employs an algorithm to show the best content to its users. They call it the recommendation system, and it’s how content is chosen to be displayed on the For You page. Every user sees a unique, curated feed that’s tailored to their content preferences. TikTok helps users discover other videos that are similar to what they’ve liked before. So, some users might see predominantly trending cooking videos, while others might see lots of funny cat videos. There are three main elements that TikTok looks at when determining what videos to show users:
User Engagement
This refers to the actions users perform on the app, such as liking, commenting, sharing content, and following creator accounts.
User Interest.
How long a viewer watches your content is super important. If they make it to the end, it shows the algorithm that your content can retain user attention.
So TikTok will boost your content and show it to a larger audience.
Content Creation
Using trending TikTok sounds, adding relevant hashtags to your posts, and adding captions to your video clips can help increase the reach of your video content. How can you use this information to boost your short, engaging videos into viewers’ feeds? To generate more engagement, you need to create videos that focus on interaction, keep your posts short (to improve average watch time), and use trending challenges, sound, and hashtags to your advantage.
Keep in mind that your follower count doesn’t always guarantee that your video will go viral on TikTok, either. It can help more people see your content initially, but you still need to get comments and likes for it to be shown to a broader audience and go viral. Now you’ve got an idea of how the TikTok algorithm works, let’s look at the type of content you need to be posting.
3. Keep an Eye on Trending Content
Almost every trending TikTok sound is associated with a new trend. It can be a glow-up transition, a dance, using a filter, sharing unpopular opinions, basically anything that gains popularity on the platform. Keeping track of these trends can help you reach more people, gain the appreciation of many potential customers, and ultimately go viral. Showing the fun side of your business humanizes your brand and allows you to establish a better relationship with your audience. This is your chance to show off your personality and add a little humor to your content.
Pro Tip
Timing is critical on TikTok. So, participate in trends while they are still popular and relevant. Otherwise, you will look out of touch, and the algorithm will not boost your TikTok videos since the trend has lost momentum.
Example
Guess GUESS, the fashion brand, has built a following of over 70,000 on TikTok, and they know how to work trends and get huge view counts. They stayed relevant to their audience by following different fashion trends. They even posted about the huge Netflix series Squid Game, taking advantage of a hashtag that was viewed over 65 billion times and giving it a fashion twist. Bottom line, tapping into relevant TikTok trends will help you create videos that get noticed and attract new TikTok followers.
4. Participate in TikTok Challenges
TikTok challenges are created in two ways: By brands looking to generate hype around their business. By popular creators and TikTok influencers who want to get noticed. You can check out challenges on the Discover page on the app, simply search “challenge” and you’ll get content that’s under that hashtag. Stick with challenges that work for your brand, and don’t be afraid to participate in challenges. Your customers may see your videos as they scroll through their feeds, and hopefully, interact with them and help them get more traction.
Example
Waterdrop. Sticking with the Squid Game theme, the flavored water brand Waterdrop took on the #SquidGameChallenge. The content they produce on TikTok gets a healthy few thousand views each post, but when they took on the Squid Game challenge, they went viral. They earned over 160,000 likes and over 1.7 million views, going viral and showing off their product in a creative way at the same time.
5. Add Hashtags
Using hashtags is one of the ways you can let TikTok know what your content is about. It’s easy to find trending hashtags on the app; just head to the Discover tab, and you’ll be presented with a list of trending content types. Scroll through and choose hashtags that resonate with your content style and message, and join the conversation. As a result, your content will be shown to people who are interested in videos with those hashtags. By using the popularity of trending hashtags, you will appear more and more on your customers’ For You page.
Example
Biteable is a video creation app, and their social media team has built a strong community of over 23,000 followers. They make a lot of content about the challenges of working from home and use trending hashtags to get it in front of huge audiences. They also use humor to engage with their viewers. At the time of writing, the top three hashtags on their recent post had the following views:
- #WFHCheck – 31.5 million views
- #WFHLife – 164.3 million views
- #WFH – 2.6 billion views
They’ve not only picked hashtags that TikTok users engage with but also hashtags that are relevant to the content they usually post, and keywords that describe the topic of their videos. It’s worth mentioning that their TikTok videos get tens of thousands of views regularly.
6. Use Viral Songs & Sounds
Almost every musician on the planet has a TikTok account now, such as John Legend, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Lizzo. And nearly all of them try to have their songs go viral on TikTok, which they usually do. If you don’t know what music to use in your videos, you can simply go to add a sound to your video and go through the trending songs you find there. Also, you can just scroll through some videos on your feed to spot trending audio files that you hear the most.
Apart from songs, you will also find sounds made by different creators on the app, such as song mashups, dialogues taken from a cartoon or a movie, and uploaded on the app, or just a funny remark made by a creator that people started using in their videos. Furthermore, if the sound is associated with a specific trend, you can also make it part of the video and put your spin on it. Just make sure to add the song from the app so TikTok knows you’re part of the trend.
Also, creating your audio can be a great way to become a viral success and get your TikTok in front of a lot more customers. For marketers looking to scale video production or experiment with voiceovers, captions, and soundtrack syncing at scale, G2’s guide on AI video generator insights is a great starting point. Now that you know how to find TikTok video ideas for your content strategy, here are some tips about how to edit your videos for the best results.
Example
San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo has over two million followers on TikTok. They sure know how to use TikTok to their advantage. Besides posting cute animal videos, they also pair them with popular TikTok sounds that add value to their content.
7. Keep It Short and Engaging
TikTok started as a short-form video app with a maximum video length of 15 seconds. It has upped the limit to 3 minute, but most videos are still significantly shorter. If you get your audience to watch your videos till the end, TikTok will recognize that people enjoyed them. This means that the social media platform will show it to multiple other users, contributing to the success of your content.
Example
Ryanair is a European budget airline that has become TikTok famous. The brand has 1.3 million followers, and almost all its short videos go viral on TikTok. Besides using trending sounds and adding in a few popular hashtags, the content they produce is a few seconds long — nothing in their recent posts was more than 20 seconds long.
8. Interact with Your Audience
The more you interact with your TikTok audience, the more you will gain. As we said before, TikTok sees user engagement as a sign of quality content. So, consider going live on TikTok and engaging with your audience. Here are some ideas that will get your audience to watch your live: Response video to frequently asked questions, Ask me anything (AMAs), Product tutorials, and Interviews.
You can answer questions from your viewers through the live chat available to you. As long as you are live, your video will be shown on the For You page, and users will be able to join with a simple swipe. The people who watch and comment on your live will likely be exposed to your TikTok content shortly.
9. Use Tasteful Humor
At its core, TikTok is a video platform for short-form entertaining content. People use it to laugh, learn, and relax. It started as a platform dominated by lip-syncing videos. Still, now this social media giant is the leading provider of all types of video content, from news and funny stories to tutorials and even educational posts.
Your content shouldn’t be about pushing your marketing agenda front and center. Instead, you should make content that people enjoy. That is the secret to a better reach and engagement on social media. Don’t be afraid to use humor and have some fun with your content; this is a sure way to get people liking, commenting, and sharing your videos, all the signals TikTok needs to promote your content.
Example
Gymshark produces activewear and has gained a vast 3.5 million followers on TikTok thanks to their funny videos that often go viral. Have you ever seen a dog do a bench press? If you follow Gymshark’s content, you probably have seen at least one try. The team also uses memes to drive engagement and help their videos go viral in everyone’s feeds.
10. Create Content for Your Specific Audience
TikTok is one of the most popular social media channels right now, meaning that people of all ages and from different parts of the world use the app daily. So, you need to find your target audience within the app by creating content customized for their preferences. It’s the only way you can go viral and have something to gain as a result.
For instance, making dance videos when your audience is looking for cooking content won’t bring you any value because your potential customers will skip those videos instead of engaging with them. To understand what works for your target audience, you need to: Test different content formats. Respect the best posting times. Add niche and relevant hashtags that your customers are interested in.
11. Monitor Your Competition
Whenever you run out of content ideas, you can look at what your competitors are doing to go viral on TikTok. The goal is not to copy their content, but to use their best-performing videos as an example (maybe they have a viral video you can use as inspiration). Discover what content works best for your industry through their experience and try to elevate it further. You should also pay attention to the sounds and the hashtags they use in their videos.
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10 Viral TikTok Content Ideas
1. Tease the New Stuff: Sneak Peeks
Before any product launch, customers want to know what’s coming. Sneak peeks are the most common form of video content that creators and businesses use to promote new products. Create engaging videos that tease upcoming product launches or limited-edition items, sparking curiosity and excitement in your viewers. Using hashtags like #SneakPeek or #ComingSoon can help build anticipation and encourage followers to stay tuned for the full reveal.
Example
Lululemon is known for posting weekly sneak peeks on upcoming product drops to build anticipation and drive excitement around new collections.
2. Create Your Challenges
Challenges are one of the best ways to go viral on TikTok and encourage mass participation. Think about trending TikTok ideas and put your spin on them. Whether it’s a dance challenge, a funny video, or a unique product-use challenge, engaging your target audience with trending hashtags can help maximize your video's reach. Hashtags like #ChallengeAccepted or #ViralChallenge can help increase discoverability.
Example
A beauty brand could launch a #GlowUpChallenge, asking followers to show their skincare transformation while using their products.
3. Tutorials and How-Tos
A well-crafted how-to video helps your audience learn a new skill, understand a product, or follow a step-by-step process in an easy-to-digest format. To grab your audience’s attention, keep your tutorials short, visually engaging, and easy to follow by using clear captions, dynamic editing, and high-quality visuals to maintain interest. Incorporating trending hashtags related to your product can further boost visibility, helping your content reach a broader audience looking for informative and actionable videos.
Example
Emma Chamberlain shares how-to videos demonstrating creative and easy-to-make coffee recipes using her Chamberlain Coffee products. Whether she’s crafting an iced matcha latte, a seasonal cold brew, or a unique espresso creation, her engaging and relatable style makes the process fun and accessible for viewers.
4. Ask Your Audience
One of the best ways to engage your audience and make them feel involved in your brand is by directly asking for their input. Polling your followers on TikTok videos related to upcoming designs, colors, product features, or content ideas can provide valuable insights into what your customers want. Use interactive captions, comment-driven questions, or TikTok’s polling features to encourage your viewers to participate.
Example
A home decor brand could post a TikTok video showcasing two different wall art designs for an upcoming collection and ask followers to vote on their favorite in the comments.
5. Share Behind-the-Scenes Moments
People love authentic content, and behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage helps build trust with your TikTok audience. Show the process of making your products, setting up your studio, or filming your TikTok videos. Adding captions and hashtags like #BTS or #MadeWithLove can enhance discoverability.
Example
Béis, a luggage and travel accessory brand, posts behind-the-scenes videos of photoshoots for their latest line of travel gear and accessories.
6. Live Streams for Real-Time Engagement
Unlike pre-recorded content, live videos feel more authentic and allow for spontaneous conversations, making your brand more relatable and approachable. With live streams, creators can talk about their product in real time, answer any questions viewers might have, and provide live demonstrations to showcase product benefits and features. Promoting your TikTok Live ahead of time and using captions, trending hashtags, and countdown reminders can help maximize attendance and engagement.
Example
A kitchenware brand could host a live cooking demonstration, where a chef uses their latest cookware to prepare a quick and delicious meal while answering real-time questions from viewers.
7. Collaboration Videos
Collaborating with other content creators or influencers is a powerful TikTok marketing strategy to increase your reach. Whether it's a duet, a lip sync battle, or a reaction video, collaborations expose your content to a broader target audience. By partnering with creators who align with your brand’s niche, values, or aesthetic, you can build credibility and create viral-worthy content that resonates with both audiences.
Example
HausLabs regularly collaborates with beauty influencers in Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos to showcase their line of beauty products.
8. Inspirational TikTok Videos
Your brand is more than just its products—it's a reflection of your mission, values, and personality. Sharing inspirational TikTok videos allows you to connect with like-minded viewers and turn them into followers who align with your brand’s message. Showcase videos that talk about your brand’s journey or post uplifting content that motivates, educates, or resonates with your audience.
Example
A small business owner could share a TikTok video detailing their journey from starting with a side hustle to building a full-time brand, highlighting the challenges, successes, and lessons learned along the way.
9. #StoryTime Videos
People love hearing personal or entertaining stories, and #StoryTime videos consistently rank among the most popular TikTok ideas. Whether you're sharing a business mistake that led to a breakthrough or a funny experience, engaging storytelling can help you connect with your TikTok audience.
Example
The founder of Truly Lifestyle Brand shared a #StoryTime TikTok video about her journey from being a micro-influencer testing countless skincare products to realizing the need for a brand that truly delivers results, inspiring her to create her skincare line.
10. Trending Sound Sync
Trending songs can significantly increase the reach of your TikTok videos, helping them gain visibility on the For You Page (FYP). Syncing your content to a viral sound while making it relatable to your niche is a great way to go viral, as TikTok’s algorithm favors videos that incorporate trending audio. The key is to put a creative spin on the trend, whether through humor, storytelling, or product showcases, to make your content engaging and shareable.
Example
A bakery could use a trending song with the caption “When someone asks if we have fresh cookies… We ALWAYS do!”, creating an engaging and shareable TikTok video.
Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
Crayo AI is the fastest way to create short videos. Create unlimited short videos at once. Crayo even auto-generates captions, effects, background, and music for you. Take advantage of an opportunity of a lifetime and make easy money with the Tiktok creator fund program. Go from ideas to short videos in seconds:
- Write an outline/prompt,
- Customize the style (select a background video, voice narrator, and music from Crayo’s free templates),
- Finish and export! Go viral, make money, and make clips in seconds with Crayo.
Try Crayo’s free clip creator tool today — just click the ‘Try Now’ button on our homepage to get started. No account required! Go from prompt to viral short videos in minutes with Crayo.
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