How to Find Viral Videos on TikTok

Trying to figure out what's going viral on TikTok can feel like chasing a moving target. What works one day is old news the next, and it's easy to feel like you're always one step behind. This guide cuts through the noise and shows you exactly where to look and what to look for, so you can stop guessing and start creating content that connects with the algorithm and your audience.

Understanding the TikTok Algorithm (The Short Version)

Before you can find viral videos, it helps to know what TikTok is looking for. The algorithm's one and only goal is to keep people on the app for as long as possible. It does this by showing users a hyper-personalized feed (the For You Page) filled with content it predicts they will enjoy, based on how they've behaved in the past.

It's always watching for key signals:

• Watch Time: Did the viewer watch the whole video? Even better, did they watch it more than once? This is one of the most powerful metrics.
• Engagement: Did they like, comment, or share the video? Shares are a particularly strong signal because they mean the content was good enough to send to a friend.
• Follows: Did a user follow your account after watching the video? This tells the algorithm your content is highly valuable.

Why does this matter for your research? Because every viral video is a masterclass in hitting these signals. When you're searching for trends, you aren't just looking for popular ideas, you're looking for content that is structurally designed to keep people watching, sharing, and engaging. Thinking like the algorithm is the first step to finding what genuinely works.

Method 1: Using TikTok's Built-in Features

You don't need fancy third-party tools to start your search. TikTok itself gives you everything you need to find trending content, as long as you know where to click.

The For You Page (FYP): Your Personal Trendspotter

The For You Page is more than just a place to doomscroll, it's a personalized trend report delivered directly to you. Your FYP is already a curated feed of popular and potentially viral videos tailored to your interests. The trick is to train it to work for you.

Treat your FYP like a research tool. Instead of passively watching, actively engage with content that is relevant to your niche. Here’s how:

• Engage intentionally. Like, comment on, and save videos that are in your industry or align with the type of content you want to create.
• Watch to the end. Always finish videos that you find interesting. Letting a video loop once or twice is an even stronger signal.
• Use the "Not Interested" button. If you see a video that is completely irrelevant, long-press on it and tap "Not Interested." This quickly teaches the algorithm what not to show you, which is just as important as showing it what you like.

Over just a day or two of focused scrolling, your FYP will transform from a random collection of content into a high-powered discovery engine for trends in your specific niche.

The Search Page: Mining for Data

The search bar is your direct line to what the TikTok community is talking about. When you tap the search icon, you're immediately shown a list of trending sounds and effects. That alone is a daily dose of inspiration. But you can go deeper.

Start by searching for broad keywords related to your niche, like "marketing tips," "small business owner," or "home decor ideas." Once you have the search results, don't just stop there. Use the filter options to narrow down the best content:

• Tap the filter icon in the top right corner.
• Under "Sort by," select Most liked.
• Under "Date posted," select This week or This month.

This simple filter gives you a ranked list of the most successful videos on a given topic over a recent, relevant period. This is priceless information. You can see what hooks creators are using, what video formats are performing well, and what specific sub-topics are getting the most attention.

The TikTok Creative Center: The Official Playbook

This is easily the most powerful and underused trend-finding resource on the platform. The TikTok Creative Center is an official website run by TikTok, designed to help advertisers and creators understand what's trending. The best part? It's completely free to use.

Here’s a quick guide to using its Trend Intelligence section:

1. Navigate to the TikTok Creative Center website (a quick Google search will get you there) and click on the "Trends" tab.
2. From here, you can see trending Hashtags, Songs, Creators, and Videos.
3. Use the filters. You can sort by region (e.g., United States) and industry (e.g., Beauty & Personal Care, E-Commerce, etc.). You can even choose a time frame, like the last 7 or 30 days.

Don't just look at what's at the top of the list. Pay attention to the "breakout" trends. The Creative Center often labels sounds or hashtags that are rapidly gaining popularity. Jumping on one of these early is far more effective than trying to compete in an already oversaturated trend that has been popular for weeks.

Method 2: Thinking Like a Trend Analyst

After you’ve mastered the native tools, the next level of trend spotting is about recognizing patterns. Viral content rarely exists in a vacuum. It's usually part of a larger, repeating format, sound, or idea that can be identified and adapted.

Identify Recurring Formats and Templates

Many viral videos are not brand-new ideas but clever adaptations of popular formats. Your goal is to spot these formats before they've peaked. If you're scrolling and see the same style of video - with different people and topics - three or four times in a short period, you've found a burgeoning trend.

Look for these common formats:

• POV (Point of View): Users act out a relatable scenario from a specific perspective.
• Day in the Life: A quick-cut montage showing a user's daily routine, often with an aspirational or informative twist.
• Storytime: Creators telling a quick, engaging story, often straight to the camera with text hooks.
• "Top 5" or List-Based Videos: A simple, value-packed format sharing ranked tips, products, or ideas.

When you spot one, analyze its structure. What is the hook? How long is the video? What kind of text overlays are they using? Deconstruct it so you can rebuild it with your own message.

Pay Attention to Audio: The Engine of Virality

On TikTok, sounds are one of the biggest drivers of virality. A trending audio clip can bring an old video format back to life or launch a completely new challenge overnight. The sound acts as a template that creators all over the world can mold to fit their own content.

Here's how to spot and analyze a trending sound:

1. Notice Repetition: As you scroll, if you hear the same song, dialogue clip, or original sound multiple times across different videos and niches, that’s a trend.
2. Tap the Sound: Tap the spinning record icon in the bottom right corner of the video. This takes you to the audio page.
3. Analyze the Audio Page: Here, you can see how many videos have been made with that sound. More importantly, you can scroll through the top-performing videos using that sound. This shows you exactly how others are interpreting the trend, giving you a blueprint for your own version.

Follow Trend-Spotting Accounts

You don't have to do all the detective work yourself. There are hundreds of creators on TikTok whose entire niche is dedicated to identifying and explaining new trends. They do the scrolling for you and present their findings in easy-to-digest videos.

Try searching for terms like "TikTok trends 2024," "trending sounds," or "viral audio" to find these accounts. Following a few reliable trendspotters can give you a curated list of popular ideas and sounds delivered right to your FYP each week. It's a great way to validate the patterns you're starting to see and get a heads-up on what might be the next big thing.

Transforming Inspiration into Action: What to Do Next

Finding a viral video is one thing, successfully using that inspiration for your own content is another. Simply copying a trend beat-for-beat is rarely effective. The best creators know how to adapt a trend to make it their own.

Don't Just Copy, Adapt It!

The key to successfully using a trend is to add your unique value. Before you hit record, ask yourself: "How can I make this relevant to my audience?"

• Inject Your Niche: How can a trending sound about couples apply to a B2B software company? How can a dance format be used by a financial advisor? Getting creative with how you connect a trend to your industry is what makes it stand out.
• Add Your Personality: Don't try to be someone you're not. A trend is just a vehicle for your message. Apply your voice, your sense of humor, and your perspective. Your audience follows you for you, not for your ability to perfectly replicate someone else's video.

Deconstruct What Works and Build a System

Treat your research like intelligence gathering. Every viral video you find is a piece of data. Start a simple spreadsheet or a note to track what you find. For each video, break it down:

• The Hook (First 2 Seconds): What text appears on screen? What's the opening line? What visual instantly grabs your attention?
• The Sound: What audio clip is being used?
• The Format: Is it a POV, a list, a storytime, etc.?
• Your Adaptation Idea: A one-sentence idea for how you could apply this to your niche.

Doing this turns passive consumption into active learning. Over time, you'll develop an instinct for what works because you've documented the patterns behind hundreds of successful videos. You’ll stop looking for one-off viral ideas and start building a repeatable system for creating relevant, timely content.

Final Thoughts

Finding what’s popular on TikTok isn't about luck, it's about developing a strategic-eye for what resonates with people. By using the app's native tools, recognizing patterns in sounds and formats, and learning how to adapt trends to your unique voice, you can consistently source fresh and relevant ideas for your content calendar.

Once you've found your inspiration, of course, the real work of planning and scheduling all that content begins. That's one of the main reasons we created Postbase. We wanted a simple, visual calendar to organize our creative ideas and schedule posts reliably across all our platforms - including TikTok and Reels - without the typical headaches of tools that feel stuck in a different social media era.