How to Fix TikTok Marketing Problems

Your TikTok marketing isn't working the way you thought it would. Despite the effort, your videos are hitting a view wall, your follower count is stagnant, and the dream of viral success feels further away with every post. This article is your guide to diagnosing exactly what's going wrong with your TikTok strategy and provides actionable steps to fix it. We’ll cover everything from getting your content seen to turning casual viewers into a real community.

Problem 1: Your Videos Aren't Getting Views

Hitting a low-view ceiling is one of the most common frustrations on TikTok. You spend hours on a video only to see it stall at a few hundred views, never reaching the coveted "For You" Page (FYP). This usually isn't bad luck, it’s a sign that your content isn't connecting with the algorithm or the audience in the first three seconds.

1. Stop Selling, Start Connecting

The single biggest mistake brands make on TikTok is treating it like a commercial break. Users are on the app to be entertained, learn something new, or feel part of a conversation - not to be sold to. Heavily branded, salesy content is an instant signal for users to scroll away, which tells the algorithm your video isn't engaging.

Actionable Fix: Reframe your content around adding value. Instead of a video that says, "Buy our incredible new face serum," create one showing "3 Skincare Mistakes Most People Make (and how to fix them)." This approach positions you as an expert helper, not just a seller. The very last step can subtly introduce your product as the solution, building trust before you ever ask for a sale.

2. Master the Crucial First 2 Seconds: The Hook

On TikTok, you don't have 10 seconds to make an impression, you have two. If you don't grab a viewer's attention immediately, they're gone. A slow intro, a confusing opening, or a boring visual will kill your video's momentum before it has a chance to build.

Actionable Fix: Design your hook before you do anything else. Here are some effective hook strategies:

• The Provocative Statement: Start with a bold, controversial, or surprising opinion related to your niche. "You've been brushing your teeth wrong your whole life."
• The Question Hook: Ask a question that your target audience probably asks themselves. "Do you ever feel like you have 100 things to do and no time?"
• The Visual Hook: Show a visually compelling, weird, or satisfying scene right at the start. For a food brand, this could be an extreme close-up of a cheese pull.
• The Immediate Value Hook: Tell people exactly what they're going to get. "Here are three Gmail hacks you'll use every single day."

Brainstorm five different hooks for your next video idea. Read them aloud. Which one would make you stop scrolling? Go with that one.

3. Create for TikTok, Not Just on TikTok

Reposting a polished video ad from Instagram or YouTube to TikTok often fails. Each platform has its own language and culture. TikTok’s language is raw, authentic, and built on trends. Content that feels too corporate or doesn't use the platform's native features can feel out of place and get ignored.

Actionable Fix: Immerse yourself in the platform. Spend 15 minutes a day intentionally scrolling your FYP not as a user, but as a marketer. Pay attention to:

• Trending Sounds: What audio clips are popping up repeatedly? How are people using them?
• Popular Formats: Are people doing "a day in the life" vlogs, green screen commentary, or tutorials? Notice the patterns.
• Editing Style: Pay attention to the fast cuts, text overlays, and captions that are common on successful videos.

Then, don't just copy the trends - adapt them to your niche. If a silly sound is trending, think, "How can my [brand/service] relate to this sound in a funny or informative way?"

Problem 2: You Get Views, But No Followers or Real Engagement

Perhaps one of your videos caught a wave and got thousands of views, but you gained very few followers and the comment section was empty. This is a classic "one-hit wonder" problem. You’ve created something momentarily entertaining, but you haven't given viewers a compelling reason to stick around for what’s next.

1. Pick a Lane: Define Your Content Pillars

An inconsistent profile is a confusing profile. If you post a funny meme one day, a complex chart about your industry the next, and a video of your office dog on the third, a new visitor won't know what to expect from you. They have no reason to press the "follow" button because they can't tell what value you’ll provide them in the future.

Actionable Fix: Establish 3-5 clear content pillars. These are the core topics your account will consistently talk about. For a coffee brand, your pillars might be:

1. Home Brewing Tutorials
2. Unique Coffee Recipes
3. Behind-the-Scenes at the Roastery
4. Comparing Different Coffee Beans

Everything you create should fit into one of these buckets. This simple framework brings massive clarity to your creative process and tells potential followers exactly why they should join your community.

2. Ask for What You Want with a Clear CTA

You can't expect people to read your mind. If you want them to follow you, comment, or check out your other videos, you often need to ask them directly. Many creators make great videos but fade out at the end without guiding the viewer on what to do next.

Actionable Fix: Purposefully add a Call to Action (CTA) in every video. It can be visual (a text bubble on screen) or verbal.

• For Followers: "If you want more easy dinner recipes, make sure to follow along!"
• For Comments: "What's the one marketing tool you can't live without? Let me know in the comments."
• For Community: "Have you ever made this mistake? Share your story below."

Asking questions is a fantastic way to spark conversation and significantly boost your comment count. A lively comment section is a strong positive signal to the algorithm.

3. Be Present In Your Own Community

Social media is a two-way street. Posting a video and then disappearing signals to your audience that you’re just broadcasting, not building a community. When someone takes the time to leave a thoughtful comment, ignoring it is a missed opportunity to build a relationship.

Actionable Fix: Allocate time every day to engage with your comments. Like them, answer questions, and pin the best ones. Your most powerful tool here is TikTok's "reply with video" feature. If someone asks a great question in the comments, you can create an entire new video that directly answers them. This shows you're listening and provides you with ready-made content ideas your audience is already interested in.

Problem 3: Your TikToks Aren't Driving Website Clicks or Sales

This is where the marketing rubber meets the road. If your account is growing but it's having zero impact on your business's bottom line, you have a conversion problem. This usually stems from creating a jarring transition between the fun, entertaining TikTok world and a straightforward sales page.

1. Earn the Right to Sell

Think about a new friendship. You wouldn't ask to borrow your new friend’s car a day after meeting them. You have to build rapport and trust first. Similarly, on TikTok, you can't just bombard a cold audience with "buy now" messages. You have to warm them up with valuable, entertaining, and helpful content first.

Actionable Fix: Adopt an 80/20 or even 90/10 content ratio. This means 80-90% of your videos should be purely for entertainment, education, and community building. Only 10-20% of your content should gently guide people toward your product or service. This approach ensures your page is a destination for value, not a walking advertisement.

2. Optimize the "Link in Bio" Journey

Simply saying "link in bio" is not enough. You have to create a compelling reason for someone to 1) stop watching videos, 2) navigate to your profile, and 3) click that link. The link needs to be the logical next step to solving a problem you introduced in your video.

Actionable Fix: Align your video content with your bio link offer. Here's an example:

• Bad CTA: A makeup tutorial video with a generic, "Shop our products, link in bio!"
• Good CTA: A video on "The #1 mistake people make with winged eyeliner." At the end, you say: "Our liner stamp makes this goof-proof, and you can grab it right now at the link in my bio to perfect your wing."

The good CTA creates a direct path from the problem (messy eyeliner) to the solution (your product) that the viewer can access immediately.

3. Showcase Social Proof and User Content

Your own marketing is influential, but content from actual satisfied customers is often far more convincing. Seeing real people use and love your product removes doubt and builds trust in a way that polished ads can't.

Actionable Fix: Actively encourage and feature User-Generated Content (UGC). Turn positive comments or DMs into quick testimonial videos (always ask for permission). Reshare and duet videos from customers who have tagged you. You can even run a hashtag challenge encouraging people to show off how they use your product for a chance to be featured. This not only builds social proof but also gives you a repository of authentic marketing content.

Final Thoughts

Fixing your TikTok marketing isn't about finding a single hidden trick or viral sound. It’s about making a mental shift from a brand that sells to a creator that connects. By mastering your hook, providing consistent value within a defined niche, and thoughtfully guiding your audience from view to conversion, you can turn your TikTok presence from a source of frustration into a powerful tool for growth.

One of the biggest challenges I see is staying consistent, especially when juggling multiple platforms. Since creating my work on a video-first platform like TikTok is so important, I've found that using a tool like Postbase changes everything. Its visual calendar helps me plan my TikToks alongside my other content so nothing slips through the cracks, and its scheduling is incredibly reliable. By taking the logistical headache out of publishing, it frees up mental space so I can focus on what actually matters: creating better content and engaging with my community.