How to Increase Following on TikTok

Gaining a substantial following on TikTok doesn't happen by accident, it’s the result of strategy, creativity, and a solid understanding of the platform. If your growth has stalled or you're just starting out, you've come to the right place. This guide breaks down the essential, no-fluff steps you need to take to attract your ideal audience and build a thriving community on TikTok.

Define Your Niche and Stick to It

The single biggest mistake new creators make is trying to create content for everyone. When you’re a generalist, you’re memorable to no one. The key to attracting a loyal following is to establish a clear, defined niche. Ask yourself: what one topic can I be a "go-to" source for? It could be vegan recipes, vintage fashion flips, productivity hacks for students, or advice for first-time dog owners.

Why is this so important? When a user stumbles upon one of your videos about sourdough bread, the algorithm is more likely to show them another one of your videos on the same topic. If they like that one too, they'll check out your profile. If your entire grid is filled with high-quality baking content, they instantly know what you're about and recognize you as an expert worth following. If your profile is a random mix of baking videos, dance trends, and cat clips, they’ll be confused and move on. Consistency in your topic signals to both users and the algorithm what your account provides, making it easier to attract the right followers.

Understand the Algorithm (Without Getting a Headache)

TikTok’s algorithm is designed to do one thing: keep users on the app for as long as possible. To do that, it serves them content it thinks they will love. Your job is to create content that sends the strongest possible positive signals to the algorithm. While the exact formula is a secret, we know it prioritizes a few key indicators:

• Watch Time &, Completion Rate: This is arguably the most important metric. Did a user watch your video all the way through? Did they watch it more than once? The longer you can hold a viewer's attention, the better. This is why many TikToks are intentionally short and rewatchable.
• Shares: When someone shares your video via text, DMs, or on another platform, it's a massive signal to TikTok that your content is highly valuable.
• Comments: Comments show that your video sparked a conversation. More comments, especially ones that lead to back-and-forth threads, are a fantastic sign.
• Likes: While important, likes are a lower-effort form of engagement than comments or shares. They are a good signal, but a video with lots of likes and no comments doesn't have the same weight as one with both.

Focus on creating videos that encourage these behaviors. Make content that’s so interesting people can't bear to swipe away, so relatable they have to share it with a friend, or so thought-provoking they feel compelled to leave a comment.

Hook Viewers in the First Three Seconds

You have a tiny window to capture someone’s attention before they scroll past. The first frame of your video is your most valuable asset. Skip the long, slow introductions and get straight to the action or value proposition.

Effective Hook Strategies:

• Start with a bold statement: "You've been using your air fryer all wrong."
• Ask a polarizing question: "Is oat milk actually a scam?"
• Show the final result first: Open with a shot of the beautifully decorated cake before showing how you made it.
• Use intriguing text-on-screen: "The one travel hack that saved me $500."
• Create a "pattern interrupt": Begin with a surprising sound, a quick camera movement, or an eye-catching visual that breaks the pattern of typical videos.

Your goal is to make the viewer think, "Wait, what's this about? I need to see how this plays out." If you can consistently nail your hook, your average watch time will skyrocket.

Create Content That Provides Real Value

Every video you post should answer an unspoken question from your audience: "What's in it for me?" People follow accounts that either educate them, entertain them, or inspire them. Your content needs to deliver on at least one of these pillars.

1. Educate and Solve Problems

Educational content is powerful because it establishes your authority and provides immediate utility. Think mini-tutorials, quick tips, and informational explainers.

• A financial advisor could make a video on "3 simple ways to improve your credit score."
• A gardener could show "How to prune tomato plants for a better harvest."
• A developer could explain "What an API is in 60 seconds."

2. Entertain and Build Connection

Entertainment is the language of TikTok. This isn't just about humor, it's about compelling storytelling, relatability, and aesthetically pleasing visuals.

• Storytelling: Share a personal story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Use text overlays to guide the narrative. People love stories of failure, triumph, and funny mishaps.
• Relatability: Create "POV" (Point of View) videos that capture a common feeling or experience within your niche. For example, a video titled "POV: You're a graphic designer and the client says 'make the logo bigger'."
• Behind-the-Scenes: Show the process behind your work. Pack an order, set up your studio, or show a "day in the life." This fosters transparency and makes your brand feel more human.

Leverage Trends, Sounds, and Hashtags Strategically

Hopping on trends is a great way to get discovered, but the key is to adapt them to your niche. Don't just blindly copy a dance if your account is about real estate law. Instead, find a way to make the trend relevant to you.

How to Use Trends Wisely:

Spend 15-20 minutes a day scrolling through your "For You" page to see what sounds, formats, and challenges are currently popular. When you spot a trend, ask, "How can I bend this to fit my topic?" For example, if there's a trending audio where someone lists their "icks," a book reviewer could use it to list their "bookish icks." This approach exposes your content to a massive audience while still reinforcing your specific niche.

Mastering Hashtags

Hashtags help categorize your content and get it in front of the right audience. Avoid using only massive, generic tags like #fyp or #foryou. A balanced strategy is far more effective. Use a mix of 3-5 hashtags per post:

• Broad Hashtags (1-2): These relate to your general topic (e.g., #interiordesign, #baking). They have high volume but high competition.
• Niche Hashtags (2-3): These are more specific to your community (e.g., #scandinaviandesign, #sourdoughforbeginners). They have less volume but attract a more targeted, engaged audience.
• Video-Specific Tags (1): This relates directly to what’s in the video itself (e.g., #gallerywalldiy, #focacciaart).

Engage Like Your Growth Depends on It (Because It Does)

TikTok is a social platform, not a broadcast channel. Building a community requires you to be an active participant. The more you engage, the more visible your profile becomes.

• Reply to Comments: Respond to as many comments as possible, especially early on. Ask follow-up questions to keep the conversation going. A simple "Reply with Video" is an amazing way to create new content and make a follower feel seen.
• Use Stitch and Duet: These features are powerful tools for your engagement strategy. Stitching a video from an expert in your field and adding your own valuable commentary is a brilliant way to join larger conversations and get in front of new audiences.
• Interact with Other Creators: Don't just post and ghost. Spend time watching and leaving thoughtful comments on other videos within your niche. This builds relationships and makes other creators (and their followers) aware of your presence.

Be Consistent - It's Non-Negotiable

You cannot post once a week and expect to grow. The algorithm rewards consistency. Aim to post at least once a day, especially when you're starting out. This gives you more chances to go viral, provides the algorithm with more data about your content, and keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more.

To stay consistent without burning out, it helps to batch your content. Set aside a few hours one day a week to brainstorm, script, shoot, and edit multiple videos. This way, you'll have a backlog of content ready to go instead of scrambling to create something new every single day.

Final Thoughts

Growing a following on TikTok boils down to a clear formula: pick a niche, consistently create valuable content that hooks viewers instantly, and actively engage with your community. By focusing on giving value and building genuine connections, you tell the algorithm and potential followers that your account is worth paying attention to.

We know that staying consistent is the hardest part. Trying to come up with ideas, shoot, edit, and post every single day can lead to serious burnout. That's why we built Postbase with a visual content calendar that makes planning your TikTok strategy simple and intuitive. By scheduling your videos in advance, you can focus on creating high-quality content in batches, ensuring your account stays active and growing even on your busiest days.