How to Increase TikTok Views for Free

Getting more views on TikTok doesn't have to be a mystery solved by paid ads or complicated growth hacks. It’s about understanding the platform and creating content that connects with real people. This guide breaks down ten tangible, free strategies you can start using today to get your videos pushed to more 'For You' pages and build an audience that actually cares about what you create.

Understand What the TikTok Algorithm Actually Wants

Before you can get more views, you need to understand the gatekeeper: the TikTok algorithm. The ‘For You’ page (FYP) is a highly personalized feed designed to keep users on the app for as long as possible. To do that, it tries to show people content they'll love. It judges your video's potential based on a small initial test audience and then measures how they interact with it.

The main signals the algorithm looks for are:

• Watch Time &, Completion Rate: This is a big one. Did a user watch your entire video? Even better, did they watch it more than once (a loop)? A high completion rate tells the algorithm your content is captivating. For this reason, shorter, punchier videos often perform better initially, as it's easier to get a viewer to finish a 15-second clip than a 3-minute one.
• Engagement Signals: Likes, comments, shares, and saves are all positive signals. Shares are particularly powerful because they bring new users to your video. Comments tell the algorithm that your content sparked a conversation, so always aim to create videos that get people talking.
• Follows: If someone watches your video and then clicks through to follow you, that's a massive gold star from the algorithm. It signals that your content was so good it converted a viewer into a fan.

Everything you do should be aimed at maximizing these signals. Every tip that follows is designed to improve one or more of these metrics, which is how you’ll signal to the algorithm that your content is worth showing to a wider audience.

Hook Viewers in the First Three Seconds (Or They're Gone)

The average attention span is shorter than ever, especially on TikTok. You have about three seconds - maybe even less - to stop a user from scrolling past your video. Your opening, or "hook," is everything. It needs to give the viewer a compelling reason to stick around.

Forget slow-panning shots, long text intros, or a timid "hey guys." You need to start with energy and intrigue. Here are some effective hook strategies:

Types of High-Performing Hooks

• The Problem/Solution Hook: Start by stating a common pain point your target audience has.
  • "If you're always getting blurry photos at night, you're making this one mistake…"
  • "Tired of your plants dying all the time? Here are three you can't kill."
• The Story Teaser Hook: Begin in the middle of a story or right before a major reveal.
  • "I still can't believe this is what the CEO said to me in the elevator…"
  • "Here’s the story of how I accidentally got a free first-class upgrade."
• The Controversial Take Hook: State an unpopular opinion related to your niche to spark a debate.
  • "Avocado toast is the most overrated breakfast of all time. Here's why."
  • "Hot take: You don't actually need 8 hours of sleep."
• The "You vs. Me" Hook: Frame something through personal experience that others will relate to.
  • "You think your work meeting was bad? Let me tell you about mine…"
  • "Ways you pack a suitcase vs. the way I pack a suitcase."

Study the first three seconds of videos on your FYP. What made you stop scrolling? Deconstruct those hooks and apply those principles to your own content. Always start with the most interesting, surprising, or value-packed part of your video.

Ride the Wave: Use Trending Sounds and Memes

Using a trending sound puts your video into a pre-existing conversation. When a sound is popular, the algorithm is actively looking for new, creative takes on it to show users who have already engaged with that sound.

But don't just use a trend for the sake of it. The key is to adapt it to your specific niche. If you are a finance creator and a lip-syncing sound is popular, find a way to connect it to a common money mistake. If you're a baker, use a trending audio to reveal a beautifully decorated cake. The connection can be funny, literal, or ironic - just make sure it feels authentic to your brand.

How to Find Trending Sounds:

1. Your "For You" Page: The best place is your own feed. If you hear the same sound three or four times in a short scrolling session, it’s trending. Tap the sound at the bottom of the screen to see how many videos have been made with it.
2. The TikTok ‘Add Sound’ Library: When you create a new video, tap "Add sound" at the top. TikTok has a "TikTok Viral" or "Trending" section that shows you what’s currently popping off.
3. Look at Competitors and Creators in Your Niche: See what sounds fellow creators are using successfully and find a way to put your own spin on them.

The Right Way to Use Hashtags

Hashtags on TikTok serve two main purposes: they tell the algorithm what your content is about, helping it categorize your video, and they help users who follow or search for specific hashtags discover your content.

A scatter-gun approach doesn’t work. Jamming 30 irrelevant tags at the end of your caption won't help you. Instead, use a "hashtag stacking" strategy with 3-5 well-chosen tags.

A Good Hashtag Mix Includes:

• Broad/High-Level Hashtag (1-2): These are generic tags but help with initial categorization. Think #tiktoktips, #bakingrecipe, or #workoutmotivation. Don’t use anything overly saturated like #fyp or #viral as they are too competitive to be useful.
• Niche-Specific Hashtag (1-2): These are tags that speak directly to your target community. They have fewer competing videos, meaning you have a better chance to be seen. Think #beginnersourdough instead of just #sourdough, or #creatorbusinesstips instead of just #business.
• A Trending Hashtag (1-2, if applicable): If your video is part of a current trend or challenge, include that hashtag. This helps you get discovered by people browsing that specific trend feed.

Research which hashtags creators in your niche are using. Tap on them to see the kind of content associated with them. Is it a good fit for your video? If so, you've found a good candidate.

Post When Your Audience is Actually Watching

Posting a great video at 3 AM when your target audience is asleep is a wasted opportunity. You want your video to get that initial burst of engagement right after it's published to give it the best chance of being picked up by the algorithm. The best way to find your optimal posting times is to listen to your data.

If you have a Pro or Business account (it’s a free switch), you get access to TikTok Analytics.

Finding Your Peak Times in Analytics:

1. Go to your profile and tap the three lines in the top-right corner.
2. Select "Creator Tools" and then "Analytics."
3. Navigate to the "Followers" tab.
4. Scroll down to the "Follower Activity" section.

This section shows you a chart of the days and hours your followers were most active on TikTok over the last week. The darkest blue boxes represent peak activity. Aim to post about an hour before these peak times to give your video time to start gaining traction as more users log on.

Test these times and see what works. Post consistently at these peak hours for a week or two and monitor your performance. Every audience is different, so your data is your best guide.

Create High-Quality Content

High-quality doesn't mean you need a Hollywood film studio or a $5,000 camera. In fact, overly polished content can sometimes feel out of place on TikTok. High-quality on TikTok means:

• Good Lighting: You don't need fancy equipment. Natural light is your best friend. Film facing a window so the light illuminates your face. If you film at night, a simple ring light can make a huge difference in clarity and professionalism.
• Clear Audio: The built-in microphone on your phone is pretty good, but it's easily improved. Film in a quiet room, away from echoes and background noise. For talking-head videos, even an inexpensive lavalier mic that clips onto your shirt can dramatically improve audio quality. People will forgive shaky video before they forgive bad audio.
• Clean and Quick Editing: Use TikTok's native editor or a simple app like CapCut to make your videos snappy. Cut out unnecessary pauses and "ums." Add captions or on-screen text to highlight key points - many users watch videos with the sound off, so text helps grab their attention and deliver your message. Keep the pace moving.

Consistency Builds Momentum

Posting one video and hoping it goes viral is like buying a single lottery ticket and expecting to win the jackpot. Sustainable growth on TikTok comes from consistency. By posting regularly, you're not just giving yourself more chances to have a video take off, you're also training the algorithm.

Regular posting teaches TikTok what your account is about and who your ideal audience is. When the algorithm understands your niche, it gets better at serving your content to the right 'For You' pages. Consistency also builds a relationship with your audience. When they see you show up in their feed regularly with valuable or entertaining content, they’re more likely to follow and engage.

Aim for a schedule you can realistically stick to, whether that's three times a week or once a day. A consistent schedule is far more effective than posting a dozen videos one week and then disappearing for a month.

Final Thoughts

Growing your TikTok views for free isn't about finding a secret hack, it's about consistently applying the fundamentals. By creating videos with a strong hook, leveraging trends in your niche, using smart hashtags, and engaging with your community, you provide every possible positive signal to the algorithm to push your content further.

Having a game plan is one thing, but consistently executing it is another. To help creative individuals and small teams manage the planning and scheduling that consistency requires, we built Postbase. Our visual content calendar makes it easy to schedule all your short-form videos like TikToks and Reels in one place, so you can lock in your posting schedule and focus on making the next great video without worrying about posting on time.