Gaining TikTok followers is essential if you want to become a successful content creator on the platform.
However, it’s also extremely difficult to do, and while there are many ways to go about getting TikTok followers, not all of them require the same level of effort or yield the same results. Like all social media, there are conventions to the TikTok platform that means gaining followers is a different beast to how it would be on Facebook or Instagram, for example.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should give up, nor does it mean there’s no way to approach getting a steady stream of followers on TikTok.
If you create the right content, are savvy with your marketing, and pay attention to what’s going on with TikTok at any given moment, then you can easily grow and become a force to be reckoned with on Gen Z’s favourite social media platform. Here are five unique ways that you can gain followers and likes on TikTok.
1. Check out a free follower service
As we’ve already said, gaining followers on TikTok can be very difficult. Like most social media platforms, TikTok is ephemeral at the best of times; it all comes down to the whims of the user base, who may not want to follow you just because they’ve seen content you’ve made that they like. This means that you can sometimes feel like gaining followers organically is impossible.
If you find yourself feeling that way, then you may wish to check out a free follower service.
These services can be an excellent way to gain TikTok followers; they drip-feed organic, real accounts to your follower count, thus ensuring that you don’t simply get stuck with bots and that your account still looks and feels like it’s growing naturally.
Building that follower count doesn’t have to be hard with a follower service.
2. Cross-promote content on other services
TikTok has been built, in many ways, to cooperate with other social media services. If you create a video on TikTok – or even if you just see one that you like – then you can share it to other platforms via several built-in functions within the app itself. If you want to gain TikTok followers, then it’s a good idea to ensure that you’re sharing content and cross-promoting it on as many other platforms as you possibly can.
If you’re a budding social media influencer and you don’t have profiles on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, now would be the perfect time to build them. By cross-promoting content, you’re ensuring that as many people see it as possible. After all, social media demographics do overlap, but the same people aren’t always on Facebook as are on Instagram, so reaching those diverse demographics is crucial to gaining more followers on TikTok.
3. Reach out to other TikTok creators
Making content with other TikTok users is an excellent way to shore up not only your own follower count, but theirs too, which then directly feeds back into yours. We’re not just talking about using the Duet or Stitch features on TikTok, although those features are certainly useful. Instead, we’re referring to actually contacting TikTok users and asking if they want to create new, bespoke content with you in the form of a new video. If you’re a brand, this is doubly important.
Remember that if you try to collaborate with a TikTok creator who just isn’t in the same wheelhouse as you, then you’re not going to see results. The creators you contact should have similar interests to you, and if possible, a similar audience. This will increase your exposure to demographics who would be interested in your work while also allowing you to spread your wings creatively and improve your craft on TikTok.
One way to get followers is to create content themed around trending hashtags. You can always see what’s trending right now on TikTok from the search bar, but you can also check out videos on your For You feed to see what kind of content people are creating right now. It’s always a good idea to try and get involved in those trends (unless, of course, they are harmful or offensive in some way).
Trending hashtags help people to find you, which is a good way to bolster your follower count. If people see your content is hitting trends, they’ll be more inclined to follow you. However, it’s important to make sure your videos still have a unique, clear identity and express your personality. After all, it’s still “your” content, so you shouldn’t “sell out” in order to simply increase your follower count.
5. Follow and engage with other users
Just like when you collaborate on new content, following and engaging with other TikTok users is a great way to increase your own follower count. If you participate in the TikTok community, you can expect them to reciprocate; taking part in discussions, debates, and comments sections is an excellent way to draw people’s attention to your own work.
Remember that you shouldn’t be blatantly self-promotional. On TikTok – perhaps even more so than anywhere else – authenticity and “realness” is key, to the point that people will distance themselves from you if they don’t feel you’re actually trying to engage. Have fun, talk to people, and drop some follows on creators you like, and all that goodwill will work its way back to you eventually!