TikTok pushes a billion+ people a month to their FYP, yet most brand TikTok videos die at 200 views.
If your clips keep stalling at a few hundred views, you’re a few precise edits away from more reach, higher watch time, and real followers.
There’s no secret sauce, but seven repeatable plays that boost the signals TikTok actually rewards: stronger hooks, higher retention, more rewatches, saves, comments, and shares.
When you create content regularly and create videos with clear outcomes, you’ll reach a wider audience and go viral more often.
How to Get More Views on TikTok for Free
1. Understand the TikTok Algorithm
TikTok rewards content that hooks fast, holds attention, and sparks interactions. Think in three moves: the first 3–5 seconds, steady retention, and saves/comments/rewatches.
Let’s look at some core takeaways for TikTok:
- Your For You Page (FYP) mirrors behavior, not hopes. Language, location, and especially what you watch and do (likes, comments, shares, rewatches) tell TikTok what to show you next.
- Length is flexible, retention isn’t. <15s videos spread faster, but 30–60s can outperform if the first 5 seconds land and viewers finish.
- Early momentum wins. In the first wave, rewatches, saves, and meaningful comments are the strongest signals. Design your hook and pinned CTA to drive them.
- Ride TikTok trends that fit. Trending audio/effects/themes can boost distribution, but only if they serve your story.
If you have a business account, you can access your video analytics. From there, you can see whether your videos retained users.
Take this video I uploaded from Contentworks Agency as an example.
@contentworks POV: You want a marketing agency with 10 years experience of NFTs and the Metaverse…. #marketingagency #marketing #agencylife #lovewhatyoudo #clientproblems #Contentworks
It was only 40 seconds, but you can see that viewer attention dipped on the 23.8-second mark. Additionally, only 17% of viewers watched the whole video. (Cries into coffee.) But there are lessons to be learned. Could the video have been more engaging? Could I have made it 30 seconds instead of 40? Perhaps I could have posted it at a better time for my audience? Yes. And I learned from looking at the data.
Analytics are your friend. Treat TikTok analytics like an editor: every drop-off shows what to cut; every spike shows what to repeat for ongoing TikTok growth.
2. Duet With Someone Popular
It sounds like Mean Girls all over again, doesn’t it? The popular accounts are the ones everyone wants to befriend.
The reality is that popular TikTok creators with outsized engagement get shown to more people, creating a flywheel. Meanwhile, your lonely video is sitting by itself on the lunch table in the corner.
So, how can you sit with the cool kids and boost your own TikTok profile?
One way to do it is to Duet with creators who consistently earn 2–10× your average views.
A cool tool on Tiktok is Duet. Users can choose to Duet with other creators (if they have enabled Duet on their video). When Duet is enabled, your video plays side-by-side with the original.
As a brand, you can use the Duet feature to grow your fan base, connect with other creators, and boost engagement.
Check out this funny example from chef.tnac who wanted to get the attention of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey. Gordon, known for his savage and hilarious food critiques, often duets with other TikTok users. @gordonramsayofficial has 34.8 million followers, all of whom can now see the Duet!
@gordonramsayofficial #duet with @chef.tnac well you have my attention !! Not sure about that plating ! #ramsayreacts ♬ Viva la vida Coldplay – 🇨🇦🤝🇺🇦
How to Get More Views on TikTok Hashtags
3. Follow your hashtag strategy
Wait, what hashtag strategy?
Relax, this doesn’t need to be huge. It simply means using TikTok hashtags in a strategic way to hit your social media KPIs.
Here are some of the core questions to be asking before you start adding hashtags:
- What is the point of my TikTok account? Perhaps it is purely entertainment, and you want to showcase a fun side to your brand.
- Who am I trying to reach with this video/account? What is your target audience demographic in terms of age, location, likes, and spending capabilities.
- What is the goal of this video? To get mass exposure on the platform or gain a specific audience interested in your product or service.
- What should your viewers do next? Consider whether you want them to make a purchase, share, follow, comment, or like.
Top ecommerce brands on TikTok certainly have a strategy that incorporates hashtags. Even those which appear to be “just for fun” will still be ticking certain boxes in the overall strategy.
Look at @verybritishproblems, one of my favorite funny accounts on TikTok. The account takes common British etiquette problems like leaving a train and turns them into short TikToks.
There’s no hard sell, no buy now and no trending hashtags. But, the account is focused, has 123K likes, and also sells Very British Problems merch via a linktree in its bio.
@verybritishproblems Train problems. #verybritishproblems #britishhumour #britishstereotype ♬ original sound – Very British Problems
4. Participate in hashtag challenges
Challenges are TikTok’s native momentum. They spread fast because they’re easy to copy, fun to join, and built for discovery.
Hashtag challenges start with a creator or brand and go viral when anyone can replicate them. From #PlankChallenge to outfit swaps and recipe flips, each has a named hashtag you add when you join. Multiple challenges trend at once, pick the ones your audience already cares about.
It’s free to start a challenge or participate in one. But keep in mind that big brands pay to get more TikTok views on their Branded Hashtag Challenges! The cost of a branded hashtag challenge has a flat fee of $150,000 for six days, with firms spending additional dollars on promoting the challenge.
No $150K? Use this organic challenge checklist instead.
You can still get more views on TikTok for free by following these tips:
- Keep your challenge simple. One clear action, one prop max, and 10–20 seconds to demo. If a stranger can copy it in one watch, you nailed it.
- Be seasonal. Tie to events/holidays and post before the peak so your challenge is already moving when interest spikes.
- Keep it inclusive. Universal language, on-screen captions, and something people can do at home, solo, no special gear.
- Don’t be promotional. Very few viral hashtag challenges have been promotional. They always focus on a message, funny meme, or engaging challenge.
- Think of younger users. Never encourage risk. Challenges like the “blackout challenge” encouraged users to do very unsafe activities and younger, impressionable users took part, with several losing their lives. Challenges should always be safe and fun to follow.
How to Get More Views on TikTok Live
5. Team up with other influencers
When seeking to get more views on TikTok, one surefire way is to delve into some influencer or micro influencer marketing techniques. Teaming up with influencers is a great way to increase your reach on TikTok and align yourself with influential names.
But how can you team up with influencers on TikTok if you don’t have a budget to tempt them?
Here’s how to collaborate for free (or close to it):
- Use TikTok Creator Marketplace or use the search functions on the TikTok app to find creators by topic, audience location, and average views. Shortlist those whose viewers match your buyers; some accept product swaps or cause tie-ins.
- Filter for consistent avg views (vs followers) and engagement rate in your target location and topic.
- List the perks for them. Of course, there are perks for your brand to work with an influencer. But what are their perks? Will they get free merch? Will they be contributing to a charity or local project?
- Research the platform. Including #ad in your search will help to identify TikTok influencers who are already posting sponsored content. This will give you an insight into the types of influencer content that performs well on TikTok
- Forget the macro influencers. At Contentworks Agency, we’ve had brands tell us to try to get Kylie Jenner for free. Unless your product is revolutionary or charitable, you have no chance. To put things into perspective, Micro influencers get between $100–$500 per post. Macro influencers, on the other hand, start charging around $5,000–$10,000 per post. Celebrities like Kylie Jenner have been known to charge more than $1 million.
- Choose carefully. Well matched influencers will greatly increase the likelihood that your audience will follow and trust you. The reverse is true for a poorly matched collab.
A good example of a well-matched collab is the one between Tab for a Cause and @katiefliesaway, a Gen Z centric account with 632.9K followers. The campaign helped increase Tab for a Cause’s brand awareness and drove a substantial number of new users in the days following the post. Almost 1/3 of the audience who viewed the video liked it, and the average engagement rate was 30.71%. Compare this to the average Facebook engagement rate of between 1% and 5% and you can see the wow factor.
How to Get More Followers on TikTok
6. Be authentically you!
TikTok is a place for creativity, silliness, and authenticity. It has carved out a niche for itself as an entertainment platform and viewers are there to be entertained.
“Authenticity is the key to brands achieving success on TikTok,” according to TikTok’s Authenticity, Happiness and Joy research, conducted by Flamingo Group. The study found that 56% of users feel more positive about a brand after seeing it on TikTok and that ads on the platform are more creative and original than other digital platforms on average. So, one of the best ways to get new followers on TikTok is to be authentic.
Here’s how you can find your authentic side on TikTok:
- Learn to use the tools. If you don’t learn how to use the video editing tools on TikTok, you’re limiting your ability to be creative. Take some time out to have fun and play with tools like greenscreen, filters, trending sounds, and sound effects. You can discard practice videos or leave them as private so only you can see them!
- Leave your corporate at the door. I’m not talking to the social media managers here because they get it. This is for the shareholders, CEOs and directors who don’t understand the platform. Nobody wants to see your PowerPoint presentation or 10-minute company video. TikTok is a place to explore your fun alter ego. Remember, being on the platform is optional and if you don’t think it’s a good fit for your brand, you don’t need to join.
- Find a new audience. Perhaps you’re a corporate brand with an older presence or client demographic. Having a TikTok account won’t erase that, but it could allow you to expand to a younger and fresher audience.
Look at Natwest Bank. Established in 1968, the bank has kept itself focused on future generations who can be lifelong banking customers. When my Gen X self was growing up, Natwest launched its piggy bank collection, aimed at getting young people to save money.
Now the bank is essentially doing the same thing with a new audience via TikTok. That’s because big brands need to be thinking about the next generation and how they can support customers at every stage of their buying journey.
@natwest_bank Talking money might always not feel easy – but the more you do it, the more your confidence will grow. Visit the MoneySense Talk Money hub for resources, information and more this #TalkMoney Week.
How To Get More Views On TikTok After Posting
7. Hitting “post” is just the start
We talk about this a lot here at Agorapulse, but it’s true. When you upload your TikTok posts or videos, it’s only the start of the social media journey. The same applies here on TikTok. If you want more TikTok views, there are several things you can do after you hit post.
- Share it via email. If you have a dedicated and opted-in email list, why not share your top TikToks with them? This is especially effective if you have a big announcement to make or a special offer. You can also share event TikToks with your database in case they were unable to attend. Share the TikTok via email and encourage your audience to follow you for more updates.
- Embed it in a blog or PR. A great way to recycle TikTok videos is to embed them into a blog or PR. It’s very easy, especially if your blog is on WordPress. Just select the embed option and copy the link into your blog code. The TikTok will then show in your blog along with your account details so readers can follow you. If your blog is complex, having a short, fun video embedded is a good way to catch readers who want to learn differently.
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Schedule your videos in advance. The more videos you prepare, the easier it will be to stay consistent and get more eyes on your content, since you’ll post at frequent times & get more TikTok views.
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Get evergreen posts in your content calendar. If your TikTok is evergreen, get it queued up for more shares later. Using Agorapulse, you can share the video to other channels like TikTok or Instagram. Just download the published video from TikTok so you have a high-res copy. Then upload it to your content calendar. Make sure you include your TikTok handle so people know where to follow you.
In Conclusion
Getting more TikTok views organically is totally possible with the right combination of strategy, creativity and cross-promoting. Remember, high-quality content is the pillar of all popular videos!
