With more than one billion monthly active users, TikTok’s appeal lies not just in entertaining content but in how it allows creators to meaningfully engage with their audiences. However, TikTok’s massive popularity can be a double-edged sword. While it is a great platform for reaching a large audience, it can also be difficult to stand out from the crowd.
Every day, millions of users compete for the spotlight, fighting for likes, shares, and comments. How can you make your mark and boost your TikTok engagement to rise above the noise? We’re uncovering seven easy ideas to not only increase your TikTok engagement but also help you carve your niche in this bustling community. But first, let’s be clear on what engagement is.
Understanding TikTok Engagement
Engagement refers to when a user interacts with a piece of social media content. TikTok especially values engagement, with user interaction being a key factor considered by the algorithm that determines what content is shown on users’ For You feeds.
Put simply, the platform recommends content that keeps viewers scrolling, liking, and commenting. High engagement rates tell TikTok that your content is worth promoting to a broader audience. But what exactly do we mean when we say engagement? Let’s break down some key metrics to know:
- Likes: Each like or “heart” shows your audience’s approval and is an immediate indicator of your content’s popularity.
- Comments: Comments reveal valuable insights into the sentiment behind your engagement. Positive or neutral comments are a good sign and often reflect a greater level of engagement and interest in your content than a single like. Negative comments, on the other hand, should be taken as an opportunity to learn and improve.
- Shares: When viewers share your videos, it expands your reach to new audiences. It’s like a virtual word-of-mouth recommendation.
- Engagement rate (by view): This is a holistic metric that measures the number of engagements (likes, comments, and shares) a piece of content receives divided by the number of views it receives. Overall, a higher engagement rate means that your content is resonating well with your audience.
Understanding TikTok engagement is the first step toward boosting your presence on the platform so keep these metrics in mind as you craft your social strategy. Now, let’s get into different tactics you can use to increase your engagement.
What is a good engagement rate on TikTok? 
7 Ways to Increase TikTok Engagement
1. Know Your Audience & Find Your Niche
TikTok is a highly diverse platform, with users spanning various countries, ethnicities, age groups, interests, and more. To truly boost your engagement, you need to pinpoint who you’re talking to and tailor your content accordingly.
Luckily, the platform provides plenty of audience data through its analytics tools. Dive into metrics like gender, location, and more to create a detailed profile of your followers. This information can help guide you through content creation.
Additionally, don’t be afraid to target niche communities. Ever heard of #BookTok or #MoneyTok? From beauty hacks to pet lovers and everything in between, there’s a dedicated audience for almost everything on TikTok. Rather than worry about creating content that appeals to everyone, focus on deeply connecting with your specific niche.
Once you’ve gathered key audience insights, tailor your content to suit their tastes. The more you tailor to your niche, the quicker TikTok will learn what community to deliver your content to. From there, your TikTok engagement will improve as your content becomes more relevant and relatable to your audience.
Ready to analyze your brand’s TikTok engagement?
2. Leverage Viral Trends, Challenges, and Sounds
If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok, you’ve probably noticed that certain trends and sounds seem to take over the platform in a matter of days. Leveraging these viral sensations is like riding a wave of attention — and if you catch it just right, you could be propelled to new heights.
This is because these viral trends help you establish an immediate connection with TikTok’s massive user base. When you use a popular sound or participate in a trend, you’re joining a community conversation already in progress. In fact, many brands’ viral TikTok moments originate from the clever use of trends and sounds. Not to mention, staying updated with these viral trends showcases your brand as current and relatable.
Scrub Daddy is one brand that’s seen success by regularly joining viral trends. For example, the brand got 3.5M views and 592K total engagements when they hopped on the mango helicopter trend. With an engagement rate by follower of 19.7%, this particular TikTok was 4.12x more engaging than the average video it posted this year.
Beyond the numbers, a look at the comments section shows how Scrub Daddy’s approach really hits home with its audience, with countless users praising the brand for its humor.
So, how do you tap into this goldmine of engagement potential? Here’s some advice.
- Keep an ear to the ground and act fast. Follow popular TikTok accounts, keep an eye on trending hashtags, and regularly check the “Discover” page for the latest viral sounds and challenges. When an opportunity arises, strike while the iron is hot. Timing can be the difference between going viral and arriving when the party’s already over.
- Match the vibe to your brand. While it’s great to hop on trending sounds and challenges, ensure they align with your brand’s personality and message. Authenticity is key. Don’t force-fit something that doesn’t resonate with your audience.
- Add your unique spin. The beauty of TikTok lies in its creativity. Put your brand’s stamp on it and make it your own.
In a nutshell, if you want to improve your engagement, pay attention to and embrace TikTok’s viral culture. Ride the wave, be consistent, and let your creativity shine.
3. Post Regularly
Posting regularly not only keeps you at the top of your audience’s mind but it also boosts your chances of being seen and discovered by the larger TikTok community.
Imagine you’re scrolling through your TikTok feed, and you stumble upon a user who hasn’t posted in weeks. Chances are, you’ll forget about them in no time. On the other hand, regular posting keeps your audience hooked, increases your visibility, and ensures you stay relevant in TikTok’s algorithm.
As you post more and more, be sure to be mindful of timing. Research when your target audience is most active and schedule your posts accordingly. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, insights from your TikTok analytics can help you pinpoint the optimal posting times. Experiment with different time slots to see what works best for your audience.
To sum it up, posting regularly not only keeps your audience engaged but also provides the TikTok algorithm with the new, fresh content that it wants to show its users.
4. Engage with Your Audience
If you want your audience to engage with your brand, then you have to be willing to do the same. TikTok thrives on authenticity and connection, making it essential to engage with your audience. There are three easy ways to do so.
Firstly, you can respond to comments. When users take the time to comment on your videos, it’s a sign of interest and engagement. Don’t leave them hanging! Encourage further interactions by responding to their comments, showing appreciation, answering questions, and engaging in conversations.
Asking questions is another easy way. Encourage participation by posing intriguing questions or asking for viewers’ opinions in your video or caption. Whether it’s a fun hypothetical or seeking advice, questions are an invitation for viewers to share their thoughts in the comments. This not only sparks conversations but also helps you understand your audience better.
Finally, take advantage of TikTok features like stitches, video replies, and duets. Collaborative content is a great way to engage with your audience. You can create video responses to your viewers’ comments or show love to fans by dueting or stitching their videos. This not only boosts your visibility but also strengthens your relationship with your community.
So, what does this all look like in action? Let’s check out Takis, the snack brand that engaged with its fans for a major launch. To announce the drop of its newest Takis Intense Nacho, the brand posted a video response to a comment that highlighted the demand for a non-spicy alternative to its iconic flavors.
The move not only showed that Takis cared and listened to its customers but also encouraged conversation, with other users rushing to reply and react. From there, the brand then engaged with its audience by responding to comments, further promoting dialogue between Takis and its fans.
Keep in mind that connecting with your audience can’t just be a one-time effort. Create a welcoming and interactive space by regularly engaging with them and you’ll not only see increased engagement but also establish a loyal following that keeps coming back for more.
5. Leverage Hashtags Effectively
Hashtags can play a major role in making your content discoverable to a broader audience.
Think of hashtags as the breadcrumbs that lead viewers to your content. When users search or click on a specific hashtag, they’re led to a feed of related videos. If your content includes the right hashtags, it’s more likely to appear in these feeds and get noticed.
To make the most of hashtags, consider these guidelines:
- Keep it relevant. Ensure your hashtags align with the theme and content of your video. It’s all about relevancy.
- Balance popularity and specificity. Blend popular, trending hashtags with niche ones. The former exposes you to a broader audience, while the latter targets a dedicated group.
- Research trending tags. Explore trending hashtags on TikTok and hop on relevant trends. But, remember, trends come and go, so stay current.
- Branded hashtags. Create your own unique hashtag to foster a community around your content. Encourage viewers to use it too.
- Check the competition. Look at what hashtags your competitors or influencers in your niche are using. It can provide valuable insights.
- Quantity matters. Don’t go overboard with hashtags. While TikTok doesn’t technically have a limit, using 3-5 hashtags is common practice.
By following these hashtag guidelines, you’ll be on your way to boosting your TikTok engagement and ensuring that your content doesn’t get lost in the vast sea of content.
6. Collaborate with Other TikTok Creators
Another straightforward way to boost your TikTok engagement is by teaming up with creators with high levels of engagement. TikTok thrives on creativity, and collaborations can introduce your content to a broader audience while adding a fresh twist to your usual content.
Seek out creators whose content aligns with your niche or style. For example, if you’re a food brand, you might want to collaborate with a chef or a food blogger. This synergy will resonate with your shared audience.
Successful TikTok collaborations abound, and one notable example is the partnership between Duolingo and Crunchyroll. In May, the language learning app and streaming service teamed up to provide their customers with a free month of each of their services. The partnership allowed each brand to cross-promote to Japanese language learners and anime lovers and ended up surging their engagement levels on TikTok.
Crunchyroll, in particular, benefited from collaborating with the TikTok powerhouse that is Duolingo. With 7.7M followers and 56.9M engagements this year alone, Duolingo has a massive and engaged following. By working with Duolingo, Crunchyroll was able to expand its reach beyond its 1.4M followers and boost its engagement, with the promotional TikTok scoring an engagement rate that was 11x greater than the average of videos it posted this year so far.
Collaborations on TikTok can take many forms, from having a creator as a brand ambassador to allowing them to seamlessly work your product into their content. The key is to find partners who complement your brand, plan carefully, and effectively promote the content. All in all, don’t hesitate to join forces with others. You don’t have to do it all on your own.
7. Craft Effective Captions
Writing effective captions is another easy tactic to boost engagement. This includes the captions that appear separately at the bottom of your post, as well as the ones that show up within the video as an overlay.
Captions are a powerful tool, giving context, personality, and depth to your videos. Think of them as your chance to connect with your audience on a deeper level. When done right, they can hook viewers, spark curiosity, and encourage them to stick around till the end.
So, how can you make your captions shine on TikTok? Here are some tips:
- Be concise. TikTok’s fast-paced nature means you have only a few seconds to grab viewers’ attention. Keep your captions concise and to the point. A punchy one-liner or a clever hook can work wonders.
- Inject personality. Whether it’s humor, wit, or heartfelt emotion, infuse your captions with your unique personality to stand out.
- Ask questions. Engage your audience by posing questions in your captions and encourage viewers to comment with their thoughts.
- Highlight key points. If your video has a tutorial or a step-by-step process, use text overlays to highlight essential information. This helps viewers quickly grasp the main takeaways.
- Create intrigue. Craft captions that pique curiosity. Leave a cliffhanger or tease what’s coming up next in your video to keep viewers watching.
- Consider timing. Add in-video captions at strategic times, such as punchlines synced with actions in your video.
TikTok captions are more than just words; they’re a crucial part of your engagement toolkit. Combine them with great visuals, and you’ll have a winning formula for capturing the interest of your audience.
Measuring Your TikTok Engagement Efforts
So, you’ve implemented some fantastic strategies to boost your TikTok engagement. Now what? How do you know if your efforts are paying off and resonating with your audience? That’s where analytics come into play.
Tracking and analyzing key metrics, such as your total engagement, engagement rate, follower growth rate, and more, allows you to gauge your content’s impact and audience connection. It’s your insight into what’s working and what needs tweaking.
Social analytics tools can be invaluable in this process. They streamline the process of tracking metrics, offering in-depth insights and visualizations.
For instance, with Rival IQ, you can effortlessly monitor your TikTok engagement and even benchmark your performance against competitors. Simply add companies to a custom landscape and our platform crunches the numbers for you, making it easy to see how your engagement levels compare to others. Check out an example of how it looks below.
Competitive benchmarking allows you to gauge how your TikTok engagement stacks up against others in your industry. By analyzing how your competitors are faring, you can set realistic goals and identify opportunities to outshine them.
Remember, measuring TikTok engagement isn’t just about counting likes and comments. It’s about understanding your audience, optimizing your strategies, and staying ahead of the curve. So, dive into the data and let the insights guide your path to TikTok success.
The Wrap Up
In conclusion, boosting your TikTok engagement is a dynamic journey that demands creativity, adaptability, and persistence. The key lies in continuous experimentation and improvement. Don’t be afraid to try new trends, formats, and strategies. Good luck!
