When the world slowed down during quarantine, I suddenly found myself with more hours in the day than I knew what to do with. Once I had scrubbed every corner of the house and reorganized my closet for the tenth time, I gave in to the pull of TikTok. What started as a simple experiment quickly snowballed—my very first video went up on March 30th, and not long after, my account had reached 1.4 million followers. To say I was shocked is an understatement.
What had taken me years of effort to grow on Instagram seemed to happen overnight on TikTok. The platform moves fast, rewards creativity, and doesn’t make you wait until you’ve built a huge following to see results. If you’ve been on the sidelines wondering whether you should give it a try, let me share some of the strategies I learned along the way—because going viral doesn’t just happen by chance.
1. Discover Your Niche
TikTok is overflowing with content, which means the key to standing out is identifying what you can uniquely offer. Do you have a talent, a skill, or a perspective that others might find interesting or helpful? Lean into that.
For me, the obvious choice was fashion and blogging—it’s what I know best, so it felt natural to create style tips, outfit hacks, and behind-the-scenes insights. The beauty of TikTok is that you don’t need a massive following to gain traction. A video that resonates with people can skyrocket to thousands—or even millions—of views overnight. Your niche is what sets the stage for that growth.
2. Know Who You’re Talking To
TikTok’s audience trends younger compared to platforms like Instagram or Facebook. That doesn’t mean older creators can’t thrive—it just means you need to consider what will connect with viewers on this app.
Ask yourself: What do TikTok users care about? What kind of content would they save, share, or try themselves? In my case, I realized many TikTok users were also on Instagram, so I made quick videos with photo tips. The result? Huge engagement. Understanding the mindset and habits of your audience can be the difference between a scroll-past and a viral hit.
3. Focus on Creative Direction
One of the best things about TikTok is that you don’t need expensive equipment or professional editing skills. What matters most is your creativity.
If you’re not sure where to start, look at what’s already trending. Jump into challenges, remix viral ideas, or take inspiration from popular content—but always add your personal twist. For instance, I’ve had success with videos like “how to style one piece multiple ways” or “simple style hacks for summer.” Sometimes the most ordinary tip to you might be game-changing for someone else.
4. Make Your Thumbnail Count
Think of your TikTok thumbnail as the book cover of your video—it’s what convinces someone to press play. TikTok displays thumbnails as looping GIFs, so make sure the moment you choose is eye-catching and relevant.
Adding text is a must. A quick phrase gives context and sparks curiosity, which is exactly what gets people to watch. For example, in a video I did on posing tips, I used the thumbnail text “How to Look Instantly Taller.” That simple wording made the video irresistible to click on.
5. Choose the Right Audio
Music and sound clips are the heartbeat of TikTok. The right track can elevate your video and help it ride the wave of a trend. Pay attention to what’s trending in the app’s audio library, and think about what fits the mood of your content.
For lifestyle or travel clips, choose music that matches the vibe. For fashion videos, trending pop tracks often work best. And of course, if there’s a viral dance challenge tied to a specific song, jumping on it early can put your video in front of a massive audience.
6. Use Hashtags Wisely
Hashtags aren’t just filler—they’re your ticket to visibility. The right hashtags place your video in front of people who are already looking for that type of content.
Before posting, spend a few minutes researching which hashtags are trending or consistently active in your niche. Mix a few broad ones with some more specific tags to increase your reach. And remember, hashtags don’t guarantee success, but they do help your content land in the right spaces.
Final Thoughts
TikTok is one of the few social media platforms where creativity truly levels the playing field. You don’t need a massive following, a huge budget, or professional editing tools to get noticed. What you do need is authenticity, a clear niche, and the willingness to experiment until something clicks.
If you’ve been hesitant to give TikTok a try, I say go for it. Start small, play around, and don’t be afraid to have fun with it. Who knows? Your very first video could be the one that goes viral.
