They love you. but they like joyful? The number of likes your TikToks receive has a significant impact on the growth of your account – the number of followers, the number of views per video, and even how much money you can earn if you monetize your content.
So, in addition to being extremely socially affirming (we’re fine, thanks for asking), having lots of likes leads to better engagement and a more successful presence. Here’s how to get more likes on TikTok.
Why are TikTok likes important?
Likes are just one way to measure how good you are at TikTok. In addition, you have the number of followers, the total number of views, views and comments on each video. Focusing on one is like trying to separate a 7-layer dive.
How important is each metric? Like guac, is it an integral part of diving? Or something useless and maybe a little nasty, like olives? (Don’t be mad, it’s just a blog post.)
@kyleighfromsubway It’s not my fault I hate olives #salad #pinkcrocsrock #subway #crocs #fyp #olives #no
♬ original sound – Kyleighfromsubway
Likes are a ranking system for TikTok’s algorithm.
A large part of gaining traction on TikTok appears in users’ For You posts. How each For You feed is created depends on TikTok’s algorithm, a maze of code that social media marketers are always trying to master.
TikTok lists user interactions as the first factor in personalizing the For You page. This includes the accounts the user follows, the videos they share, the comments they post, and of course the videos they like.
In other words, every layer of immersion makes a difference. The more likes you get on a video, the more likely the video will appear on a relevant potential follower’s For You page, and the more you appear on the For You page, the more followers you’ll gain. Again, it increases your chances of landing more For You pages.
They serve as social proof
When it comes down to it, the likes are just a tap on the screen. The person who liked your TikTok could laugh out loud, give the phone to their friends, and send it as a web link to their older sister who refused to download the app.
Or they may have clicked on it by accident, perhaps when they realize they’ve spent too much time navigating the bathroom and their boss is probably wondering if they’re all right.
@okullunchtray Why are these doors made of vibranium?
♬ original sound – Tray
Regardless of how, every like acts as social proof of the validity of your account and content. Other TikTok users will see the number of likes on each video and the total number of likes in your account, equating the large number of likes with the large number of people who like your content. And that’s a good thing.
Like counts have such a significant social impact that Facebook and Instagram have tried to hide them altogether and now give you the option to hide likes. For better or worse, TikTok likes are public and stand out, and the more likes you have, the better you’ll appear as a source of content.
TikTok likes can earn you money
Be with us, not directly: likes lead to followers, followers lead to popularity, and popularity leads to monetization opportunities.
This wonderfully written blog post covers 4 strategies you can use to make money on TikTok, but all of them require a good rapport with your target audience. The more they like your videos (both figuratively and literally), the more they will pay, and the more brands will pay you to showcase their products.
Should you buy TikTok likes?
This is a great question. I did not expect this question. Simply put, no.
While opening your wallet might gain you some of the aforementioned social clout, it’s a very risky and ultimately artificial way to increase that number.
We already did an experiment where we bought TikTok followers and found that it did nothing for engagement (plus we got a notification from TikTok warning us about unreal accounts and eventually removed followers). When the app detects fake likes, it gives a similar warning and removes them as well.
Buying likes is certainly not against TikTok’s terms of service, but it’s not good to have your account constantly flagged for unoriginal likes.
Also, TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t just count likes. These other metrics are important. (Remember: seven layers of decline.) Buying likes won’t increase your follower count, comments, or shares, especially if TikTok removes paid likes. Save your money. Buy some dip.
Read on if you want to learn how to get free likes on TikTok.
How do you get more likes on TikTok even if you’re not famous?
Strategy 1: Get to know your audience
Since the dawn of time (or as Youtube was invented), creators have been trying to find ways to hack the system and quickly gain fame and fortune. Knowing your audience is the best way to do this: understand what they want and give it to them. Right?
But trying to mold yourself is actually one of the worst things you can do (and kind of gives you the energy to choose me).
Regardless, those who make the internet great are perceived as real, and often because they are. Your audience wants you to be yourself. TikTok users not only appreciate original content, they also like it. Check out your TikTok analytics for a deeper insight into who your followers are.
Strategy 2: Stay up to date with TikTok trends
If you’re struggling for content ideas, TikTok trends is a great place to look for a source of information. From dance competitions to seasonal photo shoots and trends that people fall in love with, your feed is always full of TikToks made to be recreated.
And if challenge-style trends aren’t tickling your fancy, using a trending song can be just as effective.
Have you ever been so obsessed with a singer, have you bought all of their albums, gone to their concerts, decorated your bedroom with posters and loved anything moderately related to it? Don’t act like the answer is no. You look like an ex-director.
Using trending songs is an easy way to make TikToks that instantly resonate with viewers. A way to shoulder the success of a recognized artist and create instantly identifiable content – a like for Olivia Rodrigo can turn into a like for you.
@bucketsthedrummer Send this to your ex? 🤭 #good4u @livbedumb #oliviarodrigo #bucketdrumming #playing the drums #relationship #at
♬ good 4 u – Olivia Rodrigo
Strategy 3: Follow TikTok influencers
It may seem like your favorite influencer has it all figured out, but even super-famous TikTokkers have videos that are less engaging than others. Bella Poarch has over 84 million followers on the app, and this video has 5.4 million likes, while this video has an average of 700,000 likes (just kidding, 700k likes are a lot but not compared to her other videos).
Paying attention to similar numbers of influencers is a good technique to see how different types of videos are performing at a large scale. The first TikTok references a hugely popular TV show, and the second is pretty simple lip-syncing (in a significantly gorgeous outfit). Watch what influencers are doing and try to translate these strategies into your own content.
Strategy 4: Just ask
Sometimes the most obvious answer is the best answer. One technique of asking for likes involves making videos in two parts and then asking your audience to “like” for part two. It feels like an exchange with your audience. They hit the like button and in return see how the story ends.
But you don’t need TikTok with multiple tracks to solicit likes from your audience. We’re not here to tell you to beg for every TikTok, but there are clever, witty, and effective ways to ask for likes. Here is an example.
@frotnite_pog_clutch Like if you love me 😏
♬ Trippie Redd – Traces of Love – 🙂
How can you resist this?
