If you create content on TikTok you will already know that appearing in the For you section is key to growth. That is why many users are obsessed with finding out how the recommendation algorithm works and thus be able to build successful formulas that allow them to create viral videos. Something that is not easy, not even now that TikTok explained how they select the videos they recommend.
TikTok and your personalized recommendations
Appearing in the For You section has long been the great goal of many TikTokers. Because achieving it meant having a lot of possibilities to succeed within the platform. And of course, that then translated into more followers, views and being able to put on that Influencer title that many pursue.
The problem is that it is not easy to find out how it really works, not even with the explanations that the company itself has given about how a video on TikTok becomes viral . But if you are interested, we are going to tell you how the whole process is.
How TikTok selects content for you
With many nuances involved and a more complex process than we are going to tell you about, because there are many variables to consider, roughly it could be said that this is the way in which TikTok is selecting the videos that it will show you in the section for you.
When a new video is uploaded to the platform, TikTok’s recommendation algorithm selects it and first displays it to a very small group of users . These may or may not follow the creator, but they are the first step in a process that will then be repeated or not based on their first reactions.
That is, that first group receives the content and if the reactions and interactions are favorable, for example, marking it as a favorite, giving it to share, etc., TikTok considers that they liked it and will show it again, but this time to a larger group . And so on and on and on and on until it stops generating interest among the users it is shown to.
Therefore, that is the basis of how the list of videos that you see appear in the For you section is being made. And also the reason that from time to time a video appears with hardly any visualizations , there you are one of those first users on whom the future of said content will depend.
Logically, to this way of recommending and selecting content we must add other elements that also help said algorithm. The use of labels, songs that may be in fashion, sounds, etc., make them add options to appear in more and more recommendation feeds. Although, yes, some criteria for which the company was accused, such as avoiding videos of unattractive people, with disabilities, etc., say that they do not affect. Although it is curious to see that even the device the user uses has an impact on the recommended content.
Therefore, the basis of the success of any TikTok video could be summed up in this:
- Have a good initial acceptance among those users to whom your video is shown
- Achieve I like, that they see the video in full, share and follow you
- Take advantage of labels, songs and themes of the moment
- To a lesser extent, be in the same country of the users you want to reach and the language
These are all things that were more or less intuited, but now that we really know how it is growing and showing itself to more and more users, these are aspects that would have to be done more consciously if you want to be someone within the network. Although the best thing will always be to enjoy what is done.
In addition, if you are already a user with a certain weight, it is true that it will be much easier for you to place your videos among the most viewed, even if they are no longer as fresh or fun as at the beginning. But do not get confused, because it can take its toll.
Why TikTok “reveals” its secret formula
If you wonder why TikTok has almost unveiled its secret formula, although all it really did is give a general explanation of a much more complex process and where millions of additional data must be considered, the answer lies in the accusations it has received lately. .
From various sectors, especially from users and legislators in the US, the company has received complaints showing concerns regarding the security and content displayed on the platform. Because, as happened with YouTube and other platforms, these algorithms can be a big problem when creating echo chambers for users with related themes that enhance and amplify their speech.
And these are sometimes not bad, because they deal with subjects as varied as humor, decoration or any other. But imagine that more dangerous ones are given weight, such as racism, conspiracy theories, etc. Well, with this TikTok publication that belongs to ByteDance, one of the Chinese technology giants, you want to be a little more transparent and avoid suspicions regarding your actions.
