Whether it be the cinematic clash between box-office films Barbie and Oppenheimer, the culinary wave known as ‘girl dinner’, or the foreboding question, ‘how often do you think about the Roman Empire?’ These are moments that captivate the attention of millions on TikTok.

As creators, we all want our moment in the viral spotlight. 

But that’s easier said than done.

As someone who’s spent the last few years building a following on TikTok, I’ve found that virality isn’t something to chase. More often than not, virality comes when you least expect it—something catches fire and before you know it, your content is getting shared by millions of people you never knew existed.

That said, I do believe there’s a simple strategy any creator can use to touch virality more often and grow their following.

Since I’m no gatekeeper, I've broken down this strategy into four simple practices that you can use to position yourself for virality. Let’s talk about them! 

Tap Into Viral Moments ‍

For creators, virality comes when you least expect it. That’s what makes the creator economy so interesting and unpredictable—you can have 100 videos that flop and all it takes is one to put you on the fast track to virality.

That said, tapping into viral moments is a simple hack that any creator can add to their arsenal if they are looking to steal the eyes of TikTok users.

When I say tapping into viral moments, I’m not talking about hijacking a dance that’s already been done 100,000 times, but instead observing the trends and exploring ways to put your own spin on it. This could be as simple as visiting a trending place and sharing your perspective or attending an event that is in the trending TikTok conversation. 

This is something I learned firsthand when I waited a grueling 10 hours in the Wendy’s drive-thru just to get a taste of their Rick & Morty collaboration. I had no idea what to expect, but by just showing up and documenting my experience, I got over 1.9 million views—humble brag, I know. 

All this to say, viral moments are happening all around us and often they are missed because we’re overthinking it. My best piece of advice is to seek these viral moments out and show your unique point of view—you’ll be surprised at how many people will enjoy it.  ‍

Tell A Compelling Story‍

A compelling story wins the attention of audiences every single time, especially on TikTok. The more you build a connected story in your content, the better it will perform, plain and simple.

This should be obvious if you’ve been making content, but there are creators on TikTok who skip this part and wonder why their content isn’t getting noticed. 

A compelling story doesn’t need to be 10 minutes long and feel like a documentary—that’s what YouTube is for. It can be a simple idea that starts with an alluring hook, something that grabs the audience and keeps them interested. From there, you can drop breadcrumb bites of ideas that culminate in a final reveal, bringing your content full circle.

In my experience as a creator, the content that performs best on TikTok snatches your attention in the first 3 seconds. Whether it’s a shocking statement, crazy clip, personal hot take, wild reaction, or interesting thought, those first three seconds are crucial. We’ve all heard the joke that humans have the attention span of a goldfish, but it’s true! Users on TikTok will skip over content if it doesn’t move them right away.

I know, creating a story feels like a lot of pressure but allow me to give you a helpful tip.

Be observant. The more observant you are of your day-to-day activities, the more opportunities you will find for storytelling. It can be as simple as your daily coffee run, a meal at a restaurant, or hanging out with your friends. There are tons of small moments that happen in these experiences that are relatable and human, making them perfect moments to tell a great story. 

This happened to me back in 2020 when my mom and I found a baby bird in our pool and decided to rescue it. It wasn’t planned, I didn’t have a script, all I did was film what was going on around me which resulted in over 9.5 million views on one video! 

My encouragement to any creator who has an idea for a piece of content is to ask themselves, “what story can I tell?” before you pick up the camera and hit record. By asking this question, you will begin to see stories happening around you and put them into content.

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Be Consistent With Posting‍

Consistency is key on TikTok. It doesn’t matter if you have 100 followers or 1 million, TikTok wants to see you showing up and posting on a regular basis. 

For some creators this means posting every single day. For others, it can mean posting multiple times a week—it all depends on what content you make, who your audience is, and what kind of cadence you’ve developed with your followers. 

Consistency isn't merely a schedule; it's a commitment to the relationship between you and your  audience. It establishes trust, creating a deeper connection with those who support your content on a regular basis. 

These posts are the threads that make up your narrative, each video a chapter in the evolving story of your personal brand. The algorithm rewards this narrative coherence, favoring creators who contribute regularly to the platform's tapestry.

Going viral on TikTok isn't a happy accident; it's a calculated approach that demands regularity. Like clockwork, consistent posting cultivates an audience's anticipation, creating recurring engagements with your content. At the end of the day, TikTok's algorithm favors those who honor the beat of frequent engagement.

When it comes to virality, TikTok, as a platform, thrives on trends and cycles. Consistent posting ensures that you are not just a participant but a contributor to these cycles, capitalizing on the ebb and flow of popular content.

‍Inspire, Educate, Or Entertain ‍

Before embarking on your content creation journey, ask yourself this question: “Do I aim to inspire, educate, or entertain?”

These three pillars form the bedrock of compelling content not just on TikTok but across all social platforms. Consider the myriad content that graces your daily feed — artists inspiring other creatives to pick up the paintbrush, comedians sharing hilarious moments of entertainment, health coaches educating audiences on how to improve their well-being. TikTok’s landscape is inundated with these themes across all forms of content. 

Yet, the magic often lies in overlap. Viral content seamlessly fits into multiple categories—creators intertwining inspiration and entertainment or seamlessly blending education with entertainment. This fusion, where content serves multifaceted value, holds the key to virality.

As you start developing content ideas, embrace the identity of your creation. Delve into the core of your content, understanding its inherent value and how it can consistently deliver inspiration, education, or entertainment with each post. 

With time and consistency, you'll discover that your audience resonates with a specific thematic pillar, guiding your content path as you grow.