5 Ways to Find Popular Hashtags on TikTok

Hashtags hold the secret to getting your content seen on TikTok. You can have the most creative video on the platform, but no one will see it without popular hashtags. This can be incredibly frustrating. After all, you want to create TikTok Content Ideas that resonates with others, and that’s hard to do if there’s no audience to hear your message. 

In this blog, we’ll explore popular hashtags on TikTok and how they can inspire your next viral video.  We'll help you identify trending topics to create engaging content that gets seen.

Virlo’s virality analysis tool helps you get to the fun part—creating TikTok content that attracts an audience. Our tool identifies popular hashtags on TikTok, so you can target your next video to what’s trending on the platform right now. 

Table of Content

• Benefits of Using Hashtags on TikTok

• 5 Ways to Find Popular Hashtags on TikTok

• How Many Hashtags Should You Use on TikTok

• 6 Tips to Use Hashtags on TikTok

• Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Benefits of Using Hashtags on TikTok

Get Your TikTok Seen by More People with Hashtags

Using hashtags on TikTok can help you get your content in front of users who aren’t already following your account. Using a hashtag relevant to your video’s content could attract users who are already interested in the topic. For example, adding #DIYProject could help your video appear in the search results of people searching for the hashtag.

Boost Your TikTok Engagement  

Better visibility could also translate to higher engagement rates. When more people see your TikTok content, there’s a chance many of them would want to engage with it by liking or commenting on it.

Hashtags Help You Build a Community on TikTok  

Branded TikTok hashtags are a great way to create a community around your business. You could encourage your audience to create videos using a brand-specific hashtag. This will help you build a strong community of followers who enjoy sharing content related to or relevant to your business. 

For example, Jellycat has built a community around the #jellycat hashtag. Users post about their own Jellycat stuffies, talk about launches, and more. The hashtag has generated 1 billion views, proving the popularity of these videos.

Find Your TikTok Competitors With Hashtags  

Popular industry-specific hashtags can also help you uncover other businesses using the hashtag. You can also conduct a competitive analysis using this hashtag data (among other metrics) to find their strategies, content, and performance, and benchmark your TikTok performance against theirs.

Use Hashtags to Get TikTok Content Ideas  

Searches for category-specific hashtags will generate results for top-performing content relevant to the hashtag. This is a great way to see what resonates with your target audience and get content inspiration.

Find Relevant TikTok Influencers With Hashtags  

You can also use hashtag searches to discover influential accounts creating content relevant to the hashtag. If you plan on running an influencer marketing campaign, this is a great way to discover TikTok influencers you can partner with.

Jump in on TikTok Trends With Hashtags  

TikTok trends come and go, but capitalizing on the right ones at the right time can help boost visibility and engagement. When you create content based on trending hashtags, you’re showing your followers that your brand is fun and relevant. 

Discover trends by tapping the search icon in the top right corner of your TikTok home feed. You’ll see popular trends and topics the app thinks you’ll like based on your activity. Browse TikTok like someone in your target audience might to see what content ideas pop up.

Monitor Your TikTok Performance With Hashtags  

Hashtags—especially branded hashtags—are a key component of social media monitoring on the TikTok platform. TikTok monitoring can help you track and respond to social engagements to understand your target audience and protect your brand. Use a TikTok monitoring tool to gain insights about your target audiences, competitors, and brand sentiment.

5 Ways to Find Popular Hashtags on TikTok

1. Use Virlo to Find Popular Hashtags on TikTok 

Virlo is an innovative tool designed to help short-form video creators find their footing on TikTok and other platforms. The tool analyzes viral trends using AI to help video creators identify what types of content are currently performing well and why. With Virlo, you can discover trending hashtags, optimize your posting schedule, find viral sounds, and even figure out what kind of videos will most likely get you noticed by TikTok's algorithm. If you're serious about going viral on TikTok, Virlo can help you crack the code. 

2. Check the Discover Page for Trending Hashtags

Want to find popular hashtags on TikTok? Start with the platform's Discover page. This page features a curated selection of trending content, and as you browse through it, you can find different categories like "Popular," "Trending," and "Hot." As you scroll, pay attention to any hashtags that keep showing up. These are the ones that are currently trending, and you may consider using them in your content. 

3. Use the Search Bar to Find Relevant Hashtags 

Another way to find popular hashtags on TikTok is to use the search bar. Type in a keyword related to your niche or topic, then scroll through the results to see which hashtags are used. Again, take note of any hashtags that are popular or trending, and consider incorporating them into your content. 

4. Look at Other Users in Your Niche 

If you're in a specific niche or industry, it can be helpful to see what other users in that niche are doing. Check out other accounts in your niche and see which hashtags they use. You can also use TikTok's "Duet" feature to create a video inspired by another user's content. This can help you tap into the hashtags they're using and potentially reach a wider audience. 

5. Use a Hashtag Analytics Tool 

Finally, you can use a hashtag analytics tool to find trending hashtags on TikTok. These tools can help you identify which hashtags are currently popular and how often they are used. Some popular hashtag analytics tools for TikTok include Hashtagify, Tokboard, and Inssist. These tools can be beneficial if you're looking to track the performance of specific hashtags over time.

Related Reading

• Times to Post on TikTok
• TikTok Content Ideas
• Top TikTok Influencers

How Many Hashtags Should You Use on TikTok

TikTok creators and marketers have been asking themselves this question for a long time. But just like for Instagram hashtags, there’s no one answer. Most experts say the TikTok algorithm prefers several 3-5 hashtags. You should avoid using too many hashtags. It might make your video look a bit spammy, and TikTok’s algorithm may struggle to find who your target audience is. But I get it, defining the best hashtags for each post can be challenging. That’s why specialists developed an exciting (and practical) strategy called the “3×3 Hashtag Rule”. The idea is to answer every need for a great hashtag strategy by adding hashtags from three crucial categories. Here’s how it works: 

1. Add 3 Industry-Specific Hashtags

Start with three hashtags that directly speak to your field. If you’re a new digital marketing tool, you’d consider tags like #DigitalMarketing, #SEOTools, or #MarketingStrategy. Hashtags from this section act like your business card on TikTok, clearly defining your niche. This is also a place to include your branded hashtags. 

2. Add 3 Problem-Solving Hashtags

Next, focus on three hashtags that address pain points or solutions in your industry. You may have mentioned some in your video. This is the place to highlight it. Let’s say your TikTok explains how to get more traffic on a blog – #IncreaseTraffic, #EngagementTips, or #BlogOptimization is your go-to. This part of 3×3 allows you to align your content with your audience's needs or challenges. 

3. Add 3 Target Audience Hashtags

Lastly, who’s your ideal viewer? Identify three hashtags that resonate with your desired demographic. For instance, your target could be #SmallBusinessOwners, #MarketingManagers, or #OnlineEntrepreneurs. 

Virlo helps short-form content creators crack the code of virality through AI-powered trend analysis. Our platform combines creator insights with advanced analytics to identify winning content patterns, optimal posting times, and successful audio/video combinations that help your content stand out. 

Perfect for independent creators looking to build a sustainable side business, Virlo takes the guesswork out of content strategy. We analyze the latest viral trends and help you understand when to post and what combinations of elements drive engagement. Whether you're just starting or looking to optimize your existing content, Virlo increases your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

6 Tips to Use Hashtags on TikTok

1. Use Virlo for Finding Trendy Hashtags

Virlo helps short-form content creators crack the code of virality through AI-powered trend analysis. Our platform combines creator insights with advanced analytics to identify winning content patterns, optimal posting times, and successful audio/video combinations that help your content stand out. 

Perfect for independent creators looking to build a sustainable side business, Virlo takes the guesswork out of content strategy. We analyze the latest viral trends and help you understand when to post and what combinations of elements drive engagement. Whether you're just starting or looking to optimize your existing content, Virlo increases your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

2. Mix Popular and Niche Hashtags

Hashtags come in all shapes and sizes. There are popular hashtags with millions of posts, and then there are niche hashtags that aren’t that crowded. My advice? Use a mix of both. Famous hashtags will boost visibility and reach a broader audience; niche hashtags will ensure you establish authority in your niche and build a social media community.

For example, if you’re a food creator, #foodie would be a popular hashtag, and #weeknightrecipes would be a niche one.

3. Steer Clear of Irrelevant Hashtags

Don’t use generic hashtags like #foryoupage too much. They dilute the authority of your TikTok profile. It’s better to use more relevant, niche-related hashtags that reflect the topics of your TikTok content. Using irrelevant hashtags can also hurt your overall performance as the algorithm gets confused about your niche.

4. Monitor Trending TikTok Hashtags

You now know how TikTok hashtags work and how quickly their relevance can fade. Keep an eye on the TikTok Creative Center to monitor trending hashtag challenges and use them where relevant. The algorithm loves trending content, too, so this will boost your performance.

5. Create a Branded Hashtag

Creating a branded hashtag allows you to boost brand visibility and recall. You can even start using your hashtags for sales, promotions, unique offers, or influencer partnerships. The only thing to remember is to ensure your hashtags are easy to remember and catchy, so more people latch onto them.

6. Measure Hashtag Performance

Monitor your TikTok analytics to find which hashtags boost your reach the most and double down on them. If you have multiple hashtags, notice which ones drive the most engagement.

Related Reading

• How Long Does It Take for a TikTok to Go Viral
• TikTok Trend Discovery
• How Does the TikTok Algorithm Work
• How to Get More Views on TikTok
• TikTok Keyword Research

Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Think of the virality analysis tool as TikTok's crystal ball. It helps you see your content's future before you even post it. This powerful tool analyzes TikTok's latest viral trends and predicts which combinations of elements will help your content go viral. 

With Virlo’s tool, you can discover which hashtags, sounds, trends, and thumbnail images are boosting engagement to create a video optimized for virality. 

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• How to Increase Engagement on TikTok
• How to Find TikTok Trends
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