35 TikTok Content Ideas to Go Viral

When you scroll through TikTok or YouTube Shorts, do you ever feel overwhelmed by the creative content? Every video you watch has a theme, and it can be tough to figure out what your niche should be and what type of content your audience will respond to. 

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on a blank page, wondering what to create, you’re not alone. This guide will help you get unstuck by providing a variety of TikTok content ideas to help spark your creativity and get you making videos that will attract attention in no time.

One of the best ways to get started is by identifying viral trends for short-form content. This can help you determine what type of content your audience is looking for and how to make it your own. Virlo’s virality analysis tool can help you spot these trends and understand how to create videos that will get you noticed.

Table of Contents

• Benefits of TikTok Marketing

• 35 TikTok Content Ideas to Go Viral

• 13 Tips to Go Viral on TikTok

• How to Find Trending TikTok Ideas

• Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Benefits of TikTok Marketing

1. Boost Your Brand's Profile and Personality on TikTok  

The numbers related to TikTok usage are staggering. In 2021, there were nearly 78.7 million TikTok users in the United States. That number is projected to grow by 8% annually, which means there’s a ton of opportunity for brands to expand their reach and improve their identity on the app. TikTok is unique in its lighthearted and casual approach to content sharing. To resonate with TikTok users and enhance your brand’s identity, it’s best to create content that matches this established tone. 

For example, you might approach your videos humorously or share behind-the-scenes footage of your business and operations. The clothing retailer Zara, for example, uses TikTok to share immersive in-store experiences, while BMW posts behind-the-scenes glimpses into the shooting of its marketing content. Whatever approach you take, your creativity and angle will contribute to—and hopefully enhance—your brand identity.

2. Amplify Your Brand Awareness with TikTok  

Similarly, TikTok offers opportunities for increased brand awareness. A key method for growing brand awareness on the platform is hashtags, which allow content creators to jump on popular trends and gain significant traction from their posts. Like Twitter and other social media platforms, TikTok allows users to browse videos according to trending topics and hashtags. This means that by tailoring your content to a popular trend, you can significantly enhance the number of views your videos receive.

3. Team Up with TikTok Influencers  

Linked with building brand awareness is the vast opportunity to work with influencers to promote your brand, products, or services. Reaching out to influencers with large followings can help your business reach a much larger audience. TikTok has actually helped streamline this process for businesses by creating the TikTok Creator Marketplace with an analytics tool that allows businesses to find an influencer that’s right for them.

4. Utilize TikTok's User-Generated Content Features  

A great feature of TikTok is that it allows users to repurpose content published by other creators, using the ‘duet’ and ‘stitch’ features. This means businesses can effectively launch campaigns on the backs of other creators at a relatively low cost. An example of this is a campaign by Chipotle launched in Spring 2020 called #ChipotleSponserMe. In addition to posting the campaign themselves, the company also reached out to six TikTok influencers and asked them to encourage their viewers to contact Chipotle on TikTok and request free Chipotle food for a year. The campaign went viral, attracting over a billion views in just a few weeks.

5. Reach Your Target Market Faster on TikTok  

While having a presence on any popular social media platform can be a great way to attract customers, TikTok user engagement trends suggest the app offers businesses the most bang for their buck. The app has 50 million active users in the U.S. daily, spending an average of 33 minutes daily. That puts it just behind Facebook in terms of daily engagement. This effectively means you can reach a larger audience much quicker by creating a presence on the platform.

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35 TikTok Content Ideas to Go Viral

1. Sneak Peek into Everyday Life  

Give your audience a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your daily operations. This could include team meetings, product development, or event preparations. This transparency builds trust and fosters a deeper connection with your audience. 

2. Practical Tips and Life Hacks  

Share practical tips related to your niche. For instance, if you're in the tech industry, demonstrate smartphone shortcuts or productivity hacks. 

3. Tutorials and How-To Guides  

Create step-by-step guides showcasing how to use your products or services effectively. This educates your audience and positions you as an authority in your field. 

4. Recipe Demonstrations  

Sharing simple recipes can humanize your brand even if you're not in the food industry. For example, a fashion brand could share a favorite team recipe while showcasing their apparel. 

5. Testing Viral Hacks  

Try out trending hacks and share your honest experience. This not only entertains but also provides valuable insights to your audience.

6. Collaborations with Other Creators  

Partner with influencers or complementary brands to create joint content. This expands your reach and introduces your brand to new audiences.

7. Engaging with Popular Audio   

Create lip-sync videos that engage with trending sounds. This taps into existing trends and increases the likelihood of your content being discovered. 

8. Branded Hashtag Challenges  

Launch a unique challenge encouraging users to create content around your brand. This fosters community engagement and user-generated content.

9. User-Generated Content (UGC) Features  

Highlight content created by your customers or fans. This provides social proof and encourages more users to share their experiences.

10. Influencer Partnerships  

Collaborate with influencers to promote your products or services. Their endorsement can significantly boost your brand's credibility and reach. 

11. Humanizing Your Brand  

Share personal stories or experiences from team members. This adds a relatable touch and strengthens the emotional connection with your audience.

12. Trending and Topical Content  

Stay updated with current events or trends and create content that aligns with them. This keeps your brand relevant and timely. 

13. Inside the Creative Process  

Document the journey of creating a product or campaign. This transparency can intrigue and engage your audience. 

14. Inspirational Videos  

Share motivational stories or messages that resonate with your brand values. This can uplift your audience and foster a positive brand image. 

15. Sneak Peeks of Upcoming Products  

Build anticipation by giving your audience a glimpse of new products or features before their official launch. 

16. Q&A Sessions  

Answer frequently asked questions or address common concerns casually and engagingly. This positions your brand as approachable and responsive. 

17. Audience Polls and Feedback  

Engage your audience by asking for their opinions or preferences on various topics related to your brand. 

18. Educational Content  

Provide informative content that adds value to your audience's lives, such as industry insights or tips. 

19. Vlogs and Recaps  

Share daily or weekly recaps of your brand's activities, events, or milestones. This keeps your audience informed and engaged.

20. Collaboration Videos  

Work with other creators or brands to produce content that benefits both parties. This can introduce your brand to new audiences and foster partnerships.

21. #StoryTime Videos  

Narrate interesting or humorous stories related to your brand or industry. This adds a personal touch and entertains your audience. 

22. Product Introductions  

Create engaging videos that introduce your products, highlighting their features and benefits. 

23. Tips and Tricks  

Share useful tips or hacks related to your products or services, enhancing their value to customers. 

24. Duets and Stitches  

Engage with other creators' content by creating duets or stitches, adding your unique perspective or reaction. 

25. Live Streams  

Host live sessions to interact with your audience in real-time, answer questions, or showcase products.

26. Point-of-View (POV) Videos  

Create content from a first-person perspective to immerse your audience in a particular experience or scenario.

27. Customer Testimonials  

Feature satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences with your brand. This builds trust and credibility. 

28. Before-and-After Transformations  

Showcase the impact of your products or services through compelling before-and-after visuals.

29. Unboxing Videos  

Share the unboxing experience of your products, highlighting packaging and first impressions.

30. Product Comparisons  

Compare your products with competitors to highlight unique features and advantages.

31. Seasonal Content  

Create content that aligns with holidays or seasonal events, offering relevant promotions or messages.

32. Behind-the-Scenes of Events  

Document your participation in industry events, trade shows, or community activities.

33. Employee Spotlights  

Introduce team members, sharing their roles and contributions to humanize your brand.

34. Time-Lapse Videos  

Capture processes or events over time, such as setting up a store or creating a product.

35. User Challenges  

Encourage your audience to participate in challenges related to your brand, fostering engagement and community. 

How Virlo Can Help You Navigate the World of TikTok Content Ideas 

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 in today's fast-moving social environment.

13 Tips to Go Viral on TikTok

1. Use Virlo to Unlock TikTok Virality

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 enables you to increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

2. Understand How TikTok Videos Go Viral

First things first: What does it mean for a TikTok video to go viral? A video is considered viral on TikTok if it receives hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of views. To achieve this, you must get on the good side of TikTok’s algorithm, which is designed to show users videos they’re most likely to enjoy. If your content makes TikTok’s algorithm happy, it’ll be pushed to a worldwide audience through the For You page. Sure, you’re up against millions of creators all trying to get the attention of TikTok’s billion-plus global audience. 

But if you want your content to go viral and be shared far and wide, getting your video on TikTok’s For You page is your best shot! Videos here usually tap into popular culture, meme-worthy moments, or popular songs. Look at how the Wednesday Dance or the wiggle walk trend inspired by Aristocats repeatedly appears on your feed. As you’ll see, there’s more than one way to pop up on people’s feeds. Let’s dive into some of the most effective ways to go viral on TikTok.

3. Use Trending Songs and Sounds on TikTok

Music plays a significant role on TikTok. After all, it started as a lip-syncing app called musical.ly before growing into a global beast with the potential to catapult hits to worldwide stardom. Throwing songs on TikTok made up 13 of the 14 Billboard Hot 100 number ones in 2022. But how does using a popular song boost your content? Featuring a trending song or sound in your video helps TikTok group it with similar content. 

If people enjoy other videos that are soundtracked with the same song, TikTok is likelier to share your clip with them too. Take Little Girl Gone by CHINCHILLA as an example. The song has inspired trends relating to both fantasy fiction and allowing women. If you create content in a similar niche and soundtrack it with that song, you’re likelier to appear in the For You feed of people enjoying those trends. It’s an effective way of finding a new audience!

4. Spark Curiosity 

According to TikTok, content intended to spark curiosity keeps users watching 1.4 times longer. The longer users watch your videos, the more likely the algorithm will see the content as worth surfacing to other users. According to TikTok, 60% of Gen Z TikTok users say the platform helps them discover new things, so give them something to learn. To inspire curiosity, create content around new ideas, groundbreaking technologies, innovative hacks, or other things users may not typically see on the platform. 

5. Choose Hashtags Wisely 

Hashtags can help you unlock whole new audiences if you use them wisely. All it takes is a few well-picked hashtags to help your videos appear in people’s searches, attracting more viewers to your content. Choosing the right hashtags is crucial. Go too broad with a well-used hashtag like #FYP and you’ll be competing with millions of other videos. On the other hand, if your hashtags are too niche, no one will likely be searching for them. 

The best strategy is to find a few particularly relevant hashtags for your video and pick the most popular ones. Don’t shy away from mixing up niche hashtags with more general ones. As long as they’re relevant to your video, there’s every chance you’ll capture new viewers interested in your content. 

6. Post Consistently and at the Right Times 

One factor TikTok’s algorithm looks at is the amount of activity (comments, likes, shares, etc.) a particular video generates. It does not necessarily consider whether a user has had high-performing videos in the past. This gives every video an equal shot at going viral. This means the more often you post, the higher your chances of getting viral. One key consideration when creating a TikTok strategy is to follow a predictable posting schedule for fans. The goal here is not to hit a certain number of posts in a period but to be consistent. 

For instance, posting two videos a day for a week and then going silent for a month isn’t a good tactic; even ardent followers may miss some of your frequently posted videos, and your long absence may mean you’re no longer top of mind, an essential consideration for conversions and sales. When to post on TikTok. Aside from posting frequently, doing so at the right time is also necessary. After all, going viral means getting as many eyes on your TikTok video as possible, which means you should be posting when most of your target audience is active on TikTok. 

You want your post published during peak usage hours, when you’ll most likely get views. According to research, several time slots throughout the day can result in high engagement rates. In particular, Mondays at 10 a.m., Wednesdays at 8 a.m., and Fridays at 1 p.m. are the three best times to post on TikTok, as the content published during these hours tends to generate higher engagement. 

However, remember that while these are great guidelines, the best time for you to post will ultimately depend on factors like your niche market, your target audience’s location, and when they’re most likely to be browsing TikTok. Your own data from TikTok Insights should dictate your optimal posting time.

7. Keep Videos Punchy

You want TikTok to know people are finding your videos addictive to watch. There’s no time for long, drawn-out cuts and rambling monologues. Get to the point and cut out any part of your video that gives viewers a reason to scroll past it. 

8. Tell a Story 

Storytelling is consistently one of the best ways to draw people in. TikTok identified “Storytelling unhinged” as a trend force for 2024. This refers to unpredictable storytelling with unique characters and formats. One of the most popular among these is creator Reesa Teesa’s 50-video arc, “Who TF did I marry?” Whether or not you want to follow this particular format, using storytelling is a powerful way to engage with followers and customers. 

This is especially true on TikTok, a platform that values engaging stories over highly polished branded content. Whether it’s a serialized tale or a short and heartfelt one-off, like this story from loungewear brand Girl Crush about its inception, authentic storytelling can build trust and affinity with your target audience. 

9. Master the Edit 

In addition to keeping your content super punchy, you want to keep people hooked by making the most of TikTok’s editing tools. Add eye-catching effects, choose a standout soundtrack, and get creative with the edit. Use TikTok’s features to bring your video to life and keep people watching. Take a look at Yoeslan’s creepy clown clips for inspiration. He uses snappy shots and effects to keep people gripped through his videos. 

10. Interact With Your Followers 

Knowing how to use TikTok successfully means understanding the importance of interaction and engagement. If you’re serious about going viral on the platform, your efforts shouldn’t end with posting content. Social networks are a great place to interact with your customers, and TikTok is no exception. Engage with your followers and encourage them to interact with you by replying to comments. 

This helps create a sense of community and increases the chances of your content going viral since the TikTok algorithm rewards interaction. You can encourage engagement by including a call to action in your videos. For example, you can sign off your videos by asking your followers to leave me a comment, share their thoughts, share my TikTok video, follow my account, or even respond with a video of their own using the Stitch or Duet features. 

11. Encourage Interaction 

TikTok has told us that user interactions play a part in deciding which videos to share with a broader audience. Encourage viewers to hit the like button if they enjoy your video, or ask people to drop a comment. By asking your audience what they’d like to see next from you, you can even get fresh ideas for your next video. For example, Australian chef Andy Cook often asks his followers to suggest the following recipe for him to try out.

12. Collaborate With Other Content Creators 

Partnering with popular creators using influencer marketing can not only boost your reach and increase the chances of your content going viral, but it can also increase trust and generate more sales. In fact, 33% of millennial users say TikTok inspired them to buy something recommended by a creator. A good partnership creates a win-win situation for both parties by expanding the content’s reach and visibility. 

When looking for TikTok creators and influencers to work with, consider whether they’re relevant to your niche, to ensure you’ll garner the proper attention. If you’re new to TikTok, it may be challenging to find a content creator who wants to work with you immediately. Start by following the influencers you may one day want to collaborate with, understanding their style, and interacting with their posts. Contact them with a collaboration proposal once you’ve built up a solid following. 

13. Vary Your Video Length 

Varying the lengths of your videos can optimize viewer engagement. While TikTok is known for its short-form videos, research shows longer videos get more views. Mixing up your formats can help your brand stand out. Videos of less than 15 seconds are perfect for quick, impactful content that’s easy to consume and share. 

This format appeals to fast-scrolling users who prefer snappy, memorable content they can watch on the go. Medium-length videos, between 30 seconds and a minute, allow for more detailed storytelling or tutorials. Long videos, up to three minutes, are ideal for in-depth exploration. You can use these long videos to showcase your expertise and provide valuable insight that helps build a loyal and engaged audience.

How to Find Trending TikTok Ideas

1. Use Virlo to Discover TikTok Content Ideas 

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. Use the TikTok Search Bar to Find Ideas for Content 

The search bar on TikTok can help you uncover trending content ideas easily. When you go to the search bar, suggested trending topics appear in a list. Topics with a red fire emoji are trending. You can tap on the magnifying glass icon and go to search to see a list of popular topics and trends that appear on the screen. 

3. Scroll the FYP for TikTok Content Ideas 

The For You Page may be the most common way to stay on top of what’s popular on the app. When you scroll the FYP, look for patterns and familiar sounds. Take note of what people are doing as “the trend.” Check the sound page and notice how many videos have been made using that sound, along with the date. Those will be good indicators as to if it’s a good trend to jump on. 

4. Use the TikTok Creative Center to Find Content Ideas 

In the TikTok Creative Center, you can find trending hashtags and filter by date range and the industry you’re in. You can also see trending songs, creators, videos, and more here. You can filter by performance metrics like engagement, popularity, region, and followers. If you toggle to the TikTok videos tab, you can filter further by what’s hot and the number of likes, comments, and shares. 

5. Find TikTok Sounds on Streaming Playlists 

On Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play, you can type “TikTok” into the search bar to find many playlists of the most popular and trending sounds. On Spotify, TikTok has its official playlist with the latest and hottest sounds, sorted by region.

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Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

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 not just when to post but also what combinations of elements drive engagement. Whether you're just starting or looking to optimize your existing content, Virlo helps you increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

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