How to GAIN TikTok Followers Organically (and monetize $$$)

Tick Tock is a gold mine. In all my time working on social media, I've never seen a platform where you can grow and monetize an audience easier than on TikTok. With the right strategy, you can literally have 100,000 followers in a matter of weeks. I just grew an account from zero to over 85,000 followers by posting only about 65 times, which means I'm getting over 1,000 followers per video.

Today I'll share what actually works on TikTok and why so you can achieve similar results. Make sure to stick around to the end because the monetization strategy I share is still super untapped and worth your time.

Understanding the TikTok Algorithm

Before diving into strategies, you need to understand how the TikTok algorithm works. If you're not creating content that triggers the algorithm, you're not going to grow. Even serious business owners make this mistake—posting content with zero consideration for what the algorithm rewards. Despite having good information, poor delivery ensures the algorithm never picks it up.

The TikTok algorithm is drastically different from other social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube Shorts. The primary thing you need to focus on is watch time. If your content keeps viewers watching the whole way through and staying on the platform, TikTok will reward you by pushing your content to more people.

The TikTok Algorithm: Levels of Views

Think of the TikTok algorithm as a video game with various levels. Every time you post content, you start at level one, which might be the first 100 views. Once you hit these views, the algorithm re-evaluates your metrics. If your watch time remains high, TikTok moves your content to level two, which is 1,000 views, and so on. There's no ceiling for how many views you can get, even for a brand-new account.

Maximizing Watch Time

With all this in mind, how do we maximize watch time? Here are a few strategies:

Shorter Videos: Recording shorter videos can get you a higher percentage of watch time. If someone watches 90% of your 10-second video, it’s much better than only 20 seconds of your minute-long video.
Captions and Text: Many viewers are consuming TikTok in noisy environments or at work. Captions and text on the screen can make it easier to consume your content.

Difference Between TikTok and Other Platforms

Unlike Instagram, which pushes your content first to your follower base, TikTok pushes it to anyone. This is why you see accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers but poor engagement. TikTok only cares about how your recent videos perform to decide on the initial push of your content.

Niching Down

TikTok shows content to people who like similar content. If you go too broad with your topics, you confuse the algorithm. Help the algorithm categorize you by following other creators in your space, engaging with content in your niche, and using targeted hashtags.

Growth Stages: From Zero to Monetization

Your goal should be to grow from zero to 25,000 followers first. Don’t focus on monetization or anything else. Once you build a large enough base, you can engage your audience better and finally monetize.

Monetization Example: E-Commerce

Let’s take an example of monetization via e-commerce. If your account is about fitness, you could capitalize on the cold plunging trend:

Find a Product: Cold plunging is a trending topic. Find a product like cold plunge tubs.
Set Up Your Store: Use Shopify and a template copying app to create your online store. You can rewrite the product descriptions using tools like Jasper.
Source Products: Use suppliers that can offer products at cheaper rates. For example, a $ 150 cold plunge tub could be sourced for $ 46.
Create/Share Content: Make or share engaging videos related to your product and post them on TikTok.

This method can work with any niche—fitness, dog products, fashion, etc.

Conclusion

These are just the starting steps. I’ll be covering many more strategies and tips in future articles.

Keywords

TikTok, social media growth, TikTok followers, TikTok algorithm, watch time, engagement, e-commerce, monetization, targeted hashtags, shorter videos, captions.

FAQ

Q: How does the TikTok algorithm work? A: The TikTok algorithm rewards content with high watch time by pushing it to more viewers, regardless of your follower count.

Q: How can I maximize watch time on TikTok? A: Use strategies like creating shorter videos and adding captions or text to make your content more accessible.

Q: How is TikTok different from other platforms like Instagram? A: Unlike Instagram, which tests content on your follower base first, TikTok pushes content out to new audiences, making it easier for new accounts to gain traction.

Q: What is the best initial goal for a new TikTok account? A: Focus on growing from zero to 25,000 followers before considering monetization.

Q: How can I start monetizing my TikTok account? A: One effective strategy is e-commerce. Find trending, niche-relevant products, set up an online store, and create engaging content around those products.