When venturing into the competitive realm of the music industry, you must explore various ways to promote your work. Yet, it’s hardly a straightforward endeavor.
A vast array of options, combined with the complex dynamics of the industry and the challenges of monetizing an artistic career, often render the dream of becoming a successful singer feasible only for a select few fortunate and talented individuals. However, the landscape is evolving with the emergence of social media. In the past, breaking into the industry meant persuading a label to release your work. Today, there are alternative routes to reaching a larger audience, with TikTok emerging as a potent channel.
The platform developed by Beijing-based company ByteDance has garnered widespread acclaim, thanks to its groundbreaking algorithm, which adeptly tailors content to users’ interests, introducing them to new discoveries. TikTok serves as an excellent channel for content creators to reach a vast audience, regardless of their follower count. Indeed, anyone can achieve virality on TikTok, prompting emerging artists to showcase their creations on the platform.
Kickstarting Your Music Career on TikTok
If you aspire to share your music with the world at virtually no cost, social media is your ultimate ally—and quite possibly your only option. Many of today’s biggest music stars first gained recognition and secured significant contracts after going viral.
Some examples of this include Young Miko and her explosive hit ‘Lisa,’ which ignited a massive trend, amassing billions of views across social media. Similarly, Cris MJ and FloyyMenor’s ‘Gata Only’ has become an anthem for flirting. Latin music luminaries like Xavi, Nicki Nicole, Duki, Natanael Cano, and Gabito Ballesteros swiftly climbed the charts after sharing their music online
The burning question remains: What is the secret to achieving significant recognition on social media? Let’s delve into TikTok, the platform that offers unparalleled opportunities for users seeking a broad audience.
Understanding the TikTok Algorithm
At the heart of TikTok’s functionality lies its algorithm, a sophisticated system that categorizes and distributes content across the platform, notably on the ‘For You Page‘ (FYP). The algorithm considers various factors, including user interactions, video information, and device settings.
The user interactions sphere encompasses user preferences such as liked videos, favorites, ‘not interested’ markings, reports, followed accounts, and viewing duration. Video information is related to the captions, keywords, hashtags, trending topics, and sounds.
The device settings, though less influential, include language preference, country, device type, and selected interest categories. In this sense, the algorithm prioritizes content and creators aligned with a user’s language, location, and interests.
Some important aspects not included in the TikTok algorithm (that means, the content that the platform will not recommend to other users) include the duplicated content, content you have already seen, spam, or potentially upsetting content.
And what type of content does the TikTok algorithm favor? According to the 2024 TikTok trend report, the algorithm tends to recommend content that is playful, unpredictable, authentic, and dynamic. It’s essential to understand that TikTok isn’t the platform for long, overly polished videos. For instance, if you’re uploading a song cover, it’s more likely to resonate if it’s presented informally and spontaneously, while still maintaining high-quality audio, video, and editing standards.
Another key factor to consider is the average watch time of your videos. The longer users engage with your content, the more the algorithm will promote it to others. Therefore, it’s imperative to grab viewers’ attention from the first second; indeed, the initial two seconds are critical for the platform to deem your post engaging.
Using the platform’s tools to enhance the potential reach of your content is equally important. Incorporating keywords, hashtags, trending sounds, and focusing on a specific niche can significantly impact your content’s positioning.
Last but not least, consistency is the key. As Mexican TikTok stars Hermanos Esquivel recently disclosed to LOS40, maintaining a regular cadence of quality content is crucial. By doing so, you’ll establish a brand identity, fostering loyalty among your followers organically. As they engage with your content, they’ll aid in expanding your reach to new audiences.
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