There's no doubt that TikTok has become a major social media platform. Now that TT has partnered with Google, SEO has begun to play a role in which videos get views. I'm going to be honest, I don't have thousands of followers or millions of views, but I'm happy to share what I have learned about the platform so far.

The algorithm plays a significant role. The hashtags are also important on TikTok. Using the same ones consistently helps TT to know where to push your content, along with which people are watching your videos. As an author, it is tempting to use the author hashtags. However, if your goal is to go viral on #booktok, pushing your content to fellow authors is unlikely to get you there. I was late in learning this and thought I could sometimes tag booktok, and other times I could tag #authorsoftiktok. The problem was I tagged authors so often that even though I'm tagging booktok now, those videos just aren't getting views.

Consistent content. Most of the best personalities on TikTok have a consistent gimmick. One of my favorite dubbers dresses in queen attire and dubs sound clips. She also posts other stuff, but she is almost always "in queen." A skit performer I follow has several personalities she portrays, but her content is almost always skits.

People like to follow these accounts because they know what to expect. When our content is all over the place, followed don't know if they want to see us consistently in their feed. I'll admit, this has been my struggle. I don't yet have a physical copy of my book, I don't read multiple books a month, and I don't have art or swag to share. I feel like so much of what #booktok wants to see, I don't have. That's how I ended up tagging authors so frequently. It's easy to bond with others over editing and characters, but that's not what booktok wants to see. Before you jump on TT, it may behoove you to figure out what you want to share and study the types of videos that are received well.

How often should you post? TikTok does not seem to require the constant posting that Twitter does. Most would say about 3 times per week is enough. The big accounts can get away with once a week. Some accounts have complained about the algorithm not pushing their content if they don't post multiple times a day, but my views seem fairly consistent regardless of whether I post daily or just once a week. I think it more often depends on how many followers you have and how often they interact with your content.

Tips for success!

• You may get tired of seeing the same types of videos or hearing the same sounds on TikTok, but there's a reason. Those trends are what TT wants to share. So when you use those viral sounds and effects, your views are more likely to go up. The sooner you can get on a trend, the better. 
• Avoid longer videos. TikTok does not like to push the longer videos. The videos under 10 seconds get lots of views, especially if the content is relatable. One of my best videos was 8 seconds. I was joking about my characters being too happy and that I'd change it. People were happy to comment on it, and because they were commenting, the video looped in the background, increasing the views and engagement, resulting in TT pushing it more.
• Ask for engagement. Ask viewers questions to comment answers, to stitch, or react. All of that boosts engagement and views.

I absolutely recommend trying TikTok out. It can be a great way to connect with readers and fellow authors.