How To Find TikTok Trends: My Simple Guide for Businesses

Before you learn how to find TikTok trends, you need to know how TikTok’s algorithm works. Though this might sound intimidating at first, it’s a lot simpler than you think. Let me break it down for you.

How Does TikTok’s Algorithm Work?

Ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through TikTok? There’s a good reason for this. When you first open TikTok, you’ll see the “For You Page” (FYP), which is a personalized feed based on your interests.

On this feed, TikTok’s algorithm scans thousands of ranking factors to determine what content you see. For example, every like, comment, follow, share, or save you make influences the short-form content that appears in front of you next.

The more time you spend on the FYP and engage with user content, the more accurate the video recommendations get – leading to increased scrolling! 

Which Ranking Factors Influence My Content’s Visibility?

So far, TikTok hasn’t revealed all of its ranking criteria – there are thousands after all! However, the platform has confirmed three important factors that can influence your content’s visibility:

1. User interactions – The way users interact with posts can make a significant difference. For instance, if a user reports a TikTok as inappropriate, they’re far less likely to see a similar video again. Whereas, if that user adds a specific video to their favourites, there’s a good chance that they’ll see similar content on their feed.
2. Video information – TikTok’s algorithm also scans useful video information (like hashtags, sounds, and captions) to determine what it displays to a user next.
3. Device and account settings – The phone or tablet a user is browsing from also influences TikTok’s algorithm. The app considers their device type, language settings, and country settings.

The beauty of TikTok is that anyone can go viral. In fact, you don’t have to be a huge corporation or top influencer to create a popular post. All TikTok users have the opportunity to jump onto the wave of a popular sound, hashtag, or challenge and create content that racks up views.

That’s why learning how to spot TikTok trends is a vital skill for any business. If you want to improve your brand’s reach, you’ll need to spot the signs of a rising TikTok trend early – before it becomes too oversaturated or loses its popularity. You can then use trends to come up with your own TikTok ideas!

Follow these steps to get started:

1. Use TikTok’s Built-in Search Function

Did you know that some users view TikTok as a search engine, too? According to Adobe, over 2 in 5 Americans (particularly Gen Zers) use TikTok to find specific information, be it DIY tutorials or fun things to do in their city.

Follow suit by using TikTok’s built-in search function for trend discovery. By typing in keywords related to your industry, you can start hunting for fresh, relevant content ideas.

Open TikTok and you’ll find a search icon at the top right corner of your screen. Give it a tap. Now you can start typing in keywords that are relevant to your niche and find some content ideas – it’s as easy as that!

2. Search for Trending Videos, Sounds, and Hashtags

To get the most out of TikTok’s search bar, I also recommend looking for trending videos, sounds, or hashtags to feature in your own content.

To hunt for viral sounds, search for keywords like “top 10 TikTok sounds,” “viral sounds,” or “trending audios.” Meanwhile, you can select the “Hashtags” tab once you’ve searched for a keyword to find tags that relate to your content. Remember to add any relevant hashtags to your videos to reach more users.

3. Use Filters To Refine Your Search Results

When looking for TikTok trends, one of my best TikTok Tips is to use search filters to see more targeted results. When you search for a keyword, you can select the three dots on the top right corner of the screen and tap the “Filters” button. 

From this screen, I recommend:

• Searching for videos based on the date posted, helping you spot potential trends in their early stages
• Searching for videos based on like count to gauge what videos are currently popular with audiences

4. Leverage Third-Party Tools

Though TikTok’s Creative Center is a fantastic resource that covers most bases, you can use third-party tools to spot TikTok trends, too. 

My biggest recommendation is Google Trends because it shows you what’s popular in real-time for free! Using the “Trending Now” tab (a new feature added in 2024), you can see what’s currently trending in different categories.

As with TikTok’s search bar, I recommend using Google Trends filters to specify exactly what you’re looking for. You can tweak the location, specify when a keyword first started trending, or see which keywords have the biggest search relevancy.

The trends you eventually feature in your content need to align with your brand and the interests of the users you’re targeting. For example, If you use irrelevant hashtags that don’t relate to your online niche, the wrong crowd will see your videos instead.

When deciding which trends are most relevant to your brand, consider:

• Your target audience – Think about your audience’s key traits, including age range, interests, location, spending habits, and lifestyle choices. The trends you highlight in your content should align with one or more of these traits.
• Influencers in your niche – Look at the influencers who’ve taken part in the trends you’ve found. Do any of them mesh well with your brand? If you’ve found any influencers that do, you could get a TikTok micro influencer strategy going by reaching out to them for collaborations. This also allows you to tap into an influencer’s audience base for extra exposure!

What Is the Cultural Significance of TikTok Trends?

To use TikTok trends effectively, you also need to understand their cultural significance. In particular, why they resonate with users.

By participating in TikTok trends – be it quoting a TikTok sound or purchasing a popular viral item from the TikTop shop – users can experience a sense of belonging. 

Use this knowledge to connect with your audience on a deeper level. To acknowledge your own TikTok community, you could answer their questions in a TikTok Live, highlight top customers in your video content, or talk about issues that they find important (but only if the issue is aligned with your brand values, too).

Before you get too excited and start creating TikTok content, you need to plan out your content strategy first. I’ve broken down each step for you:

1. Develop a TikTok Content Strategy

First of all, you need a strong TikTok content strategy to maintain the quality of your content as you post. The goal is to create a stream of videos that accurately showcase your brand personality, fit with TikTok’s short-form style of content, and entertain your desired audience. 

When creating your TikTok Content Strategy:

• Keep your target audience in mind – Your TikTok videos should appeal to your target audience. Focus on their needs. Does your content help them solve a specific problem? Or do they want to be entertained?
• Establish your tone of voice – You only have a few seconds to make a strong first impression. For example, if your brand is high-spirited and humorous, make sure that comes across in your content.
• Determine the content you want to create – Start collecting ideas and put together a content calendar to plan out your videos in advance. Popular TikTok videos can range from challenges and tutorials to influencer collabs and meme marketing content.
• Set clear goals and objectives – Every TikTok you post should take you one step closer towards your goals, so think about what you want to achieve. This could be increasing brand awareness, engagement rates, or conversions.

2. Create Engaging TikTok Videos

With a fleshed-out content plan in hand, you can now start creating your video content to get in on all of those TikTok trends you’ve found. Not sure where to start? Here are my top tips:

Use TikTok’s Tools to Your Advantage

It’s unlikely that you’re a professional video editor, but that doesn’t matter on TikTok. The app comes installed with numerous editing tools, empowering you to create engaging, short-form videos that pack a punch

Open the app and tap the plus sign icon at the bottom of the screen. You’ll be able to access tools such as:

• Visual effects like popular transitions, filters, and stickers to make your content stand out
• Sounds to add trending audio to your videos
• Text overlays to add text to your videos
• Auto captions to automatically transcribe your video’s audio on-screen (I recommended turning these on for accessibility purposes)

At first, it will take some experimentation to get the hang of TikTok’s editor. There isn’t, however, a steep learning curve, so you’ll be able to pick up these tools in no time.

Incorporate Trends, Memes, or Challenges Into Your Videos

According to a TikTok for business study, 77% of users react positively to brands that use trends, memes or challenges to make content, so make use of these storytelling methods to create compelling narratives.

By participating in TikTok trends you’ve spotted, you’re not only providing your viewers with a source of entertainment, but you’re helping them feel connected to the larger community too. You may even inspire other users to join the bandwagon and create their own videos to keep the trend going.

3. Measure Your TikTok Account’s Performance

Once you have a consistent stream of videos going, you should be tracking your content’s progress to make sure that your TikTok strategy is heading in the right direction. Luckily, this process is more straightforward than you might think.

Use TikTok Analytics To Track Key Metrics

You don’t need to use third-party tools to track metrics, since TikTok’s Business Suite comes with its own analytics. Some of the metrics you can access include:

• Video views
• Profile views
• Your most popular videos 
• New or lost followers 
• Follower demographics spanning age, gender, and the cities and countries they’re from
• Engagement, including likes, comments, and video shares

Keep a close eye on your account metrics. You’ll want to use this information to make data-driven decisions about your content. For instance, if you see that certain videos are performing better than others, you can apply a similar formula to future content.

To grow your business on social media, you need to understand the unspoken rules of each platform. TikTok is no different. Learn about the platform’s best practices below, so you don’t commit any TikTok sins:

1. Consistency is Key

When posting on TikTok, you need to be consistent. This applies to how often you post your videos and how coherent your brand’s aesthetic is. 

Even if you can’t post one to four times per day, you need to at least post consistently. Use your content calendar to plan out each post. I also recommend content batching your videos so you never run out. TikTok’s algorithm favors creators that post reliably, so keep to schedule.

Additionally, you don’t want to baffle your audience with a confused brand identity. All of your TikTok videos should follow a clear aesthetic, with harmonious visuals and a distinctive tone of voice that reflects your brand and its values.

2. Don’t Leave Your Audience Out in the Cold

If your audience is engaging with your content, don’t leave them hanging. Build relationships with your viewers by leaving thoughtful responses to your comments and messages. It shows your audience that you care about them, encourages other TikTok users to interact with your content, and makes your brand feel grounded and personable. 

3. Stay Updated on Platform Changes

Earlier I mentioned that TikTok’s algorithm has thousands of ranking factors, but I now need to add that TikTok’s algorithm changes daily. Because of this, it’s crucial you keep yourself informed about any updates.

The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you are to create content that ranks on the FYP and beat the competition – stay alert!

With your newfound knowledge of how to find TikTok trends, you’re ready to start creating engaging, trend-driven content that appeals to your target audience.

But if there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s to always think one step ahead. TikTok is a fast-paced platform, so you need to be prepared to keep up with the changing trends daily. 

Once you’re ready to start creating content, make sure that your TikTok account is set to a business account. If you need any additional tips, we have a guide on setting up your TikTok for Business profile, which offers more information on how to create great content and monitor your progress as you go along.