How Does TikTok Algorithm Work and How to Use It to Go Viral

Why Everyone Wants to Crack the TikTok Algorithm

Going viral on TikTok can flip a brand’s fate overnight. But here’s the twist: the algorithm isn’t magic, it’s engineered psychology. If you understand how it works, you don’t need millions of followers. What you need is intention, timing, and structure.

In 2025, TikTok is no longer just for dances and duets. It’s where Gen Z discovers, where product trends start, and where $0 ad budgets can become million-dollar revenue streams. But none of that happens unless the algorithm picks you.

So how exactly does it do that and more importantly, how do you play it to your advantage?

First, the Basics: What Powers TikTok’s Algorithm in 2025?

The TikTok algorithm is designed to serve hyper-relevant content to each user based on a mix of five key factors:

1. User Interactions (likes, shares, comments, follows, watch time)
2. Video Information (captions, sounds, hashtags, topics)
3. Device & Account Settings (language, location, device type)
4. Watch History (what content you watch fully or rewatch)
5. Creator Behavior (posting frequency, engagement with audience)

The biggest takeaway? Engagement trumps follower count. If you create a video that drives high watch time and interaction, TikTok will push it to more users regardless of how new your account is.

Check out: How Meta Ads & Smart Content Strategy Took DTC Brands to $1M/Month

It pairs perfectly with this blog to build a dual-platform growth engine.

1. Watch Time: The Ultimate Currency

TikTok’s most powerful signal is watch time. If people watch your video all the way through or rewatch it, TikTok sees that as a green light.

This is why editing matters. Good pacing. Unexpected hooks. Visual rhythm.

Viral Example:

Starface, the acne patch brand, uses quirky animations + zoom-ins within the first 1 second to keep users glued. Their explainer videos about pimple myths retain 80%+ view duration which is algorithm rocket fuel.

Tip:

Use Adam by Deepsolv to generate 3 video hook ideas per concept. Hook = the first 3 seconds. That’s all the algorithm needs to make its first judgment.

2. Repeat Views & Replays: Hidden Signals That Matter

Loopable content = more plays = algorithm boost.

If you can make someone rewatch (either because the video loops perfectly or they missed something the first time), TikTok flags it as bingeable.

Example:

Glow Recipe (a Korean skincare brand) once posted a 6-second tutorial showing a product melt into skin- it looped cleanly, driving 2.4M views and 22K saves.

3. Audience Signals: You Don't Need to Go Broad

TikTok rewards relevance over virality.

Instead of trying to reach everyone, aim for one specific audience. The more niche your content is, the more likely TikTok will serve it to the right crowd.

Example:

BookTok creators posting for dark academia readers vs. romance lovers see wildly different traction even with the same sound.

Execution tip: Use Adam to build out multiple content briefs targeting micro-communities.

4. Sound Choice: More Than Just a Trend

Using trending audio can increase discoverability. But sound alignment matters more than just trend jacking.

Example:

CeraVe paired slow, relaxing music with a 7-second ASMR-style video of their cleanser being used, perfectly aligned with the product’s calming promise. It racked up 4M+ views.

5. Hashtags That Guide Distribution

TikTok hashtags help categorize content, not just surface it.

Instead of spamming #fyp, use a mix of:

• 2–3 niche-specific hashtags (#dctips #acneskincare)
• 1–2 trend hashtags (#grwm, #tiktokmademebuyit)
• 1 branded hashtag (if running a campaign)

Pro tip: Monitor which hashtags are getting results by reviewing your analytics weekly. Then use Adam to ideate series content off the best-performing formats.

6. Engagement Is a Feedback Loop

The more comments, shares, and saves you get in the first 2–3 hours, the more TikTok pushes your video.

But it’s not just about getting engagement, it’s about what you do with it.

Replying to comments with new videos (a native TikTok feature) is a powerful algorithm hack.

Example:

Fable, a DTC dog supplement brand, used a customer question in comments to create a stitched video on “Is this safe for large breeds?” That reply hit 1.2M views and outperformed their original post.

Tip:

Use Brandy by Deepsolv to auto-track questions in comments, so your team can instantly respond or spin up new content.

7. Posting Frequency Still Matters

Consistency > volume.

Posting 3x a week consistently will beat a brand that posts daily for 2 weeks then disappears.

Stick to a schedule that keeps you front-of-feed for your niche. And batch-record content in themes to maintain visual and tonal consistency.

8. Creative Refresh: The Brands That Iterate Win

What worked last month may not work next week. The best TikTok brands iterate fast.

Use A/B testing with:

• Caption tone (serious vs playful)
• Camera POV (selfie vs studio)
• Visual pacing (quick cuts vs long shots)

Tip:

Adam can generate A/B brief variations based on your top performers.

Final Thought: TikTok Is Built for Outsiders

If Instagram is about perfection, TikTok is about participation.

The algorithm doesn’t care if you’re a billion-dollar brand or a first-time founder with an iPhone. It rewards clarity, creativity, and consistency.

The brands that go viral aren’t always the biggest. They’re the ones who learn, test, and adapt with a little help from tools like Adam and Brandy.

Want to create TikToks that perform like ads but feel like fun? Book a free exploration call with Deepsolv