If you’ve managed to build up a following on TikTok, then you’ve done better than most creators manage to do. Getting followers isn’t easy on TikTok; the community demands perfection from content and won’t give the time of day to anything it deems unworthy. There are so many creatives on TikTok that you really need to stand out to get followers, but it’s also important to think about how you’re going to keep them. You see, once you amass followers, there’s no guarantee they’ll stick around; they may get bored of what you’re making and move on to pastures new. That means you need to make sure you’re doing what you can to retain followers. Here are some of the best practices for pleasing your following on TikTok.
Make the content that gave you followers in the first place
If you deviate too much from the content that gave you your followers in the first place, they may start to grow bored and look to other content creators. It’s up to you whether this is a major issue or not; you may want to branch out, and losing a few followers might be a worthy price to pay if you gain more in the process. However, if you’re happy making the kind of content you made when your follower count started building, then carrying on making that content (albeit with some minor changes to keep things fresh) is a good way to make sure your followers are happy. Look at the content you made that has the most likes, and try to focus on creating content in a similar vein to those videos.
Ask your followers what they want
There’s nothing to stop you reaching out to followers on TikTok and asking them what kind of content they’d like you to create. If a video proves unpopular or particularly controversial, involve yourself in the conversation. Ask your followers what it was they didn’t like about the video, and how you can improve what you do next time. Your followers will appreciate your efforts to engage with them and understand them, and this will stand you in better stead for not losing followers in the future. In addition, talking to your existing followers may result in you gaining new ones; your followers may tell others that you’re a good creator who listens to your audience.
Look at other similar creators
Want to know the best way to please your followers on TikTok? It’s simple – just look at what creators operating in a similar space to yours are doing. You can learn a lot from successful creators and their approach to their fanbase, because the chances are that the creator isn’t successful just on the strength of their content alone. The main appeal of TikTok is its community, so why not reach out to the creator and ask them yourself how they’re maintaining their following? They might tell you that they simply don’t know, but they could also have some pearls of wisdom to share that could be useful for you in the future.
Address controversy quickly
Sometimes, as a TikTok creator, you’re going to be at the centre of controversy. This can’t be helped; it’s part and parcel of making content for a large variety of people, some of whom may bridle when you make certain types of video. The measure of your success as a creator, and the method by which you keep followers, isn’t whether you have a controversy at all; it’s whether you deal with it in a reasonable way. First, make a video addressing what’s going on. Apologise if an apology is called for, and make sure it’s a real apology, not simply a backhanded defence. Talk to your community and ask them how you can do better. Don’t be vague; your followers will appreciate it if you address the issue head-on.
Be active
Your followers like to see that you’re regularly posting content. It’s important to create consistently on TikTok, both for maintaining followers and for attracting new ones to your page. You should aim to post a new TikTok video about once or twice a day if you can; this will mean that you stand a good chance of appearing on the For You page, which is essentially your golden ticket to gaining followers. In addition, you should be making sure you’re posting at the right times. Evenings, mornings, and late nights are generally good times to post on TikTok. You can use automated tools to schedule your posts if you’re not going to be around when it’s time to upload.
Participate in the community
It’s not just about replying to comments left by your TikTok followers. If you want to retain followers, you need to be active in the community. There are a huge number of individual TikTok communities that are incredibly active when it comes to interacting with one another. Once you’ve found your niche, reach out to the people around you; not just your followers, but other creators as well. Ask them if they’d like to collaborate, and if they accept, work on content that will please your audience and theirs. In this way, you won’t just retain the followers you already have; you’ll likely also attract new ones to your page as well!
Go live
TikTok’s built-in Live feature is a great way to keep your followers around. By going live, you can show your followers what you’re up to; perhaps you can let them in on the creative process, or maybe you can show them something exciting they wouldn’t normally see in your everyday life. Either way, live videos let you talk to your followers in real time, and this is a popular way to retain followers. This is because followers like to see that you’re engaging with them on a personal basis; not just making videos or replying to comments, but actively trying to involve them in your life on TikTok. Try it out – you’ll be glad you did!