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It seems like everyone, their mother, and their dog are on TikTok today. From lip-syncing to comedy to music, the platform easily took over the globe during the pandemic. 

However, it isn’t all fun and games. Businesses can get serious results from marketing themselves on TikTok—as long as they know how to use the platform. 

Viral videos are king on TikTok, which means that even the most obscure creators can go viral overnight. There are a lot of one-hit wonders on the app, which makes TikTok a tough but exhilarating place for brands to grow their audience. 

If you’re getting started with TikTok, you’ve probably seen “FYP” all over the place. It might seem like a small detail, but the FYP actually has an enormous impact on how your business performs on TikTok. Learn what the FYP is, see why your business needs to be on the FYP, and borrow our five tips on how to get on the FYP.

What Is the FYP?

When you open the TikTok app, you’ll notice that there are two tabs: Following and For You. 

The Following feed works like an Instagram feed. You’ll only see content here from the creators you follow, so it’s great for TikTok users who want to cultivate a specific feed of content. However, Following isn’t the default feed on TikTok, so it isn’t as popular with users. 

That’s why so many businesses want to be on the For You page, or the FYP. This is the home page of TikTok and the default feed you’ll see when you open the TikTok app. The FYP works similarly to the Instagram Explore page: It recommends content to users based on their interests and what they’ve engaged with in the past. 

TikTok holds the exact workings of its FYP algorithm close to its chest, but it does say that these factors have the biggest impact on what you see on the FYP: 

• Interaction: TikTok’s algorithm will promote videos that have more likes, comments, shares, and Duets or Stitches because it indicates that users like your content.
• Video information: The hashtags, captions, and music or audio you choose can have an impact on whether you show up on the FYP. 
• Location information: Your location does matter on TikTok. It looks at your country, language preference, and device settings to show videos from users in your location. After all, you probably wouldn’t want to watch videos in Chinese if you don’t speak the language, right? 

The important thing to note about the FYP is that follower counts don’t really matter. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, TikTok rewards quality content first, so you can’t rely on a big follower count to boost your brand. This means your TikTok videos have to kill it every time, which places a lot of pressure on brands to perform.

Why Do I Need to Get on the FYP?

So, why do you need to worry about the FYP? Isn’t it enough to create great content and hope that people will start following you? 

Nope! Businesses should try their best to get a feature on the FYP because: 

• It’s the first thing people see: The FYP is the first thing users see when they open TikTok. Even if they’re going to their Following feed, they’ll see the FYP first. Since users spend 52 minutes on TikTok every day, a feature on the FYP can put you in front of thousands of users. 
• It places you in front of new users: TikTok has 100 million active users in the United States. If you want to connect with users who haven’t seen your videos or followed you yet, the FYP is the place to be. More views on the FYP will result in more likes, follows, and (best of all) brand recognition.
• It means you’re doing something right: The FYP is like the TikTok Olympics. You’re taking home the gold if you’re able to get on the FYP feed. Plus, if you manage to get on the FYP, you’ll know that your content is resonating with your audience on TikTok. 

5 Tips on How to Get On the FYP

Fourteen percent of brands are planning to increase their spending on TikTok, but you don’t have to go in on paid ads unless you want to; what you really need is organic success on the FYP. 

Trying to make sense of the TikTok algorithm? Follow these five how to get on the FYP tips to crack the code and score a feature on the TikTok For You page.

1. Post TikTok Videos at the Right Time, Consistently

Social media platforms want to know that your brand can crank out quality content, consistently. The more content you create, the more likely people are to stay on the platform—which is exactly what TikTok wants. 

Aside from signaling that you’re a reputable account, consistently posting TikTok videos also gives you more chances to score a feature on the FYP. That’s just basic math: The more often you post, the more often you enter the FYP “lottery.” 

If you’re new to TikTok, try to post at least three times a week to start. Work up to posting once daily, and then multiple times a day. Of course, don’t create content just for the sake of it! Make sure you create high-quality videos that encourage engagement. 

You can also increase your engagement by watching your timing. Sign up for a TikTok Business Account and check your analytics. When is your audience online? Make sure you’re posting at those times to get more traction on the FYP. 

2. Use Trending Audio, Sounds, or Effects

TikTok got its start as Musical.ly, an app that was primarily for lip-syncing. TikTok has evolved into much more than that, but music still plays a large role in TikTok’s videos. 

In fact, users are able to search for specific audio, sounds, and effects right in the app. If you use trending sounds in your videos, you stand a better chance of being on the FYP. 

Not sure which sounds are trending right now? You can find them by: 

• Being a regular user: If you find a trending sound that you like, make sure to save it to your Favorites. You can refer to it later when you’re brainstorming content ideas with the team.
• Searching for sounds: Use the Search button to look for a specific sound on TikTok. The app will pull up everything related to that snippet of music or audio. 
• Hashtags: Have you heard the sound bite, #piggydippin? It has over 67.7 million views on TikTok. To find trending sounds like this, use the Search button yet again, but tab over to the Hashtags feed to see which results pop up.

3. Use Popular Hashtags

TikTok hashtags aren’t the same as Instagram hashtags. You aren’t trying to overwhelm people with 20 hashtags that they’ll never read. For TikTok, it’s better to use 3-6 hashtags that are relevant to your videos. 

To find good hashtags, go to the Discover tab. It will automatically pull up a list of trending hashtags (as well as how many people have used them) so you can pick hashtags that get a lot of traction. You can also do a search for popular videos in your niche and copy a few of the hashtags they’re using. 

Hashtags like #ForYou and #FYP are fine, but make sure you add hashtags that tell users what the video is about so they can find you.

4. Make Better Content Than Everyone Else

TikTok rewards good content. As long as your content gets a reaction from users, it’s likely to end up on the FYP. But how, exactly, do you make content that’s better than everyone else in your niche? 

Try strategies like: 

• Getting the basics right: You don’t need Hollywood-level quality, but your TikTok videos should be reasonably high-quality. Film on a modern smartphone, pick up better audio with an external microphone, and edit your videos for speed and clarity. 
• Filming shorter videos: TikTok cares about completion rates, or the rate at which people watch your entire video. If you want people to finish your videos, make them as short as possible without compromising on quality. 
• Influencer marketing: TikTok has the highest influencer engagement rate of any platform. Influencers with 100,000+ followers on Instagram get 1.1% engagement on Instagram, but they receive a whopping 5.3% engagement on TikTok. Skip the line and earn immediate engagement on your content by partnering with influencers.

5. Engage With Followers and Other Creators

Engagement is king on TikTok, so make it as easy as possible for users to interact with your content. Don’t just let your TikTok videos end: ask your followers questions or for them to share their opinion. 

When they drop a comment on your video, make sure you reply to them. Even an emoji reply is better than nothing. 

You can also interact with other TikTokkers in the form of Duets or Stitches. Try to engage with high-profile content that already has a lot of engagement to increase your chances of showing up on the FYP. 

The Fastest Solution to How to Get On the FYP? Influencer Marketing

Brands are still figuring out TikTok, which means scrappy businesses that get in early will reap the benefits. You don’t need a lot of followers to show up on the FYP, either. As long as you follow these five best practices, you can show up on the FYP in no time. 

Creating successful organic content takes time, and that’s a luxury most brands don’t have. When you want to get more traction on the TikTok FYP, partner with influencers with Markerly. We help brands identify the best influencers for their campaign, handling everything from outreach to optimization. Isn’t it time for you to show up on the FYP? See how Markerly takes your TikTok marketing from zero to sixty in no time at all.