TikTok is no longer just a place for viral dances, funny lip syncs, and prank videos. With more than a billion monthly active users globally, it has become the social platform where anyone, regardless of follower count or experience, can reach new audiences quickly. Even you.
In this blog, you'll learn how to grow your TikTok following using proven free strategies. You’ll also get practical tips from two creators who have built strong audiences on TikTok.
Let’s do this!
Expert Tips on How to Get More Followers on TikTok (for Free)
Growing your followers organically means doing it without paying for ads or promotions. It’s hard work, but it also gets the best results. It creates loyal, engaged followers who will stick with you and convert into customers, clients, students, or fans. Below are 10 strategies you can apply immediately, along with tips from two top creators, Matthew Watts and Danielle Rothweiler.
Matthew Watts is a successful content creator with more than 8 million TikTok followers and the founder of Viral Blueprint. Wedding planner Danielle Rothweiler has grown her TikTok following to 28K and gets many clients from the platform. Here are some of their top tips.
Post Frequently and Regularly
TikTok’s algorithm loves volume and consistency. This gives the platform more chances to test your videos with different audiences. If you're starting out, commit to one video per day for 30 days. If you can sustain it, increase it to two or three.
Treat each upload like a separate experiment. Change the topic, the hook, the angle, the framing, the call to action, and track which patterns win.
Matthew says that everything changed when he stopped winging it and started planning. Once he moved from posting randomly to executing a system, he hit a million followers in under a year. For him, consistency plus structure was the turning point.
Danielle posts every single day without missing. It’s how she stays disciplined and keeps bringing in new followers.
Prioritize Authenticity Over Perfection
On TikTok, real beats perfect every time. Viewers reward creators who are honest and helpful. That’s why a crisp iPhone clip with a strong message can outperform a studio-quality shoot that feels overly curated.
Danielle’s growth was fueled by longer-form talking videos, true wedding stories, decision-making advice for couples, and real behind-the-scenes content from events she plans. She often records a planned story right after something happens on site, which keeps her content timely and real. She says authenticity wins because people can feel it. The more you speak directly to the questions your audience is afraid to ask, the faster they lean in.
“Be authentic, or the wrong people will follow you. Post your content, then if it flops, delete and repost instead of overthinking,” Danielle says.
Danielle shows real behind-the-scenes footage of a wedding being set up.
Jump on Trends Early (But Only When They Fit)
If a trending sound or format fits your niche, use it within a day. If you cannot make a relevant version quickly, skip it.
Danielle keeps notes on her phone with topics she hasn't covered yet. When a trend appears, she asks if it naturally helps her tell one of those stories. If not, she passes and stays focused on useful, authentic videos that continue to bring in qualified leads.
Make Relatable Content That Reflects Your Audience’s Inner Voice
Relatability spreads. When viewers see their own experience mirrored back to them, they share, comment, and rewatch. Think awkward moments at work, client communication mishaps, time-saving hacks, and the internal monologues people rarely say out loud.
Matthew studies what he calls the “translation of inner thoughts to video.” Short form videos that express a feeling many people have, paired with a crisp hook and fast pacing, tend to outperform almost everything else.
“Relatable posts are the biggest growth lever because they make people feel seen,” Matthew said.
Some of Matthew’s videos are designed to appeal to Taylor Swift fans.
Win the First Three Seconds with a Clear Hook
Retention decides reach. Open with a visual or verbal hook that creates curiosity, tension, or an obvious payoff. Examples include:
- Mistakes to Avoid: People love learning what not to do. Lists of slip-ups are quick, useful, and easy to share, like this roundup of common English mistakes from online English coach (and TikTok star) Weronika.
- Myth Versus Fact Reveal: Busting myths creates surprise and authority. A sharp, fast-paced comparison keeps viewers engaged, like Dr. Sadovskaya’s health-focused TikTok on myths versus facts.
- A Quick Before and After: Audiences are drawn to contrast. Whether it’s a makeover, a space refresh, or a time jump, the shift is satisfying to watch, like this makeup before and after from artist Lydia Fowler.
- A Watch-to-the-End Promise: Curiosity is powerful. Tease the payoff early, then hold back the reveal until the end to boost retention, as Alex Sedlak does in this TikTok video where the key message drops in the final moments.
Remember: If it takes more than three seconds to understand why a viewer should stay, most will swipe.
Treat Comments as Content Fuel
Reply to comments quickly, ask follow-up questions, and use TikTok's “reply with video” feature to turn questions into new videos. This shows viewers you care, elevates your most curious audience members, and gives you an endless source of ideas.
Danielle replies to every genuine comment she can (while ignoring obvious bullies). This habit is one reason her audience feels like a community rather than a crowd. And both Danielle and Matthew are quick to turn comments into new content using the “reply with video” feature.
Danielle uses the “reply with video” feature to provide content a follower has specifically asked for.
Tell Stories and Build Series That People Want to Binge
Series create anticipation and repeat viewing. Danielle has done a few, and she recommends starting with a multi-part arc. Think of formats like one decision that saved a wedding, three vendor red flags couples miss, or client story time parts one, two, and three. End each video with a soft cliffhanger and a promise of the next installment.
Want an example? Check out Danielle’s wedding story series (here’s part 1). It works because it is specific, useful, and human.
Matthew has also done many wild and viral series, most involving surgery on fruits and vegetables. When a theme works, he tries many different variations, such as his many humorous (and viral) “surgeries” on bananas.
Optimize Your Profile and Tell Viewers Why to Follow
Use a clean headshot, a keyword-rich bio that states who you help and how, and a clear call to action like follow for daily bridal planning tips or follow for 60-second small business playbooks. Link your Instagram, YouTube, or website so interested viewers can deepen the relationship. Your profile turns curiosity into followers.
Tip: Pin your best content to the top of your feed. This increases the likelihood that a new viewer will watch and maybe become a follower.
Collaborate with Complementary Creators
Duets, stitches, and co-created videos expose you to adjacent audiences. For a wedding planner, this could be bridal fashion, florists, photographers, DJs, venues, or beauty pros. For a filmmaker like Matthew, this could be gear brands, editors, and creative communities. Start with micro creators who share your audience’s interests and values.
Danielle does a duet to show her reaction to a dramatic wedding video.
Focus on Long-Term Consistency, Not Virality
A viral spike can inflate metrics without moving your goals. Danielle once had a video reach over a million views, but the audience for that clip didn't match her client base. That view count gave her credibility, but bookings come from consistent, relevant content. Matthew adds that one deeply engaging video can do more for growth than weeks of generic uploads. Show up, study your analytics, and improve one variable at a time.
“When you grow, expectations explode. A video with 75,000 views is objectively a stadium full of people, but after you have posted many million-view hits, some will call 75,000 a flop,” Matthew said. “That shifting baseline is hard on creators. The answer is to evaluate the art on its own merits rather than only against the last high score.”
Matthew’s top video has been viewed by more than 100 million people.
Want to grow on Instagram too? Read How to Get 100K Instagram Followers.
Other Ways to Get More TikTok Followers
Organic growth is the long-term play, but other methods exist for growing a TikTok following. Use them as supplements, not substitutes - if you use them at all.
TikTok Ads
Boosting posts or running targeted campaigns can put you in front of the right people quickly. This is best for businesses with clear offers and landing pages. Ads will not create a loyal following if the organic content is weak, so be sure to get your content right first, then amplify.
Paid Collaborations with Influencers
Borrow the audience through duets, stitches, guest appearances, and story takeovers. Start with micro influencers who share your values and whose audience overlaps with your ideal viewer. Provide a creative brief so the content fits naturally into their feed.
Engagement Pods
An engagement pod is a group of creators who get together and agree to like, comment, share, and sometimes watch each other’s videos to boost engagement numbers. Coordinated likes and comments can nudge early traction, but they can also look artificial. Pods are also against TikTok’s guidelines, which means you risk account penalties if detected.
If you use pods, keep them small, relevant, and built around genuine creators who actually like each other’s work. Never depend on them.
Buying Followers
Many companies advertise the ability to purchase TikTok followers. The problem? Purchased followers are often bots or inactive accounts. This might look like an easy way to get things going, but you should avoid it. Purchased followers don't engage (something TikTok’s algorithm highly prizes). They can also pollute your analytics and erode your credibility with brands and viewers.
Bots and Engagement Farms
Rather than selling followers, engagement farms sell likes, comments, views, and shares. These violate platform rules, put your account at risk, and make it impossible to know what content is truly resonating. Sustainable businesses are built on real humans, not inflated numbers.
Want even more ideas to sharpen your strategy across platforms? Don’t miss this roundup of Best Social Media Content Strategists.
Milestones for TikTok Followers
Growth on TikTok means passing a series of milestones, each representing new opportunities and the potential to earn income. Follower milestones matter because they unlock features, but the real unlock is momentum. Momentum is built by putting your audience first, practicing your craft, and playing the long game.
Here are some of the key milestones for TikTokers, and what to expect at each one.
100 Followers
At 100 TikTok followers, you can personalize your TikTok URL and begin to see steady views from your core audience. Celebrate this first proof point. It means your message is landing.
1,000 Followers
At 1,000 followers, TikTok LIVE is unlocked. You can host Q&A sessions, run live tutorials, co-host with partners, and accept gifts that convert to cash. For service businesses, TikTok lives can become discovery calls at scale, accelerating business growth.
5,000 Followers
At 5,000 followers, brands and collaborators will start to notice you, especially in niche categories. You can also begin to see real affiliate income if you pair honest product recommendations with consistent posting and clear links. Sponsored posts in smaller niches often begin at around $50 to $100.
10,000 Followers
The Creator Rewards Program or similar programs become available at 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the past 30 days. Payouts are roughly $0.40 to $1.00 per 1,000 views. For all but the highest volume TikTokers, this represents more of a bonus than a primary income stream.
50,000 Followers
At 50,000 followers, you're considered a mid-tier creator. This is a great moment to launch your own products, templates, mini courses, or services, because you now have a warm audience large enough to test offers quickly. Sponsored post rates often land in the $200 to $500 range, sometimes higher in lucrative niches. The growing number of views also means more income from the Creator Rewards Program.
100,000 Followers
At 100,000 followers, you have influencer-level reach. Income is growing, and brand deals can range from $500 to $2,000 dollars or more per post. For some, this can be a level where they can take their influencer status full-time if they’re able to boost income with brand partnerships, affiliate deals, or selling their own products or services.
500,000 Followers
If you’ve reached 500,000 followers, you're a major creator with strong negotiating power. Sponsored posts can reach several thousand dollars per video. With a clear product ecosystem and diversified revenue mix, a six-figure annual income is realistic. Team building, content systems, and legal frameworks become important at this stage.
1 Million Followers
You're officially TikTok royalty - fewer than 1% of TikTokers make it this far. Per post rates for sponsored posts can reach $5,000 to $10,000 or more. Opportunities include global brand partnerships, product collaborations, media appearances, book deals, and touring or live event formats.
If you’re looking beyond TikTok to refresh your overall presence, take a look at this guide on How to Revamp Social Media for practical ideas to strengthen your brand across platforms.
Final Thoughts
TikTok rewards creators who combine authenticity with consistency and a clear strategy. Show up for the right people every day, even when the numbers are quiet. Build a system you can sustain. Treat comments like conversations, not chores. Say no to shortcuts that inflate metrics at the expense of trust. When a video pops, welcome new viewers with pinned introductions and relevant playlists. When a video flops, learn and move on.
The right social media management software can help you post consistently and stay on top of which videos are performing the best. Check out our list of best social media management tools to see our top picks in various categories.
FAQ
How do you go viral on TikTok?
How do you go viral on TikTok?
Virality is a byproduct of content that feels necessary to share. That's not an easy kind of content to create. But there are a few key elements, including a strong hook, high watch time, a high rewatch rate, and active engagement, like comments and shares. Use trending audio when it fits, design for retention by cutting dead seconds, and give viewers a reason to comment by asking a specific question. Most of all, be willing to experiment to discover what works.
How do you join the TikTok Creator Fund or similar monetization programs?
How do you join the TikTok Creator Fund or similar monetization programs?
In 2023, the TikTok Creator Fund was replaced in most regions by the TikTok Rewards Program. You generally need to meet minimum follower and recent view thresholds (10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days), be at least 18, and live in an eligible region. You can apply in Creator Tools in your settings. While payments rose significantly when the program changed, payouts are usually small, about $0.40 to $1 per 1,000 views. For most creators, this revenue will act as social proof and a small income supplement rather than your main revenue stream.
How many followers do you need to start earning money?
How many followers do you need to start earning money?
At 1,000 followers, you can earn via live gifts. At around 5,000 followers, you may see your first small brand deals and affiliate revenue. At 10,000 followers, you can apply for creator monetization programs. Between 50,000 and 100,000 followers, sponsored content, your own products, and higher ticket services can produce meaningful monthly income if your engagement is strong and your offers are aligned.
What is better, one viral video or steady growth?
What is better, one viral video or steady growth?
Steady growth wins. Viral spikes often bring in unqualified followers who may not stay. Consistent posting with clear positioning brings in people who actually want what you make. Use viral moments as on-ramps into your world by pinning an introductory video and linking to playlists that match the theme of the spike.
Can businesses really get clients from TikTok?
Can businesses really get clients from TikTok?
Yes, they can. If you sell services, teach what you know, show your process, answer real questions, and make it easy for viewers to contact you, TikTok can become your highest intent top-of-funnel channel. This is especially true when you pair it with fast follow-up and clear offers.
