The TikTok algorithm looks at user interactions, video information and device or account settings. Interactions such as watch time, completion, rewatches, likes, comments, shares, saves, follows and "Not interested" feedback carry the most weight in deciding what each viewer sees.
Video information includes captions, hashtags, sounds, effects and keywords spoken or shown on screen; these help TikTok understand topics and match videos to interested viewers. Device and account settings, like language, country and device type, influence distribution but carry less weight. TikTok has said follower count and previous high-performing videos are not direct factors. Understanding these categories helps you prioritise: retention first, interaction second and clear topic signals third. Every video should give viewers a reason to stay and act, while clearly signalling what it is about.
Step-by-step plan
Prioritise watch time and completion in every edit.
Encourage meaningful interactions like shares and saves.
Use captions and keywords to signal your topic.
Choose sounds that fit your audience and niche.
Avoid content that triggers negative feedback.
Why this works
TikTok's recommendation system predicts how likely each viewer is to watch, finish, rewatch, like, comment, share, save or follow, then ranks videos for every individual For You feed. TikTok has said follower count is not a direct factor; user interactions, video information such as captions, sounds and hashtags, and device settings are. Completion and rewatch rate weigh heavily because they show the video held attention, while captions and on-screen keywords tell the system who to test it on.
Common mistake to avoid
Over-optimising hashtags while ignoring retention. Interaction signals matter much more.
Pro tip
Say the topic out loud in your first sentence. TikTok can process speech and on-screen text, so spoken keywords reinforce your caption and sharpen who sees the video.
Check it before you post
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