How to get more likes on TikTok (without buying them)

Chasing likes directly rarely works. Likes are what happens when someone enjoyed a video enough to finish it and react. So the real question is how to make videos people finish. Get that right and the likes, comments and follows tend to follow.

Here's the checklist we use, roughly in the order a viewer experiences your video.

1. Win the first second

Your video is competing with the next one, which is just a flick away. Open with the most interesting frame you have and say your hook straight away. Skip the intro, the logo and the “hey guys”. If you need help with the first line, see our guide to writing hooks, linked at the end of this post.

2. Cut everything that isn't earning its place

Pauses, “ums”, restarts and slow set-up are where viewers leave. A tight edit feels faster than it is, and a video people finish gets a better chance of reaching more of them. As a rule, if a sentence doesn't move the video forward, cut it.

• Cut the breath before every sentence.
• Remove filler words and false starts. Our guide to cutting “ums”, linked at the end of this post, covers how.
• Aim for the shortest version that still makes the point. Start at 20–40 seconds, then go longer once you know people are staying.

3. Add captions, always

A lot of people scroll with the sound off, in bed, on a bus or at work. Captions let them follow along, and word-by-word captions give the eye something to track, which keeps people watching. Put them where they won't cover your face or the product, and keep them clear of the app's buttons at the bottom and right of the screen.

4. Give people a reason to rewatch

Rewatches are a strong signal that a video is worth watching. Short videos that loop cleanly, where the last frame leads back into the first, get replayed without the viewer noticing. Dense tips, fast reveals and small details worth a second look do the same job.

5. Ask for one specific thing

“Like, comment, share and follow” is four asks, so people do none of them. Pick one, and make it specific and easy.

Questions with an easy answer get comments. Useful, reference-style content gets saved. Relatable content gets shared. Match the ask to the video.

6. Post consistently, and post what works

One video rarely makes an account. What works is showing up regularly with a recognisable format, so people who liked one video know what the next one will give them. Check your analytics every week. Make more of the videos where people watched the longest, and fewer of the ones they skipped.

7. Use trends, but don't depend on them

Trending sounds and formats can help a video find an audience, but only when they fit what you already do. A trend that has nothing to do with your niche brings in viewers who won't come back. Put your own spin on the format rather than copying it frame for frame.

What not to do

• Don't buy likes or followers. They don't watch, don't buy, and make your real numbers harder to read.
• Don't use engagement bait you can't deliver on. Misleading hooks get people to leave early and stop trusting you.
• Don't delete and repost the same video again and again hoping for a different result. Change the hook instead.

None of this is a trick. It's what the best creators on the platform do on every video: open strong, cut tight, caption everything and ask for one thing.