Why Your TikTok Videos Aren’t Getting Likes—And How To Fix It

The likes and views are far too low for you to make any decent profit. What gives? Getting on your TikTok Videos can be discouraging whether it’s as an influencer in the making, a small business, or just a TikTok sharing your passion.

Fortunately you can make your affairs turn around with some tweaks in content and also your strategy. Indeed, how to get your TikTok videos noticed and gain tons of likes, views, and shares will be discussed in this comprehensive guide. Let’s get started!

Not Using The Right Hashtags

Hashtags are crucial for discovery on TikTok. Without strategic hashtag usage, your videos simply won’t be seen by many people.

According to TikTok, hashtags help surface videos to viewers with similar interests who may not already follow you. Using a good mix of popular and niche hashtags essentially helps put your content in front of your target audience.

But there’s a right way and a wrong way to use TikTok hashtags. Here are some common mistakes that may be holding your videos back:

• Using too many/too few hashtags. Experts recommend using between 5 to 10 hashtags per video. Any more than that and your captions will look spammy. Too few and you limit reach.
• Use only popular/generic hashtags like #fyp or #funny. Remember, these tags have billions of video views. Use them, but also include some more niche ones.
• Not checking relevance. Make sure every hashtag directly relates to your video topic/content. Irrelevant ones can backfire.
• Putting them in the comments. Hashtags need to be in your caption to optimize discovery.

To maximize engagement, some creators also choose to buy TikTok likes to give their content an initial boost. However, combining this strategy with well-researched trending and niche hashtags is key to long-term growth.

Content Doesn’t Stand Out

TikTok is an endless scroll of 15 to 60-second video clips. That means you have mere seconds to grab the viewer’s attention and get them to stop scrolling.

Videos that blend into the background simply won’t perform well. But those who offer something fresh and engaging for the platform have a much better chance to be noticed.

Think about what would make someone pause and watch your video rather than just skipping past it like everything else on their feed. Here are video ideas that tend to stand out:

• Trending challenges like dance moves or comedy skits.
• Interesting visuals and transitions.
• Intriguing text overlays and captions.
• Sounds and music people enjoy or find catchy.

Essentially, you need some kind of hook. This could be showcasing an intriguing talent, offering entertainment value for viewers, tapping into viral trends/sounds, or teaching people something useful.

Spend time researching what’s currently popular in your niche on TikTok. What challenges or video formats are big? What types of content seem to be getting high engagement? Then put your spin on them.

You can also use trending sounds and hashtags to increase the likelihood of being featured on some of TikTok’s many discovery pages which highlight trending and popular content.

Weak Captions

Don’t underestimate the power of captions. Strong text overlays and captions help provide context, encourage viewers to interact, cue them to take certain actions, and more.

Some things to keep in mind about TikTok captions:

• Ask engaging questions to spark discussion in comments.
• Use strategic CTAs to get follows, shares, and visits to your page.
• Leverage trending hashtag challenges.
• Add personality and humor.
• Use captions to explain and clarify video content.

Additionally, captions should enhance what’s shown in your video – not just describe it. For example, if you post a cooking tutorial, don’t just list the ingredients and steps users can see. Share extra tips, twists, or details on where you learned the recipe.

Well-written, strategic captions can dramatically boost views, comments, shares, and overall engagement.

Weak Personal Branding

On TikTok, personal branding is everything. The platform’s algorithm works by recommending content based on users’ interests and activities.

So if someone engages with your videos, TikTok starts profiling them as liking your brand of content and will serve them more of it. The more people it can connect specific content to, the more views those videos tend to get.

That’s why it’s important to craft a consistent brand and persona around your niche/specialty right from the start. Some tips:

• Choose a defined niche/specialty to focus on rather than posting random topics.
• Use a consistent profile pic and bio that communicates your brand.
• Leverage your talents/interests to offer viewers something unique.
• Post consistently in your niche rather than sporadically.

Establishing a strong personal brand gives viewers a sense of what to expect from your profile. That helps the algorithm promote your content to more potential fans.

So whether you’re aiming to be a lifestyle guru, comedian, dancer, or thought leader in your industry, make sure you have a well-defined brand identity on TikTok.

Poor Video Quality/Editing

TikTok videos may be short, but creating quality content still requires effort. Videos that are grainy, shaky, hastily edited, or have bad lighting/sound are much less likely to be well-received.

Some quick ways to step up production value:

• Film with good lighting and camera positioning.
• Use a tripod or smartphone stabilizer.
• Edit clips to flow well together.
• Add graphics/text for visual interest.
• Use smooth transitions between shots.
• Leverage flattering filters.
• Enhance sound quality.

You certainly don’t need fancy equipment or editing skills to make engaging TikToks. However, taking steps to improve video quality can help your content look more polished and professional.

Not Posting Enough

Gaining traction on TikTok requires consistency. The more frequently you post quality content, the more chances you have to be discovered.

Influencers recommend posting at least 1-2 times per day if possible. While that may seem excessive, it helps:

• Establish yourself faster on viewers’ For You feeds.
• Take advantage of trending topics.
• Improve your odds of going viral.
• Allows you to test different types of content.
• Keep your profile active and engaging.

Posting 1-3 times a week is fine when starting. But increase frequency over time to build momentum. Going viral on even just one or two videos can work wonders for your overall views and follower count.

Not Using Analytics

One mistake TikTok creators make is failing to consult their analytics. Your TikTok analytics provide valuable insight into which videos perform best and why.

Analytics helps you identify:

• Your top-performing content over time.
• Which videos quickly lose viewer interest.
• Your most popular posts by day/time.
• Demographics and interests of your followers.
• Traffic sources driving views.

Use these insights to optimize when you post and inform content decisions. For example, if a specific post theme does well, create more videos around that. If a certain type consistently underperforms, switch up your strategy.

Analytics takes the guesswork out of understanding what works for your audience. So be sure to analyze them regularly.

Not Promoting Your Account

While hashtags help surface your videos on TikTok, you need a strategy for driving followers back to your profile too.

Promote your TikTok across your other social media accounts, email list, website, and any marketing materials. Add links to your TikTok profile to make it easy for interested viewers to follow you.

Cross-promotion is especially important when first starting. It essentially seeds your initial base of followers. Once you gain momentum on TikTok itself, your account will grow more organically.

Not Collaborating With Other Creators

Collaborations, also known as “collabs”, are hugely popular on TikTok. These videos feature two or more creators playing off each other – whether dancing, trying a challenge, or even just reacting to each other’s content.

Collabs are win-win because each creator taps into the other’s follower base. Even doing a simple shoutout exchange or having another popular TikTok engage with your content can introduce your brand to fresh eyes.

Look for creators in a similar niche or with complementary content and propose video collaborations. But make sure you admire their work rather than just pursuing them for attention.

Over To You!

Gaining traction with your TikTok videos does require effort – but the payoff for accounts that “make it” is well worth it. Use this guide to start optimizing your content and strategy. Stay consistent, keep engaging your audience, and leverage analytics to continually improve. With time and commitment, you’ll be well on your way to TikTok fame and fortune!