Like other social networks, TikTok houses at its core an algorithm capable of analyzing the content posted by its users and promoting the dissemination of content that is most likely to be popular based on the tastes and interests of each and every one of the platform ‘s more than one billion users .
TikTok has become a key medium for many companies to strategically convey their marketing messages, and thousands of content creators have found in the Chinese-based social network the ideal ally to build their communities of followers on TikTok around their passion or a common interest.
How content is organized on TikTok
One of the keys to TikTok’s growth in recent years is undoubtedly the smooth operation of its recommendation algorithm, which has evolved over time to adapt to the new uses TikTokers are giving the platform.
Unlike other social networks – although the same thing already happens on X – on TikTok the flow of posts that users see is divided into two tabs:
-Following: This tab displays content posted by people you follow.
-For You: This is a separate tab that displays content from people you don’t follow, but that the algorithm determines might be of interest to you.
While on other social networks, users prefer to primarily see content from the people they follow, on TikTok, the most popular tab is “For You.” The recommendation system is so precise that it actually shows users what they’d like to see, even if it’s been shared by people they don’t follow. It keeps them engaged for hours, watching short videos that they scroll through by swiping up on their phone screen, an action known as swiping up .
This is how the TikTok algorithm works
TikTok is a space that promotes the discovery of new content and new users, rather than following those you already know and keeping up with what they post, which is also important.
However, on TikTok, you connect through videos that interest you with people outside your social circle, but with whom you share common interests.
Its success has been such that other social networks have tried to copy the keys to its algorithm. For example, Instagram with Reels and YouTube with Shorts have applied a similar system to sort and highlight content. The same is true for Snapchat and the content in its Spotlight tab . However, to date, none of these platforms has managed to perfect their algorithm as much as TikTok’s.
For many years, TikTok kept its algorithm a secret , offering no explanation as to how it worked, but the Chinese company has now made public the keys to its video recommendation system in the For You tab.
Thus, we know that TikTok’s algorithm takes into account the videos each user likes, the ones they share, the accounts they follow, the comments they post, and the content they create.
Up to this point, it’s similar to other platforms, but TikTok’s algorithm also takes other variables into account. For example, it also evaluates the information included in the video (the accompanying text, whether it has subtitles, the hashtags used, etc.), as well as the music and other sounds used in the video’s editing.
TikTok also takes device and account settings into account . For example, it analyzes the default language, the user’s country of residence, and even the make and model of their smartphone. These variables are given less weight than the previous ones, but they also play a role in deciding which content will best suit their experience on the social network.
Finally, the algorithm also takes duplicate content into account. For example, it doesn’t show two videos consecutively on the same topic, with the same filter, or with the same music. Content that is considered spam or suspected of violating TikTok’s community guidelines, even if it doesn’t, is also removed.
Considering all these variables, it could be said that each “For You” tab is unique, and no two are alike. Each user receives content specifically curated for them. Furthermore, as the system constantly refines the recommendation system based on user interactions and behavior on the social network, the content shown becomes increasingly hyper-personalized. This explains the levels of addiction generated by the videos viewed on TikTok .
And if you want the TikTok algorithm to stop taking all variables into account and start from scratch, you can reset the TikTok algorithm . This way, your usage patterns won’t be taken into account, and posts will begin being selected for you from the moment you reset.
