One way to go viral is to match viral hashtags on TikTok with your videos. Get started with these trending hashtags, plus tips on how to use them strategically.
As a content creator, you not only have to create superhero-level content. You also have to master the art of boosting views, likes, and engagement on your TikTok posts. And no matter how you slice it, you have to use hashtags on TikTok to turn more heads.
But if you’re trying to use your Instagram hashtags on TikTok, that just won’t work. You need a unique strategy for using viral hashtags on TikTok. Check out this guide to learn why hashtags matter on TikTok, the 43 best hashtags you should use, how to find hashtags, and how to craft a TikTok hashtag strategy.
Why Content Creators Should Care About Hashtags
Hashtags might seem like an extra step, but they’re still important for TikTok users. The right hashtags can help you:
- Connect with your target audience: Hashtags categorize your content and make it easier for people to find. That means you’ll connect with more followers who want to see your content, and that’s a win. Plus, some studies suggest that using hashtags can boost engagement by as much as 100%.
- Best the TikTok algorithm: TikTok is a social media platform that works like a search engine. It relies on hashtags to organize content, so you need to use hashtags to get noticed. Hashtags help you tell the algorithm what your content is about — and that increases the chances that you’ll go viral and land on the For You Page (FYP).
- Attract brand collaborations: Brands want to work with creators like you as part of their marketing campaigns. They pay pretty well for user-generated content, but that can’t happen if they don’t know about you. Using viral hashtags on TikTok makes you more searchable by brands looking for influencer partnerships.
The 43 Best TikTok Hashtags for Influencers
You need to use hashtags if you want to build a brand and go viral on TikTok. But which hashtags get you the most bang for your buck?
Entertainment is the biggest hashtag category on TikTok with over 535 billion views (Dance is the second most popular). Trends come and go, but as of December 2022, these are the most viral hashtags on TikTok:
- #Viralvideos
- #Followforfollowback
- #Likeforlikes
- #Tiktokchallenge (this is one of the most viral hashtags on TikTok with over 16 billion views)
- #Explorepage
- #Foryoupage
- #Repost
- #Viralpost
- #Photooftheday
- #Followme
- #Trending
- #Tiktokfamous
- #Foryou
- #New
- #Justforfun
- #Beautyblogger
- #Makeuptutorial
- #Recipe
- #DIY
- #Funny
- #Tiktokdance
- #5mincraft
- #Workout
- #Lifestyle
- #FYP (this hashtag has well over 23 trillion views)
- #Ootd
- #Weirdpets
- #Memes
- #Tiktokmademebuyit
- #Travel
- #Cooking
- #Mentalhealth
- #Prank
- #Tiktok
- #Love
- #Behindthescenes
- #Dadsoftiktok
- #Momsoftiktok (this trending hashtag has over 46 billion views)
- #Artistsoftiktok
- #Lol
- #Friendshipgoals
- #Art
- #Duet (this viral hashtag has over 3 trillion views)
How to Find Viral Hashtags on TikTok
Now, there’s nothing wrong with consulting our handy dandy list of viral hashtags on TikTok, but there’s just one little problem: TikTok hashtags change weekly. Yes, weekly.
That means you have to be able to find the best hashtags as they change over time. If you aren’t sure where to look, try these four tips to find viral hashtags on TikTok.
1. Do a Hashtag Search
Open the TikTok app and visit the Discover page. TikTok will suggest a few trending hashtags. While they might be a little generic, they can give you a solid starting point for your hashtag research.
2. Peep Your Competition
There’s nothing wrong with looking at other creators’ accounts for ideas. Look for creators in your space who make similar content. What hashtags are they using right now? How many do they use? Are they making up their own branded hashtags?
3. See Which Hashtags Your Followers Use
Not all of your followers post content on TikTok, but we guarantee that some of them do. Creep a little on your most engaged followers to see which hashtags they follow and use on their own accounts.
4. Try a Hashtag Generator
Hashtag generators like TikTok Hashtags allow you to look up a handful of hashtags on a single topic. When you enter your topic in the generator, it will pull popular hashtags that are the most relevant to your search. For example, if you search for “food,” you’ll get #foodie, #yummy, #delicious, and #foodlover.
Tips for Creating a TikTok Hashtag Strategy
It’s not enough to load your TikTok videos with the latest hashtags. You need to have a smart, consistent hashtag strategy behind your content.
Follow these five tips to use viral hashtags on TikTok in a more strategic way:
1. Add Hashtags to Your Captions
Yes, you can add hashtags to your video description, but you can also add them to your captions. You don’t want to add too many — that’s a recipe for visual overload. Choose your most important hashtag and add it to the video’s captions to give yourself a little algorithm boost.
2. Create a Custom Hashtag
You don’t have to use other people’s hashtags; you can make your own! Famous TikTokker ShoeLover99 did this with her #MamaTot hashtag. This is a smart way to organize all of your content in one place, and it makes it easier for diehard fans in your community to find your content.
Be sure to choose a branded hashtag that’s short-ish and easy to spell. You should also double-check that the hashtag isn’t already taken.
3. Try Hashtag Challenges
Challenges (and especially dance challenges) are the lifeblood of TikTok. Check out the Discover tab to see which challenges are trending right now. Try to put your own unique spin on a challenge — you can even try dueting with another creator in your space.
4. Keep It Simple
This isn’t Instagram Reels, so you can’t overload your content with dozens of hashtags. Officially, TikTok doesn’t have a limit on how many hashtags you can use. But since you have a 100-character limit for video descriptions, you can’t fit in very many hashtags.
On average, creators use three to five hashtags per TikTok video. That means you need to only choose the most relevant, useful hashtags.
5. Only Include Relevant Hashtags
So many creators are guilty of this, but we need to call it out. You shouldn’t use a hashtag if it isn’t relevant to your content. If you use the hashtag #IceBucketChallenge and your video has nothing to do with that, it’s only going to look like spam. That hurts your credibility and engagement levels. When in doubt, stick with relevant hashtags.
Get Ahead With Viral Hashtags on TikTok
Remember, hashtag trends come and go. The hashtags that are viral today may not be trending next month. Keep doing your research to stay on top of the hottest hashtags for your niche.
To find the best hashtags, be sure to:
- Search for trending hashtags
- Look at other creators
- Find your followers’ favorite hashtags
- Consult a hashtag generator
It isn’t easy, but you can use viral hashtags on TikTok to boost your views and even score brand partnerships. If you want to get extra firepower, be sure to:
- Use hashtags in your captions
- Make your own hashtags
- Follow hashtag challenges
- Keep it simple
- Only use relevant hashtags
Of course, hashtags are just the beginning. To grow an audience, you also need high-quality content, followers who trust you and enjoy what you do, and knowledge about how the platform works. Get marketing tips and monetization hacks on the Hype blog. Subscribe now.
