Is there a secret to going viral on TikTok? Absolutely — and today we’re breaking it all down.
How do you become popular on TikTok and actually grow your following? It’s a question on the minds of the platform’s billion-plus users. Let’s be honest: if you’re not already famous and don’t have movie-star looks, it’s an uphill climb. But it’s far from impossible — there are real strategies and a few open secrets that work.
The number one secret to TikTok popularity is charisma, whether it’s something you were born with or something you’ve built. Without it, unfortunately, you won’t get very far. The second key ingredient is a professional approach to content creation. The third is creativity.
On top of all that, there are certain trend categories that are practically built into TikTok’s DNA — they never go out of style. AdmiGram.com breaks them down for you with real examples below.
TikTok Trends That Will Always Be Popular
Memes
@mav67kid67 my viral 67 meme #67 #67kid #fyp #meme #throwback ♬ original sound – Official 67 Kid
TikTok’s audience skews young, so meme-style content will always be in demand. But to actually go viral, you need more than a funny idea — think sharp acting, jaw-dropping flexibility, expressive body language, or perfect timing with whatever’s trending in the moment.
Remix Memes
@_awa_de_horchataMi😳pan🧟♀️su😎su🥳sum😡su👺su☠️su🤒mi😈pan💩yakakus🤖ñam👄ñam🙇🏼ñam♬ Mi Pan Su Sus – 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚☦︎︎
This is content built on reacting to, remixing, or parodying something already popular — a format that got its start on YouTube. How far it travels depends almost entirely on how recognizable or exaggerated the reference is. The bigger and bolder the twist, the more likely it is to go viral.
Life Hacks
@diyor_rahimoff #experiments #lifehackervsnormalpeople #lifehacks #experimentator #lifehacker #experiment ♬ Lalala – Y2K & bbno$
Simple videos that make everyday life easier are evergreen. To land at the top, talk about something genuinely relevant right now that solves a real, widely felt problem. That’s what gets people hitting “share.”
Cliffhanger Videos
@alex.ivanchak Reply to @wedness1 NARUTO from 400 Rubik’s cubes 😱😱😱 НАРУТО ИЗ 400 кубиков Рубика 😳♥️ #naruto #наруто #anime #аниме #art #sasuke ♬ Blue Bird – Ikimonogakari
This is the kind of content you simply can’t stop watching. The formula: hook the viewer immediately, throw in an unexpected twist, then deliver a satisfying payoff. Combine that structure with a creative angle and a trending sound or format, and you’ve got a recipe for massive views.
Cooking
@yackikuka OMELETTE NASI #tiktokfood #cookingvideo #videomasak #alarestodiakhirbulan #omelette #yackikuka ♬ original sound – yackikuka
Love comes and goes — but the craving for good food never does. As long as people need to eat, there will be demand for recipes. And these days, nobody’s flipping through cookbooks or even searching YouTube — everyone’s on TikTok. The simpler, clearer, and more mouthwatering the video, the better its shot at going viral.
Pure Creativity
@zachking Never walk on someone’s #chalk #art ♬ original sound – Zach King
Everyone has a talent that sets them apart — some talented enough that the whole world should see it. That’s the heart of what TikTok was built for: creating and surprising people. But even here, it comes down to execution — your skill, your charisma, your camera work. Without that, your video gets buried under a million others.
Anti-Trends
@khaby.lame Cm on bro 🤲🏾🤲🏾🤲🏾🤲🏾🤲🏾!! #learnfromkhaby #learnwithtiktok #imparacontiktok #khabylame ♬ suono originale – Khabane lame
Every trend has its opposite, and the opposite can be just as powerful. Take the story of an ordinary, unemployed guy who downloaded TikTok out of sheer boredom and became one of the most-followed creators in the world. Khaby Lame built his entire brand on silently mocking overcomplicated “life hacks” — and it made him a global star.
Motivational Content
@mozzaronnie No hands.. No look 🔥👀 😎 #checkthedrip #gymroutine #noeffort #foryourpage #TooSickToBeSick ♬ Lalala – Y2K & bbno$
People are always chasing motivation and inspiration — for work, personal growth, fitness, you name it. The specific topic matters less than the delivery: make it impressive, visually striking, and memorable, and it’ll resonate.
Social Issues
@valentinebrothers Wouldn’t change a thing 💛#greenscreen #downsyndrome #brotherlove #brothers #bettertogether #fyp ♬ Surrender – Natalie Taylor
Social issues are important, and they’re always relevant — we’re social creatures, and our world runs on shared concerns. Anything timely, meaningful, and capable of sparking real public conversation will get attention and get shared. TikTok is no exception.
Beauty
@braidsbycolor Let’s go to the beat! #hair #hairtutorial #braid #hairbraiding #fyp #for #purple #purplehair #beauty #beautyguru ♬ Hands Clapping – 😈89😈
Beauty content isn’t going anywhere. Anything visually striking, or anything that helps people feel more confident in how they look, tends to land in everyone’s Favorites. To stand out in such a crowded category, everything — visuals, pacing, execution — needs to feel genuinely eye-catching.
image on top: bellapoarch / Instagram, charlidamelio / Instagram, khaby00 / Instagram
