The Strategy and Schedule that I used to gain 13K+ followers on TikTok, and 1M+ organic impressions in just a few weeks

src=”https://buffer.com/resources/content/images/2022/12/nubelson-fernandes-zIc7Jd1SGPU-unsplash–2-.jpg” alt=”The Schedule and Strategy I Used to Gain 13K+ TikTok Followers and 1M+ Organic Impressions in Just a Few Weeks”>

As many founders face the daunting task to learn yet another social media platform, I was overwhelmed at the thought of creating a TikTok account for my company.

I come from finance and don’t have any experience in content creation. I would not consider myself to be particularly creative as I’m not from that industry. It seemed impossible to think of creating fresh, interesting content every day and competing with those who do it for a living.

Yet, I was sceptical that Tandem, an app for couples that manage their shared finances, could connect with new users. We’ve found that users who are already using mobile apps for D2C have the most intent and are the best way to gain them. With a target audience of 25-35 years olds, I knew that TikTok was a large part of their phone time. For context, TikTok users in America spent on average 25.6 hours per month using the app, with the majority of them being 34 years old or younger.

In August 2022, Tandem’s TikTok Account was launched. In just a few short weeks, the account had more than 13,000 followers and received over 1,000,000 organic impressions. This number continues to grow over time. It’s been so successful that I recently added a second account–@missmoneymichelle–to become a finance influencer in my own right and bypass expensive influencer marketing for my brand. Within a matter of weeks, I had over 17,000 followers.

The business results are better than followers. Although I have been careful not to push Tandem too hard at the beginning, I prefer to add value to my followers and build trusting relationships with them before I sell to them. I have already seen videos convert into new users and website visitors. In a digital age where advertising is becoming more expensive, I know that having our own audience is essential. Tandem will also learn from the content that connects most with people to inform our product roadmap, as we consider new offerings for couples who want to manage their finances together.

Naturally, all this has been happening while I also run my business. If you feel that TikTok is too complicated or that you don’t have the time, I will share my exact strategy and schedule to quickly build our accounts.

I learned from TikTokers who were successful

Let me start by saying that I did not devise a successful strategy on my own. I started my TikTok journey by spending a few weeks in the Secret Socials course. This helped me understand the algorithm and best practices to make engaging short-form video.

One of my most important lessons was that every video should have a “hook.” The TikTok algorithm uses engagement metrics such as how long users spend watching videos, likes and comments to decide what to share.

If people don’t spend enough time watching your video to understand what it is about, you won’t get any traction on any metrics. The first few seconds of your video are critical. I learned to speak quickly, include text and use dramatic titles to grab viewers’ attention. For example, “three things that I did that saved me $1,000 and no one else knows about” is more appealing than “three money-saving tricks that worked for me.”

I learned how to use TikTok data to inform my content. You can search for topics in your niche using the app’s search tool. Then filter by most popular videos. I will search for everything, from “finance” videos in general to “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” and then look at what is working for other creators. Then I’ll consider how I can add my own spin to the topic and create something useful for my audience.

To help me gain traction and experiment, I used a number of tools.

Apart from following TikTok’s best practices, my profile has grown most efficiently by striking a delicate balance among quality, consistency,, and quantity.

Because you want to build a following quickly, quantity is key. You need to make as many viral videos as possible. So that I could quickly understand what was working and what wasn’t, I set a goal to post three times per day, seven days a week.

It is important to be consistent in content type and frequency so people know what you expect. People will be more inclined to follow you if they see 20-30 videos about a topic that interests them, rather than a handful of scattered posts. Launching with a series, in my case financial tips for couples, helped me maintain that consistency from the beginning.

It’s important to provide quality content that offers real value to your followers to build a following. While I have seen some funny and entertaining videos go viral they rarely translate to new followers or users. In the meantime, I have found that my most successful videos are those that I share tips that have had a real impact on our relationship. For example, creating a shared email account or becoming domestic partners for each other’s insurance.

With my accounts more established, I now use five video series to explore new topics, particularly those that are time-bound. One example is a series I made about winning the lottery during the major Powerball. Another was about Travel Tuesday deals during Black Friday weekend. I can create a variety of videos on each topic to explore different hooks and provide more information without making the video too long. Although I am able to predict which one will go viral, it is common for at least one of the videos in a series to go viral.

I made a schedule and searched for shortcuts

If you allow it to consume a lot your time, content creation can be a drain on your time. As a founder, this is not something I have much of. Batching my content creation efforts is the best way for me to post consistently at my preferred frequency.

I usually reserve Monday afternoons to brainstorm and think. To see which type of content is doing well, I will look at the trending TikTok metrics and data from my posts. Also, I will consider upcoming holidays and current events. Next, I will list all the topics that I would like to cover for the week along with the hooks. Depending on the topic, I might loosely plan a video or talk on the spot.

On Tuesdays, I spend about 4-5 hours filming my week. It’s possible because I have a few key shortcuts that make it easier. One, I will always use the greenscreen feature. This allows me to add any background I want. This allows me to create variety, even though I am filming in one place. It also makes it possible for me to create from any location I choose, if I have to go out on filming day. I’ve recorded many videos from my car. To ensure that I get high-quality sound, no matter where I am filming, I also bought a mini microphone. A final odd tip: I wear large sunglasses in all my videos to avoid feeling pressured to do my makeup. This saves me time and is now part of my brand look. Editing is something I do on Tuesdays. This allows me to have a complete set of videos ready to go to my YouTube channel for posting throughout the week. To ensure that the posts are engaging and include captions and cutting out dead spaces, I usually spend at least an hour editing.

I won’t lie, TikTok can still be overwhelming for me at times. It’s not easy to consistently put out new content. I have to show up even when it’s not happening. TikTok is constantly changing so I have to find the best content and stay with it. I must constantly pay attention to data and what works for other creators. This allows me to experiment and iterate.

With some simple strategies, and a plan I can stick to week after week, TikTok works for me. The result, a deep and ongoing connection with my audience, is more than worth the effort.