You’ve seen the videos. Someone stands in their kitchen, does a mediocre dance for seven seconds, and suddenly they have three million likes and a brand deal with a luxury skincare line. It feels like a fluke. Or maybe it feels like the algorithm just picked a favorite child and it wasn’t you. Honestly, TikTok is a bit of a lottery, but it’s a lottery where you can actually buy more tickets if you know how the system processes engagement.
If you're wondering how to get more likes on TikTok, you have to stop thinking about "likes" as a vanity metric. They aren't just little red hearts that make you feel good; they are data points. Every time someone double-taps, they are telling the For You Page (FYP) algorithm that your content is worth the bandwidth. That signal pushes your video to ten more people. If those people like it, it goes to a hundred more. It’s a snowball effect, but most people are trying to build that snowball with dry, powdery sand instead of wet snow.
The Hook Is Dead, Long Live the "Re-Hook"
Most "experts" tell you that the first three seconds are everything. They aren't wrong, but they're incomplete. In 2026, the initial hook is just the entry fee. To get those likes, you need a "re-hook" at the 7-second mark and the 15-second mark. People have the attention spans of a caffeinated squirrel. If you grab them with a loud noise or a flashing text box but then transition into a boring story, they’re gone before their thumb can even reach for the heart icon.
Think about the creators who dominate your own feed. They usually start with a visual "open loop." Maybe they’re holding a weird object they haven't explained yet, or they start a sentence that they don't finish until the very end. This creates "information itch." The only way the viewer can scratch that itch is by sticking around. And a viewer who sticks around for the whole 30 or 60 seconds is statistically much more likely to leave a like than someone who scrolled past after the first five.
Stop Making Content for Everyone
This is the biggest mistake. You want everyone to like your video, so you make it broad. You make it generic. You make it boring.
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TikTok isn't a broadcasting platform; it’s a community-finding engine. If you’re a hobbyist blacksmith, don't try to make "cool metal videos." Make videos for people who understand the specific struggle of getting the forge to the right temperature on a humid Tuesday. Use the jargon. Be niche. When you speak directly to a specific subculture—whether it's "BookTok," "CleanTok," or "Corporate-Burnout-Tok"—those users feel seen. When a user feels seen, they don't just scroll. They hit like because they want to signal to the algorithm: "Yes, more of this, please."
The Psychology of the Double-Tap
Why do we actually like things?
- Validation: "I agree with this take."
- Aspiration: "I want my living room to look like that."
- Humor: "That made me exhale sharply through my nose."
- Utility: "I need to save this hack for later" (though this often results in a 'save' more than a 'like').
If your video doesn't fall into one of those buckets, it’s probably just "noise."
Trends Are a Trap If You’re Late
We’ve all seen it. A sound starts trending on Monday. By Wednesday, the big creators have used it. By Saturday, your local dental office is doing a "POV" version of it. By the time you post your version on Sunday, the trend is dead. It’s "cringe."
If you want to know how to get more likes on TikTok using trends, you have to be an early adopter or a subverter. Subversion is usually better. Take a trending sound and use it in a way that is the exact opposite of how everyone else is using it. If a sound is usually used for "romantic sunset moments," use it for "the moment my cat threw up on my rug." The contrast catches the eye. It earns a like for being clever, not just for being trendy.
Production Value vs. "The Vibe"
There is a weird paradox on TikTok right now. High-production videos—4K resolution, professional lighting, color grading—sometimes perform worse than a grainy video shot in a messy bedroom. Why? Because TikTok users value authenticity over everything. If a video looks like a commercial, our brains are trained to skip it.
We want to feel like we’re FaceTiming a friend.
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Try this: don’t use a tripod. Hold your phone. Walk around while you talk. The slight shakiness and the changing background keep the viewer’s eyes busy. It feels "live." It feels urgent. That urgency translates into engagement.
Lighting Still Matters (But Not the Way You Think)
You don't need a $200 ring light. In fact, ring lights often give you those weird circles in your pupils that scream "I’m trying too hard." Natural light from a window is still the king. Face the window. Let the sun do the heavy lifting. If it’s nighttime, a simple lamp with the shade removed can create a dramatic, high-contrast look that stands out in a feed of flatly-lit dancing videos.
Engagement Is a Two-Way Street
You cannot expect to get likes if you aren't giving them out. This isn't just about "karma." It’s about the algorithm. When you engage with other creators in your niche, your profile becomes "associated" with that niche.
Also, reply to your comments. Not just with a heart emoji. Ask a question back. When you reply to a comment, that user gets a notification. They come back to your video. They might like it again, or they might like your reply. This creates a "second wave" of engagement that can revive a video that’s starting to plateau.
The Boring Stuff: Captions and Hashtags
Don't write a novel in your caption. Save that for Instagram. On TikTok, the caption should either be a punchline or a question.
- Bad: "Here are 5 tips on how to get more likes on TikTok. I hope you enjoy them!"
- Good: "The 3rd one is kinda controversial tbh..."
As for hashtags, the old "SEO" rules are shifting. Using 30 hashtags makes you look like a bot. Use three to five. Use one broad one (e.g., #Cooking) and two or three very specific ones (e.g., #SourdoughStarterTips #FermentationLife). This helps the AI categorize your video accurately. If the AI knows exactly who should see your video, it will show it to people who are primed to like it.
Frequency and Timing
There is a myth that you need to post three times a day. If you can do that without sacrificing quality, great. But most people can't. If you post three mediocre videos, you’re just training your followers to ignore you. One "banger" every two days is infinitely better than three "meh" videos every day.
Check your analytics. See when your followers are actually online. If you’re in New York but your audience is in London, posting at 9:00 PM EST is a death sentence for your engagement. Your video will hit the "test group" when they’re all asleep. By the time they wake up, your video is "old news" to the algorithm.
The Power of the "Loop"
If you can make your video loop seamlessly—where the end of the sentence leads perfectly back into the beginning—you’ve won. TikTok counts "rewatches" as a massive engagement signal. If someone watches your video 1.5 times because they didn't realize it started over, the algorithm thinks your video is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It will blast it out to a wider audience, leading to—you guessed it—more likes.
Actionable Next Steps to Boost Your Likability
Don't just read this and go back to your old posting habits. Try a "reset" for your next three videos.
First, look through your "Saved" videos. What is the common thread? Is it the humor? The fast pacing? The aesthetic? Identify why you like things, and then replicate that "value" in your own style.
Second, record your next video without a script, but with a clear "Point A" and "Point B." Start in the middle of the action. Instead of saying, "Hi guys, today I'm going to show you how I make coffee," start with the sound of the beans grinding and say, "This is why your home coffee tastes like battery acid."
Third, spend 15 minutes before you post engaging with the hashtags you’re about to use. Like other people's stuff. Comment something genuine. Then post your video and stay on the app for 20 minutes to respond to the first few people who comment.
Getting more likes isn't about gaming a machine; it's about being the most interesting person in a very crowded room. Stop performing and start sharing. The hearts will follow the value you provide.