TikTok’s “For You” page, the first screen people see when they open the app, will tell users why the algorithm put the video in their feed.
Users can view this information by tapping a new option in the “Share” panel labeled “Why This Video.”
Tapping the button will open a pop-up window with a list of reasons why TikTok recommends this video.
Reasons why TikTok may recommend a video include:
User interaction, such as content you watch, like or like or share, comments you post, or search queries.
Accounts you’re subscribed to or suggested accounts for you
Content recently published in your area
Popular content in your area
Now if you see a video on the “For You” page that doesn’t match your interests, you can understand why it was recommended.
For marketers and social media content creators, this feature can be a valuable way to learn more about how the TikTok algorithm works.
When you understand how a video ended up in your feed, you can use that information to create content that ends up in your subscribers’ feeds. In 2020, TikTok published a blog post about how the “For You” page works, including the factors the algorithm considers when selecting a piece of content.
So the information isn’t secret, but it’s more accessible now. It can also be more useful to look at information presented in context.
For example, looking at “popular content in your area” in the list of reasons why a video is recommended can help you be aware of what your local audience is interested in.
If you want to potentially reach the same group of users, you can take the video on your “For You” page and do a duet with it.
Or you can take a sound from a popular video and record a new one with it.
TikTok offers several ways to create content from existing videos, and this feature can be a whole new source of inspiration.
