How to Promote Music on TikTok?

Time to talk about how to promote your music on TikTok and go viral!

Today we'll jump into the jungle of TikTok music marketing. Starting from simple instructions on uploading music on this platform and going straight to the advanced promotional strategies.

Why Give TikTok a Shot?

With over 1.7 billion users, TikTok is worth your attention. The majority of TikTok's audience consists of Gen Z and millennials, with the average age slightly younger than that of Instagram and Facebook users. Reportedly, TikTok users feel that this platform allows them to co-create, and 41% of respondents in the same study say they are more likely to trust a brand after seeing it on the platform. Music artists feel pretty good there, just take a look at the stats below with songs reaching billions of views. In general, promoting your music on TikTok is the right decision to make.

Resource: Statista

Get Your Tracks Ready for TikTok

To boost your music's chances of going viral on TikTok, start by turning your tracks into TikTok-friendly ones. These tracks should ideally be no longer than 15 seconds to instantly grab people's attention. Find the catchiest part of your song, like the chorus or a relatable verse, and don't be shy to dive into your old tunes to find music that matches TikTok's vibe.

How to Get Your Music on TikTok?

When your music is ready, you need to get it on TikTok so users can use it in their videos. You can send your music to TikTok through music distributors like the official TikTok partner AIR Media-Tech. Just submit your request here. Besides TikTok, we can also get your music on over 120 music streaming platforms and online stores like Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, Beatport, and others. Once your music is on TikTok, it's time to make it viral!

Going Viral with Your Music on Tiktok

When it comes to promoting your music on TikTok, there are a few key points to keep in mind:

• The more people use your music in their videos, the more TikTok will promote your tracks.
• If one user is inspired to use your track by a dance challenge or lip-sync video, it's likely to inspire others to use your music in their videos.
• the more the algorithm sees people using your music, the more it will showcase it to others, attracting new viewers and inspiring more users to use your track.
• This domino effect has helped many undiscovered tracks go viral on TikTok.

In our last piece, we've gathered 17 ideas for music artists on TikTok, so make sure to check them out and pick some inspiration for viral TikTok content.

TikTok Growth Hacks for Promoting Your Music

To get the ball rolling, we've prepared 6 practical tactics you can use to make your music heard on TikTok. Let's start with a simple but crucial one: using hashtags.

1. Music hashtags are key on TikTok

While many platforms use them, hashtags are especially powerful on TikTok because they're often the key to going viral. So, throw in a mix of hashtags whenever you post:

• Specific hashtags: These relate to you or your music (e.g., #indieartist if you're an independent artist, #synthpop if your music falls under that genre).
• General hashtags: These are popular all the time (e.g., #music, #musician, #fyp for "For You Page").
• Trending hashtags: Jump on these to reach a wider audience.

Remember, the right hashtags can help your video reach the right people and promote your TikTok account.

How to find perfect hashtags for your music 

There is something new trending every day on TikTok. To find what hashtags are best to use for your music, open the TikTok app and tap the magnifying glass icon to access the Discover page. 

1. Find trending videos and popular creators. 
2. Browse through the content and watch how these creators use hashtags.
3. Take notes on the hashtags they use, especially if the videos have high engagement (likes, comments, shares).

To narrow this down to more niche and relevant music hashtags, use the search feature. In the search bar on the Discover page, type in keywords related to your niche or content. 

1. TikTok will suggest relevant hashtags based on your search. 
2. Look for hashtags with high viewership and active audience interaction (likes, comments, shares).

It's up to you what way to choose and you can use even both of them to help your music reach a wider audience on TikTok.

If you want to get your TikTok account verified or start a professional TikTok Ads campaign, drop us a line here.

2. Challenges on TikTok? It's easier than you think

Everyone's doing challenges these days, and TikTok is the place they take off. Think of a challenge you can add your song to and encourage your fans and followers to join it, using your music in their videos. It might seem daunting, but trust me, it's simpler than it looks.

So, what makes a good challenge? Popular ones involve dance routines, lip-syncing, or funny memes. You can do one of these, or mix it up! You might remember how the "I can buy myself flowers" challenge inspired by the song "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus in 2023 blew up having people dancing, making memes, and even lip-syncing. Or how TikTok users made a ton of memes with the song "Dinero" by Trinidad Candora. The key is to create something relatable and emotionally engaging, whether it's funny, happy, sad, or culturally unique. Remember, going viral isn't guaranteed, but with a creative challenge, you can increase your reach.

3. Get your song on TikTok with Influencers

Collaborating with an influencer is a great way to push your music or your challenge forward.

When influencers feature your song in their videos, it gets exposed to tons of new people who might love it. This can even inspire them to create their content using your music, spreading the word even further. Here are two ways to find influencers on TikTok:

• Build relationships: Engage with other accounts by commenting, liking, and following them. Over time, you can reach out and propose a collaboration. This often involves offering compensation (like money or promotion) in exchange for featuring your song in their video.
• Use the platform: TikTok has built-in features to help you find relevant influencers. Look for the "Discover" page and explore content by hashtags, sounds, and topics related to your music genre. This can help you find creators with an audience that might enjoy your music.

Both options can boost your chances of landing on the "For You Pages" of TikTok users.

4. Learn from others

Here's the key: follow people on TikTok! Start with people in your niche, trending creators, and popular artists. Following not only builds your audience but also lets you see what's working for them. So, what's trending? Pay attention to popular content and see if you can adapt and repurpose some of those ideas for yourself. Remember, it's all about inspiration, not copying!

By following and learning from others, you can gain valuable insights for your own TikTok music marketing.

5. Duets: Collaborate to promote your music on TikTok

Duets are a fun and easy way to collaborate with other TikTokers on the platform. They let you combine two videos side-by-side, like a split-screen. Collaborating with other TikTokers, especially musicians in your genre, can expose you to their followers and potentially gain new fans. Respond to content from other creators you admire, boosting your chances of being seen by their audience. Creating a duet is super simple: just find a video, click "share," then "duet," all in two clicks!

6. Share Everywhere

Here's a cool feature about TikTok: you can easily share your videos across other platforms with just one click! This benefits everyone:

• Instagram, Facebook, and others: They want you to use their platform, so they make sharing from TikTok smooth.
• TikTok: Sharing branded content is a good thing for them, hence the logo on the share option.
• You: Your watermark stays on the video, so people can easily find and follow you on TikTok from other platforms.

So, sharing your TikTok content is a fantastic way to reach more viewers and grow your audience. 

Going viral on TikTok doesn't happen overnight but these tactics can seriously boost your chances. For even faster results, contact the official TikTok partners like us at AIR Media-Tech. We can help you get noticed on TikTok and reach new audiences on over 120 music platforms. Let's chat!