What Counts as a View on TikTok?

If you have just hopped on the TikTok bandwagon, you’ll soon understand why the platform is so addictive. You’ll be rolling out video after video, playing with one amazing filter and effect after another. You’ll lose track of the hours as you watch clips on your feed to find inspiration for your next content. But how do you get people to watch your videos? And what counts as a view on TikTok? These are two of the most crucial questions you need to answer if you intend to build a presence on the platform as a creator or a brand.

How Does TikTok Count Views?

How does TikTok count views? Compared to other social media platforms, TikTok has a low barrier to gaining views. As soon as a video plays when it passes through your feed, it counts as one view. Because videos are in auto-play mode on TikTok, users don’t even actually have to watch a video to contribute to its view count. The video gains a view when it plays for at least one second; for videos that are three minutes or longer, the video has to play for at least three seconds. 

Other factors also count towards a video’s number of views. Let’s go through them one by one.

Does TikTok Count Your Own Views?

Can you increase your view numbers by watching your own videos? Does TikTok count your own views? No, your views don’t count. TikTok only considers views from other real users. It does not count views from bots or spam accounts.

What Counts as a View on  TikTok? Does TikTok Count Repeat Views?

Yes, TikTok counts repeat views as long as they’re from real users other than the creator of the video. When a previously viewed video appears on the same user’s feed multiple times, the video also registers each repeat view. 

TikTok also keeps track of your unique viewers or viewers who have seen your videos at least once. 

You can check your video views and unique viewers for the last 60, 28, or seven days via your Analytics.

1. Go to your Profile and tap the Menu in the upper right. 
2. Select Settings and privacy. 
3. Tap Analytics. 
4. Select a date range. 

You’ll see your total number of video views and unique viewers for your selected date range within the Overview section. 

Does TikTok Count Each Video Loop as a View?

When a video loops automatically, does TikTok count the new loop as a new view? Yes, each time a video loops, it counts towards its view numbers.

What Counts as a Profile View on TikTok?

Does TikTok also count profile views or visits? What counts as a profile view on TikTok? 

Profile views only track actual visits to your profile page. To count as a profile view, another user must click on your username to go to your profile page. If a user views your profile photo or searches for your account without visiting your page, neither one counts toward your profile views. 

You can see your profile view numbers within your Analytics, in the Overview section. You can also see who has viewed your profile via the Profile View History feature in your Privacy settings. When you enable this feature, you’ll be able to see who has viewed your profile in the last 30 days. 

However, only people who have also turned on this feature will show up on the list. This means you’ll also show up on their list when you view their profiles. If you turn off the feature, the profiles you visit won’t know you viewed their page. You also won’t see who viewed your profile. 

To turn the Profile View History feature on or off, just follow these steps:

1. Go to your Profile and tap the Menu in the upper right. 
2. Select Settings and privacy. 
3. Tap Privacy. 
4. Under the Interaction section, tap Profile Views. 
5. Toggle the setting to turn the Profile View History feature on or off. 

If you turn on this feature, you’ll receive notifications when someone views your profile.

How To Increase Your Video Views

The first step to getting views is having your video appear on For You feeds and search results. Ideally, you want your content to land on the feeds of your target audience — users who will genuinely appreciate what you have to offer. 

This way, you’ll also have higher chances of getting multiple playbacks to increase your view numbers further. You’ll also be more likely to receive likes, comments, and shares when the right viewers discover your content. 

Here are some tips to help you generate not just more views but views that convert!

Create Content for Your Target Audience

You need to understand how TikTok’s recommendation algorithm works, i.e., how it chooses users to whom it will show your videos. TikTok matches content and accounts based on a user’s interests. So, if you want your video to appear on your target audience’s For You feed, create content that matches their interests.

Optimize Your Content With the Right Hashtags and Keywords

Hashtags are among the most powerful tools in your optimization toolkit. The hashtags and keywords you use in your video description inform the algorithm of what your content is about and who might be interested in it. 

Hashtags are also crucial in helping users discover your content via TikTok’s search function. You need to identify the best combination of hashtags to hit a high TikTok SEO score and appear on top of search results. Ideally, you should combine niche hashtags with popular industry hashtags and generic hashtags.

Participate in Viral Trends

Viral videos get tons of views and engagement. If you’re quick enough to participate in a viral trend, you can get a big slice of the pie and experience a significant surge in both video and profile views. 

There are several ways to participate in trends. You can join a challenge. Create a Duet or Stitch with a hugely popular video. Do a reaction video featuring a viral clip. Produce content using the trending effect, filter, or sound featured in a viral video.

Post Your Video at the Right Time

You need to know when your target audience is actively browsing on TikTok. The specific hours of the day that they allot for TikTok may vary depending on the day of the week and their demographics. If your target audience includes college students, for example, they may be most active on TikTok in the middle of the day. 

You can use your Analytics to identify the best times to post your content. You want your intended audience to see your video as soon as you post it. You can also check out the pages of similar creators to see when they usually publish their most popular content. 

Follow a Regular Posting Schedule

With more than 50 million daily active users and over 30 million posts each day, how do you make sure your videos get exposure? TikTok recommends posting between one to four times per day. And when you post at the same time that your target audience is on TikTok, then you can almost guarantee their views. Posting regularly also helps “condition” your audience to keep an eye out for your content.

Make Every Video View Count

Video views represent the extent of your reach. Because TikTok delivers content to For You feeds based on users’ individual interests, your view numbers are a reliable measure of your videos’ prominence on feeds. 

When you compare your view numbers against your follower numbers, you should be able to tell if your targeting strategy actually helps you reach your fans. When you look at your view count vis-a-vis your likes and comments, you should get a good idea of how well your content resonates with your viewers. 

A high view count, on its own, may indicate popularity. But you want views that convert users into engaged followers. You should be able to hook viewers from the first second your video plays and also keep them watching long enough to stimulate engagement. The longer you can keep them engaged, the more likely they’ll hit your like button. If your content is a perfect match to their interests, you also guarantee a profile visit and a follow. Play your cards right, and you can encourage your profile visitors to watch more of the videos on your page.

What counts as a view on TikTok? Understanding how TikTok keeps track of video views and profile views should help you interpret your metrics and improve your targeting strategy. And if you need expert help boosting your reach and visibility, sign up for a High Social plan. 

Get an added audience-targeting advantage with High Social’s advanced, proprietary AI technology. This intelligent tool works as effectively as TikTok’s own algorithm in delivering content to interested viewers. Start growing your TikTok today!

TikTok Tips