How I generated 10.7 million hits on TikTok

My jewellery brand generates more social media hits than most FTSE 100 companies. I founded Rani & Co with just £2,000 in the bank, but our marketing power means we double our sales each year.

TikTok is our most powerful too. It's one very, very few brands understand. Our most viral TikTok videos currently stands at 10.7million views, which gained us over 23,000 new followers in just two weeks, and generated over £10,000 sales in 1 week.

It’s true what they say, TikTok is changing people’s lives. So, how did I create a viral TikTok? Here are the 8 secret ingredients:

1. Generate emotion

Create content that creates emotion, for example, videos that make someone feel happy, sad, excited, shocked, safe etc. Unfortunately, this viral TikTok is based on an experience of sexual assault when I was 7 years old, so of course many people could sympathise and relate to this video, especially women.

When you create content, think about how you would react to it as the viewer and how you can catch their attention within the first 2-3 seconds, which leads on to my next point.

2. Include a hook

Start your videos with a strong hook that will spark the viewer's curiosity. Popular hooks on TikTok are ‘Did you know that…Here are 3 things that… Here’s how to…’. In my viral TikTok, I start the video with an ambiguous hook explaining the situation I was in before the assault happened, which makes people wonder what happens next.

3. Two second clips

Change the clip in your video every 2 seconds. This sounds like a lot, but it can be as simple as filming the same thing from a different angle. This keeps the viewer engaged. Also, try to keep your videos to 15 seconds long.

4. Reply to comments

Consumers want to know that there’s a human behind a brand, so reply to as many comments as you can. Another tip is to respond with a question, this keeps the conversation going which can help to boost your video.

5. Film the process

We all like to feel that we are part of something, so filming the process of making a product, in this case I filmed the creation of our upcoming Medusa necklace, brought the viewer along the journey. They get to see each step from how this necklace started as a sketch to the final sample.

Another great content idea that works well is filming your business journey. There’s nothing like a transparent and inspiring story to spark that emotion of motivation.

6. High quality

Make sure your videos are high quality. You can record and edit in the TikTok app, but for better quality videos, I film my videos on my iPhone on the setting 4K at 60fps, and edit the clips using an app called Splice. If you are talking to the camera or using your voice in the video, always add text as some people don’t have the volume on high or they may be hard of hearing.

7. Sell subtly

The power of TikTok is that you can sell your product or service in a subtle way. For example, you can create content around a trending sound and incorporate your business into it, which is what I did for this viral video.

TikTok is also an entertainment app, so have fun with your content and don’t worry too much about looking professional. The more authentic your content is, the better it tends to perform.

8. Be consistent

Post two to three times a day. It sounds like a lot, but once you get the hang of creating short videos, you can bang them out in an hour. You can also repurpose the videos across different social platforms, such as Instagram reels and YouTube shorts.

Even though this viral TikTok was inspired by a sad and unfortunate situation, it wasn’t created to profit from a place of trauma, it was made to tell my story, which just happened to generate sales. I have been very open about my experiences growing up throughout my business journey, as I know so many women can relate it. I hope that my story encourages others to come forward with their stories, one of my main aims is to make my followers feel that they are not alone and that Rani & Co.’s social platforms are a safe space.