Can songs help your content to go viral on TikTok? Using a song is just one of many ways that you can increase the chances that your video will go viral on TikTok. You still need to make sure that the videos that you create actually resonate with your target audience.
Adding a trending TikTok sound to your videos increases the chances of it going viral and appearing on the For You page. A single viral video can translate into thousands of followers. Using TikTok sounds is an effective way to grow your brand on TikTok.
The bottom line
If you're intimidated by TikTok, trending sounds are a great place to start. I've definitely noticed my own videos perform exponentially better with trending sounds, getting way more views than my original content.
Original works, like songs, are protected by copyright automatically from the moment they're created. So, if you use a musician's original song in your TikTok video without proper licensing or permission, you are likely committing copyright infringement.
If a song has a Creative Commons license, you can use it in your TikTok videos as long as you follow the terms of the license. The most common Creative Commons licenses are “Attribution” and “Attribution-ShareAlike.” These licenses allow you to use the song as long as you give credit to the copyright holder.
According to the Tik Tok copyright policy, it is illegal to use the copyrighted content on its platform. But, if the tracks are recorded using the Tik Tok app, then it permits without any issues.
TikTok will likely remove the video, and you may receive a cease-and-desist letter from the PRO that manages licensing for the song. You could also end up being sued, depending on how much money you made using the song.
TikTok allows creators to automatically check for copyrighted sounds when they create posts. However, users must turn this feature on before the application will begin doing so. Our guide will show you how to turn on the “video sound copyright check” setting in the TikTok mobile app.
If your track is going to go viral on TikTok, it needs to be TikTok-friendly. But what does that actually mean? The optimal duration for TikTok's music content is 15 seconds long. It also needs to be broad, catchy and relatable enough for TikTok's users to create their own video content around it.
The TikTok app has a large library of sounds and songs that creators can use in the background of their videos. The app's sound functionality has allowed certain songs to become used in explosively popular trends or memes — from dances to "storytime" videos — often helping those songs to go viral.
The best times to post on TikTok are Tuesdays from 2 to 6 p.m., Wednesdays from 2 to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Afternoons are when the highest engagements are on the platform; users are looking to fill their afternoon entertainment boost.
User interactions
Much like the Instagram algorithm, the TikTok algorithm bases recommendations on a user's interactions with content on the app. What kind of interactions? Anything that offers clues about the kind of content the user likes, or doesn't like.
As we mentioned, this is because TikTok has a Copyright Licence Agreement or IP Licensing Agreement with labels and artists to use their music on the platform. This just means that the artist gives TikTok permission to use their IP in return for royalties, but this is subject to the terms set out in that agreement.
Note: The best way to avoid TikTok copyrights is to upload a video without music, then select the music from TikTok's library itself. To appeal a copyright claim on TikTok, you can submit a counter-notice here.
The most successful TikTok users make money through a combination of revenue streams that can include sponsorships, fundraising drives, product sales, and accepting tips. TikTok users can also promote products through an affiliate link to get paid directly from brands.
TikTok and Copyright Infringement
Each type of infringement is possible on the TikTok platform. Direct infringement may be committed when a TikTok user enjoys a copyright holder's content enough to create their own video using some of the same aspects as the original user.
The song you want to use is copyrighted if you see the copyright symbol next to it when you download the song. (Not to be confused with the Creative Commons licensing symbol). Know what the law says. To avoid infringing your country of residence's copyright law, there is nothing better than knowing what it says.
TikTok only allows 60 seconds of any sound recording to be included in a video if that sound recording has been distributed to them. As a result, if you or one of your artists uploads a video with more than 60 seconds of a track that you have delivered to TikTok, the track will be fully muted in that particular video.
Public domain music is constituted by all works that are not protected by copyright and therefore can be used without permission or without having to pay the original author1.
Open TikTok and select the + icon to create a new video. Select Sound at the top of the screen to open the audio menu. Select the song and select the checkmark (Preview a song from within the TikTok audio library until you find a track you like.) Select the red Record button and prepare yourself to record the video.