# TikTok Mechanics — the discovery engine

TikTok is the most discovery-driven platform there is. Understanding *how* the For You Page (FYP)
decides what to push is the whole game — and it's different enough from Reels that a Reel reposted
to TikTok usually underperforms.

> Specs, lengths, and features change fast — re-verify quarterly. The principles are durable.

## Content-first, not follower-first

The FYP shows content based on **how people respond to it**, not on how many followers you have. A
zero-follower account can hit a million views; a big account can flop. TikTok tests every video on a
small audience, watches the signals, and expands reach if they're strong. This is why TikTok is the
best platform for reach from a standing start — and why **the video itself has to earn it every
time**.

## The signals that expand reach

In rough order of weight:

1. **Watch time / completion rate** — did people watch to the end? The single biggest signal.
2. **Rewatches / loops** — did they watch again? Hugely powerful; design for it.
3. **Shares** — sent to a friend / off-platform. The strongest "this is worth spreading" signal.
4. **Comments** — especially ones that spark replies.
5. **Saves**, follows, likes.

Everything in `hooks-and-retention.md` exists to maximize the first two.

## The brutal hook window

TikTok users scroll fast — you have **~1 second**, and the first ~3 seconds decide the video. If the
opening doesn't stop the scroll, nothing else matters. There is no warm-up, no "hey guys, welcome
back," no logo intro. The hook is verbal + on-screen text + visual, all at once. (See
`hooks-and-retention.md`.)

## Make TikToks, not ads

TikTok's own advice, and it's true: **native, authentic, slightly raw content outperforms polished,
ad-like content.** The platform's culture rewards a real person talking to a phone camera over a
glossy brand spot. Over-produced content reads as an ad and gets scrolled. This is the single most
common brand mistake on TikTok — and the core pushback this skill makes.

## Sound is central

TikTok is a sound-on platform built around audio. Trending sounds, original audio, and music are
woven into discovery — using a rising sound can give a video an early lift, and a great original
audio can itself become a trend. But a sound has to *fit* (see `formats-and-sound.md`); forcing an
irrelevant trend is worse than using none.

## TikTok is a search engine

Increasingly, people (especially younger users) **search on TikTok** like Google. Videos surface
for search queries and in "Others searched for" prompts. So TikTok SEO matters: say your **keywords
out loud**, put them in **on-screen text**, and in the **caption** — TikTok reads all three.
Keyword + niche hashtags beat generic high-volume tags.

## Length

- **Short (≈7–34s)** still dominates for FYP virality and rewatches — easiest to complete and loop.
- **Longer (1–3 min+)** works for storytime, tutorials, and search-driven content; TikTok supports
  ~10 min recorded in-app and up to ~60 min via upload (verify-quarterly). TikTok has nudged toward
  longer content, but short remains the safest bet for reach.
- **Let the idea pick the length** — never pad to fill time; dead air kills completion.

## Native features (use where they fit)

- **Stitch / Duet** — react to or build on another video (great for reach + commentary).
- **Green screen** — talk over an image/article (explainers, reactions).
- **CapCut** — the de-facto editor; trending templates, captions, transitions.
- **Auto-captions** — always on (accessibility + sound-off viewers); still add intentional on-screen
  text for the hook and keywords.

## Cadence & disclosure

- **Consistency over bursts** — regular posting feeds the algorithm more tests; treat timing as
  general guidance, not analytics (WoopSocial has no analytics surface yet).
- **AI-disclosure** — WoopSocial auto-discloses AI-generated media on TikTok; still follow TikTok's
  synthetic-media rules and the brand's policy.


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资料：Frank Heijdenrijk / pavelhov/social-media-skills

原始版本：https://github.com/pavelhov/social-media-skills/blob/1680b37bf0dc32b52da247a8196ef27a6cd47bd4/skills/tiktok-script/references/tiktok-mechanics.md

许可：MIT。目录与内部链接已经整理，未收录图片已省略。

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