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If you’re obsessed with TikTok, it is more than likely that you have at least one sound that you can’t seem to stop saying to yourself. Whether it is a new song or just a sound from a video that is all over your For You page, TikTok sounds have been ruling what kinds of videos go viral for quite some time.
Whenever anyone uploads a video to TikTok, they are also uploading a sound, which anyone can then take and use in their own video. What this means is that sounds alone will go viral on the app. Original videos, like for example a scene from Girls of Adam Driver eating soup and then saying “good soup” can then be the background vocal to a video of someone brushing their teeth with the text “7 year old me drinking water from my toothbrush” over the video. Same sound, completely different meanings. Eventually, you start to hear people saying good soup and other viral sounds in real life in a completely different context than the original video – and that is precisely what makes saying the sounds in random situations so funny.
@shartytruffle
https://www.tiktok.com/@notbradpitt_/video/7000541055481367813
Brands and influencers looking to increase their engagement might do well with using sounds that are popular on the app. Take an example: that’s very berries and cream of you. To even begin to explain what this means, I have to introduce you to the little lad. Originating from a Starburst commercial that came out in 2007 and was re-uploaded to TikTok, the video features an adult man in white tights and a black outfit doing a “little lad dance” that he once did for his mummy when he wanted berries and cream. The man sings: “berries and cream, berries and cream, I am a little lad who loves berries and cream.” The tag on TikTok has 1.7 BILLION views, so clearly it’s funny and connects with audiences.
@hoopsmcelroy Berries and cream
The trend got out of control, with practically every song ever made being remixed with the berries and cream song. Because the sound was so popular, videos that used the song in new contexts would go viral. Brands like Duolingo have been really successful with using viral TikTok sounds in their videos and applying them to their contexts.
Want to learn more about how corporate brand accounts like Duolingo use social media? Read more about it here.
How to find a trending TikTok sound
Trending TikTok sounds are usually just sounds that have been used by many different users on the app. This can include songs, like “That’s Not My Name” by The Ting Tings or sounds like berries and cream or the good soup. When you go to film a video on TikTok and click “add sound,” an entire page filled with all the most viral music and sounds on the app will pop up. This is the best way to see what current sounds are trending.
Additionally, usually when sounds are really viral, you will hear them over and over on different videos on your for you page. If you hear them often, you can click on the sound itself to see how many videos have been made with it. This will also provide some good examples of how people are adding new context to the sound and where it came from in the first place.
How do you start a trend on TikTok? Read our blog on how to do so.
You have a sound, now what?
Usually, the videos that go the most viral have a twist or add a different context to an already viral sound. For example, one of the most viral songs on TikTok this week is “Major Bag Alert” by DJ Khaled and Migos, where a 15-second loop of the lyrics “bag alert, major bag alert” is playing. The sound has over 155,000 videos made with it. Look for ways in which your own content and brand can intersect with the sound, and see how you could potentially make a viral video. You can consider what would be funny and make the most sense for your brand.
For example, beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueria, who has 10.3 million followers on TikTok, used the sound with the caption “beauty brands when my videos reviewing their products go viral.” Her video got 2.6 million views and over 300,000 likes. Her use of the sound is relevant to her brand and pokes fun at the success of her own content and working with other brands. An excellent use of the trend that will connect with her audience and surely be funny to a wider group.
@mikaylanogueira
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Creating your own viral sound
Using sounds that are already viral is a great way to increase your engagement and potentially reach new audiences. Still, if you find that you have a very particular niche with your content, you could try to create a sound that would be liked by your audience and probably used widely.
Most of the time, these kinds of TikTok sounds come organically. For example, YouTuber Chris Klemens posted a TikTok of a fork he saw at a restaurant that he really liked, saying “you’re coming home with me.” The TikTok has over 600,000 likes and the sound has been used in over 100,000 videos. This sound was funny and relatable enough that more people could use it, with more and more users taking videos of things they also wanted to take.
@chrisklemens i am home and the fork is secured
If you are thinking of creating your own sound, consider the following:
- Is this something that will come across authentically to your audience? TikTok users are really good at picking up when something is created simply to be reused, trying to remain as authentic as possible.
- Do you think this could be used by a lot of different people in new contexts?
- Is there something already out there that sounds too similar to what you want to make?
A warning for brands
Because of the fast-paced environment and the way that things go viral on TikTok, it is really important to gauge how relevant the sound is when creating a video. Firstly, consider when the original sound was posted and how often people have been using it within the last week. Secondly, act quickly and work to create a video that makes sense with your brand and audience.
Music and copyright are also important things to think about, as it is very likely that copyright laws are still going to apply to brands even on the app. Be careful when using viral music and consider your brown copyright infringement and the rules you regularly have to follow when posting videos with music on social media.
Using TikTok sounds is a great way to expand your current audience and potentially create content that would appeal to new audiences as well. In order to use the sounds properly, consider how your own content and brand align with the sounds you are creating and how you can add new twists to already existing viral sounds.
