If you’re addicted to TikTok, chances are you have at least one sound that you can’t stop repeating to yourself. TikTok sounds have ruled what types of videos go viral for quite some time, whether it is a new song or just a sound from a video all over your For You page.
When someone uploads a video to TikTok, they also upload a sound that anyone can use in their video. This means that only sounds will go viral on the app. Original videos, such as a scene from Girls in which Adam Driver eats soup and then says “good soup,” can then be used as the background vocal to a video of someone brushing their teeth, with the text “7 year old me drinking water from my toothbrush” overlaid on top. The same sound but entirely different meanings. Eventually, you start to hear people saying good soup and other viral sounds in real life in contexts completely different from the original video – and it is precisely this that makes saying the sounds in real life so appealing.
Brands and influencers looking to increase engagement may benefit from using popular sounds on the app. Consider this: that’s very berries and cream of you. To explain what this means, I must first introduce you to the youngster. The video, which is based on a Starburst commercial from 2007, was re-uploaded to TikTok and featured an adult man in white tights and a black outfit doing a “little lad dance” that he used to do for his mother when he wanted to be berries and cream. “Berries and cream, I am a little lad who loves berries and cream,” the man sings. The TikTok tag has 1.7 BILLION views, indicating that it is funny and popular.
The trend became uncontrollable, with nearly every song ever made being remixed with the berries and cream song. Because the sound was so popular, videos incorporating the song into new contexts went viral. Brands such as Duolingo have had great success using viral TikTok sounds in their videos and adapting them to their contexts.
How to Find a Trending TikTok Sound?
Trending TikTok sounds are typical sounds used by many users on the app. This can include songs like The Ting Tings’ “That’s Not My Name,” 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 of the app’s most popular music and sounds will appear. This is the best way to find out what current sounds are popular.
Furthermore, when sounds go viral, you will typically hear them repeatedly on different videos on your for you page. If you hear them frequently, you can click on the sound to see how many videos were made with them. This will also show how people are adding new context to the sound and where it originated in the first place.
You Have a Sound. Now What?
The viral videos usually have a twist or add a different context to an already viral sound. For example, one of the most popular TikTok songs this week is “Major Bag Alert” by DJ Khaled and Migos, which features a 15-second loop of the lyrics “bag alert, major bag alert.” Over 155,000 videos have been created using sound. Look for intersections between your content and brand and the sound to see if you can create a viral video. Consider what would be both amusing and appropriate for your brand.
Beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueria, for example, who has 10.3 million TikTok followers, used the sound with the caption “beauty brands when my videos reviewing their products go viral.” Her video received over 2.6 million views and 300,000 likes. Her use of sound is relevant to her brand and makes fun of her success and collaborations with other brands. Excellent use of the trend that will connect with her audience while also being amusing to a larger group.
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Creating Your Viral Sound
Using already viral sounds is a great way to increase engagement and reach new audiences. Still, if you discover that you have a very specific niche with your content, you could try to create a sound that would be liked by your audience and would most likely be widely used.
Most TikTok sounds are created naturally. For example, YouTuber Chris Klemens posted a TikTok of a fork he saw at a restaurant and fell in love with, saying, “you’re coming home with me.” The sound has been used in over 100,000 videos and has over 600,000 likes on TikTok. This sound was amusing and relatable enough that more people could use it, with more and more users taking videos of things they wanted to take.
If you are thinking of creating your sound, consider the following:
- Is this something that will come across authentically to your audience? TikTok users are good at picking up when something is created simply to be reused, trying to remain as authentic as possible.
- Do you think many different people in new contexts could use this?
- Is 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 things spread on TikTok, it is critical to determine how relevant the sound is when creating a video. First, consider when the original sound was posted and how frequently people have used it in the last week. Second, act quickly and work on creating a video that fits your brand and audience.
Music and copyright are also important considerations, as copyright laws will almost certainly continue to apply to brands even on the app. Consider your brown copyright infringement and the rules you must regularly follow when posting videos with music on social media when using viral music.
Using TikTok sounds is a great way to broaden your current audience while potentially creating content that will appeal to new audiences. Consider how your content and brand align with the sounds you’re creating and how you can add new twists to existing viral sounds to use them properly.
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