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How We Reached 300K Views Across TikTok/Reels/Shorts For Our AI Startup

Quick story 👇

6 months ago, we decided to test short-form content as a way to generate traffic for our AI Chrome Extension. I created 4 accounts and published 100+ videos. I'm based in Germany, but all the accounts are targeting the US market.

Learnings, tools, costs, and how to trick TikTok Geolocation Tracking 👉

Accounts #1, #2 - Main accounts
https://www.tiktok.com/@russ_ai
https://www.youtube.com/@bluedothq/shorts

Here I'm directly showing our product and how it can help. These accounts take most of the time.
I script all the videos, record + edit them. Initially, it took me 1-2 days per week to produce it, and now it's like 3-5 hours per week. Videos don't generate many views, but lots of ppl like and bookmark them.

Status: Planning to continue publishing videos since they directly sell our product. Videos don't generate many views, but lots of ppl like and bookmark them.

Cost: 20$ tripod, iPhone, free video editor (capcut), express VPN, old android phone that I use to post from US IP.

Additional costs: You can hire the editor to edit your videos, but I would recommend editing the first 10-20 videos yourself just to see how it works. Editors can charge from 20 to 200$ per short video.

Learnings 👉

  • The "hook" in the first 2-3 seconds is more important than anything else.
  • Ideal video lengths: 13-15 seconds or 1+ minute.
  • Change visuals every 2-3 seconds. Otherwise, people scroll through.
  • Platforms prioritize videos that are watched over and over again or that are watched longer than 30-45 seconds.
  • Most of the time TikTok shows your content to new people (in my case 95% of views are from new ppl). Therefore don't be afraid to make lots of shitty content at the beginning. See what works and where you get the best engagement.
  • Use specific niche hashtags. This would help others explore you faster.

TikTok Geo Location Strategy 🌎
TikTok is extremely hard to trick when it comes to your location. They track your SIM card, GPS, phone book, App Store location, etc. After trying lots of ways, this is what works for us:

  • buy a cheap Android phone
  • make sure it's rebooted with no data there (no phone numbers, photos etc)
  • register Play Store with your preferred location
  • block GPS
  • install vpn and turn on your location (i use express vpn)
  • download TikTok, Insta, Youtube
    This worked 3 out of 3 times and all of my views are from the US now.
  1. 2

    I must try that!
    My target audience is US students, but I didn't know about the TikTok geolocation tracking and my first video is being displayed only for Brazilian users...

    I hope they provide a way for configuring that in the future

    1. 1

      it took me weeks to figure it out. honestly tiktok is sooo annoying with tracking. crazy.

  2. 2

    Curious - how many signups did you guys end up getting? I imagine chrome extensions to be kind of unpopular from mobile platforms but I could be wrong

    1. 1

      honestly not much.

      you are right promoting chrome extension trough tiktok might not be the best thing to do.

      we collect emails from mobile page.

      we collected around 100+ emails, but many of them are irrelevant (students or ppl with persn email addresses who don't have money to pay for it>

      1. 1

        thanks for that feedback - I read online certain businesses kill it in the tiktok game but i would definitely be highly surprised!

  3. 1

    Helpful cause I'm about to launch content to target user in US but don't now how to trick Tiktok with that yet lol

    1. 1

      it will take some time, but once you set up everything correctly it should work.

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