📱 Lesson 7: How TikTok’s Algorithm Works (And What to Do Before You Publish Your Bible Videos)
So, your Bible story video is finally done — script, voiceover, animation, and edits are all complete. Now comes the part that determines whether your content gets views or crickets:
✅ Publishing it the right way
❌ Publishing it without strategy
In this lesson, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about TikTok’s algorithm, including location settings, video length strategy, and avoiding early mistakes that could permanently affect your channel.
🌍 Step 1: Set the Right IP Location for Your Audience
Why does this matter? Because TikTok recommends content based on your IP address.
- If your IP is in the U.S., and your target audience is in the U.S., you’re all set.
- But if you’re outside the U.S. (for example, in Asia, Africa, or Europe), and your target audience is English-speaking Americans, you must use a VPN with a U.S. residential IP address.
TikTok’s algorithm thinks locally. If your phone is in Italy, most of your followers will be Italian — even if your video is in English.
⏳ Step 2: Use a Smart Video Length Strategy (It Affects Reach!)
Here’s what not to do:
🛑 Post long videos (>1 min) on a brand-new account with zero followers.
Why? Because:
- Long videos have lower completion rates in the beginning
- Low retention = less push from TikTok
- It’s harder to go viral until you build an engaged audience
✅ Recommended Video Length Progression:
| Phase | Video Length |
|---|---|
| Week 1–2 | 10–20 seconds |
| Week 3–4 | 30–50 seconds |
| Week 5+ | 1 minute or more |
📌 TikTok Creator Rewards only apply to videos over 1 minute, so that’s the long-term goal — but start short to boost early engagement.
🎯 Step 3: Avoid the “Ultra-Short” Trap
Posting 7-second videos might seem like a good idea at first, but here’s the danger:
- TikTok will typecast your audience based on what you publish
- If you only post super short content, your followers will expect it — and longer videos will later flop
- Your account becomes locked into a low-retention audience profile
🧠 Instead, build your audience’s patience step-by-step by gradually increasing your video length.
🚫 Step 4: Don’t Run Ads Too Early
Thinking of boosting your videos with paid ads from day one?
Hold off. Here’s why:
- TikTok uses organic behavior to learn who your real audience is
- If you run ads too early, TikTok starts learning from random or uninterested viewers
- These “paid” followers may have no genuine interest in Bible stories — so when you post next, your video gets shown to them first… and they’ll scroll right past it
❌ Result? Low engagement. Reduced reach. A broken recommendation cycle.
💸 Worst of all — wasted ad spend.
👀 Let TikTok learn from real organic data first.
💡 Step 5: How to Use ChatGPT for Viral Titles & Descriptions
Once your IP is ready and your content strategy is smart — it’s time to optimize your video’s title and description.
Use ChatGPT to help you write a scroll-stopping hook and caption:
📝 Prompt for ChatGPT:
Please act as a professional TikToker. Based on my video topic, help me write a viral TikTok title and description, and include relevant trending hashtags related to the topic at the end.
You can send:
- Just your hook (to generate a short title)
- The entire script (for a summary-based title + description)
- Or a specific theme (e.g., “Bible prophecy,” “fallen angels,” or “Jesus parables”)
✂️ Too long?
Ask ChatGPT:
“Please shorten this to under 200 characters and keep it engaging.”
📲 Step 6: Upload the Right Way
✅ Final checklist before publishing:
- Video length: Short for new accounts, longer for monetization
- Upload: From your phone, not desktop
- Description: Keyword-rich, emotionally engaging, and includes trending hashtags
- Thumbnail (optional): Make sure the first frame is visually compelling
📌 Recap – Algorithm Keys to Remember:
| Tip | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| U.S. IP address | Aligns your video with your target audience’s location |
| Start short, grow longer | Builds viewer retention and algorithm trust |
| Don’t post ultra-short forever | Avoids being locked into a low-engagement audience type |
| Avoid early ads | Prevents algorithm confusion and poor audience targeting |
| Use AI for titles & descriptions | Boosts SEO and engagement on every upload |
⬅️ Previous: Lesson 6: CapCut Editing Guide
➡️ Next: Lesson 7 – Part 2: How to Publish Bible Videos for Maximum Reach
