What are the current trends on TikTok?

This article has been written by our TikTok expert who will tell you what are the most efficient strategies in your niche

What's currently trending in TikTok content right now?

Emotional storytelling dominates TikTok in July 2025, with creators mastering the art of narrative tension and unexpected reveals.

The "There Was a Time" carousel trend using Cigarettes After Sex's "Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby" exemplifies this shift toward vulnerable, nostalgic content that starts calm and builds to an emotional climax. These videos typically begin with serene moments before transitioning to dramatic or personal revelations.

Body positivity content has surged through the "Big Mama" trend set to Latto's track, where creators celebrate their physical stats and embrace self-confidence. This trend particularly resonates with women and plus-size communities, generating millions of views through authentic self-expression rather than traditional beauty standards.

Self-aware humor and meta-commentary about TikTok itself are performing exceptionally well. Creators who acknowledge the platform's tropes while participating in them create a sense of shared understanding with viewers, leading to higher engagement rates.

If you're struggling to identify what content works in your niche, we can help you figure it out.

What are the most popular video formats or editing styles getting traction?

The 9:16 vertical format remains standard, but editing techniques have become more sophisticated with AI-powered tools streamlining production workflows.

Fast-paced editing with rapid cuts and dynamic transitions keeps viewers engaged, while kinetic typography and animated text overlays set emotional tones before viewers even hear the audio. Smart cropping and automated scene detection allow creators to focus more on storytelling rather than technical editing.

Carousel and split-screen formats are experiencing a renaissance, particularly for before/after content and "then vs now" storytelling. Two-slide carousels create natural engagement loops as viewers swipe to see transformations or reveals.

Behind-the-scenes content has evolved beyond raw footage to include heavily edited, aesthetically pleasing glimpses into creators' processes. "Pack with me" and workplace interaction videos use professional-level editing to make routine tasks visually compelling.

Dynamic typography paired with bold color grading creates immediate visual impact, with creators using expressive color palettes to convey emotions before viewers process the actual content.

Which specific sounds, songs, or audio clips are driving virality this week?

Audio selection has become increasingly strategic, with creators timing their content to coincide with trending sounds rather than hoping their chosen audio gains traction.

Trending Audio	Primary Use Case	Performance Notes
Latto - "Big Mama"	Body positivity content, confidence showcases	Drives 85% higher engagement in empowerment niches
Cigarettes After Sex - "Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby"	Emotional storytelling, nostalgia carousels	Ideal for vulnerable, personal narrative content
Justin Bieber's "standing on business" clip	Sassy edits, dramatic reveals, confidence content	Works best with quick cuts and attitude-driven videos
"Deslocado" trending track	Dance content, transformation videos	High discovery rate for movement-based content
"Alibi" viral sound	Lifestyle content, day-in-the-life videos	Strong performance in lifestyle and aesthetic niches
World Emoji Day sounds	Event-driven content, seasonal posts	Limited window but extremely high reach during peak
Ice Cream Month audio	Food content, summer lifestyle posts	Seasonal relevance boosts algorithm prioritization

What types of hooks or intros are working best to grab attention in the first 3 seconds?

The first three seconds determine whether viewers scroll past or engage, making hook strategy more critical than ever in July 2025.

Bold, contrarian statements immediately stop the scroll by challenging viewers' assumptions or presenting unexpected perspectives. Phrases like "Everyone gets this wrong about..." or "You won't believe what happened when..." create instant curiosity gaps that compel continued watching.

Clear value propositions work exceptionally well when they immediately tell viewers what they'll gain from watching. Opening with "Here's the one thing that changed everything for me..." or "This 30-second trick will..." sets clear expectations and justifies the time investment.

Visual teasers that show the end result or transformation before explaining the process create powerful engagement loops. Creators increasingly show the "after" in the first frame, then cut to the "before" to build anticipation for the reveal.

On-screen text that contradicts or enhances the visual creates cognitive tension that keeps viewers watching. When the text says one thing while the video shows another, viewers stay engaged to resolve the contradiction.

What niche communities or subcultures are growing fast on the platform?

Micro-communities centered around sustainable living and conscious consumption are experiencing explosive growth as younger audiences prioritize environmental responsibility.

The sustainable living niche encompasses zero-waste lifestyle tips, upcycled fashion tutorials, and eco-friendly product reviews. These communities show 80% higher engagement rates than broader lifestyle content because they serve specific, passionate audiences with clear shared values.

Pet wellness and pet tech represent rapidly expanding niches, with content focusing on anxiety solutions for pets, innovative pet gadgets, and holistic pet care approaches. Pet owners actively seek expert advice and product recommendations, creating highly engaged communities with strong purchasing intent.

DIY home decor specifically targeting renters has emerged as a powerful niche, addressing the unique challenges of temporary living spaces. Content featuring removable wallpaper, damage-free hanging solutions, and budget-friendly room transformations resonates with younger audiences facing housing mobility.

Coffee culture has evolved beyond basic brewing tips to include coffee art tutorials, roasting education, and cafe exploration content. This niche benefits from highly visual content opportunities and strong community engagement around shared passion.

Gaming accessories and setup optimization represent a lucrative growing niche, with creators showcasing workspace improvements, product reviews, and gaming performance tips that drive both engagement and affiliate revenue.

What kind of value-driven content is getting the most engagement?

Educational content disguised as entertainment consistently outperforms traditional tutorial formats, with creators mastering the art of "edutainment."

Quick, actionable tutorials that solve specific problems within 60 seconds generate the highest save rates and shares. These videos focus on single solutions rather than comprehensive guides, making them more digestible and actionable for viewers.

Behind-the-scenes content has evolved to include subtle educational elements, showing not just what creators do but why they make specific choices. This approach builds authority while maintaining entertainment value, creating deeper audience connections.

Storytelling with embedded lessons performs exceptionally well when creators share personal failures or mistakes alongside the wisdom gained. These vulnerability-driven narratives create emotional connections while delivering practical value.

User-generated content campaigns that feature real customer stories and transformations build community trust while providing social proof. Brands and creators who spotlight their audience members create authentic content that resonates more than polished promotional videos.

Not sure why your posts aren't converting? Let us take a look for you.

How are top creators leveraging comments or duets to boost visibility and interaction?

Top creators treat comment sections as content opportunities rather than afterthoughts, using video replies to extend their reach and engagement.

Video responses to comments create multiple content pieces from single interactions, with creators using interesting questions or feedback as springboards for new videos. This strategy doubles content output while showing audience appreciation.

Strategic comment pinning highlights positive feedback and encourages more conversation, with successful creators pinning comments that either ask engaging questions or provide additional value to the video topic.

Duet and collaboration strategies have become more sophisticated, with creators intentionally duetting trending videos to cross-pollinate audiences. The most successful duets add genuine value or perspective rather than simply reacting to the original content.

UGC campaigns and branded hashtag challenges encourage fan participation while creating viral momentum. Creators who launch challenges with clear participation guidelines and exciting rewards see exponential reach growth as their community becomes content co-creators.

Live streaming integration with comment interaction creates real-time community building opportunities, with creators using live sessions to answer accumulated questions and preview upcoming content.

What frequency of posting is helping accounts grow fastest at the moment?

Consistency trumps quantity, with accounts posting 1-4 times daily seeing up to 56% higher engagement than those with irregular posting schedules.

Posting Frequency	Growth Impact	Best Practices
1 post daily	Steady, sustainable growth with high engagement rates	Focus on quality, consistent timing, strategic hashtag use
2-3 posts daily	Optimal for maximum algorithm exposure and audience retention	Vary content types, post at different peak times, maintain quality
4+ posts daily	Rapid follower growth but potential engagement dilution	Strong content planning required, risk of audience fatigue
Irregular posting	Significant algorithm penalty and audience drop-off	Avoid at all costs, even low-quality consistent posting outperforms
Peak timing windows	6-10 AM, 12-3 PM, 7-11 PM show highest engagement	Tuesday through Thursday perform best for most niches
Content variety	Mixed content types prevent algorithm categorization limits	Alternate between educational, entertainment, and personal content
Quality threshold	Minimum quality standards essential even with high frequency	Better to post less frequently than compromise content quality

What are the latest TikTok algorithm updates or shifts affecting reach and engagement?

TikTok's algorithm has shifted dramatically toward rewarding retention and rewatchability over initial view counts, fundamentally changing content strategy priorities.

Full video completion now carries more weight than total views, with videos that maintain audience attention throughout their duration receiving significantly higher distribution. This change rewards creators who craft compelling narratives with satisfying conclusions rather than those who rely solely on attention-grabbing openings.

Contextual AI matching has become incredibly sophisticated, with the algorithm understanding spoken words, on-screen text, and even background audio to categorize and recommend content. This means creators can achieve discovery without relying heavily on hashtags, as the platform's AI comprehends content themes automatically.

Real-time trend detection allows the algorithm to identify and amplify emerging trends within hours rather than days. Creators who jump on trends early receive disproportionate reach boosts, making trend monitoring and quick execution more valuable than ever.

The platform now penalizes misleading engagement tactics more severely, including clickbait thumbnails, misleading captions, and artificial engagement pods. These penalties can significantly reduce account reach and require weeks to recover from.

If you feel like your content isn't getting enough engagement, we can help improve that.

What are brands or influencers doing differently right now that's working especially well?

Successful brands have abandoned traditional advertising approaches in favor of community-first storytelling that feels authentic rather than promotional.

Creator-led narratives that incorporate brand messages within personal stories or confessions generate significantly higher engagement than direct product promotions. Brands are empowering creators to tell their own stories while naturally integrating products or services into authentic content.

Micro-influencer partnerships have proven more effective than celebrity endorsements, with brands focusing on creators who have genuine connections with niche communities rather than massive follower counts. These partnerships generate higher conversion rates and more authentic audience relationships.

Event-driven content strategies that align with cultural moments, holidays, and trending topics create maximum relevance and discoverability. Brands that plan content calendars around predictable events while remaining flexible for unexpected trends see consistent engagement spikes.

Series and character-driven content keep audiences returning for ongoing narratives, with brands creating recurring content themes or characters that build anticipation and loyalty over time rather than relying on individual viral moments.

What are the biggest don'ts or outdated strategies that are hurting performance today?

Sporadic posting patterns represent the fastest way to kill account growth, with inconsistent uploads resulting in immediate algorithm penalties and audience attrition.

Clickbait tactics and misleading captions now actively harm account performance rather than simply failing to help. The algorithm's improved ability to detect these tactics means creators using them face reduced reach that can take weeks to recover from.

Ignoring community interaction signals to the algorithm that creators don't value their audience, resulting in reduced distribution and engagement. Failing to respond to comments or engage with followers creates a negative feedback loop that compounds over time.

Overly polished, advertisement-style content consistently underperforms compared to authentic, relatable videos. Audiences have developed sophisticated abilities to detect and reject traditional marketing approaches, favoring content that feels genuine and personal.

Generic hashtag strategies using broad, oversaturated tags no longer provide meaningful discovery benefits. The algorithm's improved content understanding makes hashtag stuffing ineffective while strategic, niche-specific tags remain valuable.

How can current trends be adapted to fit a personal brand or niche without copying others?

Successful trend adaptation requires identifying the underlying emotional or structural elements that make trends effective rather than copying surface-level aesthetics.

Finding unique angles within trending formats allows creators to participate in viral moments while maintaining brand authenticity. For example, using trending audio with industry-specific examples or personal experiences that align with your expertise creates relevance without imitation.

Blending trends with established brand elements ensures consistency while capitalizing on discovery opportunities. Creators who maintain recognizable visual styles, messaging themes, or content structures while incorporating trending elements achieve the best of both worlds.

Platform feature utilization through duets, stitches, and live streams provides opportunities to engage with trends while showcasing unique perspectives or expertise. These interactive features allow creators to add value to existing conversations rather than starting from scratch.

Signature style development that incorporates trending elements while maintaining brand consistency creates sustainable growth strategies. Creators who develop recognizable themes, aesthetics, or messaging approaches can adapt any trend to fit their established brand identity.

When in doubt about what to post, we've got your back.

Conclusion

Sources

1. New Engen - July 2025 TikTok Trends
2. Pepper Agency - Top TikTok Trends for July 2025
3. Pixflow - Top Video Editing Trends 2025
4. RecurPost - TikTok Content Types
5. Kasra Design - Popular TikTok Trends to Watch
6. SendShort - TikTok Hooks Guide
7. EcoMobi - Best TikTok Niches 2025
8. Stack Influence - TikTok Influencer Marketing Strategies
9. Social Champ - How Often to Post on TikTok
10. Social Champ - TikTok Algorithm Guide

Who is the author of this content?

NAPOLIFY

A team specialized in data-driven growth strategies for social media

We offer data-driven, battle-tested approach to growing online profiles, especially on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Unlike traditional agencies or consultants who often recycle generic advice,we go on the field and we keep analyzing real-world social content—breaking down hundreds of viral posts to identify what formats, hooks, and strategies actually drive engagement, conversions, and growth. If you'd like to learn more about us, you can check our website.

How this content was created 🔎📝

At Napolify, we analyze social media trends and viral content every day. Our team doesn't just observe from a distance—we're actively studying platform-specific patterns, breaking down viral posts, and maintaining a constantly updated database of trends, tactics, and strategies. This hands-on approach allows us to understand what actually drives engagement and growth.

These observations are originally based on what we've learned through analyzing hundreds of viral posts and real-world performance data. But it was not enough. To back them up, we also needed to rely on trusted resources and case studies from major brands.

We prioritize accuracy and authority. Trends lacking solid data or performance metrics were excluded.

Trustworthiness is central to our work. Every source and citation is clearly listed, ensuring transparency. A writing AI-powered tool was used solely to refine readability and engagement.

To make the information accessible, our team designed custom infographics that clarify key points. We hope you will like them! All illustrations and media were created in-house and added manually.