The Secret to Retention: What I Learned on TikTok

Building My Personal Brand

When I started this journey, I set out to build my personal brand by learning video editing, scripting, and speaking. To put these skills into practice, I chose TikTok as my platform. For beginners, TikTok is a great choice because the algorithm shows your videos to around 200 people initially. This gives you valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t.

My First Video: How Much My VPN App Made

My first video was titled How Much My VPN App Made on Android. It performed well, mainly because of its high "watch full video" rate. TikTok prioritizes retention first, then engagement, so keeping viewers watching is key.

To achieve this, I started with a strong hook:

What I Learned: Why Retention Dropped

Despite its success, I noticed viewers dropped off after the 2-second mark. The problem? I spent too long setting up the story. TikTok’s For You page is all about quick swipes—if your value isn’t obvious immediately, people scroll away.

Pro Tip: Shorten your hook and clearly state the value you’re providing right away.

Key Takeaway: Shorter Videos Work Better

When I revealed how much I earned, retention dropped again because there wasn’t a reason for viewers to stick around. If you’re sharing educational content, keep it concise and cut the fluff.

The shorter your video while delivering value, the higher your watch time—and TikTok will promote it more.