Updated
What makes a video go viral? Data from 1,272 TikToks and Reels
Short videos that ended with "let me know below" drew 39% fewer views than the same account's typical video.
Sample: 1,272 videos from 160 accounts
TikTok niches: what works in each industry
What works in different TikTok niches? Postdom analysed 2,138 TikTok posts (1,120 videos and 1,018 slideshows) from 267 accounts and compared each post with its own account's usual views, industry by industry.
Sample: 2,138 TikTok posts from 267 accountsCharts to embedDownload the dataHow to cite
Key findings: TikTok niches compared
- Local and professional services (dentists, physical therapists, trainers, lawyers, lenders): hooks promising a numbered list drew 3.71x the views of the same accounts' other videos [95% CI 1.12-15.95]. Videos over 90 seconds drew 2.92x [1.25-7.05]. Hooks that opened a loop drew 2.35x [1.27-4.41]. Vague "soft invite" endings drew 0.41x [0.18-0.87]. In slideshows, 52% of each account's three best posts were lists or step-by-steps, against 13% of the three worst.
- Consumer product brands (candles, clothing, jewellery, bakeries, coffee): the account's usual presenter on screen 2.51x [1.63-4.42]; a real place in the first frame 2.59x [1.24-7.12]; no person at all 0.42x [0.20-0.80]; a single moment with no beats 0.34x [0.19-0.60]; under 20 seconds 0.46x [0.20-0.93].
- Immigration and relocation services (lawyers, visa agents, relocation firms): story arcs 3.02x [1.29-7.14]; hook written on screen 2.10x [1.00-4.18].
- Software and apps: day-in-the-life vlogs 0.27x [0.12-0.65]. In SaaS slideshows, giving the answer on slide 1 went with 0.23x [0.12-0.46].
- Food and drink sellers (10 bakeries, cafes and coffee brands, 80 videos; descriptive only): a product close-up opened 47% of each account's three worst videos and 13% of its three best; 3% of the best were a single shot, against 30% of the worst.
- Across all 1,120 videos: on-screen text hook 1.89x [1.22-2.91]; spoken-only opening 0.59x [0.38-0.91].
- What businesses search for (Ahrefs US estimates, October 2026): 17 tracked real estate phrases total about 3,950 searches a month, against 1,420 for 14 restaurant, cafe and bakery phrases and 1,950 for 9 dental phrases.
Charts to embed
Every chart is free to use with a link back to this page. The embed code includes the link.
Download the data
- Industry summary (CSV) industries-on-tiktok-summary.csv. Every feature, segment and dataset in this report, with the multiple, 95% CI, significance flag, number of posts and accounts, and its share of each account's three best and three worst posts.
Aggregate figures only. The files name no accounts. Free to reuse with a link to this page.
Method and full data tables
Method
Collection. Accounts were found through TikTok keyword searches (91 for videos; a separate query set for slideshows) covering local services ("realtor tips", "mortgage broker tips", "dentist tips", "hair salon owner"...), consumer brands ("bakery owner", "coffee shop owner", "candle small business", "restaurant owner day in the life"...), software and apps, and immigration and relocation services. A text pre-screen kept brands and businesses, and a vision check kept accounts that post in TikTok's native style (in-app text over real footage). Data was pulled through a third-party TikTok data API between late September and 2 October 2026.
Eligibility. Posts at least 7 days old, not ads; videos 3 minutes or shorter. Each account needed at least 10 eligible posts.
Sampling. From each account, the 3 best, 3 worst, and the posts at the 1/3 and 2/3 ranks were sampled (8 per account; a few accounts were sampled in two collection rounds). Videos: 1,120 posts from 140 accounts (105 brands or businesses), posted January 2021 to 25 September 2026, median August 2026. Slideshows: 1,018 posts from 129 accounts (72 brands or businesses), posted October 2023 to 24 September 2026, median July 2026. Two accounts appear in both, giving 267 unique accounts and 2,138 posts. Instagram Reels (152) and carousels (105) from the same research were excluded: too few accounts to split by industry.
Measure. For every post: log(views / the account's median views across all its eligible posts). A feature's effect is the difference in mean log-ratio between posts with and without the feature, computed only within accounts that have both, pooled across accounts and exponentiated. So "2.5x" means posts with the feature drew about 2.5 times the views of the same accounts' posts without it. Confidence intervals: 1,000 bootstrap resamples of accounts (fixed seed). "*" marks an interval that excludes 1.
Labels. For videos: 8 frames per video, the speech transcript (gpt-4o-mini-transcribe), and on-screen text read from frames (gpt-4.1-mini); cuts from ffmpeg scene detection; hook type, arc, ending, product role and tone labelled from text, blind to performance; a per-account vision pass marked whether the account's recurring presenter appears. For slideshows: slide text read by a vision model, structure labelled blind to performance. "Best" and "worst" are each account's three highest and lowest sampled posts by relative views.
Industry groups. Groups follow the search queries that found each account. "Food and drink sellers" is a hand-picked subset of 10 accounts (3 from local services, 7 from consumer brands) and is reported only as shares, because 10 accounts cannot support effect estimates.
Caveats. Best and worst posts were deliberately oversampled, which inflates the size of every effect; trust direction and ranking more than magnitude. Small groups (32-38 accounts per video niche, 18-23 per business slideshow niche) give wide intervals. All results are correlations within accounts, not proof that a format causes views. Viral outliers (some posts above 1,000x the account median) are included. Search volumes are Ahrefs model estimates.
Reproduce. Every feature, segment and dataset in this report can be downloaded as a CSV in the data section above, and every step of the method is described in this section.
Full tables
Multiples are views for posts with the feature against the same accounts' posts without it. "*" = 95% CI excludes 1.
Videos: Local and professional services (256 videos, 32 accounts; median best 64s, median worst 60s)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-screen text hook | 1.73x | 0.68-4.48 | 120 (20) | 84% | 82% |
| Spoken-only hook | 0.74x | 0.28-1.9 | 37 (18) | 15% | 16% |
| List, steps or tutorial | 1.71x | 0.84-3.57 | 70 (23) | 33% | 21% |
| Story arc | 1.12x | 0.47-3.11 | 32 (17) | 14% | 14% |
| First-person story hook | 1.12x | 0.34-4.28 | 21 (16) | 10% | 8% |
| Day-in-the-life vlog | 1.06x | 0.25-5.48 | 20 (9) | 8% | 8% |
| Product showcase | 0.32x | 0.06-1.17 | 20 (11) | 5% | 13% |
| How-to hook | 1.07x | 0.52-3.49 | 25 (13) | 11% | 6% |
| List-count hook | 3.71x * | 1.12-15.95 | 27 (16) | 14% | 5% |
| Question hook | 1.17x | 0.34-4.29 | 27 (14) | 10% | 11% |
| POV / relatable hook | 1.44x | 0.42-9.5 | 16 (10) | 7% | 6% |
| Warning/myth/contrarian hook | 0.72x | 0.32-1.65 | 43 (21) | 15% | 17% |
| Authority tag in hook | 7.46x | 0.05-74.95 | 9 (4) | 6% | 3% |
| Open loop | 2.35x * | 1.27-4.41 | 160 (29) | 78% | 65% |
| Recurring presenter on screen | 0.98x | 0.42-2.43 | 132 (23) | 82% | 80% |
| No person | 0.91x | 0.12-7.3 | 20 (8) | 6% | 8% |
| First frame: product/object close-up | 0.29x | 0.08-1.2 | 20 (11) | 5% | 11% |
| First frame: real place | 3x | 0.29-15.28 | 18 (12) | 8% | 6% |
| Talking to camera (audio) | 1.08x | 0.45-2.45 | 89 (17) | 83% | 76% |
| Music only | 0.94x | 0.51-1.6 | 47 (17) | 15% | 22% |
| Under 20s | 1.49x | 0.58-3.72 | 49 (21) | 17% | 18% |
| 20-35s | 0.63x | 0.18-2.13 | 23 (13) | 8% | 11% |
| 35-60s | 1.13x | 0.46-2.78 | 50 (23) | 21% | 21% |
| 60-90s | 0.56x | 0.29-1.06 | 85 (27) | 32% | 36% |
| Over 90s | 2.92x * | 1.25-7.05 | 33 (20) | 22% | 14% |
| Single beat | 0.64x | 0.34-1.24 | 72 (26) | 23% | 29% |
| Ends: soft invite | 0.41x * | 0.18-0.87 | 54 (25) | 17% | 27% |
| Ends: hard CTA | 0.48x | 0.22-1.02 | 51 (23) | 19% | 25% |
| Ends: summary or final item | 1.4x | 0.68-3.05 | 92 (29) | 42% | 31% |
Videos: Consumer product brands (280 videos, 35 accounts; median best 33s, median worst 24s)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-screen text hook | 2.1x | 0.85-5.73 | 128 (20) | 92% | 81% |
| Spoken-only hook | 0.56x | 0.2-1.45 | 30 (19) | 8% | 17% |
| List, steps or tutorial | 1.77x | 0.78-4.29 | 37 (19) | 17% | 10% |
| Story arc | 1.42x | 0.46-5.14 | 32 (17) | 14% | 10% |
| First-person story hook | 1.3x | 0.49-3.59 | 33 (17) | 14% | 10% |
| Day-in-the-life vlog | 1.26x | 0.55-3.13 | 41 (15) | 16% | 11% |
| Product showcase | 0.52x | 0.26-1.04 | 75 (24) | 22% | 29% |
| How-to hook | 2.65x | 0.72-8.6 | 13 (9) | 7% | 2% |
| List-count hook | 2.6x | 0.16-33.87 | 12 (9) | 7% | 4% |
| Question hook | 0.53x | 0.19-1.96 | 16 (13) | 7% | 10% |
| POV / relatable hook | 1.02x | 0.49-2.16 | 36 (19) | 14% | 10% |
| Warning/myth/contrarian hook | 1.94x | 0.64-6.72 | 17 (11) | 9% | 6% |
| Authority tag in hook | 3.54x * | 1.14-10.68 | 11 (7) | 5% | 1% |
| Open loop | 1.78x | 0.99-3.06 | 135 (33) | 61% | 47% |
| Recurring presenter on screen | 2.51x * | 1.63-4.42 | 100 (23) | 67% | 50% |
| No person | 0.42x * | 0.2-0.8 | 63 (17) | 21% | 35% |
| First frame: product/object close-up | 0.51x | 0.24-1.07 | 57 (21) | 14% | 25% |
| First frame: real place | 2.59x * | 1.24-7.12 | 25 (14) | 12% | 6% |
| Talking to camera (audio) | 1.02x | 0.56-2.01 | 118 (30) | 47% | 43% |
| Music only | 0.92x | 0.47-1.69 | 106 (30) | 45% | 50% |
| Under 20s | 0.46x * | 0.2-0.93 | 105 (27) | 34% | 45% |
| 20-35s | 1.56x | 0.51-4.59 | 40 (25) | 18% | 14% |
| 35-60s | 0.91x | 0.43-1.93 | 55 (28) | 18% | 21% |
| 60-90s | 1.23x | 0.5-3.45 | 43 (17) | 17% | 11% |
| Over 90s | 1.65x | 0.63-4.64 | 29 (13) | 12% | 9% |
| Single beat | 0.34x * | 0.19-0.6 | 97 (31) | 24% | 48% |
| Ends: soft invite | 0.57x * | 0.35-0.98 | 128 (33) | 42% | 56% |
| Ends: hard CTA | 1.05x | 0.35-3.85 | 32 (18) | 11% | 10% |
| Ends: summary or final item | 1.84x | 0.8-4.47 | 57 (25) | 28% | 18% |
Videos: Software and apps (280 videos, 35 accounts; median best 40s, median worst 40s)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-screen text hook | 1.6x | 0.66-4.14 | 92 (15) | 91% | 88% |
| Spoken-only hook | 0.63x | 0.24-1.52 | 28 (15) | 9% | 12% |
| List, steps or tutorial | 1.37x | 0.6-3.16 | 77 (27) | 30% | 25% |
| Story arc | 0.97x | 0.43-2.33 | 52 (22) | 25% | 18% |
| First-person story hook | 2.5x | 0.93-6.98 | 31 (17) | 18% | 8% |
| Day-in-the-life vlog | 0.27x * | 0.12-0.65 | 24 (11) | 4% | 12% |
| Product showcase | 1.06x | 0.38-3.47 | 40 (21) | 15% | 14% |
| How-to hook | 0.87x | 0.3-2.79 | 33 (18) | 9% | 15% |
| List-count hook | 0.76x | 0.27-2.53 | 29 (15) | 10% | 10% |
| Question hook | 1.69x | 0.38-10.14 | 15 (10) | 5% | 5% |
| POV / relatable hook | 0.59x | 0.22-1.47 | 30 (16) | 10% | 12% |
| Warning/myth/contrarian hook | 1.58x | 0.43-5.39 | 26 (13) | 11% | 8% |
| Authority tag in hook | 0.66x | 0.05-18.48 | 6 (4) | 2% | 3% |
| Open loop | 1.16x | 0.56-2.38 | 166 (31) | 69% | 70% |
| Recurring presenter on screen | 1.48x | 0.71-3.05 | 122 (24) | 77% | 73% |
| No person | 1.1x | 0.26-5.59 | 30 (12) | 11% | 11% |
| First frame: product/object close-up | 1.1x | 0.34-3.94 | 23 (13) | 9% | 9% |
| First frame: real place | 1.98x | 0.31-14.68 | 16 (10) | 8% | 6% |
| Talking to camera (audio) | 0.86x | 0.25-2.95 | 85 (17) | 75% | 81% |
| Music only | 0.64x | 0.26-1.99 | 50 (17) | 18% | 18% |
| Under 20s | 2.03x | 0.94-4.63 | 70 (23) | 31% | 20% |
| 20-35s | 0.59x | 0.23-1.49 | 48 (25) | 14% | 19% |
| 35-60s | 0.82x | 0.48-1.57 | 78 (30) | 23% | 30% |
| 60-90s | 1.57x | 0.62-3.82 | 44 (22) | 19% | 13% |
| Over 90s | 0.6x | 0.31-1.33 | 40 (19) | 12% | 18% |
| Single beat | 1.12x | 0.51-2.54 | 73 (28) | 27% | 29% |
| Ends: soft invite | 0.74x | 0.36-1.48 | 69 (27) | 20% | 28% |
| Ends: hard CTA | 1.13x | 0.5-2.88 | 72 (27) | 28% | 28% |
| Ends: summary or final item | 1.25x | 0.59-2.85 | 57 (22) | 26% | 19% |
Videos: Immigration and relocation services (304 videos, 38 accounts; median best 59s, median worst 38s)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-screen text hook | 2.1x * | 1-4.18 | 102 (17) | 93% | 86% |
| Spoken-only hook | 0.48x | 0.24-1 | 34 (17) | 7% | 14% |
| List, steps or tutorial | 1.04x | 0.61-1.78 | 56 (26) | 17% | 15% |
| Story arc | 3.02x * | 1.29-7.14 | 39 (21) | 18% | 9% |
| First-person story hook | 2.39x | 0.94-6.57 | 28 (16) | 12% | 6% |
| Day-in-the-life vlog | 0.42x | 0.12-1.94 | 13 (8) | 3% | 4% |
| Product showcase | 0.95x | 0.34-3.3 | 31 (14) | 8% | 11% |
| How-to hook | 1.35x | 0.46-3.52 | 16 (15) | 5% | 4% |
| List-count hook | 0.86x | 0.41-1.92 | 24 (15) | 6% | 6% |
| Question hook | 0.93x | 0.41-1.93 | 36 (21) | 13% | 14% |
| POV / relatable hook | 0.53x | 0.14-2.73 | 15 (11) | 4% | 5% |
| Warning/myth/contrarian hook | 0.96x | 0.49-1.99 | 36 (20) | 14% | 11% |
| Open loop | 1.2x | 0.76-1.96 | 141 (31) | 62% | 58% |
| Recurring presenter on screen | 1.16x | 0.59-2.45 | 140 (26) | 75% | 70% |
| No person | 0.97x | 0.18-4.73 | 21 (13) | 7% | 10% |
| First frame: product/object close-up | 0.34x | 0.11-1.11 | 11 (11) | 2% | 7% |
| First frame: real place | 2.16x | 0.68-5.99 | 34 (15) | 13% | 9% |
| Talking to camera (audio) | 0.84x | 0.37-2.05 | 136 (25) | 76% | 72% |
| Music only | 0.98x | 0.34-3.03 | 55 (21) | 17% | 22% |
| Under 20s | 0.77x | 0.37-1.58 | 71 (25) | 22% | 32% |
| 20-35s | 1.3x | 0.55-3.11 | 41 (21) | 15% | 15% |
| 35-60s | 0.77x | 0.45-1.24 | 54 (28) | 17% | 13% |
| 60-90s | 0.92x | 0.49-1.7 | 58 (23) | 19% | 19% |
| Over 90s | 1.25x | 0.75-2.2 | 72 (26) | 27% | 21% |
| Single beat | 0.85x | 0.52-1.38 | 123 (32) | 44% | 56% |
| Ends: soft invite | 0.74x | 0.39-1.31 | 69 (32) | 19% | 24% |
| Ends: hard CTA | 1.07x | 0.56-2.1 | 65 (28) | 19% | 22% |
| Ends: summary or final item | 1.33x | 0.77-2.37 | 91 (34) | 37% | 25% |
Videos: All four groups (1120 videos, 140 accounts; median best 47s, median worst 40s)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-screen text hook | 1.89x * | 1.22-2.91 | 442 (72) | 90% | 84% |
| Spoken-only hook | 0.59x * | 0.38-0.91 | 129 (69) | 9% | 15% |
| List, steps or tutorial | 1.44x | 1-2.12 | 240 (95) | 24% | 17% |
| Story arc | 1.48x | 0.89-2.44 | 155 (77) | 18% | 13% |
| First-person story hook | 1.75x * | 1.06-2.91 | 113 (66) | 14% | 8% |
| Day-in-the-life vlog | 0.69x | 0.41-1.18 | 98 (43) | 8% | 9% |
| Product showcase | 0.68x | 0.41-1.1 | 166 (70) | 13% | 17% |
| How-to hook | 1.23x | 0.72-2.18 | 87 (55) | 8% | 7% |
| List-count hook | 1.46x | 0.78-2.72 | 92 (55) | 9% | 6% |
| Question hook | 0.98x | 0.58-1.71 | 94 (58) | 9% | 10% |
| POV / relatable hook | 0.82x | 0.47-1.41 | 97 (56) | 9% | 8% |
| Warning/myth/contrarian hook | 1.08x | 0.68-1.69 | 122 (65) | 12% | 10% |
| Authority tag in hook | 3.07x * | 1.06-8.15 | 26 (15) | 3% | 2% |
| Open loop | 1.54x * | 1.18-2.04 | 602 (124) | 67% | 60% |
| Recurring presenter on screen | 1.43x * | 1.02-1.99 | 494 (96) | 75% | 68% |
| No person | 0.73x | 0.42-1.4 | 134 (50) | 11% | 16% |
| First frame: product/object close-up | 0.54x * | 0.33-0.89 | 111 (56) | 7% | 13% |
| First frame: real place | 2.39x * | 1.27-4.49 | 93 (51) | 10% | 7% |
| Talking to camera (audio) | 0.94x | 0.64-1.38 | 428 (89) | 70% | 68% |
| Music only | 0.88x | 0.59-1.31 | 258 (85) | 24% | 28% |
| Under 20s | 0.96x | 0.64-1.5 | 295 (96) | 26% | 29% |
| 20-35s | 0.96x | 0.56-1.66 | 152 (84) | 14% | 15% |
| 35-60s | 0.89x | 0.64-1.25 | 237 (109) | 20% | 21% |
| 60-90s | 0.92x | 0.63-1.43 | 230 (89) | 22% | 20% |
| Over 90s | 1.27x | 0.86-1.89 | 174 (78) | 19% | 15% |
| Single beat | 0.66x * | 0.48-0.89 | 365 (117) | 30% | 41% |
| Ends: soft invite | 0.63x * | 0.45-0.86 | 320 (117) | 25% | 34% |
| Ends: hard CTA | 0.9x | 0.61-1.34 | 220 (96) | 19% | 21% |
| Ends: summary or final item | 1.42x * | 1.03-1.99 | 297 (110) | 33% | 23% |
Videos: food and drink sellers, descriptive (80 videos, 10 accounts; median best 67s, median worst 37s)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day-in-the-life (arc or hook) | 2.44x | 0.74-8.28 | 35 (9) | 53% | 27% |
| First frame: product/object close-up | 0.22x * | 0.07-0.75 | 23 (8) | 13% | 47% |
| No person on screen | 0.29x | 0.05-1.15 | 24 (5) | 20% | 40% |
| Owner/recurring presenter on screen | 1.86x | 0.68-8.04 | 32 (7) | 67% | 53% |
| Single beat (one moment) | 0.23x * | 0.08-0.59 | 14 (8) | 3% | 30% |
| Ends on a soft invite | 0.37x * | 0.14-0.99 | 27 (9) | 23% | 50% |
| Owner talks (on camera) | 1.12x | 0.55-2.75 | 37 (9) | 53% | 33% |
| Music only | 0.75x | 0.14-2.61 | 23 (9) | 33% | 47% |
Slideshows: Local and professional services (139 posts, 18 accounts; median slides best 7, worst 5)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List or steps arc | 8.69x * | 3.69-20.88 | 47 (15) | 52% | 13% |
| Story arc | 0.38x * | 0.15-0.93 | 12 (6) | 6% | 11% |
| Moodboard, no hook | 0.35x * | 0.14-0.72 | 42 (15) | 22% | 43% |
| Product showcase | 0.35x * | 0.17-0.74 | 15 (9) | 6% | 15% |
| Open loop on slide 1 | 3.41x * | 1.6-6.87 | 69 (16) | 69% | 43% |
| Answer on slide 1 | 0.4x | 0.14-1.21 | 36 (11) | 22% | 33% |
| 2-4 slides | 0.24x * | 0.08-0.72 | 30 (12) | 13% | 28% |
| 5-7 slides | 1.78x | 0.78-4.85 | 41 (14) | 33% | 22% |
| 8+ slides | 2.55x * | 1.06-6.38 | 42 (16) | 39% | 35% |
| Person on slide 1 | 2.46x | 0.95-6.21 | 39 (11) | 44% | 37% |
| Native text style | 2.76x | 0.95-7.77 | 62 (13) | 85% | 65% |
| Designed (template) slides | 0.48x | 0.17-1.25 | 23 (11) | 11% | 19% |
| How-to hook | 6.09x * | 1.75-21.99 | 11 (8) | 11% | 2% |
| List-count hook | 5.85x * | 2.2-19.98 | 11 (8) | 17% | 0% |
| First-person story hook | 3.03x | 0.83-14.85 | 14 (8) | 13% | 9% |
| Identity callout hook | 1.48x | 0.27-6.93 | 14 (8) | 9% | 11% |
| Ends: hard ask | 0.46x | 0.17-1.42 | 23 (8) | 15% | 19% |
| Save-reference value | 6.65x * | 3.45-14.89 | 49 (12) | 63% | 31% |
Slideshows: Consumer apps (173 posts, 22 accounts; median slides best 6, worst 6)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List or steps arc | 3.25x * | 1.52-7.23 | 78 (17) | 70% | 53% |
| Story arc | 0.43x | 0.11-1.87 | 20 (10) | 15% | 18% |
| Moodboard, no hook | 0.55x * | 0.1-0.74 | 12 (3) | 5% | 9% |
| Product showcase | 0.29x * | 0.12-0.84 | 13 (9) | 5% | 12% |
| Open loop on slide 1 | 5.65x * | 3.24-10.43 | 55 (10) | 97% | 79% |
| Answer on slide 1 | 0.63x | 0.33-1.08 | 12 (6) | 3% | 8% |
| 2-4 slides | 0.45x | 0.16-1.16 | 21 (13) | 11% | 14% |
| 5-7 slides | 1.86x | 0.73-4.37 | 78 (17) | 70% | 64% |
| 8+ slides | 1.28x | 0.35-5.52 | 26 (9) | 20% | 17% |
| Person on slide 1 | 0.78x | 0.32-1.46 | 33 (11) | 24% | 24% |
| Native text style | 0.6x | 0.25-1.45 | 65 (15) | 64% | 76% |
| Designed (template) slides | 1.45x | 0.56-3.81 | 48 (14) | 36% | 26% |
| How-to hook | 0.66x | 0.19-1.91 | 28 (12) | 14% | 17% |
| List-count hook | 1.04x | 0.54-3.09 | 22 (10) | 12% | 14% |
| First-person story hook | 1.85x | 0.65-7.8 | 22 (9) | 21% | 17% |
| Identity callout hook | 1.96x | 0.17-15.93 | 8 (6) | 8% | 3% |
| Ends: hard ask | 0.59x | 0.18-1.4 | 23 (10) | 21% | 27% |
| Save-reference value | 2.56x * | 1.34-4.94 | 73 (15) | 76% | 62% |
Slideshows: SaaS and productivity (184 posts, 23 accounts; median slides best 7, worst 6)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List or steps arc | 2.62x * | 1.63-4.68 | 93 (20) | 77% | 52% |
| Story arc | 0.6x | 0.17-7.21 | 12 (8) | 3% | 12% |
| Moodboard, no hook | 0.36x * | 0.1-1 | 11 (6) | 4% | 9% |
| Product showcase | 0.63x | 0.19-2.17 | 27 (11) | 12% | 14% |
| Open loop on slide 1 | 2.81x * | 1.38-5.78 | 94 (18) | 84% | 68% |
| Answer on slide 1 | 0.23x * | 0.12-0.46 | 21 (11) | 4% | 17% |
| 2-4 slides | 0.42x * | 0.19-0.95 | 25 (13) | 6% | 22% |
| 5-7 slides | 1.86x * | 1.01-3.66 | 62 (18) | 55% | 41% |
| 8+ slides | 1.04x | 0.5-2.03 | 53 (16) | 32% | 26% |
| Person on slide 1 | 1.48x | 0.41-5.06 | 21 (8) | 12% | 12% |
| Native text style | 1.37x | 0.58-3.72 | 61 (17) | 43% | 39% |
| Designed (template) slides | 1.08x | 0.45-2.17 | 80 (18) | 57% | 57% |
| How-to hook | 1.63x | 0.84-3.37 | 61 (22) | 41% | 26% |
| List-count hook | 1.16x | 0.42-2.96 | 17 (11) | 13% | 12% |
| First-person story hook | 0.14x * | 0.08-0.28 | 10 (9) | 1% | 12% |
| Identity callout hook | 1.8x | 0.31-15.95 | 10 (9) | 9% | 6% |
| Ends: hard ask | 0.68x | 0.33-1.14 | 44 (14) | 19% | 29% |
| Save-reference value | 1.83x | 0.77-4.81 | 53 (12) | 81% | 72% |
Slideshows: Lifestyle creators (comparison group) (498 posts, 63 accounts; median slides best 7, worst 6)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List or steps arc | 2.99x * | 2.03-4.54 | 236 (57) | 66% | 36% |
| Story arc | 0.7x | 0.34-1.38 | 56 (25) | 10% | 13% |
| Moodboard, no hook | 0.29x * | 0.18-0.46 | 94 (33) | 13% | 30% |
| Product showcase | 0.66x | 0.25-1.89 | 24 (18) | 4% | 5% |
| Open loop on slide 1 | 2.33x * | 1.32-3.96 | 253 (49) | 79% | 60% |
| Answer on slide 1 | 0.53x | 0.25-1.19 | 74 (36) | 10% | 21% |
| 2-4 slides | 0.55x | 0.28-1.07 | 63 (32) | 13% | 15% |
| 5-7 slides | 1.48x | 0.9-2.41 | 144 (46) | 35% | 33% |
| 8+ slides | 1.38x | 0.89-2.19 | 175 (44) | 42% | 36% |
| Person on slide 1 | 1.06x | 0.61-1.94 | 108 (34) | 25% | 24% |
| Native text style | 1.4x | 0.7-2.68 | 181 (42) | 64% | 56% |
| Designed (template) slides | 1.1x | 0.54-2.23 | 106 (38) | 29% | 29% |
| How-to hook | 1.7x | 0.94-3.27 | 77 (38) | 17% | 12% |
| List-count hook | 2.27x | 1-5.22 | 48 (29) | 14% | 7% |
| First-person story hook | 1.5x | 0.81-2.72 | 81 (31) | 19% | 14% |
| Identity callout hook | 0.65x | 0.24-1.83 | 17 (14) | 4% | 3% |
| Ends: hard ask | 0.44x * | 0.23-0.89 | 68 (28) | 11% | 18% |
| Save-reference value | 3.05x * | 1.94-4.83 | 179 (47) | 70% | 45% |
Slideshows: All four groups (1018 posts, 129 accounts; median slides best 7, worst 6)
| Feature | Multiple vs same account's other posts | 95% CI | Posts with feature (accounts) | % of 3 best | % of 3 worst |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List or steps arc | 3.29x * | 2.45-4.42 | 463 (112) | 66% | 39% |
| Story arc | 0.57x * | 0.35-0.95 | 100 (49) | 9% | 13% |
| Moodboard, no hook | 0.34x * | 0.23-0.49 | 161 (58) | 11% | 24% |
| Product showcase | 0.47x * | 0.29-0.82 | 85 (49) | 6% | 10% |
| Open loop on slide 1 | 2.84x * | 1.94-4.02 | 477 (95) | 81% | 62% |
| Answer on slide 1 | 0.46x * | 0.3-0.73 | 147 (65) | 9% | 19% |
| 2-4 slides | 0.4x * | 0.27-0.62 | 142 (72) | 11% | 18% |
| 5-7 slides | 1.71x * | 1.25-2.33 | 333 (98) | 45% | 38% |
| 8+ slides | 1.37x | 1-1.87 | 304 (88) | 35% | 31% |
| Person on slide 1 | 1.2x | 0.79-1.78 | 202 (65) | 25% | 23% |
| Native text style | 1.37x | 0.94-2.15 | 377 (89) | 63% | 57% |
| Designed (template) slides | 1x | 0.69-1.52 | 264 (82) | 33% | 33% |
| How-to hook | 1.5x * | 1.02-2.29 | 179 (81) | 20% | 14% |
| List-count hook | 2.07x * | 1.25-3.63 | 101 (61) | 14% | 8% |
| First-person story hook | 1.34x | 0.86-2.12 | 127 (57) | 15% | 13% |
| Identity callout hook | 1.35x | 0.63-2.64 | 50 (38) | 6% | 5% |
| Ends: hard ask | 0.52x * | 0.35-0.78 | 158 (60) | 14% | 21% |
| Save-reference value | 3.13x * | 2.29-4.33 | 368 (89) | 72% | 51% |
Read this before you cite it
- Every effect is inflated because each account's best and worst posts were oversampled. Trust direction and ranking more than size.
- Intervals are wide: the faceless result is 0.42x (0.20 to 0.80) and the list-count hook 3.71x (1.12 to 15.95).
- There is no dedicated real estate agent or restaurant sample. Food and drink is 10 accounts and is reported as shares only.
- Search volumes are Ahrefs model estimates for phrases Postdom chose, so they show relative interest, not total demand.
How to cite
Postdom. (2026, October 5). TikTok niches: what works in each industry. https://postdom.com/research/tiktok-niches
This page is updated in place as new data arrives, and the link stays the same. Cite the date of the version you used.