To understand what makes brand content go viral on TikTok, I conducted a comprehensive research project spanning 3 months. I began by analyzing 50 high-performing branded TikTok videos across industries like fashion, wellness, food, and tech — filtering by views, engagement rate, and comment sentiment. I catalogued key elements such as hook timing (first 3 seconds), use of trending audio, caption styles, CTA formats, and visual pacing.

Next, I designed and distributed a survey to over 120 Gen Z TikTok users, asking them to rate branded videos on relatability, watchability, and whether they’d share them with friends. From the combined insights, I developed a predictive framework — a weighted scoring model — that ranked the likelihood of a video being shared based on 7 core factors (e.g. audio relevance, face-to-camera presence, perceived authenticity, humor).

Finally, I tested the model using 10 unpublished TikTok concepts and compared predicted shareability with actual organic performance post-launch. The model proved over 80% accurate in predicting which concepts would outperform average engagement benchmarks. The findings were documented in a visual report and pitched as a guide for upcoming influencer-driven campaigns.