The Most Popular TikTok Hashtags By Categories & Topics

With 2 billion downloads, TikTok has become one of the most popular and fastest growing apps in the US and across the globe. In 2019 marketers saw TikTok add 200 million more new users than Instagram, a shift largely driven by Gen Z. Any piece of content can instantly go viral on TikTok — as such, TikTok is quickly becoming a driver of both social media and pop culture trends.

During the coronavirus, audiences saw many new TikTok trends take over other social media platforms, with users sharing TikTok videos to Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

TikTok is best and originally known for its trendy choreographed dance and lip- syncing videos but as the app continues to grow, new content communities and categories of influencers are emerging. We have compiled the 11 most popular TikTok hashtag categories and topics that best represent influencer talent niches to keep brands up to date with TikTok’s booming content communities.

Ranking The Biggest Hashtag Categories On TikTok

TikTok’s Creator Marketplace (TCM) provides 20 filterable Topics including 1) Food & Beverage, 2) Sport, 3) Performance Skills, 4) Gaming, 5) Fitness & Health, 6) Fashion & Beauty, 7) Dance, 8) Outdoor Activities, 9) Daily Life, 10) Pop Culture, 11) Animation & Fan Culture, 12) Transportation & Vehicle, 13) Science & Education, 14) Professional Life, 15) Family, 16) Oddly Satisfying, 17) Travel, 18) Animal, 19) Celebrity Account, and 20) Comedy.

While these topics are helpful, Mediakix proceeded to determine and assess the largest TikTok hashtags and rank them according to most views. Finally, the list of hashtag categories was narrowed down to showcase those most relevant to influencer marketing.

These include:

1. Entertainment
2. Dance
3. Pranks
4. Fitness/Sports
5. Home Reno/DIY
6. Beauty & Skincare
7. Fashion
8. Cooking & Recipes
9. Life Hacks, Advice & Wellness
10. Pets
11. Outdoors

To help marketers further understand TikTok’s most popular content categories (and the type of creators associated), we’ve also included three TikTok influencer profiles for each category.

1. Entertainment TikToks (#Comedy + #SpecialEffects + #Entertainment) — 535 Billion Views

Understandably the largest category, “entertainment” videos thrive on TikTok. Utilizing TikTok’s in-app filters, influencers create skits, duets, and more to entertain their audience. Comedy and special effects are included in this category, while it is also common for many “entertainment” influencers to cross over to other categories like dance, pranks, or life hacks. Here are 3 of the biggest influencers in the broad category of “entertainment”:

• Zach King
  At 45 million followers on TikTok alone, Zach King is one of the most recognizable social media entertainers. His famous digital magic tricks make him a TikTok favorite, so much so that his TikTok account saw an increase of 15 million followers within just 10 months. Brands have long taken notice of Zach’s ability to captivate his audience with his cleverly edited videos. BMW, Chipotle, KIND, Jumanji2, are just a few of the top brands Zach has partnered with.
• Liza Koshy
  Influencer Liza Koshy got her start on Vine posting short, comedic videos. While she has a massive presence on YouTube, TikTok recently became her largest platform with over 22 million followers. Her comedic twist on lip- syncing and dance challenges have instantly helped her garner a huge following on the app.
• Brittany Broski
  Brittany Broski is a perfect example of an overnight TikTok influencer. A prominent Twitter influencer reposted a video of Brittany drinking kombucha and Brittany has now become one of TikTok’s most recognizable faces. Brittany’s comedic facial expressions became a staple meme on Instagram also, showing TikTok’s ability to captivate audiences across social platforms.
  Brittany Broski has over 4 million followers and has starred in influencer marketing campaigns with Chipotle, Bumble, Kroger and many more.

2. Dance TikToks (#Dance) — 181 Billion Views

Dance challenges are one of TikTok’s key native trends. The sound clip driven app makes it easy for users to challenge (duet) other users or influencers to create engaging videos. The short clip allowance allows non-dancers and dancers alike to rehearse the choreography beforehand and post their best take. Choreography ranges from simple arm movements and lip-syncing to advanced routines — all within the confines of a mobile phone screen and shot on a steady surface. Trained dancers and beginners all have the same chance for viral fame, emphasizing the individual variations users bring to the choreography. Here are three influencers whose moves entertain some of the largest followings on TikTok:

• Charli D’Amelio
  In March 2020 Charli D’Amelio officially became the platform’s most-followed creator. Charli started creating TikTok content in June 2019 but shot to viral fame and TikTok history due to her coordinated dance moves. In a partnership with P&G, Charli initiated the #DistanceDance challenge. The video now has over 193 million views making it the most viewed TikTok video ever.

• tWitch
  After finding love with a fellow “So You Think You Can Dance” all-star, tWitch has gone on to DJ on the Ellen show and make a huge splash on social media. tWitch’s hip hop moves and dancing family grooves have gained him 3 million followers on TikTok. This year he and his wife went viral with a somber “Check Your Privilege” clip, reaching 3.1 million views.

• Addison Rae
  Addison Rae Easterling blew up on TikTok after her dancing videos with her mom Sheri went viral. As a former Hype House member, the Louisiana born star has already scored major campaigns on TikTok with brands like Chipotle and COVERGIRL.

3. Prank TikToks (#Prank) — 79 Billion Views

Everyone loves a good laugh and prank videos on TikTok deliver in short crazy bursts. This is a popular genre across all of social media, but TikTok’s binge-watching layout makes prank videos exceptionally popular. While users of any age can enjoy these videos, their popularity is likely bolstered by TikTok’s younger demographics. Statista reports that in the United States, TikTok users ages 10-19 represent around 37% of TikTok’s user base. Here are 3 tricksters whose humorous antics have skyrocketed them to TikTok influencer status:

• Brent Rivera
  YouTube star Brent Rivera is now also one of the most recognizable TikTok entertainers. Brent and his sister Lexi Rivera collaborate with a close group of influencer friends and generate amusing skits that show off their goofy personalities. It is evident users love watching Brent prank and torment his sister as he was nominated among top influencers for the 2019 Teen Choice Award for Male Choice Web Star.

• Lauren Godwin
  Lauren Godwin, of Houston, Texas, is an influencer most well-known for her goofy TikTok videos. She also has a popular YouTube channel under the same name. While she frequently stars in influencer campaigns (IHop, LG, Urban Decay), users frequently tune in to watch her prank her boyfriend, fellow influencer Sebastian Bails.

• Alan & Alex Stokes
  In a combo destined for fame, these influencer twins supply their 24 million followers with coordinated high jinks. Many of their prank videos quickly go viral and trigger a chain of user-replicated prank reaction videos. Famous for their short skits, the Stokes twins are also popular for their synchronized dance moves.

4. Fitness & Sports TikToks (#Fitness + #Sports) — 57 Billion Views

TikTok presents itself as a unique platform for fitness content. While influencers tend to use long-from video platforms like IGTV and YouTube to share workout plans and advice, TikTok athletes display choreographed dances and memes that relate to those interests. Crazy stunts, parkour, and high energy workout dances are some of the few fitness-related content that succeeds on TikTok. One of the first brands to work with TikTok influencers, Gymshark, has one of the largest brand presences on the app (2 million followers) due to their large network of #GymsharkAthlete influencers who regularly don the brand’s activewear.

The sports sector takes a unique turn on TikTok, too. Athletic abilities morph into the form of challenges, with videos tagged with #TikTokSports at half a billion views. Celebrity sports figures tend to use the app to share their personality and hidden talents with fans. Gatorade scored over 7.2 billion views with their #PlayByPlay campaign aimed to unite sports fans over COVID-19 cancellations. Here are 3 influencers making muscle moves on TikTok: 

• Antonie Lokhorst
  Antonie gained TikTok fame through his clever ability to bridge both fitness and dance. As a Gymshark athlete, The Netherlands fitness expert is best known for his airwalk pull up videos that show off both his strength and synchronized dance moves. He currently has over 700 videos on TikTok.

• Cassey Ho
  Also known as @blogilates, Cassey Ho has over 30.2 million likes on TikTok. In just 8 months, Cassey gained as many followers on her TikTok as her Instagram account (1.8 million followers). She shares healthy recipes, workout challenges, and busts common workout myths.

• Demi Bagby
  Since 2018 Demi has entertained fans with her gravity-defying parkour, gymnastics stunts, and extraordinary calisthenics. Her daring antics have often warranted TikTok to place a dangerous content disclaimer on her videos. Demi has worked with Sony Pictures, Secret, and Gymshark on influencer campaigns.

5. DIY & Home Renovation TikToks (#DIY + #HomeReno) — 39 Billion Views

TikTok’s short form video format allows a year-long home renovation to look like a simple weekend project, and #HomeReno influencers make home projects look even easier. TikTok creators in this niche inspire their followers by providing tips, hacks, and planning advice for any DIY project imaginable. Here are 3 top influencers inspiring millions through creative projects:

• Lou Flores
  This eclectic creator can take a bag of Dollar Tree knick knacks and turn them into something amazing. Lou specializes in dramatic makeup looks, cute crafts, and clever hacks. Also a star on Instagram, Lou has nearly 1 million Instagram followers.

• Annika Marie
  Known for thrifty DIY design projects, Blondesigns is the master of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. On TikTok her 562K followers can watch her make her minivan into a camper, turn belts into a plant holder, and totally makeover her sister’s bedroom.

• Tamara Bradshaw
  While a popular mid-tier influencer on Instagram, Tamara Bradshaw quickly became one of the largest DIY influencers on TikTok. With over 120K followers Tamara’s TikTok is now her leading social media platform. Her methodical videos feature inspiring DIY and home decor hacks that showcase her interior design talents.

6. Beauty & Skincare TikToks (#Beauty + #Skincare) — 33 Billion Views

While beauty influencers on Instagram tend to focus more on showcasing the final makeup look, TikTok beauty influencers tend to emphasize the entire process behind the reveal in quick transformation style videos. Beauty transformations also provide a quick way for influencers to test fan interest on certain makeup looks before filming a more detailed tutorial. Here are 3 influencers setting beauty and skincare trends on TikTok:

• Letícia Gomes
  Top TikTok makeup artist Leticia Gomes has over 4.4 million followers from her incredible makeup transformations. It’s not too surprising to see how Leticia’s videos average over 1 million views. Utilizing TikTok’s prominent trend of lip syncing, Leticia applies her makeup to reveal a celebrity transformation. With TikTok’s endless library of sound clips to choose from, Leticia Gomes has unlimited opportunities to show off her talents.

• Ruthie
  At just 16-years-old TikTok star Ruthie, known by her handle @makeuppbyruthie, already has over 1.2 million followers. She regularly hosts TikTok Live’s where she shows her fans how she accomplishes her dramatic makeup transformations. Interestingly, her followers seem to care just as much about her makeup looks as her makeup removal process. Her recent “take off my makeup with me” video actually garnered more views than her transformation look.

• Juwan Gutierrez
  Phillipino influencer Juwan Gutierrez rose to TikTok fame through her glamorous makeup looks. Her goofy personality shines on TikTok, where she attributes “80% of her Instagram followers came from.” With over 4 million followers she is one of the most recognizable TikTok personalities on the app with a fanbase to prove it.

7. Fashion TikToks (#Fashion) — 27 Billion Views

As a video-driven format TikTok presents many opportunities for fashion influencers to get creative with their content. The top trendsetters share their expertise through styling videos, clothing hauls, and even posing videos. In contrast to Instagram’s polished aesthetic many fashionistas take to TikTok to share behind the scenes hacks, tips, and tricks for getting the perfect outfit. Here are 3 fashion influencers turning heads on TikTok:

• Anna OBrien
  Anna OBrien better known as the woman behind “ Glitter and Lazers”, is a fashion influencer who frequently shares comedic duets and clothing hauls. Her popularity has led to campaigns with Kool Aid, Target, Steve Madden, and Massage Envy to name a few.

• Nava Rose
  Alexa Jade is the fashionista behind @the.navarose. She started her YouTube channel in 2013 and has since grown to become a massive DIY and fashion influencer even landing her own series on Ellen. Within just ten months of posting her first TikTok, she already has 300,000 more followers on TikTok than her YouTube channel. While YouTube is still her main social platform, her rise to popularity on TikTok shows speaks to the app’s suitable nature for viral sharing.

• Denise Mercedes
  Plus-size fashion model Denise Mercedes is a leading influencer on TikTok and the creator of the Style Not Size series. Denise along with fellow TikTok influencer Maria Castellanos often film videos dancing, posing, and lip syncing in matching outfits to spread body positivity and body confidence. The fashion blogger also shares style challenges, posing videos, and clothing hauls with her audience of 2 million.

8. Cooking & Recipes TikToks (#Cooking + #Recipes) — 18 Billion Views

TikTok’s flexible editing format allows creative chefs to whip up step-by-step video recipe directions that are easy to follow and visually delicious. Creativity wins in this category, as do time-saving hacks. Most of the cooking trends that gain popularity are simple, easy to prepare concoctions with an artistic twist. During coronavirus, “whipped coffee” took over TikTok for its picturesque take on a classic iced coffee. Here are 3 cooking influencers causing a stir on TikTok:

• Tabitha Brown
  41-year old Tabitha Brown created a TikTok as a way to share her vegan cooking tips to those struggling during the March 2020 lockdown and coronavirus pandemic. A month after sharing her first video, the mother of two’s TikTok was already at 2 million followers. An unlikely TikTok star, Tabitha shares recipe tips, positive encouragement, and daily life stories in a manner that has deemed her “the world’s favorite mom.” In an interview with the New York Times, Tabitha said of her filming style “I hold my phone so close to my face. I want somebody to feel like it’s me and you in this moment.”

• Joshuah Nishi
  Joshuah Nishi became famous on TikTok for his easy fast food recipe hacks. In under 60 seconds, he teaches his followers how to make restaurant staple recipes with his soft spoken commentary. His Popeyes chicken sandwich video and his McDonalds chicken nuggets recipe have over 46 million views combined.

• Joshua Weissman
  Cookbook author Joshua Weissman of Flakeysalt shares all his cooking hacks in 60-second high energy videos. As a professional chef, Joshua peaks users’ interests with videos like “How to make your own hamburger buns” and “How to cut a pineapple.” He incorporates ASMR, quick tips, and humor into his savory videos — showing his understanding of both TikTok trends and his audience.

9. Life Hacks, Advice, Wellness TikToks (#LifeHacks + #Advice + #Wellness) — 13 Billion views

Influencers leverage the “quick bite” content format to share short stories, wellness tips, life hacks, and motivational quotes. Many users drive viewer attention by layering text across the screen. While these influencers could be seen as “motivational influencers” many delve deeper into issues like mental health, emotional issues, and real life topics. Gen Z users are quick to emphasize self-care and positivity, with the hashtag, #Selfcare viewed over 4.9 billion times. Here are 3 influencers who educate and motivate millions with their TikTok content: 

• Taylor Cassidy
  Since 2018, Taylor Cassidy has used her TikTok channel to spread positivity, encourage self-love and educate her viewers on black culture. The confident 17-year-old answers questions, shares quick facts and captivates her followers through her “Fast Black History” series. With 1.7 million followers, the influential teen prioritizes staying grounded and true to her beliefs.

• Jessica Wang
  Jessica Wang’s TikTok is not what you would expect from a typical NYC fashion blogger. The successful influencer of the NotJessFashion blog, has become one of the apps top “Life Hack” influencers with over 150 quick facts. She shares advice on anything from “Hidden iPhone features” to “How to open a jar with a tight lid.” Her unique transition from a fashion influencer on Instagram to a “life hack” influencer on TikTok has brought over 1.6 million followers to her account.

• Dr. Julie Smith
  Licensed therapist and Psychologist Dr. Julie Smith offers bite-sized mental health & psychology advice through her TikTok channel. While she harbors over 64,000 followers on Instagram, her TikTok has had tremendous growth, with almost 1 million users regularly tuning in for her encouraging and free advice.

10. Pet TikToks (#Pets) — 10 Billion Views

Pet videos are one of the leading categories on TikTok’s explore page with #pets accounting for almost 8 billion views. Editing tools allow users to create skits and stories from the pet’s perspective and creates a special audience bond that drives engagement. Instagram dogs like Doug the pug and Jiffpom thrive on TikTok, but new animal influencers like ferrets and llamas are winning user’s hearts and engagement. Here are 3 furry creatures causing millions of smiles on TikTok: 

• Jiffpom
  Jiffpom is the “top dog” on TikTok with over 21.1 million followers. In 2015, Jiffpom was named the Most Popular Dog in the World — showing the extent of his massive popularity. The cuddly Pomeranian’s TikTok is mostly filled with videos of him in stylish outfits riding his skateboard or posing on two paws.

• Stryker the Cat
  Stryker the cat is a “pro chicken hunter” and serval from Miami Florida. He is also one of the largest animal influencers on TikTok with over 6 million followers. Stryker entertains millions as users tune in to observe what everyday life would be like owning an exotic pet. The African serval is most famous for a video of him eating chicken on his birthday. The video has over 8.3 million likes and in 2019 TikTok announced the video as the best animal TikTok of the year.

• Matilda
  If there is a place a dancing ferret can go viral it is TikTok. The animal account posted a video of a ferret named Matilda dancing with an origami Pikachu and the video gained 60.4 million views. TikTok users can’t help but watch the furry creature dance to trending sound clips. This unusual expertise has made Matilda an overnight influencer and the most famous ferret on TikTok.

11. Outdoors TikToks (#Outdoors) — 2 Billion Views

While Instagram’s travel influencers typically share a common trait of having “perfected” images, TikTok’s outdoor influencers rely more on the movement taking place within the videos and utilizing TikTok trends. These specific influencers feature videos about camping, hiking, fishing, and backyard adventures. Due to the 60-second time limit, the format tends to prioritizes the little moments of the influencer’s adventures and travels instead of the “perfect shot” of their trip. Many outdoorsy influencers on TikTok reveal how they became full-time adventurers, share behind the scenes content, and provide tips for anything and everything outdoors. Here are 3 influencers documenting their explorations on TikTok:

• Kody Antle
  Real life Tarzan, Kody Antle, lives among his exotic animal friends in a life most people could only dream of. It’s not hard to see how Kody became a social media success even before his father, Doc Antle (Tiger King star), became a household name. Kody shares his wild world of chimpanzees, tigers, and ligers with his nearly 16 million followers.

• John Derting
  As a professional videographer, John Derting brings a polished aesthetic to TikTok while still embracing the TikTok trends that make his content binge-worthy. The Alaskan influencer captures radiant nature landscapes and adds his signature slo-mo effect to create soothing and satisfying visuals. His filtered perspective of alluring landscapes, mountains, rivers and caves distinguishes his content from other outdoor influencers.

• Courtnie & Nate
  Court and Nate are a couple of nature lovers living out of a van with their dog, Tonkins — and over 1 million TikTok followers. Court and Nate’s content provides an escape to their followers who want to know what life would be like on a never ending road trip. The influencer couple share their daily life and how they eat, sleep, and bathe all in the confines of a van.