How I Turned My TikTok Addiction into 100k+ Views in 2 Months for a Business Account

The Broke Student’s Playbook: Using TikTok Obsession to Grow a Business Account

On one bright day during Summer 2024, I went to a Thai grocery store in Uppsala, Sweden. I was (and still am) studying here and looking for some side quest jobs because, honestly, everything in Sweden is at least 10 times more expensive than things back home in Thailand.

The owner lady asked me if I wanted to take care of their TikTok account. I said, “Yes!” Mind you, I didn’t have any experience in marketing before. I told her I did have some experience in Product Management for an online marketplace, but God knows these two things are as related as pineapples and pizza (depending on where you stand on that debate).

However, my self-confidence was unstoppable. I believed that my TikTok addiction would get me there, wherever “there” was supposed to be.

Disclaimer: I was spending at least 4 hours a day scrolling through TikTok at this point. My boyfriend even had to set a daily limit using TikTok’s Family Pairing to save me from doom scrolling my life away. But when this opportunity came along? It was my BEST excuse to get rid of the limit! How could I say no?

After some anxiety, self-doubt, and almost giving up . . . fast forward to the moment the very first TikTok clip I made for the Thai grocery store’s biz account got posted.

It. Went. VIRAL.

Here’s some context for you: before I took over, the account had 22 followers and one lonely clip with 138 views. Nothing to write home about. Meanwhile, the first video I posted? It shot past 10k views in the blink of an eye. And, as of the time I’m writing this, it’s at over 68.9k views. (Trust me, I refresh the page every other minute.)

So, how did I do it?

Here what I did and what you can steal for your own TikTok success

Be consistent

You’ve probably heard it before, but that’s because it works. TikTok loves regularity.

Sis, I will hold your hands when I say this, “Just do it!”

Thought your ideas suck? F**k that. Just. Do. It.

People say you need a clear purpose for every video — yeah, maybe.
But if you’re just getting started, don’t overthink it. Get your hands dirty, post often, and figure it out as you go. You don’t even need a solid plan yet. Just keep pushing, and watch the algorithm show you love.

Some people recommend at least 3 times a week, but in my case, I posted once a week due to my personal time constraints, and it still worked.

Based on my own scrolling experience, when I like a video from a creator and check out their profile, TikTok eventually pushes more of their content onto my feed and this way I ended up hitting the follow button. So, having more than a few videos helps hook potential followers and shows them what value you can offer.

Post at Peak Times

Timing is key, my friend.

I have this photo saved on my phone for quick reference every time I want to post something. (I know I should have memorized it by now, but better safe than sorry!)

Anyway, TikTok analytics can tell you when your audience is most active, so aim for those windows. There was one time I ignored this rule, and the video I uploaded during non-peak hours has the lowest views of all my content to this day. (Haters will say it’s because I did a bad edit on that one, but you be the judge!)

Set Your Video’s Purpose

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, didn’t you just tell me to ‘Just do it’? And now I need a purpose?”

Yes. Now that your hands are dirty, it’s time to grow up.

Before you hit that record button, ask yourself: What’s the point of this video? Are you showing something useful? Funny? Relatable? Or maybe just absurd enough to get people talking. Either way, the clearer you are, the better.

For the Thai/Asian grocery store, I focused on themes like “Store Tour,” “Trending Instant Noodles,” “Popular Snacks,” “Rating Different Kinds of Tteokbokki,” and “Dumplings.” Each video tackled just one main topic, making it easier to engage viewers.

Pro Tip: Make videos that prompt people to hit the “Add to Favorites” button! This tells TikTok’s algorithm that your content is fire, leading to more visibility and traffic.

Know Your Target Audience

This sounds fancy but really, it’s just common sense. Who are you talking to? What do they like?

For this account, I focused on people who are:

• living in Sweden, specifically Uppsala
• aged between 18–34
• either Swedish or international (so, the videos are in English)

When I sent my drafts to my mom (who is in her late 50s) for feedback, she said, “Isn’t the text too small?” I love my mom, but… Gen Z loves small text! It gives them that aesthetic vibe, so I stuck with it. The lesson? Know your audience and stick to what they prefer.

In my most recent video, I hooked viewers with “Are you in Uppsala?” to target locals. Our aim is to attract regular customers who’ll love coming into the store and buying products offline. This is OUR main target. Find yours.

Be Authentic

Gen Z and younger generations are more likely to trust smaller influencers than big brands. The era of traditional marketing is fading.

Hook people with something that makes you sound like a relatable, small influencer.

For example, in my first viral video, I was doing a store tour. Instead of starting with “Our Store Tour” or just “Store Tour,” I went with “Come with me to my fav Asian store in Uppsala.” It felt more personal, and that’s exactly what TikTok’s community loves.

Use Catchy Words/Sentences

We all have a 2-second attention span on TikTok, so grab attention FAST. Hook them in the first three seconds, or say goodbye to those views.

For my second-most-viewed video, I started with, “Don’t know what ramyun to get at the Asian market? These are the top sellers!” Short, punchy, and relevant.

Pro Tip: If you’re running out of ideas, use ChatGPT! Here’s the prompt I used: “I am making a TikTok video about {topic} for {target audience}. Write me 10 alternative caption ideas. The tone should be {style you want}.” Boom — instant inspiration.

Scroll at Least 20 Mins a Day

Yes, it’s work, I swear! Keep up with trends, figure out what’s popping, and get inspired. You need to see what’s out there so you can create content that feels fresh.

Here’s a quick check to see if you’ve been scrolling enough — do you know and can you explain these?

• very demure, very mindful
• is “…” in the room with us?
• mama there a girl behind you
• who is this diva? 💜
• do you do weddings?

Now, do you see when I said I was an addict, I meant it. My 4-hour TikTok addiction? Totally just research. (At least, that’s what I tell myself.)

Use Trending Sounds

The secret? Mix the unexpected with the popular. I mean, I used a song about “making babies” while showing clips of dumplings.

Did it make sense? No.
But did people love it? Absolutely.

Trending sounds are a must to get in the algorithm’s good graces.

But if you’re going for a more curated vibe, make sure the song you choose matches your aesthetic. That said, there’s always a trending song to fit your niche, whether it’s cutesy or chill.

Include 1–2 Niche Hashtags

Don’t overdo it with hashtags. While generic hashtags (those in 100k–1M posts) can help you reach a broader audience, two solid niche tags (under 100k posts) are essential for keeping your content in the right lane.

For this account, the generic hashtags I used were #asiangrocery, #asianfood, #asianmarket, #food, #korean, #japanese
while the niche ones were #uppsala, #buldakcarbonara, #ramen, #tteokbokki, #vegan, #buldak

Figure out what interests your niche target audience and incorporate those hashtags in your caption. This keeps your video relevant without confusing the algorithm.

Don’t Delete Videos Too Soon

Did everything up there and still got no views?

Patience is key. TikTok works in mysterious ways, and sometimes videos go viral weeks later. So, don’t panic if the numbers aren’t skyrocketing at first — let the video sit. Trust the process and give it time!

So, those were all my takeaways that probably contributed to the viral videos I made for the Thai grocery store. Hope this helps! 🫶