17 Viral TikTok Challenges You Need to Try to Grow Your Following

Looking for the best TikTok challenges to help you go viral?

Whether you're a solo TikToker or an eager brand looking to gain some exposure, TikTok challenges can help explode your account.

In this post, we've compiled a list of the most popular TikTok challenges from the early days before the Chinese-created app exploded to what's trending right now.

We'll also give you some tips for finding new challenges in the future so you'll never run out of ideas.

Let's dive in.

What are TikTok Challenges?

TikTok challenges are videos created by TikTok users to challenge users and other creators to make fun and engaging content.

They usually follow a trend that is popular at the moment. For example, the 'Blinding Lights Dance' blew up around the time the hit single by The Weeknd became popular.

However, TikTok challenges aren't limited to what's trending, and oftentimes, they become trends in their own right.

The majority of challenges spark creativity, camaraderie, and amusement amongst the community.

Many TikTok users jump at the opportunity to post challenges in the hopes the algorithm will bring them more exposure.

17 Most Viral and Popular TikTok Challenges (Current and Past)

In no particular order, here are the most popular TikTok challenges you'll find on the platform to date.

1. Dance Challenges

Starting off the list is what makes TikTok the platform we know it for - dance challenges.

They involve one or more people performing choreographed dance moves in time with the music.

This is what makes specific songs and challenges go viral, as the same songs are chosen for specific challenges.

There are tons of dance challenges cropping up all the time, but there are a couple of famous ones.

The #RenegadeChallenge, for example, was a sequence of moves created by 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon in 2019, which eventually took off on TikTok.

Even to this day, the Renegade dance is still getting a lot of traction. This viral TikTok challenge has over 8 million views:

The Blinding Lights Challenge was another popular dance challenge when the song by the Weeknd was released in 2020.

It's a fairly simple set of moves and is very short, which is what makes this one of the best TikTok challenges to try.

2. Hip Mobility Challenge

This TikTok challenge is a seemingly straightforward exercise routine that shows personal hip mobility.

But even young people can find it quite difficult. This is probably why it's such a popular Tiktok challenge because, if you've got the flexibility skills, then why not show them off, right?

Here's one TikTok video of this challenge that has 3 million views:

And another with a staggering 14 million views:

The Hip Mobility Challenge is usually paired with the song Boom by Doja Cat.

3. Can He Do (The Chair) Challenge

There are quite a few so-called Can He Do challenges, where the activity carried out by the woman cannot be performed by the man.

A popular one was the #elbowchallenge, where the guy usually falls on his face.

A newer TikTok challenge that's similar involves lifting a chair whilst bent over with your head touching the wall.

Then, all you have to do is stand up. The ladies seem to be able to do this with no problem, but the guys get stuck.

Here's a good example that has over 13 million views:

4. The Silhouette Challenge

This TikTok challenge was inspired by a Doja Cat music video. The intro transitions into a deep red-lit screen and silhouette of the musician posing in a shop window.

The song used during the transition is “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” by Giulia Di Nicolantonio.

Tiktokers have since replicated the scene as a challenge, which usually takes place inside the frame of a door.

Here is a popular example with a nice twist:

5. Candle Challenge

This candle challenge performed by Dude Awesome aims for participants to blow out as many candles as possible.

They're arranged in a single line, and the contestant blows as hard as they can from one end.

The result is quite satisfying to watch each candle go out down the line.

This example had more than 25 million views:

6. Food Challenge

Next up is where TikTokers eat crazy amounts of food in record times.

A challenge like this could be good for restaurants or fast food brands to get more eyeballs on the food they sell.

Here's one example by a guy whose entire account centers around this challenge. This particular TikTok video has nearly 6 million views:

7. Cat Jumping Challenge

It's easy to agree that pretty much all cat videos will do well on most social media platforms.

And TikTok challenges are no exception.

They involve a cat jumping over paper cups or tape attached to a door frame.

The challenge starts easy with only a few rows of cups or pieces of tape, then gradually gets more difficult.

Still, cats do have an incredible jumping ability.

This one currently has 4.3 million views:

And the one with the tape has almost 10 million views:

8. Run Challenge

Here's one for couples. The Run Challenge involves two people where one holds the other around the waist whilst the other does the actions of running.

It's pretty simple and looks pretty funny.

This one has amounted over 96 million views:

9. Beatboxing Challenge

The Beatboxing Challenge encourages followers to replicate a professional beatboxer.

It's impressive to hear what sounds people can make with their mouths on social media.

A challenge like this one would be great for musicians as the relevancy could help them get picked up by the algorithm.

This example has a huge number of views at almost 33 million:

10. Lip Syncing Challenge

A Lip Sync Challenge is where the user speaks in time with a song or other type of vocal.

They tend to be so well synced that it's oftentimes hard to tell that the vocal is dubbed - until you watch it a second or third time around.

These challenges are fun and creative, and TikTokers try to give their own twist to them.

One of the most liked lip-sync challenge videos is by Bella Poarch, lip-syncing to Millie B’s M to the B.

It currently has over 767 million views and 62.4 million likes:

A new trending song to lip-sync to is Everything Sucks by Vaultboy. This TikToker nails it:

11. Don't Rush Challenge

The Don't Rush Challenge is named after the song Don’t Rush by Young T & Bugsey, which is played in the background.

It consists of a makeup transformation with the magic of editing.

The video starts with a dressed-down TikToker wearing no makeup and reveals the transformation at the end.

The makeup brush that covers the lens is what makes the transition possible.

Here is a compilation example that has 2.4 million views:

12. The Towel Challenge

The Towel Challenge is where a couple interlocks two towels they're holding, then tries to maneuver their way out without letting go.

It's one of the most interesting challenges to watch as it seems impossible.

And that's because it is! The only people who claim to succeed with this challenge are cheating.

Many users who attempt it fail miserably because they haven't realized it's a trick. Still, it is quite amusing to watch.

This example, which has almost 400 thousand likes, is possibly the fastest and most elegant. See if you can see the 'sleight of hand':

Here's another good example with over 18 million views:

13. Bottle Flip Challenge

The Bottle Flip is a lot of fun and amusing to watch.

It involves a couple who compete at flipping a bottle of water to make it land upright.

When they succeed, they get to start eating whatever food they've prepared.

They take it in turn to flip the bottle so they get a chance to eat before all the food runs out.

Here is a fun example with more than 200 thousand likes:

14 Eyes Closed Challenge

The Eyes-Closed Challenge is hilarious and a very clever way of tricking the people involved.

This trend calls for a filter that makes it look like the user in front has their eyes closed.

Then, the people behind show several fingers for them to guess, unaware they have their eyes open the whole time.

This example is one of the longer challenges on the list, which has over 4 million views:

15. Guess The Drawing Challenge

Guess the Drawing shows several images of a type of food, some of which are real and one that has been drawn.

Each real one is moved off the screen, revealing the drawing last.

It's very fun (and addictive to try to guess) and shows off the artist's creative skills.

Here is one using a tangerine that has a whopping 56.4 million views:

16. Flip The Switch Challenge

This challenge results in a humorous switching between a couple's outfits.

Typically taken place in a bathroom, the couple pose in their usual attire until the light switch is flipped off and on.

The name of the challenge is taken from the title of the song "Flip the Switch" by Quavo featuring Drake.

Here's a great example of this particular trend that has garnered 27+ million views:

17. Journal Challenge

A not-so-popular challenge on the TikTok app is the Journal Challenge. This challenge encourages TikTok users to try new and inspiring ways to add journal entries.

This one by TikTok user Menna Carey is a beautiful example of what journalling can look like.

This final video of our roundup has 1 million views and 133+ thousand views:

How Do I Find Trending Challenges on TikTok?

The best way to find trending TikTok challenges is by searching for the hashtag 'challenges'.

The default list of search results is the top-performing videos on the social media platform currently.

Another way to find the latest TikTok challenges is by scrolling on the TikTok For You Page (FYP). These will usually be related to the type of content you watch regularly on the TikTok platform.

Why Do TikTok Challenges Go Viral?

Most TikTok challenges go viral for a few reasons. Here are some of those reasons that can help you improve your chances of going viral.

They're fun to replicate and easy for TikTok users to participate in. Many TikTok challenges make it a lot of fun to take part. This also makes them fun to watch because the creators are enjoying themselves.

• Hashtags: Adding specific hashtags to your challenges can help increase visibility and their likelihood of being found by TikTok users.
• Popularity: If popular TikTok influencers have posted a challenge, it is more likely to be seen by more people. This can help smaller creators go viral on the TikTok app as they piggyback off the trend.
• Community engagement: Challenges bring the community with the social media space closer together, which can drive more engagement.
• Use of music: Many challenges use music that is catchy or trending in the charts, which draws TikTok users in and can help them become popular quickly.

What Are The Best Songs For TikTok Challenges?

There's no limit to which songs you can use for making TikTok challenges. But this list of songs is very popular in such challenges and other videos users create in general:

• Say So by Doja Cat
• Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin
• Jiggle Jiggle - Duke & Jones & Louis
• Oh No - Kreepa
• Tap In by Saweetie
• So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings - Caroline Polachek
• Talking To The Moon – SicKick (Bruno Mars Remix)
• WAP by Cardi B
• Laxed (Siren Beat) by Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo
• Savage and Savage Remix by Megan Thee Stallion, featuring Beyoncé

A Word of Caution

While TikTok challenges are a powerful way to gain visibility, it's important to remember that not all trends are created equal. Some challenges can be a bit dangerous, with risky challenges that push the boundaries of safety.

While we're not going to mention any such life-threatening challenges by name, these dangerous trends can lead to severe consequences, even death. Young people, who are often eager to participate, may not fully assess the risk before jumping in.

It's crucial to stay aware of these destructive trends and understand that participating in innately dangerous activities for the sake of going viral is never worth the potential harm.

TikTok Challenges in Closing

Challenges are a great way to gain a following of TikTok users on the platform, especially if yours goes viral.

Try posting as many challenges as you can with a mix of other TikTok content. If you run a brand, post challenges that have some relevance to your products or services to appeal to your target audience.

This can help you boost brand awareness and build a following who are more likely to convert as customers.

If you are in need of a list of other social networks for exposure, check out our post 13 Top Social Media Platforms You Can Use To Grow Your Business.

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