discovering-viral-tiktok-content-trends skill by apidojo-io

Discovering Viral TikTok Content Trends

Identifies what's going viral on TikTok in a niche by analyzing high-performing posts. Extracts repeatable content formats, hooks, and structural patterns — the inputs needed to create content that rides existing momentum.

Prerequisites

APIFY_TOKEN environment variable set
Optional: Apify MCP server installed

Inputs

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Notes
`startUrls`	array	Optional	`[]`	TikTok URLs — user profiles, hashtags, music pages, search, locations
`keywords`	array	Optional	`[]`	Search keywords/terms to find posts
`sortType`	string	Optional	`RELEVANCE`	Sort order for keyword results: `RELEVANCE`, `MOST_LIKED`, `DATE_POSTED`
`location`	string	Optional	—	ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code for regional filtering (e.g. `US`, `GB`)
`maxItems`	number	Optional	Unlimited	Maximum posts to return across the run
`includeSearchKeywords`	boolean	Optional	`false`	Add the matched search keyword field to each post
`customMapFunction`	string	Optional	—	JavaScript function to transform each output object

Workflow

Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Search niche hashtags
- [ ] Step 2: Filter for high-performing posts
- [ ] Step 3: Analyze content formats and hooks
- [ ] Step 4: Score trend viability for replication
- [ ] Step 5: Deliver trend brief

Step 1: Search Hashtags

Recommended — run_actor.js (handles waiting, output, and file saving automatically):

# Quick answer (prints table to chat)
node scripts/run_actor.js

APIFY_TOKEN must be set in environment or .env file.

If Apify MCP is available:

REST API fallback:

Filter: playCount >= min_views

Step 2: Analyze Content Patterns

From caption and available metadata, classify:

Step 3: Score Trend Replicability

Trend window: posts all from the same 7-day period = TRENDING NOW; spread over 30 days = ESTABLISHED FORMAT

Step 4: Edge Cases

Trend driven by a single mega-creator: If top 3 posts are from same creator, it's a creator trend not a format trend — flag as CREATOR_DRIVEN; harder to replicate without their audience
Trend requires specific audio: Note if posts share the same sound; audio trends are TikTok-specific and may expire quickly
Niche too small (< 50 posts above threshold): Lower min_views to 25K; or report the top posts available with a note on data volume
International content dominates: Filter by caption language; use English-language posts if targeting English-speaking audience

Output Format

Troubleshooting

All viral posts are from mega-creators: Add filter follower_count < 500K to surface format trends from creators of all sizes. Format analysis is inconsistent: Caption text is the only metadata available without video analysis; use it as a proxy and note this limitation. Trend is already declining: TikTok trends typically peak and decline within 2-3 weeks; if freshness is low, recommend adapting the format with a new angle rather than copying directly.