Tiktok algorithm update for December 2025

If your TikTok views tanked this month, you’re in good company. As 2025 wraps up, TikTok just made one of its biggest algorithm changes yet.

Those days of stumbling into millions of views with a random 7-second lip-sync? Gone. The “viral lottery” is basically dead. Now, TikTok is acting more like an interest-based search engine. The app wants to keep viewers hooked with real value, not just endless scrolling.

If you’re a creator or a brand, here’s exactly what TikTok changed in December 2025—and what you should actually do about it, starting now.

1. The Big Shift: “Searchability” Beats Virality

The headline here: TikTok videos are now showing up in bigger search ecosystems (thanks to Google’s December Core Update and more). TikTok isn’t just a feed; it’s turning into a searchable library.

The update now leans hard on metadata, not just watch time. The algorithm is looking for videos that answer specific questions. If your video can’t be tied to a keyword, it’s going to struggle to find its people.

How to handle it: Think “Google-first” when writing captions.
Stop with the vague stuff like “I can’t believe this happened 💀.”
Start writing clear, keyword-rich captions that answer a question.
Quick tip: Before uploading, rename your video file from something generic (like IMG_5920.mov) to something descriptive (like how-to-fix-leaky-faucet.mov). TikTok picks up on that.

2. Engagement Reboot: Likes Don’t Matter Much

Likes used to be the main number everyone chased. Not anymore. In late 2025, TikTok cares way more about “deep engagement.”

Here’s the new ranking:

• 1. Saves (this is gold—shows your content is worth coming back to)
• 2. Shares (proves it’s worth showing to someone else)
• 3. Retention (do people actually finish the video?)
• 4. Likes (barely counts now, more of a lightweight signal)

What to do: Make content people have to save.
Don’t beg for likes. Pack your video with info, so it’s impossible to absorb it all at once.
Example: “5 websites that feel illegal to know” (list them in the caption). People have to save the video just to read or remember the list.

3. Micro-Niche Test Groups

TikTok used to show your new video to a random test group of a few hundred people. If they liked it, you had a shot at going viral.

Now? Your video only goes to a super-specific group matched to your account’s niche and keywords. If you post a cooking video on a finance account, tough luck—the algorithm sends it to finance fans, and they’ll scroll right past.

What this means: Stick to your niche. If you want to switch topics, don’t confuse the algorithm. Just start a new account.

4. Format Shift: 60 Seconds Is the Sweet Spot

With the Creator Rewards Program growing up (it replaced the old Creativity Program Beta), TikTok is now punishing short, lazy videos. It wants longer stories.

Right now, videos under 60 seconds are getting 30-40% less organic reach compared to last year. TikTok wants to go head-to-head with YouTube, not Instagram Reels.

What to do: Use a 3-act structure—like a mini-documentary

• 0:00-0:03: Hook (grab attention fast)
• 0:03-0:45: Deliver value or tell your story
• 0:45-1:05: Payoff and a call to action (like “search [topic] for part 2”)

New Feature: Shared Feeds (December 2025)

This one’s flying under the radar: “Shared Feeds.” Now, users can make a Daily Feed to share with friends.

Why care? If your video makes it into a friend group’s Shared Feed, your RPM (how much you earn per thousand views) shoots up. Friends trust each other, so the platform rewards content that gets shared this way.

How to use it: Make stuff people want to send to their friends. Relatable content (“Send this to your chaotic best friend”) is killing it right now.

Your 2025 TikTok Posting Checklist

Before you hit “post,” double-check these five things:

1. Did you say your main keyword out loud in the first 5 seconds? (Auto-captions pick this up.)
2. Is your main topic written on screen for at least 3 seconds?
3. Does your caption have at least two sentences and work in 3-5 keywords naturally?
4. Are you using three broad SEO hashtags?