MODULE 03 · 10 min
The 5 ranking signals that actually matter
Forget shadowbans. Forget posting times. Here's what the algorithm has consistently rewarded across every test we've run.
The signals, in order of weight
1. Average Watch Time (AWT) as % of duration.
2. Replay rate.
3. Shares (especially DMs).
4. Comments (especially replies between users).
5. Follows-from-video.
Examples in the wild
A 9-second meme can outperform a 90-second tutorial because AWT % is higher even though total seconds are lower.
'Send this to your group chat' captions consistently 3-5x DM shares vs. videos without the explicit prompt.
Reply-bait questions ('what would you have done?') trigger comment threads between strangers — TikTok weighs those replies heavier than top-level comments.
Key takeaways
- →Likes and saves are vanity. AWT, replays, and shares are currency.
- →Engineer for shares-via-DM, not public comments.