Shadow banned first post

So All I did was a bunch of research. Made two accounts on two separate devices. On different days. One account is about a week old and other is about 3 weeks old.

I posted two videos. One video on each account. One video original content (but has a song in the background) and one video that’s a viral tiktok clip that is edited and made into “original” content.

both ghosted.
Both 0 views
Only used 2 hashtags on original content video and 3 on the viral clip that I rehashed.

both only have those single post.
Is it because both accounts have 0 friends that I have 0 reach?

I was under the impression followers count doesn’t matter with tiktok.

Tiktok algorithm is OP currently. Here is my take on your best chance on getting the algorithm to work on your side.
First upload 5 different videos to each account minimum to get an actual idea if your account gets any organic (For You Page) views or not. Check analytics after 24hrs and see where your content is being viewed from. You will 100% have For You Page viewers if you are not shadow banned. If you still do not get FYP viewers you are shadow banned. Don't waste your time on waiting to get un-shadowbanned. I have found zero luck while waiting almost 3 weeks on my first account and literally nothing happened. Still 3 views and I don't know why. Carrying on. I would restore one of the 2 devices or find another fresh device. I use my old iphone. Install Tiktok on your fresh device and use a wifi connection that hasn't been logged in with a shadow banned account. Overkill, I know but in my opinion it tricks Tiktok into thinking you are a first time user and first time IP that has never been on tiktok so you literally have zero chance of being shadow banned. I then remade my first account almost exactly as the shadowbanned one was setup (minor change in username) and I re-uploaded and customized the same first video I uploaded on my first account that only got 3 views. This time I added a simple in-video caption at the top of video, added a trending Tiktok song and 5 trending hashtags on the actual caption) and it got 100k+ views within 4 hours.

Also first I would follow 50 people in your niche on the fresh account before you upload. Go to an active and popular account in your niche and follow their most recent followers. This alone should get you 5-10 followers within 5 minutes and in my opinion also gives the algorithm an idea of who to share your content with. Next upload that video on the non shadow banned account and watch the for you page work its magic. The engagement to viewership ratio will determine how viral your video goes. My viral video peaked off at 200k views after 24 hours but the engagement from that one video alone poured gasoline on every other video I have uploaded since. If one video you upload even goes semi-viral the algorithm will 100% favor your future uploads.

Hope this helps.

Follower count doesn't matter.
Unrelated to hashtags.

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Most likely: the song was picked up and flagged in the background. TikTok is very severe on uploading your own music, even IF you own the copyrights. Don't do videos with background music in the actual footage.

Second video: you remade existing content on the platform. Most likely it got flagged. It isn't 'original' content. It's still non-original.

If anything, find the main source of said content (e.g. on YouTube), edit it through an external editor so it's your 100% own edit. Then it becomes slightly more 'original', but still non-original.

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