Forbes reported that TikTok’s tool for manually promoting selected videos was called “heating.” The practice involved employees intervening in distribution so particular videos received extra exposure in the For You feed beyond what the recommendation system would normally provide.
Forbes described heating in January 2023 after reviewing internal documents and speaking with current and former employees. An internal playbook defined it as boosting videos through operational intervention to reach a certain number of views. The practice was reportedly used to diversify content, support creators, promote important information, and encourage relationships with influencers, brands, artists, or organizations.
The report also highlighted controversy. Because TikTok is widely associated with algorithmic discovery, undisclosed manual promotion could make popularity appear entirely organic. Forbes reported that some employees had misused the process to boost their own accounts or accounts belonging to people close to them.
Heating is not the same as a creator’s ordinary paid promotion or a label such as “sponsored.” It referred specifically to an internal TikTok distribution practice, making it the canonical answer rather than the informal alternatives “boosting” or “spotlighting.”