some of the most viral language-learning videos on tiktok right now?
they’re not from duolingo — they’re about it.
and not in a good way.
airlearn, a newer conversational learning app, is building traction fast by running 27+ accounts and recycling the same 10-second diss format — with wild results.
what they’re doing:
📈 43.5M+ views in 2024 alone
🔖 838K bookmarks
📤 110K shares
📱 across 27 creator-led tiktok accounts
🧪 and all of it built on one repeating formula
the viral format:
each clip is:
– 7 to 8 seconds long
– starts with a creator smiling or nodding at the camera
– long on-screen text ranting about their experience with Duolingo
– ends with a soft CTA or nothing at all
🚫 they never mention Airlearn directly
💬 all traffic flows through the comment section
example hook:
“i did a full year on duolingo and still can’t say a sentence in korean 😒”“then i tried this other app… 2 weeks later, i’m having real convos.”
🤫 the name of the app? never shown in the video.
👀 but check the comments… and suddenly everyone wants to know what it is.
why this works:
🔥 calling out duolingo = instant scroll-stopper
😤 relatable frustration — especially among language learners who feel stuck
🧠 social proof from comments = stealthy virality
📈 engineered replies from sister accounts to boost reach + curiosity
ambassador layer:
they’re scaling this in other languages too.
example: @languagepracticew — a Spanish-speaking creator based in the U.S.
same format. same tone. same insane engagement.
every creator is running hundreds of variations on this theme:
→ between 195 and 316 posts per account
🚨 and all of it pointing toward Airlearn without ever saying the name out loud.
what you can steal for your app:
🧠 compete in crowded categories?
→ don’t copy competitors. critique them.
→ make it subtle. emotional. real.
→ let comments become your conversion funnel
📹 low-lift content plan?
→ test 7–10 second talking head clips
→ don’t pitch. share frustration. let curiosity do the work
🗣️ international rollout?
→ same format, localized creators
→ repeat, repeat, repeat
airlearn isn’t building awareness through features or fancy editing.
they’re doing it by hitting a nerve — and trusting that engagement will lead people to the app.
and with 60M views and nearly a million bookmarks?
it’s working.
