Did you know that TikTok has already become an all-knowing ask-me-anything machine? Even though it hasn’t won the search engine battle with Google, it has conquered the hearts of the younger Gen Z audience in particular. Speaking in relationship terms, Gen Zers dumped Google for TikTok: 74% of them go to TikTok to find products and services, and over half (51%) prefer it over Google.
Generation Z is not the only demographic cohort that turns to this social app for information. For instance, when digging up the statistics across the US, you’ll see that two in five people of all ages browse TikTok as a discovery platform. While recognizing this as a growth prospect, every business wants to occupy a better “seat” in its search results.
However, ranking higher on TikTok is a more nuanced and complicated task than it looks. First, you should understand TikTok SEO, which stands for search engine optimization, and the algorithmic approach to content rankings on the platform. After that, we’ll teach you how to optimize your TikToks for SEO.
What You Should Know About TikTok’s Search Algorithm
Like Google’s algorithms, TikTok applies its own ranking systems and methods to size up content, grade it, and display the most suitable pieces in front of users whenever they type a query in the search bar.
But how do the TikTok search algorithms decide on what to show first, second, third…?
Let’s review what bears the biggest weight for TikTok and sort out entirely weightless factors.
What TikTok Relies On When Preparing Search Results
- Previous searcher’s behavior
- Post engagement (likes, comments, and shares)
- Relevance to the inquiry
- Video completion rate (Ideal watching time is from start to finish.)
- Location
- Device
- Language
On TikTok’s own FAQ, they state:
“Search
Our search feature allows you to search for content on TikTok. It also recommends search terms for you to discover content.
Factors that may influence your search results include:
- User interactions: Your past search behavior and the content you like, share, comment on, and watch in full or skip.
- Content information: How relevant the content is to your search, hashtags, and the sound used.
- User information: Device settings, language preference, and location.
These factors help us predict how relevant and interesting content might be to a viewer. Different factors can play a larger or smaller role in what’s recommended, and the importance—or weighting—of a factor can change over time. For many users, how relevant the content is to the specific term entered is generally weighted more heavily than other factors.“
What TikTok Doesn’t Count In When Preparing Search Results
- Profile visits and aesthetics
- Follower count
- Account verification (A “verified” badge won’t help you outrank others on TikTok.)
- Video’s age
- Posting frequency
- Direct user relations (e.g., mutual followers)
Also note: Organic social search results on TikTok don’t depend on whether a video is promoted through advertising. In that regard, paid promotions will enhance your visibility but won’t boost your TikTok search rankings.
How to Optimize Your TikTok Content for Search
Now, let’s focus on improving your TikToks for search engine optimization and gaining top-tier positions.
1. Do research and find out what your audience is after.
Do you truly understand your target audience: their values, concerns, needs, etc.? What exactly are your potential customers looking for on TikTok?
Once you figure it out, you can match the search intent and tailor your content to the user’s specific tastes and interests.
Here’s how to do that:
- Start typing your targeted keywords in the search bar (TikTok auto-suggests the most popular phrases).
- Analyze the top performers in your niche (preferably your direct competitors) and scroll through their TikToks.
- Peep into the comments section under viral videos related to your industry and rummage out suggested topics and ideas.
- Ask your audience what they’re curious about.
For example:
Asking what bothers TikTok users from the scientific viewpoint, the Science World team answers those questions in a series of video mini-lessons.
@scienceworldca 🦑 Science Class in Session! 🦑 Learn about deep sea life in today’s Ask Science World and what it takes to travel to the bottom of the ocean at Science World’s feature exhibit, James Cameron - CHALLENGING THE DEEP, on now until January 1, 2024. #AskScienceWorld #ChallengingtheDeep #scienceworldca ♬ Funk It Up - John Etkin-Bell
Grant Aldrich, Founder of Online Degree, also adds that it’s important to consider seasonality. “It’s no surprise that, much like any other platform, TikTok experiences spikes in searches driven by certain seasons, such as the back-to-school season or winter holidays. Before these periods arrive, explore seasonal queries and schedule your posts in advance to give TikTok algorithms time to evaluate your content and make it discoverable during the highest search volume.”
2. Use the audience’s preferred language.
Do you aim to target multilingual markets on TikTok?
If yes, you must tap into geographic customer segmentation and produce content in different languages (the app is available in over 50 languages). Besides, if your videos are in the user’s chosen language, they are more likely to appear in their search results on TikTok (the app reckon with users’ language preferences, remember?).
As Chris Aubeeluck, Head of Sales and Marketing at Osbornes Law, puts it, “Diverse markets have unique inquiries, challenges, and needs. When tailoring your messages to a specific linguistic context (language, communication style, terminology, and so on), you can address cultural nuances and localize your content to achieve maximum relevance and rank higher in TikTok search results.”
For example:
The Osbornes Law firm localizes TikTok videos for Polish-speaking clients who live in the UK.
@prawnicy_osbornes_w_uk Czy pracodawcy w UK dbają o bezpieczeństwo i przesztrzegają przepisów BHP wobec pracownika? Jaka jest wasza opinia? #polacywuk #polacywanglii #anglia #praca #pracownik #polonia ♬ Epic Motivation - Kidmada
Yet, even in English, you may encounter lexical diversity between generations (compare the Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z slang) and industries (compare legal and medical jargon).
3. Insert searchable keywords into captions.
Again, just like Google, TikTok ranks content based on its appropriateness to user queries. As soon as you include proper keywords in your video captions on TikTok, the system will better understand your content and bring it up in the search results, on the “For You” page, and in the recommended section.
Let’s suppose you want your job post to rank higher on TikTok for talent acquisition via this social network. Albert Kim, VP of Talent at Checkr, observes that numerous companies leverage TikTok to find and hire candidates these days. However, he notes, “Something that often lacks in ‘we’re hiring’ calls when HR managers hunt for talent on TikTok is the right keyword, if any at all. Without keywords, such job posts simply get lost among other content pieces or fall to the bottom of TikTok search results.”
Albert Kim advises brands to indicate the targeted keywords in captions. For targeting job seekers specifically, these are a job title, work mode (remote or in-office), location, etc.
For example:
If you type “job vacancy UK” in the search bar, the first post that appears in the TikTok search results contains the exact match keyword.
4. Apply the new hashtagging formula.
Hashtags are dead. Long live hashtags!
This principle is valid for hashtagging in TikTok SEO as well.
“Traditionally, marketers used to load up their posts with mountain-like hashtag packs, often irrelevant to the content,” shares Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing at Ninja Patches. “This tactic is no longer as fruitful as it once was because social media algorithms have evolved greatly since that time. The hashtag’s role has also shifted to a more intentional one.
Hashtags still carry weight for ranking higher on TikTok but only if applied strategically, not randomly.”
For Brooke Webber and her marketing crew, the key elements for strategic hashtagging on TikTok are as follows.
TikTok hashtagging formula
=
Content-relevant hashtags
(those that describe what your TikTok post is about)
+
Niche-specific hashtags
(#BeautyTok, #PetTok, #FinTok, #NurseTok, #BookTok, etc.)
+
High-volume hashtags
(#foryou, #fyp, #viral, #meme, #funny, etc.)
+
Trendy hashtags
(apply only if relevant)
For example:
The Ninja Patches team frequently joins TikTok’s subtoks or communities, such as #DIYTok and #CraftTok.
@ninjatransfers No more needle and thread ❌🪡 Custom Heat Transfer patches are changing the game 😳🔥 #patches #custompatches #directtofilm #customhat #beanie #dtftransfers #heattransfer #diy #crafty #crafttok #embroidery #screenprinting ♬ Photoshoot - Gucci Mane
Another example:
Look at how SkiBig3 drilled into the #SkiTok and #SnowTok niches simultaneously with one TikTok video, along with the #lakelouiseskiresort, #chairlift (content-relevant), and #fyp (high-volume) hashtags.
@skibig3 We know the chairlift is one of the coldest parts of the day 🥶 try out these tips to stay warm! Do you have any hacks to stay warm while skiing? #skihack #skitips #skitok #skiingtiktok #snowtok #snowboarding #chairlift #banff #banffnationalpark #skitrip #skivacation #lakelouise #lakelouiseskiresort #skilesson #fyp ♬ Coffee Shop - Late Night Luke
5. Learn to trendjack mindfully and responsibly.
Ready to go in for trendjacking on TikTok?
It’s the art of catching the hype and creating trend-driven TikToks based on the popularity surge of:
- Themes
- Effects
- Hashtags
- Sounds
- Events, etc.
Trendiness is one of the best ways to use TikTok for business. The more often you hop on the trend bandwagon and use viral moments to your advantage, the higher your posts will rank in TikTok searches. Here’s why. Trendy topics are the most browsed, commented, shared, and buzzed about.
For example:
In 2023, Duolingo became “Barbielingo” when the brand trend-jacked the Barbie film release with the popular hashtags #Barbie, #Barbiechallenge, and #Barbiepremiere.
@duolingo honored Greta asked me to replace Margot #duolingo #languagelearning #barbie #barbiepremiere #barbiechallenge #barbenheimer ♬ original sound - Model Commissions OPEN - Diya
But—
There’s a caveat from Alan Parkes, Owner of Denver Roofing & Colorado Springs Roofing, who urges business leaders and marketers to be mindful when using this method in TikTok search engine optimization. “Never trendjack purposelessly for the sake of trendjacking itself. Better capitalize on trends only when appropriate and suitable for your business niche.” In the construction sector, he says, roofing contractors typically share videos with trendy time-lapse effects and drone shootings. And one of the go-to TikTok features is a stitch (an evergreen feature-slash-trend).
@roofertiktok #stitch with @mr_.sandman simply cant be compared to tradional methods of snow retention. ##roofersoftiktok ♬ original sound - Roofertiktok
6. Keep your TikToks short and up to the point.
Did you hear anything about the attention span shortage in the social media epoch?
Actually, the human attention span has lately shrunk to 8 seconds, giving bite-sized video content the reins among all digital marketing trends. Scientists also discuss the so-called “TikTok brain” effect, when social media users become so impatient that they simply skip videos if they take too much time to watch or too much effort to think about.
That’s why, while optimizing your TikTok content for SEO, Bo Cicak, Chiropractor Doctor at Neurogan Health, recommends adhering to the “brevity and clarity principles” in videos. He refers to them as “the bread-and-butter factors” for higher ranks in TikTok search results. He says, “Since TikTok is not designed for a long attention span, a brief and simplistic video will always be more preferred by TikTok users than lengthy and complicated content. Chances are they would watch shorter videos until the end (and even re-watch them again).”
The Neurogan Health approach on TikTok, he explains, revolves around delivering shorter content, up to 15 seconds, to increase watching and re-watching times.
@neuroganhealth My in-flight skincare secret for combating dry cabin air🤫✨🩵 #TravelSkincare #InFlightBeauty #CopperPeptides #HydrationOnTheGo #TravelEssentials #GlowingSkinAnywhere #NeuroganHealth #Neurogan ♬ you already know jersey club - Ali Beats
Again, let us remind you that video completion rates are valuable markers for TikTok’s algorithms.
7. Let influencers push you up.
Influencer marketing is the lifeblood flowing through TikTok, pulsing and fueling videos with liveliness and engagement.
Thanks to their immense authority and recognition, influencers can level up TikTok content for better visibility and discoverability. That’s what makes 69% of brands collaborate with at least one content creator, with over 100,000 influential figures on the platform.
Yet, how can you pick the best influencer from this vast group to space-launch your videos and land you in the top search positions on the TikTok planet?
Adam Tishman, Co-Founder at Helix Sleep, highlights that the three most critical things to keep in mind before partnering with TikTok influencers are “their reputation, audience match, and engagement.” He also notes, “When you’ve found the right influencer for your brand, plan your influencer marketing campaign thoroughly: from the number of TikToks and posting times to captions and hashtags.”
For example:
Adidas collaborated with several TikTok content creators under the hashtag #MoveForThePlanet. During this campaign, influencers mentioned Adidas’ running app in video captions.
@liam_dowling So easy… For every 10 minutes of movement @adidas will donate €1 so download the adidas running app and get moving! #ad #MoveForThePlanet #CreatedWithAdidas ♬ original sound - Liam Dowling
In conclusion
In TikTok’s arena, every business competes for the best place—right where their target audiences can see them first. In this race for visibility, those who optimize TikTok content for SEO secure the coveted spots. Their content sits front and center in search results on TikTok.
You can likewise get your content into the spotlight by strategically using keywords, hashtags, trends, and other SEO-focused tricks from this article.
We hope your next content piece will be a major hit in TikTok search.
