Move aside Google because TikTok now reigns supreme as Gen Z’s go-to search engine. You read that right! According to current trends, 40% of today’s youth prefer to use the ever-growing video-based social media platform over traditional search engines. If your target audience includes Gen Z, then you must hop on TikTok and learn the ins and outs of the platform to avoid getting dominated by your competition.
What is TikTok SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) describes the process of aligning your content to make it more relevant to search queries on Google and other search engines. The same concept applies to TikTok!
By utilizing SEO strategies on TikTok, you can widen content visibility and push your clips to the top of the search page. This increases the number of viewers for your content as well as the chances for them to transact
TikTok routinely introduces new capabilities to make this process easier for content creators. Recently, TikTok raised the character limit for video descriptions from 300 to 2,200. This extra space gives you another chance to sprinkle in more keywords and hashtags, deepening your chances at discoverability. In fact, TikTok clips can have an engagement rate anywhere from 4 to 18%. TikTok’s algorithm can then use these details to determine what the video is about more accurately and show the content to interested users on the home page, or the For You page (FYP).
TikTok’s Top Three Ranking Signals
TikTok utilizes several factors to determine what videos to show on a user’s FYP. Different ranking signals could include device information, accounts a user follows, accounts a user has interacted with, and hashtags. However, Video Information, User Interactions, and Device Information rank among the most influential signals.
Video Information
TikTok wants to show relevant content to users and keep them interested. By analyzing a video’s captions, keywords, audio, hashtags, design effects, and video transcripts, TikTok’s algorithm can better determine the most interesting content for a particular user, even if they never stumbled on the account’s content before.
User Interactions
We’ve all heard the phrase, “actions speak louder than words.” Well, in this case, actions do matter. A user can signal that they want to see more content from a certain account, genre, or hashtag by interacting with it. The more interactions a video receives, the more likely the algorithm will share it with more users. Some user interactions include the number of likes, comments, shares, account followers, and the number of video replays.
Device Information
Lastly, TikTok analyzes information from the user’s device to further determine relevance. Device location and language specifically help the algorithm sort out content that users may scroll over. For example, English-speaking users may not see videos where the content is in Japanese.
SEO Strategies to Use on TikTok
Nowadays, social media extends far beyond endless scrolling or following celebrities. Users also utilize these platforms as search engines to look for information or get answers to their questions. Merging SEO expertise with social media platforms like TikTok can boost your brand’s visibility. More importantly, you can foster a loyal TikTok community by following these strategies in addition to creating great content.
1) Keywords are the Key
TikTok shows users the most relevant results by taking the query’s keywords and searching for videos that best match that information. When a user searches for “the most popular restaurant spots” in their town, for example, they will see videos with the same keywords text and the video description as the top results.
So, to make your business’s content appear within those first few videos, you should include relevant keywords to the in-video text and video description. Using the right keywords is an important part of SEO strategy. There are three straightforward steps to conduct this research.
Consider Your Niche
Brainstorm a list of 5-10 categories you want users to know your brand for. Next, you will want to identify 3-5 broader topics and 3-5 specific topics. If you work for a clothing brand, you may list broad topics like “outfit ideas” or “clothing hacks” while your specific terms may include “warm jackets for winter.” This way, you can create a range of different content that could appeal to multiple audience subsections.
Experiment with TikTok’s Trend Discovery Tool
When you’re stuck scratching your head and in need of inspiration, TikTok’s Trend Discovery Tool will clue you into the latest trends based on location, hashtag, audio, and creator. As you sift through the videos, think about the types of keywords that content creators may want to target. Which keywords have larger search volumes? This question can help guide you to the keywords you will want to integrate into fresh content, and hopefully garner attention from new users.
Conduct Test Searches
After gathering some keyword ideas, search for them on TikTok and study the content displayed at the top of the results. Note where and how these videos use the keywords, such as in captions, and the type of content. You should also look at other hashtags the creator used as well as the comments to broaden your horizons. If you see a comment asking a question or a suggestion, that is the perfect opportunity to record a new video addressing this information gap while unlocking another chance to use the keywords.
2) Don’t Forget About Hashtags
Hashtags are a common social media feature that lets marketers categorize their content. Adding 3-5 relevant hashtags, such as #OutfitOfTheDay or #FashionInspo, to each video can allow the TikTok algorithm to pick up your content more easily. Use hashtags as another opportunity to throw in a popular keyword that relates to your videos. If you want to jump in on a popular trend, make sure to use the challenge hashtag as well.
3) Harness User-Generated Content
Start embracing a new form of influencer marketing through user-generated content (UGC). Collaborating with UGC creators will give you another way to advertise products or services on the social media giant. They create content that appears organic or non-advertising in nature, but companies pay them to create the videos.
You can find creators to collaborate with by searching for influencers within your business’s niche and reaching out to them to ask if they would like to work with you. Alternatively, you can work with an influencer marketing agency for extra assistance in finding the perfect match. Once you reach an agreement with a UGC creator, they will create content such as a review or tips on using your product. Many TikTok users want to see recommendations from fellow users, and collaborating with UGC creators creates the perfect opportunity to connect with potential leads.
Kickstart Your TikTok SEO Process with Premiere Creative
Creating and maintaining an effective SEO strategy will help you reach the pinnacle of success on TikTok. Still, the journey to success relies on a substantial amount of time and effort to conceive an action plan from scratch. Luckily, Premiere Creative can work with you side-by-side to develop an SEO approach that suits your niche, budget, and goals.
Our team can also connect you with influencers for a full, comprehensive TikTok marketing plan that will enhance the probability of generating qualified leads. Call (973) 346-8100 to learn how you can combine SEO and TikTok to grow your business.
