TikTok is more than just a platform for viral dances, lip-syncs, and challenges.
It’s also a powerful tool for marketing your brand, reaching new audiences, and driving traffic to your website.
But how do you get your videos to rank well on TikTok and show up on the coveted For You page?
That’s where TikTok search engine optimization (SEO) comes in.
What is TikTok search engine optimization?
TikTok SEO is the practice of optimizing your videos on TikTok to rank higher in search results and get more exposure on the app.
Just as you would use keywords and analytics to optimize the content on your website, you can also use these tactics to help your TikTok videos show up in more search results–this includes results on TikTok, as well as Google.
Can you do SEO in TikTok?
Yes, you can do SEO in TikTok, and you should if you want to grow your account and reach more potential customers.
TikTok has its own search bar, making SEO an important part of the platform.
In fact, Google’s own data found that 40% of young people primarily use TikTok and Instagram for search.
And, although social media posts on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and the like were not indexed by Google in the past, they now show up in the SERPs.
That means your TikTok videos can also help you rank higher on Google and drive more organic traffic to your website.
What is the TikTok SEO algorithm?
The TikTok SEO algorithm is a set of rules and calculations used by TikTok to determine the visibility and ranking of videos in search results.
It considers some of the following factors:
- User interactions: These include likes, comments, shares, favorites, views, completion rate, and accounts you follow.
- Video information: These include captions, hashtags, sounds, music, and spoken audio.
- Device and account settings: These include language preference, country setting, type of mobile device, and categories of interest.
The algorithm uses these factors to match videos with users’ interests and preferences.
The more relevant and engaging your videos are to your target audience, the higher they will rank on TikTok.
How do I maximize SEO on TikTok?
There are several ways to maximize SEO on TikTok and increase your chances of getting featured on the For You page.
Research and use relevant keywords and hashtags in your content
Keywords and hashtags help TikTok understand what your video is about and who might be interested in it.
You can use tools like Rapidtags or Keyword Insights to find trending keywords and hashtags related to your niche.
Use them in your captions, titles, descriptions, and audio.
Stay alert on TikTok trends
Trends are a great way to boost your visibility and engagement on TikTok.
You can use tools like Exploding Topics or Tiktok Trends to discover what’s popular on the app.
You can also check the Discover tab or follow popular creators in your niche.
Try to create videos that relate to the current trends or put your own spin on them.
Rework old content
If you have videos that performed well in the past, you can rework them with new captions, hashtags, sounds, or effects.
This can help you reach new audiences or revive old ones.
You can also repurpose content from other platforms like YouTube or Instagram and optimize them for TikTok.
Be consistent with your niche
The more consistent you are with your niche, the more likely you are to attract loyal followers who are interested in your content.
This can also help TikTok identify your target audience and show your videos to them.
Try to stick to one or two main topics or themes that reflect your brand identity and value proposition.
Collaborate with other creators
Collaborating with other creators can help you expand your reach and exposure on TikTok.
You can join forces with influencers or micro-influencers in your niche who have a similar or complementary audience.
You can also participate in duets or stitches with popular videos or challenges.
Make sure to tag or mention the other creators in your captions or descriptions.
Review competitor rankings on TikTok
Analyzing what works for your competitors can help you improve your own SEO strategy on TikTok.
You can use tools like TikAnalytics or TikRank to track and compare the performance of different accounts in your niche.
You can also check their captions, hashtags, sounds, effects, and engagement rates.
Learn from their best practices and avoid their mistakes.
What are the benefits of TikTok SEO?
TikTok SEO can bring many benefits for your brand or business.
Some of them are:
- Increased visibility: By optimizing your videos for search results, you can increase your chances of getting seen by more users on TikTok and Google. This can help you build brand awareness and recognition among your target audience.
- Increased engagement: By creating relevant and engaging videos for your audience, you can increase your likes, comments, shares, and views. This can help you build trust and loyalty among your followers and potential customers.
- Increased traffic: By adding links to your website or landing page in your profile or captions, you can drive more traffic to your online presence. This can help you generate more leads, conversions, and sales for your products or services.
How to add keywords on TikTok
Adding keywords on TikTok is easy and simple.
You can add keywords in the following places.
Captions
Captions are the short texts that appear below your videos.
You can add up to 150 characters in your captions, so make sure to use them wisely.
Add keywords that describe what your video is about, what value it offers, or what action you want your viewers to take.
You can also add emojis or hashtags to make your captions more appealing and searchable.
Hashtags
Hashtags are words or phrases that start with a # sign.
They help TikTok categorize your videos and show them to users who are interested in that topic.
You can add up to 20 hashtags in your captions, but it’s recommended to use only 3 to 5 relevant ones.
Use popular or trending hashtags, niche-specific hashtags, or branded hashtags.
You can also create your own hashtags and encourage your followers to use them.
Sounds
Sounds are the audio tracks that play along with your videos.
They can be songs, sound effects, voiceovers, or dialogues.
They help TikTok identify the mood, tone, and theme of your videos and show them to users who like that type of sound.
You can use the built-in sound library on TikTok or upload your own sounds.
You can also use popular or trending sounds or create your own sounds and encourage your followers to use them.
Titles
Titles are the texts that appear above your videos when they show up in search results or on the For You page.
They help users decide whether to watch your video or not.
You can add up to 100 characters in your titles, but it’s recommended to use only 40 to 60 characters.
Add keywords that summarize what your video is about, what value it offers, or what action you want your viewers to take.
You can also add emojis or hashtags to make your titles more appealing and searchable.
TikTok keywords tool
A TikTok keywords tool is a software or application that helps you find and analyze keywords for your TikTok videos.
A TikTok keywords tool can help you:
- Discover trending keywords and hashtags related to your niche
- Analyze the popularity, competition, and performance of different keywords and hashtags
- Generate keyword ideas and suggestions based on your content
- Optimize your captions, titles, descriptions, and sounds with relevant keywords
- Track and compare the ranking and performance of different keywords and hashtags
Some examples of TikTok keywords tools are:
- Rapidtags: A TikTok tag generator and optimizer that helps you find the best tags for your videos based on your title or description.
- Keyword Insights: A TikTok keyword research tool that helps you discover trending keywords and ad copies for your target audience.
- Exploding Topics: A TikTok trend analysis tool that helps you find the hottest topics on the app before they go viral.
- Tiktok Trends: A TikTok trend tracker tool that helps you monitor the latest trends on the app by category, country, or time period.
- TikAnalytics: A TikTok analytics tool that helps you track and measure the performance of different accounts, videos, hashtags, and sounds on the app.
- TikRank: A TikTok ranking tool that helps you compare the ranking and performance of different accounts, videos, hashtags, and sounds on the app.
TikTok keywords list
A TikTok keywords list is a collection of words or phrases that are relevant to your niche, content, or audience on TikTok. A TikTok keywords list can help you:
- Create engaging and searchable videos for your target audience
- Optimize your captions, titles, descriptions, and sounds with relevant keywords
- Increase your visibility and ranking on TikTok and Google search results
- Increase your engagement and traffic on TikTok and other platforms
To create a TikTok keywords list, you can use tools like Rapidtags, Keyword Insights, Exploding Topics, or Tiktok Trends to find trending keywords related to your niche. You can also use tools like TikAnalytics or TikRank to analyze the performance of different keywords on the app.
Does TikTok help Google SEO?
TikTok SEO can help Google SEO in some ways.
According to some sources, TikTok videos can now show up in Google search results, which means that optimizing your videos for TikTok can also help you rank higher on Google.
Additionally, TikTok can help you drive more traffic to your website or landing page, which can improve your Google SEO as well.
Conclusion
TikTok is a powerful platform for marketing your brand, reaching new audiences, and driving traffic to your website.
By optimizing your videos for TikTok SEO, you can increase your visibility and engagement on the app and on Google.
You can use tools like Rapidtags, Keyword Insights, Exploding Topics, Tiktok Trends, TikAnalytics, and TikRank to help you find and analyze keywords, hashtags, sounds, and trends for your TikTok videos.
You can also use best practices like researching and using relevant keywords and hashtags, staying alert on TikTok trends, reworking old content, being consistent with your niche, collaborating with other creators, and reviewing competitor rankings on TikTok.
By following these tips, you can boost your TikTok SEO and grow your account and business.
Zowan Fayzan is a digital pathfinder specializing in SEO aficionado, e-commerce enthusiast, and connoisseur of marketing analytics.