Do you know that TikTok dethroned Google in 2021 and took its place as the most visited domain, according to a report by Cloudflare? This is only after breaking the record as the most downloaded app in 2020.
TikTok has become dominant among the higher-class social media, so marketers must get their A-game going.
Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook have long been regarded as search engines. Consumers use these channels to search for information, content, ideas, and products.
With rising CPCs and fluctuating search volumes on Google due to the recession, SEOs and other marketers cannot afford to ignore where consumers spend their time.
With over one billion active monthly users, TikTok is quickly becoming the most engaged, downloaded, and profitable channel for marketers and brands to be on right now, despite its continued popularity as a social media platform.
According to studies, 30% of Generation Z uses TikTok for product research. This suggests businesses aiming at younger audiences could benefit from actively participating in social listening on the platform, publishing sales-driving content, and collaborating with influencers to build brand credibility.
TikTok easily provides entertainment while marketing to its audience, two of the most needed elements of any campaign strategy.
So far, the platform has proven its ability to make businesses go viral and sell out in no time.
What Is TikTok SEO?
TikTok SEO is the process of optimizing content so that TikTok users can easily find it when they use the platform’s search function. TikTok SEO, like traditional SEO, entails using high-volume, relevant keywords that people are likely to search for.
TikTok SEO is different from traditional SEO in that it is a relatively new concept that is only now emerging as a tool for businesses and creators to capitalize on the platform’s distinct audience habits.
The average TikTok user is still attempting to figure out how to optimize their content on the platform.
When you create content with effective SEO, you can capitalize on all brand reach opportunities, such as helping your content rank, increasing views on TikTok videos you publish, and linking your material to users in your target demographic.
A TikTok SEO strategy will help you build a loyal customer base for your brand while increasing engagement and conversions over time. You may have a better chance of going viral if you use trending content.
Why TikTok?
Customers are increasingly impatient and want quick solutions to their concerns. The more brand successes you have, the faster you can complete the entire purchasing journey, from awareness to purchase. People increasingly prefer short-form content, and Google will soon reward it as well.
TikTok is quickly displacing Google as young people’s primary source of information. The platform comprises short, simple, and frequently entertaining movies.
These videos are distributed through a customized feed known as the “For You page.”
However, people no longer limit their searches to “For You” pages; they now do customized searches. Whereas Google fails to offer information quickly and simply, a TikTok search returns accurate, helpful, and straightforward results in seconds.
You don’t have to read 2,000 words to get to the end of a recipe; you can obtain the same knowledge by watching a 60-second video.
For leisure, you can also watch a short film instead of reading a blog post on the latest celebrity gossip. As a result, it is not surprising that most Gen Z members prefer TikTok to Google.
SEO Ranking Factors for TikTok
TikTok’s algorithm employs many complex ranking factors to place content on the platform’s front page, For You Page (FYP).
The system considers which accounts you follow or have interacted with, your location, the language you speak on your device, and a variety of additional ranking signals, such as audio and hashtags.
Although numerous factors can influence the algorithm, these three ranking signals are the most important;
Video Information
TikTok’s algorithm aims to show you content they believe you will be interested in, so video information is critical regarding the app’s potential reach.
Every data on a video can influence a video’s ranking on TikTok. This includes sound effects, music, and sound effects. TikTok looks for videos with relevant keywords in their titles and descriptions and videos on popular topics.
User Interactions
User interactions include:
- Videos you’ve liked.
- Contents you’ve hidden.
- Videos you’ve added to your favorites.
- Videos you’ve finished watching.
TikTok collects all of this data and uses it to determine which videos to display.
Devices and Account Settings
Settings are used to improve TikTok’s performance. Language selection, country setting, mobile device type, and categories of interest you selected as a new user are all examples of account settings.
Account settings do influence your TikTok SEO rating. However, they are less important than video content and user interactions.
How To Optimize Your TikTok Content for SEO
Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience’s likes and dislikes and what they’re looking for is critical for effective communication. Market research is the most effective way to understand your target customer.
If you’ve previously used TikTok, you may know what your target audience enjoys. Consider spending time with them if you don’t already. Examine the videos on which people are commenting and their hashtags. Examine the comments and messages they send you as well. This may assist you in determining their interests so that you can create content that is tailored to them.
You can learn more about your current followers and the types of content they enjoy by using TikTok insights. You can also check the app’s current trends to see popular content types.
Understanding your audience can help you create better video titles and descriptions, making them more discoverable in TikTok searches.
Do Keyword Research
TikTok’s keywords help users find the most relevant content. When choosing keywords, consider the terms your target audience might use to find your content.
Because TikTok SEO is still new, there aren’t any SEO tools for keyword research on TikTok itself. However, you can head on to Google and still utilize solutions like Ahrefs and Google Keyword Planner for your research.
Once you have a list of potential phrases, you can use TikTok’s search bar to find other terms to target and the “Discover” tab to determine the popularity of a hashtag. This provides insight into the keyword’s popularity.
Marketers can also use TikTok’s Trend Discovery Tool to see trends by location, hashtag, creator, audio, and more.
Use Keywords in Your Content
After you’ve completed your TikTok keyword research, you can start incorporating your keywords into your content, such as video titles, descriptions, and captions. This includes any on-screen text, such as lyrics or explanations.
Your content should be unique, innovative, and useful to your target audience. It should also be consistent with your brand’s general tone and appearance.
In addition, your information should be visually appealing and easy to understand. Keep your videos between 10 and 60 seconds in length, and make sure the audio is audible. TikTok’s algorithms favor videos where the keywords are spoken aloud.
You should also include your keywords in any hashtags you use, as this will help people find your articles more easily. Use both your primary keyword and any viable alternatives. Make sure you understand the appropriate number of hashtags for each platform.
Include Popular Music in Your Video
TikTok’s algorithm searches for related content using audio and sounds as hashtags. In this case, you can use popular audio clips to increase your discoverability on the TikTok search page.
Some users even place a trending sound under their video and then mute it to increase the likelihood that their video will appear in search results.
Use Hashtags Correctly
Hashtags are terms that begin with the letter “#.” They are used to organize content and make it easier for users to find what they are looking for. Hashtags work with all social media platforms, including Tiktok.
Adding relevant TikTok hashtags that clarify the themes discussed in your video is another type of keyword placement that can help the algorithm better understand the content of your film.
A social media hashtag tool may suggest hashtags based on popular terms and categorize your hashtags, allowing you to simply add them to your captions for a smooth workflow.
Ensure that your hashtags appropriately represent the video’s content. In addition to being ineffective, irrelevant hashtags will repel visitors who stumble onto your video because of them.
Promote Your Videos
TikTok may be the focus of your SEO strategy, but you should not overlook other channels. You can increase prospective customers’ likelihood of viewing your videos by promoting them through various channels such as your website, blog, email list, and social media profiles.
When you publish videos on other channels, include links to your TikTok profile so that viewers can access all of your videos in one place. TikTok also allows you to place advertisements with platform influencers with a large following.
If you want to promote your brand on search engines, you need a solid SEO strategy. You can attract new customers and grow your business by researching, creating exciting content, using effective hashtags, and effectively advertising your videos, all while having fun.
Use Previous Videos To Improve Your SEO Strategy
The final stage does not necessarily refer to a specific video but rather to repurposing older videos to strengthen your TikTok SEO strategy.
Repurpose hashtags from popular videos, create sequels to topics that resonate with your audience, or even look at past video comments to see what they want.
A/B testing related hashtags or hashtag sets is another way to see which drives traffic to your content.
The audience may be interested in your tailored content recommendations if these videos do well.
The first three seconds of a video are critical for capturing viewers’ attention, and hashtags constantly attract consumers looking for related content. People aren’t all the same, and neither are brands. While sticking to a successful formula is helpful, the best learnings and specific insights will always come from your account’s previous data.
Track Your Progress
Every sensible SEO marketing strategy necessitates ongoing monitoring and adjustment. You’ve implemented all of the best practices, but how will you measure the success of your efforts?
TikTok analytics are the best way to determine the success of your SEO strategy. This will reveal which videos are performing well, the type of engagement they receive, and other information. Furthermore, it may assist you in identifying areas for improvement, such as topics or keywords that do not resonate with your audience.
Keep a close eye on its evolution and that of your competitors. This will give you a better understanding of what works best for TikTok SEO, allowing you to adjust your strategy accordingly.
Your TikTok Profile’s SEO
While you focus on optimizing your videos, you should ensure that your profile is optimized for success. The following are ways to utilize SEO for your account before publishing any content;
TikTok Username
It is important to evaluate your TikTok handle and name. These factors can significantly impact the app’s chances of being discovered.
Consider how you want your brand to be perceived when creating your TikTok account. Think about your target demographic and how they use TikTok.
Choose a TikTok name and handle that accurately represents your brand and includes at least one major term related to your specialty. Remember to center your company’s name for better brand recognition!
Your Bio
The next step is to make your TikTok bio. This is your chance to say a few words about your account and the information you want to share.
When making your TikTok profile, you should consider your audience and video style. Try to be clear and brief when explaining your brand’s goal and what it sells.
Try to include at least three or four key-phrases in your TikTok bio that are directly related to your content, business, and audience. When a term is placed well, an algorithm boost can happen immediately.
You can browse the rest of your TikTok account after deciding on a name, handle, and bio for it. You can use this chance to strengthen your brand and finish some SEO.
Use the website link feature on TikTok to point users to your company’s website or another social media network.
For your SEO to remain strong, you must update your TikTok links. Additionally, it guarantees that all of your SEO efforts are worthwhile by making it simple for your audience to follow your journey and make purchases of your goods and services.
Tips for Getting More Views on Your TikTok Page
Set Up a TikTok Business Account
The pro accounts on TikTok will not help you get into the FYP, but both the Creator and Business accounts provide access to stats and insights that can help you evaluate and understand your audience better.
Switching to a Business or Creator TikTok profile is easy. Just go to Manage Account and click on Switch to Business Account. You can start looking at the data if you choose the correct category.
These insights can assist you in determining who your current audience is when they are online and what type of content they prefer to watch. These will assist you in developing your content calendar and determining when to post.
Create High-Quality Videos
Your videos must be of high quality when using social media platforms like TikTok. People nowadays are accustomed to finding high-quality information on the internet and various social media sites. To stand out on TikTok, make sure your videos are as good as they can be.
Numerous factors go into creating high-quality TikTok videos. If you can, record your movies in HD or 4K resolution first and foremost. If you do this, you can be certain that your video will appear clear and sharp on the app.
When creating a video, consider the lighting. Record in a well-lit area because your video will look jerky and low-quality if there isn’t enough light.
One of the most essential steps in creating high-quality TikTok videos is editing. Spend some time editing your video and adding any transitions or special effects that you believe will improve it. Remember that you want your video to look as polished and professional as possible.
Jump on Trends
The most effective method for creating attention-grabbing content is to use popular sounds, memes, challenges, and hashtags.
The currency on TikTok is trends. The algorithm will show more users the most popular videos, increasing the number of videos, views, and engagement.
Engage and Encourage Engagement
TikTok, like most social networks, encourages frequent user participation. Comments are an excellent way to accomplish this. In an ideal world, you would speak with potential customers.
TikTok prioritizes comments based on how many likes they receive, so make sure your comments are thoughtful and relevant. Avoid generic phrases like “Good video.”
Similarly, spend time watching other people’s videos and providing insightful commentary.
Don’t Forget To Add Caption
Although there are only 150 characters available for your TikTok caption, they will suffice. Your description is an opportunity to persuade viewers to watch your video or to spark a discussion in the comments section.
You want people to watch and interact with your videos so that the algorithm learns that your content is good stuff. Your caption is a simple and inexpensive way to entice your audience to participate or simply sit back and enjoy.
Similarly, if you have a TikTok SEO strategy, the caption is an important place to include your topic keywords. Rather than simply following trends, optimizing your TikToks for search will result in more views in the long run.
Upload Frequently
One of TikTok’s best features is that the more content you post, the faster you grow, though it can be difficult to predict what will go viral. TikTok encourages users to post new, helpful content regularly, ideally one to four times daily.
This allows you to experiment with different types of content and build an audience by posting more content. Furthermore, TikTok has a significant organic reach compared to other social media platforms. You can increase your chances of appearing on visitors’ For You pages by adding relevant content at the right time.
Team Up With an Influencer or Other Businesses
Including outside voices in your TikTok videos is a simple way to reach a new audience, whether you’ve hired an influencer, a well-known guest star, or collaborated with another company for a cross-over opportunity.
Your special guest will get their followers to watch your video by drawing attention to the content you’ve created, which adds to your audience base in the long run.
In Conclusion
TikTok is the world’s seventh most popular social media platform, and it reached that position quickly. Furthermore, the platform has continued to expand rapidly and is still on a collision course with the top– a dream come true for businesses that take every opportunity in stride.
The development of TikTok demonstrates that video content is now king. As with any digital strategy, you will achieve tremendous success if you join the platform with a solid strategy and a grasp of how to accomplish success on the platform.
Remember, when developing a TikTok marketing strategy, it is essential to keep your target demographic in mind. Instead of attempting to fool the algorithm, concentrate on creating content that your target audience will genuinely watch and share.