How to Optimize Your Content for the TikTok Search Engine

TikTok is a social media platform right? Well, everything you think you know about TikTok may be skewed. Gen-Z users are now using the app as a search engine- in a sort of new age Google. We’re going to explore how Gen-Z are using TikTok for search and what this shift means for content creators and marketers. 

TikTok As Search Engine

Gen X and millennials might have made “google” a verb, but Instagram and TikTok are now the preferred search engines for Gen Z when seeking local results. According to a new study of 1,002 U.S. consumers, Google is now in third place for 18 to 24-year-olds.

As TikTok continues to grow in popularity, particularly among Gen-Z, its usage of the app being used as a search engine continues to grow. According to Forbes, 64% of Gen-Z turn to TikTok over Google for various searches- especially when seeking local results. Brands and content creators should be adapting their strategies and content to ensure their content is discoverable on TikTok. Here's how you can make your TikTok content more 'searchable' with a few basic SEO techniques.

A quick search of the word ‘what’ in TikTok, reveals other popular searches at the moment. Here, we see a mix of both questions and trends. Industry experts have even commented TikTok may be becoming the new Google?

A Cultural Shift?

Most commonly, we think of TikTok as a social media app for entertainment. Filled with trending dances, funny memes and hilarious content, its entertainment factor prevails. But, there has been a shift, where users are not only watching videos for fun but also for searching for products, trends and how-to content. TikTok's transformation into a search engine is driven by its unique ability to combine entertainment with information discovery. This shift presents an opportunity for brands to reach audiences directly through engaging content that appears in search results on TikTok.

With the app’s shop feature, searching for a product not only brings up buying options, but also content featuring the item. Here, we’re directed to buy, then fashion content appears second- similar to a search engine.

Tips to Optimise Content

Keyword Research and Integration

• Use TikTok's predictive search feature and Keyword Insights Tool to identify popular keywords related to your content. These tools provide data on keyword trends, engagement metrics, and demographic insights, which can inform your content strategy.

• Integrate these keywords naturally into your video captions, on-screen text (top tip- edit your video captions in app and keep it native for maximum results), and even in the audio to enhance discoverability.

1. Leverage Hashtags and Trends

   • Hashtags can be important for categorising your content and improving its visibility (though it’s not always the case, more on this in the next blog)! Use relevant and trending hashtags to increase the chances of your videos appearing on users' "For You" pages.

   • Stay updated with current trends using TikTok's Creative Center, which highlights popular hashtags, songs, and creators. Participating in trends that feel aligned with your brand can boost your content's reach.

2. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

   • Focus on producing quality videos that are appealing and engaging. The TikTok algorithm favours content that receives more views, likes, and comments, so aim to create videos that encourage interaction.

   • Consider creating content that answers common questions or provides quick, informative insights, as these types of videos are popular on the platform.

3. Optimize Video Thumbnails

   • Just like with YouTube, an enticing thumbnail can attract viewers to your content. Ensure your video preview gives a clear and engaging snapshot of what the video is about.

4. Utilise TikTok's Creative Center for Analytics

   • Use the analytics provided by TikTok's Creative Center to track the performance of your content. This tool offers insights into audience demographics, related interests, and the popularity of your hashtags, helping you refine your strategy.

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