Tips for Showing up in TikTok Search: How to Optimize Your Videos for Better Discovery

1. Have a target audience 

Remember, we mentioned earlier how the TikTok algorithm works and how the platform’s content has increased over the years, making categorization even more specific.

Consequently, you’ll need to deeply understand your target audience, their category, and what makes them tick. Knowing your target isn’t difficult if you’ve already identified your brand and what you aim to achieve on TikTok. With this in mind, you can research what content users within your field are interested in with specific niche hashtags. 

Furthermore, after identifying what’s hot and what’s not, a closer look at major players such as TikTok stars and legends in the TikTok creator marketplace also helps to give insight on how to create content with a delivery style that fits your audience’s appetite.

2. Research keywords

This may seem overflogged, but in today’s social media age, keywords and ranking are like inseparable Siamese twins. You need to research relevant keywords and create content around these keywords.

For your SEO on TikTok to succeed, you’ll need to study relevant keyword usage by observing the search queries in the search bar when you enter a text in the “others search for” page.

These words are hints revealing what most users in that niche are looking for. Grab a pen and paper or type the words into your phone diary and then start creating content around these topics.

Use relevant keywords in captions, descriptions, and your video’s first opening seconds. Also, keep an eye out for trending videos with massive engagement and multiple shares. Save them for later because they’ll serve as references for creating yours.

Image source: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-taking-photos-her-business_17044831.htm#from_view=detail_alsolike

3. Use relevant hashtags

Every internet user, or at least every social media user, knows what hashtags work for. A major tool for categorizing your content, using hashtags could help improve your TikTok SEO if done right.

When using hashtags, you don’t want to slam every word you can find and stick the # symbol on it; relevance is the keyword here and dictates the keyword used. 

4. Make your video fun

Although it’s recommended your content be specific, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go all serious and professional in your TikTok content.

That’s because TikTok users mostly use the app to deliver genuine information with a personal touch. The algorithm judges your content’s quality based on the number of likes and engagements it receives, not the degree of sophistication per se.

As long as your videos present worthwhile information enthrallingly, they will appear on TikTok search results. 

5. Set up a TikTok business account 

While you can use a normal account on TikTok, having a business account is recommended if you want to get additional insights on top-performing videos, track the reach of your content, and conduct proper SEO on TikTok. 

Here’s how to quickly set up a business account on TikTok:

• Navigate to the screen’s bottom
• Click on “Profile.”
• Select “Settings and Privacy”
• Scroll to the bottom, then click “Manage Account”
• Switch to a business account

6. Structure your video content

Remember, we mentioned earlier that the TikTok algorithm judges whether to rank a video high based on engagement quality. Consequently, to engage your target audience, you need to structure your content in a specific, dazzling manner. 

Quickly, here are some excellent TikTok SEO tips to implement if you’re looking to create spell-binding videos,

• Use an attention-grabbing title

Today’s social media users have an incredibly short attention span and contest with an avalanche of distractions. Therefore, the only way to get them to notice your video is to title it with words that appeal to the users. Examples of appealing titles are how-tos and listicles.

• Hook 

Your title has gotten attention, but that’s not all. Users need something interesting to hold them down, or they’ll scroll past. The hook keeps them drawn in and wanting to see the video’s end.

This increases your watch-through rate and keeps your content high on the search results page where it ought to belong. Hooks can be in a question form: “Have you ever fed your dog raw oxtail?” Or in a story form: “Here’s what happened when I fed my poodle raw oxtail.”

• Add a strong CTA

While it may seem like a simple addition, adding a CTA could dramatically boost user interactions. Remember that the algorithm monitors the number of user interactions right after a video.

Therefore, adding a strong CTA and directing viewers to like, comment, and share is a strong TikTok SEO strategy to implement.

Ensure that the CTA in your videos is simple and direct, as too many instructions can confuse the viewer and prevent them from taking action.

7. Use trending audio

TikTok is all about trends, and it’s safe to say that once you optimize your content to meet up with the current trends, there’s a high chance it will rank high on the TikTok search bar. Undoubtedly, the power of sounds on the app cannot be overemphasized.

TikTok even partnered with and incorporated the sound.me feature, which allows users to utilize specific tunes in their videos. 

Ensure you use the latest sounds on the app by typing “trending sounds” in the search bar. Next, narrow the search to the current week, and you should see what popular videos pop up in the TikTok search.     

8. Upload content consistently

Consistently uploading videos around topics in a particular niche makes you come across as authentic, positioning you as an authority. That’s because when TikTok’s algorithm discovers your profile has a series of videos that delve deeper into information, your content stands a higher chance of being relevant and recommended to the For You page of users in that niche.   

In addition, you develop certain nuances with time, which could only come from putting out several videos. For example, say you’re into product reviews, but none of your initial content gets much engagement.

With consistent uploads, you’ll soon discover low enthusiasm is the cause and begin to deliver content with much confidence and style. This makes viewers pick up on your new camera charm, feel drawn in, and start to better engage with your content. 

In other words, another benefit of being consistent is to develop skills in creating better quality videos, which increases visibility on the TikTok search engine.

9. Repurpose previous videos

This might be an uncommon opinion, but retouching previously uploaded videos is one of the easiest TikTok SEO tips to apply. Ensure you return to pre-existing videos and revamp them using more relevant hashtags and adding captions and highlighted texts.

For example, you could merge a powerful five-second intro to a video with keywords that weren’t present in the original video, and such a singular action could increase your video’s visibility.   

Look at it this way: you’ve spent time and energy creating videos in the past. The videos didn’t perform well or even performed on average. Whatever the case, revisiting old content with newly found knowledge on video optimization is a great way to recoup previous time investments.