So, you’ve taken the plunge and joined TikTok for your brand. You’ve created a stream of content, and you’re eager to increase your number of views and engagement.
How do you get more views on TikTok? TikTok SEO!
It’s not the answer you expected, right?!
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. What SEO is really about is making certain tweaks and improvements to your content by including specific keywords that will increase the chances of your content being found by search engines. Google, YouTube, Pinterest; they all use SEO to serve content to those who are looking for it. But now more than ever, people want the short-form video found on TikTok to answer their questions right away and give them the goods up front.
When you first learn of TikTok SEO and its importance, it may seem daunting. But think about how many times you’ve searched for something on social media? What if your content could be discovered when people search? It would increase visibility, grow your following and lead to sales! Sounds pretty good, right?!
There are quick ways you can use SEO to find the best keywords for your brand starting with a simple search. This can become the basis of your SEO TikTok strategy.
Here are 3 ways to search for keywords on TikTok:
1) When you hit “search” within the TikTok app, you’re going to get suggestions such as, “You may like”. These suggestions will give you insight into what people are frequently searching for as well as what content is trending right now.
This information is such gold! You can increase visibility by using these insights to create content that utilizes the current trends – sounds, memes, challenges, and hashtags – and could even develop a series of TikToks around the macro-keywords that are given.
2) Take a word related to your brand (product/service) or problem you solve and type it into the search bar. For instance, if you are a fashion boutique, you may type in the word “Fashion” into the search bar and find popular searches that include keywords like, “Fashion trends 2022,” or “fall fashion inspo.” You’ll also see a number of similar searches that automatically populate when you start typing your search into the search bar. The similar searches are a great resource for more content ideas and you’ll want to make note of the most relevant keywords for you to include in your content.
3) Once you click search using say “fall fashion trends”, you’ll see the top videos which is important research in and of itself to understand what kind of videos are performing the best for keywords. But you’ll also get another list of potential keywords under the “Others searched for” that you can use in your content strategy.
How to Apply Keywords to Get the Most of TikTok SEO
Once you’ve determined a keyword list and started to develop content around them, the goal is to incorporate these keywords into your hashtags, captions, comments, bio, what you are saying verbally, and especially in the text overlay. TikTok will read all those elements in order to understand what type of content you are putting out and will then serve your content to those who are searching for you.
As you develop your SEO strategy, it is wise to include a variety of keywords on TikTok that will connect with large, mid-range, and smaller audiences. A good practice is to start with a more targeted audience where your content will rise to the top and then work your way toward larger volume keywords. Don’t be afraid to revisit old content to make use of your keywords there too. There is no expiration date when it comes to TikTok content, and with the right keywords, you never know who may find you.
Content creators all over the world are using SEO on TikTok to drive traffic to their videos, and as a brand, you should too. It may take time, and there may be some trial and error as you work to improve your strategy, but this is one “trend” you don’t want to miss out on. Why not start today and get SEO working for you?!
We’ll dig into this and MORE in our TikTok for Brands course launching this fall! Join our waitlist and snag your FREE guide on how to get started on TikTok with 3 easy tips!
