TikTok SEO Guide: Tips & Tricks To Boost Your Visibility

When considering search engine optimization (SEO), TikTok might not be front of mind — engines like Google and Bing are often paired with the term. But you can use the same SEO tools and best practices to reach more people and even go viral. 

Read on to discover TikTok SEO tips and tricks for amplifying your reach. 

What’s TikTok SEO? 

SEO for TikTok involves optimizing content so it ranks higher in search results on the platform and across search engines like Google. Boosting TikTok SEO typically means adding audience-relevant keywords to content, just like when optimizing website content. For example, you might include keywords like "eco-friendly," "sustainable living," and "green life hacks" for a video about living off-grid. Your target audience is likely searching for content that includes these terms, and adding them increases the chance that your video shows up in their search results. 

While TikTok isn't technically a search engine, younger audiences between 18 and 24 are increasingly using it like one, making SEO an essential part of many content creators' TikTok strategy. By strategically optimizing your TikTok videos, you increase their visibility on the platform and across the web, which can help you gain followers, get more views, and even monetize your content.

Why Is It Worth Investing in TikTok SEO?

Adding relevant TikTok keywords and engaging descriptions to your videos tells search platforms your content is worth sharing to those trying to find it. Essentially, it helps you attract a more targeted audience, increase engagement rates, and go viral on the platform.

TikTok also recently released updates explicitly designed to boost content searchability. The platform expanded video description fields to accommodate over 2,000 characters, allowing content creators to add longer, more keyword-rich descriptions. This makes your videos increasingly searchable within TikTok and improves their likelihood of being recognized by external search engines. 

Additionally, users can now edit captions for their TikTok posts post-publishing. This lets creators update and refine SEO strategies based on performance analytics and emerging trends.

These updates help TikTok creators optimize content for maximum visibility, making it more likely to appear in search results online and on "For You" pages (FYPs) within TikTok (the FYP is the first one users land on when opening the app). This drives traffic to your profile, making SEO optimization a hot TikTok tip for a well-crafted social media strategy.

5 Ranking Factors in TikTok SEO

Understanding how TikTok decides to show content on users' FYPs or in search results is critical to expanding your audience. Here's a breakdown of five major factors that contribute to ranking on the platform.

1. User Interactions and Engagement

TikTok's algorithm, much like YouTube's, values how users engage with content, including likes, shares, follows, watch time, comments, and favorites. High engagement means your target audience likes your content, and TikTok is likelier to promote it. 

For example, if you post about quick vegan meals and someone has interacted with similar topics, your content is more likely to appear in that user's TikTok feed. Similarly, a unique makeup tutorial that garners a lot of interaction is more likely to gain traction and be watched across the platform. 

2. Video Information 

Video information includes the hashtags, sounds, and captions you use for your TikTok videos. For instance, strategically using trending hashtags and popular sounds makes your content more discoverable to those interested in your niche. You might use the hashtags #easyveganmeals and #veganmealinspo for a channel about healthy and environmentally-friendly cooking tips. 

3. Device and Account Settings 

TikTok personalizes content based on the user's language preference, device, and location. This means a user who speaks English, uses an iPhone, and lives in the U.S. is more likely to see content that fits these parameters than content created for users who speak Spanish and live in Central America.

4. Consistent Posting 

Regularly posting lets TikTok know that your account is a source of fresh content. For example, for fashion influencer Chriselle Lim, posting three times daily significantly increased her content's reach and frequency on TikTok users' FYPs.

5. Jumping on Trends

The TikTok market thrives on trends, and adding your own spin can help your content stand out. You might tweak a cooking trend to suit your niche, perhaps incorporating personally and culturally-relevant cooking techniques to showcase your personality while engaging viewers following this trend.

3 Ways to Ace TikTok SEO and Boost Performance 

Increase your search results rankings by editing your TikTok videos so they follow these best practices.

1. Engage With Your Audience 

Audience interactions tell TikTok your content is relevant and engaging — in turn convincing them to show it to more people. To facilitate this, engage with your viewers by responding to and liking their comments. 

Consider posting videos that ask for audience feedback, like inviting viewers to share their favorite summer activities. Then, respond to their comments in a fun and conversation-starting way, showcasing your personality and encouraging further engagement.

2. Use Keywords Effectively 

TikTok is highly keyword-based, using popular queries, hashtags, and trending phrases to deliver relevant and entertaining content personalized to each user. 

Use keywords that feel natural in the text of your video titles, captions, spoken audio, and hashtags. For example, for a TikTok tutorial called "5-Min Makeup for Zoom Meetings," you could include keywords like "work-from-home makeup look," "Zoom makeup," and "quick makeup." The best content incorporates target keywords your audience is likely typing into TikTok's search bar. 

To make your videos even more discoverable, use Captions' innovative tool for transforming audio into keyword-rich text with just one click.

3. Collaborate With Other Accounts 

Teaming up with other TikTokers can catapult your visibility. For example, the partnership between popular TikToker Charli D'Amelio and Dunkin' to launch a signature drink was a match made in marketing heaven. To try this yourself, you could ask a social media influencer within your niche to work together.

Enhance Your TikTok Strategy With Captions

Elevating your TikTok strategy is easy with Captions' creative suite, a game-changer for content creators, marketers, and social media influencers. Use Captions to seamlessly edit TikTok videos and add subtitles, significantly enhancing your content's accessibility and SEO. 

Captions' powerful AI-driven tools can also automatically trim away pauses and mistakes, add relevant images and emojis, and even generate video scripts so you can post 10x faster. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does the TikTok Algorithm Work? 

The TikTok algorithm determines the videos you see on your FYP by analyzing your interactions on the app. This includes the content you watch, like, and comment on and the creators you follow. These interactions help the algorithm get to know you, so TikTik can suggest videos that keep you interested. Ultimately, the app’s goal is to offer a highly-personalized experience.

How Do I Search on TikTok? 

From discovering creators to catching up on the latest trends, finding what you want on TikTok is simple: 

1. Open the TikTok app and tap the magnifying glass icon at the top-right of your screen.
2. Type a keyword into the search bar and tap the search button. Be specific about what you're looking for.
3. TikTok displays top results under the "Top" tab, with additional results under the "Users," "Videos," "Sounds," "LIVE," and "Hashtags" tabs.