The Great TikTok vs. YouTube Debate

Google has a soft spot for videos. Whether it's Shorts, Reels, or something in between, both YouTube and TikTok are great platforms to use.

So which is the right one to invest in?

Use YouTube for Better SEO Indexability and Searchability

By default, YouTube aligns with Google's SEO best practices. And while TikTok is a close second, YouTube is still the king (or queen) of featured snippets, with millions of ranking pages.

To optimize your YouTube video, make sure to do the following:

• Use a high-quality format
• Choose a good thumbnail
• Include keywords in your script
• Add an edited transcript
• Engage with your audience - treat it like a live piece of content

Your audio can also be indexed by search engines, so make sure to upload your podcasts with transcripts. By summarizing your transcript with bullet points, your content becomes more indexable and search-friendly, which can ultimately help improve your rankings.

PRO TIP: YouTube and Google automatically transcribe your audio. Therefore, include important keywords in your natural language. For instance, if you're recording a Q&A about video and AI, ensure that you incorporate those topics in your scripted questions and discuss them throughout the video, as your guest speaker may not mention them.

Take Advantage of TikTok's Easy Ranking System

In 2022, TikToks were showing up on SERPs by +45% YoY. (For more tiktok stats, click here) TikTok's platform drives search volume like no other, thanks to:

• Influencers creating trends with audio and/or video content
• Demand and searches being driven on other SERPs
• Users trusting UGC, media, and sponsored posts more than before

So how do you rank? It's easy!

Within the first 1-3 seconds of your video, add search keywords as text on your video. It's not necessary to mention these keywords in the caption, but if you do, focus on only one keyword in the caption. Don't confuse the algorithm!

PRO TIKTOK EDITING TIP: Want to hide the words from your video? No problem. While editing, simply hold and slide the words off the page - and voila, gone! ???

Are hashtags important? Not as much as they were before, but it’s recommended to include 3-5 per video. A good practice is to research videos related to your topic and analyze the hashtags they are using.

And of course, with great content comes great distribution.

Regardless of which platform you choose, it's important to ensure that your content is distributed across all relevant channels. Be EVERYWHERE the search engines can find you - because they will find you. And Google will also love you.