Nailing a 'Search Everywhere' Approach: A Guide to TikTok SEO
Ashley Liddell
Helping Brands Connect With Communities that Search Everywhere? | Facilitating Holistic Organic Growth | Co-Founder @ Deviation - The Search Everywhere? Agency"
By Ashley Liddell
Over the last few weeks, I've written several blogs that have all focused on the concept of “Search Everywhere”. From exploring user journeys to understanding the types of content we can create to aid our “Search” efforts, my 2023 has been spent trying to assist brands in future-proofing their strategic efforts by embracing “Search Everywhere”.
Today, let’s start to get a bit hands-on with this concept and look at how we can start to nail a ‘search everywhere’ approach in 2023, starting with our execution on TikTok.
Here’s my guide to TikTok SEO as part of a “Search Everywhere” proposition.
Why TikTok SEO has become an important part of “Search Everywhere”
TikTok’s meteoric rise as a social platform meant that it was always going to play an important role as part of a search everywhere proposition for brands, regardless of its potential as a search platform. In the same way that Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook can be leveraged so too could the emerging TikTok. However, user behavior suggested that actually, the potential of TikTok for search far outweighed the typical usage cases seen across social media platforms.
I’ve spoken previously about Demand Capitalisation Vs Demand Generation, and typically social platforms would be seen as ‘Generation’ content platforms. However, TikTok is uniquely positioned to leverage both. In 2022 this came to the forefront of the hearts and minds of brands when Google itself acknowledged the potential of TikTok as a ‘search’ platform - admitting that its own research had found that over 40% of Gen Z users had begun utilizing the social platform for assistance with searches they would typically turn to Google Search toward for assistance.
This revelation once again supported the concept of developing “Search Everywhere” content approaches. Whereas previously, Google had dominated the early stages of the User Journey there were clear indications that user behavior was now evolving, and that users would turn to the likes of Instagram, Pinterest, and also TikTok, if they felt the type of content shown was more likely to assist them.
From travel tips to recipe guidance, from outfit inspiration to product reviews, several categories that would be typical content pillars of traditional SEO and content strategies were now being searched across different, often multiple channels and touchpoints, and this means that TikTok (along with many other channels) has become integral to our efforts around Search!?
Ranking Factors? Understanding the TikTok Algorithm?
Google has Ranking Factors that it considers when deciding where to position your content upon its SERPs for the queries you are creating content for, TikTok also has ranking factors that you need to consider when attempting to use TikTok as part of your ‘Search Everywhere’ approach. By meeting the requirements of the algorithm your content has more chance of being highlighted and discovered by your users, as would be the case on a SERP for a traditional SEO effort.
The Basics:
TikTok deploys a recommendation system algorithm when “Ranking” content on its platform for users. As is the case for Google on traditional search, TikTok is looking to show its users the most relevant content to them and to the search query when searching. However, unlike Traditional Search, TikTok can leverage your previous interactions, likes, comments, views, etc, to tailor the content you are shown. This allows brands to create content that achieves the goals of both Demand Capitalisation and Demand Generation on the platform, within a search function. Something that Google simply cannot replicate.
Put simply, the algorithm can tailor the content users receive when they search a specific hashtag but also tailor a user’s FYP feed - providing a much more personalized experience for its users when compared with the outcomes of a SERP on Google, which is traditionally much more utilitarian in its approach.
To achieve this the TikTok algorithm relies on several considerations, just as Google does to establish how and why it should prioritize content, for TikTok SEO these are those considerations (Taken from TikTok Documentation):
1. User Interactions
These should be seen as the actions a User takes when interacting with specific content and channels. For Example, Views, View Length, Like, Comments, Reposts, Shares, Follows, etc.
2. Video “Meta” Information
This is similar to the “meta” information one would provide for a landing page when trying to rank on a Google Search. It is essentially all of the signals you give to the TikTok Algorithm in explaining where specific content should be utilized. For example Sounds, Hashtags, Captions, Descriptions, and also the text overlays you apply to your content.
3. Account Settings
Although not as important to TikTok in deciding how to utilize your content, this factor is still important to the overall user experience for users engaging with your brand but also the wider TIkTok platform. This factor is concerned with making sure considerations like the Language of the content are given the attention they deserve to ensure users are provided with content in their native language, or in languages they understand, etc.
This is very much on the side of TikTok’s own platform user experience but it makes sense that brands and channels utilizing the platform also have these considerations at the heart of their efforts.
So, just as a content marketer creating content for Traditional Search would have considerations around the needs and requirements of on-site content for effective ranking on Google, there are considerations for TikTok SEO also. Hopefully, by understanding these basic steps you can effectively develop content that has a better chance to “Rank” on TikTok than if you didn’t understand the basics of the algorithm.
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A further consideration:
This is almost embracing a “thinking out loud” approach to my blog but one interesting point to consider is the lack of “Tech-SEO” when it comes to TikTok.
Let's face it, websites are not created equal and as a result, Tech-SEO limitations can hold you back when it comes to Traditional SEO and content strategy execution. However, with TikTok, the platform allows much more equal competition across the board as everyone is starting with the same foundations at its core. A TikTok Account!
Just an observation I noticed when creating this blog but certainly something to consider when developing content strategies. For example: If your website has poor technical foundations, supplementing your traditional search efforts with a TikTok approach whilst those needed Tech-SEO developments are made could be an effective use of resources!
The Importance of keyword research for TikTok SEO
Keyword research is a crucial step in understanding the TikTok algorithm and improving your content's visibility on the platform. The process involves identifying the keywords that are relevant to your content and that your target audience is searching for on TikTok. It’s a similar process to what you are likely already doing for your traditional search efforts and I would recommend utilizing TikTok research alongside your existing workflows around keyword research to best understand where your content should sit.
For example, if you conduct research that shows “Keyword A” has 280 searches per month via traditional search and then you research TikTok and discover that term has 1000 views per month on TikTok, you may rethink the content you were going to create, developing a TikTok content piece first and repurposing this for traditional search. By incorporating these keywords into your “Search Everywhere” approach - as opposed to just creating content on traditional platforms like Google - you increase the chances of your content appearing in front of your target audience, which can lead to higher engagement, follows, and conversions.
Conducting TikTok Keyword Research
So, TikTok research tools remain in their infancy, although I’d expect a big update in this space VERY soon! However, that doesn’t mean that understanding TikTok keywords is impossible. Ways? in which you can understand keyword research on TikTok are explained below:
1. Utilize TikTok's built-in search bar - Type in a keyword related to your content and see what related hashtags and keywords come up -use the VidIQ chrome extension to easily see video and hashtag statistics.
2. Conduct competitor research - Take a look at the content of your competitors and see what keywords/hashtags they're using.
(VidIQ will assist here again)
3. Check popular hashtags - See what hashtags are currently trending and if they're relevant to your content, incorporate them into your strategy.
(Utilise the Discover Page/Tab Here)
4. Use keyword research tools - Tools such as Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can be used to research keywords and then utilize Google Trends with the supercharged trends GLIMPSE extension to understand whether or not that term is popular on TikTok.
It Is? Head to the TikTok search bar and revisit #1 and #2.
Research Done ? Let’s Create Optimised Content
Creating high-quality and optimized content is key to ranking well on TikTok's algorithm. To make sure your content is optimized, I’ve compiled some quick-fire considerations for you to think about when creating content. In recent years, Traditional Search has become extremely formulaic and it's hurt the creativity we see on SERPs, we can’t let this happen to TikTok too! So, these considerations are here to provide basic guides to optimization BUT let your creativity shine through man, TikTok was made for it!
By following these tips, you can create content that is optimized for TikTok's algorithm and increase your chances of ranking well on the platform. By doing so, you can start to reap the rewards of utilizing TikTok as part of your wider “Search Everywhere” proposition.
Let’s wrap this up
So Basically, TikTok has become an important part of the "Search Everywhere" proposition for brands due to its growing popularity as a social platform and its unique ability to leverage both demand capitalization and demand generation content for search and branding efforts.
The TikTok algorithm uses several factors, such as user interactions, video meta information, and account settings, to determine the relevance of content for users and as search marketers, we can leverage these ranking factors within our efforts, just as we do on Traditional Search. Understanding these considerations is crucial for effective TikTok SEO.
However, Unlike traditional search engines, TikTok provides a more personalized experience for users, allowing them to receive tailored content based on their previous interactions with related keywords, sounds, hashtags, and brand channels.
In short, TikTok is an essential channel your brand should consider deploying resources into, as long as you have the audience research to support its use as a platform - it's vital in nailing a search everywhere proposition!