Intro:
You post a video without really much thought, and suddenly numbers start to roll in – views increase, followers pile on – and that little question mark that filled your mind seconds before turns to excitement. This level of success is not a random occurrence. You receive your TikTok success when you align with TikTok SEO the right way.
At its core, TikTok SEO is about creating opportunities for your videos to be discovered – on TikTok and Google. Keywords, clever hashtags, and attention-grabbing hooks that spark instant curiosity combine to create TikTok SEO. You do not even need your MBA or high-level editing skills to gain exposure.
If you’ve been frustrated not being able to predict what works, welcome to the right place! This is where you’re going to find a bunch of effortless steps that anyone can use to keep TikTok SEO strategies at hand as you make small changes for a few more views, a real audience, and a little TikTok growth that works!
Do Keyword Research the TikTok Way
If you want your TikTok video to be generated, you will want to create a keyword strategy. The guesswork is gone – you have TikTok functionality, and some outside tools and resources to see what is trending, find the gold mine nuggets, and select the wording that your viewers are searching for! Here is how to conduct TikTok keyword research step by step and increase your chances of being seen by your ideal audience:
Use Tiktok’s Search Bar And Discover Page.
In the TikTok app, you can also begin your research with what is trending in the app and what users are currently searching for in the app, without even having to leave the app! Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Open TikTok and click on the search bar.
- Type a seed word related to your subject (for example: “skincare,” “travel,” “study tips”).
- Look at the autocomplete suggestions that appear. TikTok will instantly return a set of phrases that users are currently searching for.
- Check out the total number of videos that are listed alongside the suggested searches. This will give you an idea of how big or niche the keyword is.
- Take note of the highest-ranking autocomplete suggestions that are related to your subject. These keywords will become your seed keywords to do additional research.
You can also explore TikTok’s discover page to explore trending keywords and hashtags. For free, try the TikTok Creative Center Keyword Insights or Keyword Tool for TikTok to get keyword/generating ideas for free.
Pick 3‑5 Focused Keywords Per Video.
When you have a container of keyword options, it’s time to cull them down to the best words for each video. Follow this easy system:
- Pick one main keyword. This is the phrase that reflects your video’s essential message and what you think is accurate to what people might search for.
- Pick two to three additional secondary keywords. These should be related to your main keyword but capture additional search angles or common questions.
- Ensure that each keyword is relevant to what you’re showing and discussing in your video. Irrelevant words can be confusing to viewers or impact your video performance negatively.
Think in terms of real intent. Ask yourself: Would someone searching this keyword actually want to watch my video? By selecting 3-5 focused keywords and using them naturally in your captions, on-screen text, voiceovers, and hashtags, you are helping TikTok determine what your video is about and showing it to viewers who would care to watch it. It’s not about getting a higher rank, it’s about connecting the right audience with your content in order to achieve those follows, likes, and engagement you want.
Build a Keyword‑Rich Video Foundation
Nailing your TikTok SEO begins with building a strong keyword foundation in every part of your video. Every way that you frame keywords in your captions, on-screen text, spoken audio, file names, and hashtags helps TikTok’s algorithm figure out what your video is about. The more signals you create (in a natural way), the better chance you’ll have to rank higher and connect with your audience.
Write A Clear, Keyword‑first Caption.
Your caption will be the first thing TikTok scans. If you want to get some traction quickly, make the keyword you want to rank for the first phrase of your caption. This will clarify your topic for the algorithm and for viewers. After the keyword phrase, add a straightforward hook that implies why they should care, and then finish with a clear call to action.
- Keep captions short and sweet so that people can skim them quickly. Aim to stay within 150 characters. In this instance, clarity is better than cleverness. 4 for less than $10! Save for later.
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- The effectiveness here is that short captions are direct, to the point—it elevates your main keyword, and very quickly provides context.
- There is also power in using directing, call-to-action wording like “save”, “follow”, or “share” to encourage engagement.
Add On‑screen Text That Matches Keywords:
TikTok’s A.I. is reading far more than just the audio—it is also reading your on-screen text. So be deliberate about adding your main keyword in bold text in the first few seconds of your video. You are signaling on your keywords in two ways: TikTok is understanding what your video is about in the first few seconds, and your viewers (who generally scroll quickly without audio) also understand.
- You don’t have to go crazy with text- one little and punchy phrase is likely to lead to the most traction:
- Provide a bold title slide: Super easy meal prep.
- Overlay your keyword when you demonstrate your main tip: No mess pancake hack.
- Spacing keywords for easy readability will keep your video welcoming (not spammy). Remember, if viewers feel that the video is forced, or “robotic”, you will lose them before they swipe up to the next TikTok.
Choose A Mix Of Broad And Niche Hashtags.
Hashtags are like markers for TikTok’s search engine. When being specific about hashtags, to cast the widest possible net:
- Use 1 or 2 hashtags that are popular and can help you ‘hitchhike’ on big trends (e.g., #mealprep or #tiktokfood)
- Use 3-5 niche tags with your keywords (e.g., #budgetmeals, #30minuterecipes, or #collegecooking)
- Do not use generic/generic look-alikes (#fyp), they provide a minuscule chance of going viral and do not help your video show to watchable prospects that care about your content.
Use the hashtags that genuinely depict what new viewers might search for. Here is a small comparison:
- In using a combination of niche hashtags, you identify to TikTok exactly who your video is meant for, leaving a simple pathway for general viewers with wide interests, and viewers searching with a specific need.
- The secret: your keyword should (and can) appear in your title, on-screen text, spoken audio, file name, and hashtags. Each site with your keyword adds TikTok’s system more certainty to display your video to the correct audience. Just be sure to keep it sounding human, meaning you want your video to look and feel fun, not as if it were a bizarre SEO experiment.
Boost Engagement Signals That Drive SEO
By 2025, views will greatly enhance your TikTok content’s performance, as it shows the algorithm that your content truly resonates with viewers. TikTok instead measures signals, like watch time, completion, number of comments, shared, saves, etc., to determine which videos will get more exposure. Your engagement signals will prompt viewership on your future posts.
Hook Viewers In The First 3 Seconds
The first 3 seconds of your video are prime real estate, and you need to capture viewer interest. People determine pretty quickly whether to continue watching a video or scroll away. If you hook attention right at the start, your watch time increases—a very beneficial metric for SEO.
Try it out with the following ways to stop the scroll:
- Start with movement. Quick camera pans, zooming in, or simply doing something unexpected can help to maintain attention.
- Use visuals. Strong colors, eye contact, or vibrant graphics or designs can help make people stop scrolling.
- Surprise the viewer right from the start. Show something strange (for example, pouring cereal before the milk), make a bold claim, or start with the craziest part or outcome.
- Use on-screen text. You can ask a question, show a shocking statistic, or even write one big word that encompasses your hook.
- Sound is important. Use trending music or a sound effect that pops; don’t start without sound since silent video starts are usually ignored.
- Try different ways to open the video to see what keeps people’s attention. Even a small bump in the first few seconds can mean thousands more views.
Encourage Comments With A Call‑to‑action
Comments tell TikTok that you started a conversation, or that you raised feelings. If you directly ask for a comment, people are more likely to participate. You don’t have to ask for anything fancy—just throw out a prompt that invitations easy participation.
Good ideas to provoke replies include:
- Quick opinions: “Pineapple on pizza; yay or nay?”
- Challenges: “Type the first word that comes to your mind”.
- Fill-in-the-blank: “My favorite movie is ____”.
- Simple votes: “Say left or right? Pick below”.
- Hot takes: “Unpopular opinion: ____ (tell yours)”.
Post your question in the caption, use on-screen text, or say your question aloud in your video. Also, be sure to respond to those early comments, so your video keeps increasing in rank. More comments mean a stronger signal for the algorithm.
Prompt Likes, Shares, And Saves
Here’s where I make the distinction. Likes are good, but shares and saves are even more valuable. Shares and saves indicate that your video is valuable or interesting enough to revisit or recommend. Don’t be afraid to let viewers know what they should do and why.
Here’s when to encourage the different types of engagement:
- Likes: “Like if you agree,” “Double tap for part 2, or “Tap like if you’ve been there.”
- Shares: “Send this to someone who needs to laugh,” or “Share with a friend who would love this.”
- Saves: “Save this to try later,” or “Bookmark so you don’t forget.”
Be as specific as you can be within the theme of your video. You can write it in your caption, say it aloud, or you could even add it as an overlay at the end.
Tip: Experiment by stacking the calls-to-action for an even bigger punch. For instance, “Like for more tips, comment your questions, and save this for later.”
Remember to keep it natural, be direct, and always give viewers a reason to take action. The more they take action, the more the algorithm will notice – and in turn, reward you with our reach.
Track, Tweak, and Scale Your TikTok SEO
Getting TikTok SEO dialed in is just the starting point. If you want to see sustained growth, and more importantly, growth based on consistent, repeatable success, you will need to track what works, tweak your content approach, and multiply your results with hard data. TikTok provides the wherewithal for you to see what is really landing with your audience (and just as importantly, what is not landing). If you analyze and adjust with a view towards success dating, you will start to see snowballing success over e-commerce social.
Read Tiktok Analytics For Keyword Performance.
TikTok’s analytics dashboard is your new favorite resource for determining which keywords push your content into search results. If you have a Business or Creator account, you can use the analytics feature for your videos.
Go to your TikTok profile, click the three lines (top right), and choose Creator Tools -> Analytics. Click on the “Content” tab to see the data on individual videos.
Next, click on the “Discovery” tab for each video. The Discovery section shows how viewers find your content. Pay attention to:
- Traffic Sources: How did viewers find your video? Did they come to it through “Search”, “For You”, or your profile?
- Keywords: The most common search terms that brought them to your video, as listed by TikTok. These are real words your audience typed into a search.
- Trends Over Time: Pay attention to words that showed up more regularly than others. You may want to keep a simple spreadsheet that tracks the source of your keyword, the main topic of the video, and the number of views. That way, you have a clear view of which words work regularly and when trends seem to peak. You can also see if your SEO changes worked.
If you realize that you have a keyword bringing in steady traffic or suddenly a big trend, you may want to try some similar ideas, ride that wave, or create additional content related to those keywords. The more data you review, the easier it will become to recognize trends that other aetiological investigations may miss.
Repurpose Top-Performing Videos
When one of your videos goes viral, do not let all of that momentum go to waste. Use your data to find the “winners” for you — these are clips that had a jump in view count, or performed well in search queries. Your next action is to turn your winner content into something new!
Consider these fast ways to repurpose your better videos:
- Take out the best parts (or the best messages) and re-edit them into short stories (around 15-30 seconds) to get the attention of viewers scrolling quickly.
- Switch up the visuals. Add Captions, change your hook, or switch out your background to bring in fresh eyes.
- Use data from your analytics. Add in some of the trending keywords or hashtags that you saw in your Discovery Tab.
- Re-post your video on a new day or time. A simple schedule change may put your content in front of a new audience.
Here is how you can make this work for you:
- Click on your top “Search” or “For You” video in analytics.
- Take note of some keywords that performed well, and areas where you engaged with viewers (such as uniquely different hooks, or a question that got a lot of comments).
- Re-edit your video with YouTube. Take new angles, add new text, or use new hashtags.
- Upload and now note the new performance in your analytics. If you notice big lifts, maybe you repeat that format or theme for your new video.
By utilizing and reworking your best ideas and data-based improvements, you can reach new audiences without always having to start fresh. Your goal isn’t to always obtain new views; it is to build a development library of proven winners and be able to improve and expand as your channel improves.
Conclusion
Making TikTok video improvements is a process, and it builds significant results over time. Using clear keywords, appropriate hashtags, unique hooks, and checking in on your analytics will turn small actions into purposeful growth. Just remember, consistency is important, and consistent focused content is better than one viral moment.
Use the tips and checklist in this guide for your next video. Notice what happens, and adjust as you progress. You will gain insights worth more than guessing!