An Easy Guide to TikTok SEO in 2024

It might sound surprising, but searches on TikTok are becoming more and more common. Users both young and old are turning to TikTok for answers to their questions instead of search engines like Google.

With so much content on TikTok, making sure that each video is as optimized as possible is crucial to obtaining maximum results. Especially as you are beginning your initial growth on the platform, making the most out of every video is the best way to ensure that your audience grows well and that your content delivers as much impact as possible.

What is TikTok SEO?

TikTok SEO is the process of optimizing your video, captions, hashtags, comments, and more to provide your content the best chance to perform within the TikTok algorithm and deliver the kind of results you want to see.

It takes a little bit of research, patience, and trial-and-error, but knowing what to look for and how to implement it into your TikTok posting will help with your posting strategy immensely. 

Why is SEO on TikTok Important?

With 34 million videos being published every day on TikTok, SEO on the platform has never been more important. The app is full of content vying for every user’s attention and without optimization, your content may fall on deaf ears.

TikTok is also growing in popularity as a search engine, with more and more people turning to the app for answers to their questions – and in the process, viewing the app’s content as less biased and less impacted by corporate interests. Creating content that answers questions is a key way to provide exactly what a large number of TikTok users are looking for.

What are TikTok's Ranking Factors?

When it comes to ranking and reach on TikTok, the number one ranking factor is user interactions and engagement. That means the biggest metrics, according to our findings, are in this order:

1. Watch Time
2. Comments
3. Shares
4. Saves
5. Likes

Watch Time

Watch Time is how long people are watching your video. The longer your audience is watching, the more TikTok is going to take that as users enjoying what you are putting out there.

The goal of the TikTok algorithm is to put out content that is engaging enough to keep people on the platform. So the longer your videos can do that, the more that the algorithm will push your content into user feeds.

Comments

Comments are actual engagement with a post on the post level. Few things show that a post is worth engaging with more than a comment.

The more comments that your videos receive, the more reach you’ll see your video receiving. So finding ways to optimize your video to prompt comments (asking questions, inviting people to comment, etc) the more reach you’ll receive.

Pro tip: Be the first comment on your own post (no, it's not embarrassing) by commenting a question that you want people to answer in their own comment.

Shares

Sharing is an action that not only results in one view, but is a user actively pushing your content to other users.

Think for a moment about what a Share says – “I saw this and you should too.” It invites others to watch your video, telling the algorithm that your video is something that others should be seeing, and the algorithm will follow suit by pushing it into more feeds.

Saves

Saves are valuable, but not as valuable as the previous three engagement formats. While the previous examples invite more watch time or show an explicit engagement with a post on the post level, Saves show the algorithm that a video is worth coming back to.

Likes

Likes are the lowest form of engagement on just about any social platform. Likes can help, but without comments, shares, and a good watch time, TikTok won’t put too much stock into those likes.

So let’s talk about how you can make content that Tiktok users can find and enjoy so that they will want to engage with it enough to boost your video into the stratosphere!

How to Get Your Videos Seen on TikTok

So here we go – the whole point of posting on TikTok is to get your content seen and engaged with. So how do you do that? Let’s take a look at what you can do to help your content be seen by as many people as possible:

1. Speak to the Right Audience

The most important thing about growing on TikTok is finding a niche. There are some users that can get away with posting about things more broadly, but even those people built their initial followings with something specific.

If you’re on TikTok to discuss mortgage or real estate, that is your niche. As such, your content should largely focus around these topics. (Though bonus points if you can find a niche within a niche – hyper-specificity can make you a micro-influencer for a specific topic, demographic, or region.)

2. Take Advantage of Your First 5 Seconds

The first 5 seconds of your videos are huge for two main reasons:

First is that it’s your chance to “hook” your audience into watching the rest of your video. For a lot of people, this will be their first time seeing you on their feeds and this is your chance to grab their attention.

This isn’t to say that you should manipulate them with bait. Rather, finding ways to make it clear that your video is worth their time will help you take advantage of that small window of opportunity and get your audience on-board for the rest of your video.

Secondly, watch time plays into your overall video performance. If TikTok sees that users are scrolling away from your video without watching it, the platform will categorize your video as something that users maybe aren’t interested in and it won’t push your video to more people.

So if a significant amount of people are scrolling away after 1 or 2 seconds, you’re not going to see the kind of performance that you’re hoping for.

Best Practices for the First 5 Seconds

Here are some best practices for how to make your video stand out in the first 5 seconds and keep viewers locked in on your video for maximum efficiency:

Start with a "Hook"

To start your video, make things interesting right off the bat.

If you’re covering a topic or answering a question, start your video with the question to engage those with similar questions who will want to stick around for the answer. Verbal hooks are a great way to get people interested, but it's best to avoid being manipulative – so be sure to have an answer to the hook you’re pitching.

As an example, a hook like, “Chances are you’ve been making this one critical mistake while searching for your first home” creates a sense of urgency while also promising answers.

Get Right Into It

So often we see mortgage and real estate professionals take that valuable first 5 seconds to introduce themselves.

I can promise you that people are far more interested in what you are saying than who is telling it to them. And once you’ve helped them, they will be more interested in who you are. So lead with the value (your content), and incorporate your introduction into the call-to-action at the end of the video.

For example: "...so that was my advice for how to avoid tanking your mortgage application – what other home financing questions do you have that I can help answer? Drop your questions in the comments. I'm Brandon Borrower, Your Local Mortgage Expert, and don't forget to follow for more mortgage tips and guidance."

Video Quality

Starting off your video with a long pause, dim lighting, or poor video quality is going to result in an immediate skip. Take the time to find a quiet place with decent lighting to film your video. Also, don’t forget to wipe off your front-facing camera before recording, because those can get greasy between recording sessions and cause your video to look blurry.

3. Do Keyword Research

Most people when they think about SEO immediately think about keywords. And while generally we refer to SEO keywords in terms of online search, TikTok also has plenty of opportunities to signal to the algorithm what your content is about.

The first thing you need to think about is what keywords you are wanting to target. These can be as simple as topics like “FHA loan” or drilled down a couple layers further to be more specific like, “what is an FHA loan” or “how to qualify for an FHA loan.”

If you want, you can use some free keyword research tools to help you get an idea of what people are searching for. Some free options include:

• SEMRush Keyword Generator
• Ahrefs Keyword Generator
• Moz Keyword Research Tool

Generally keyword research tools will only give you search volume data for Google search, but while the numbers won’t be the same between Google and TikTok, we can assume that the ratios of search volume are most likely similar between the two.

Using the TikTok search will also help you to find more topics and keywords to target with the search autofill.

You can see from the example above that when we type in "FHA Loan" in the TikTok search, we are presented with a number of autofill suggestions.

These suggestions are based on their search popularity within the app – meaning that this is a great list of FHA-related topics for us to use to create a video for each specific keyword. You can also search hashtags on TikTok search to see how many videos are being created with your topic.

If you’re wanting to create a video on the importance of getting a home inspection, try searching #homeinspections and see if there are any videos similar to what you’re talking about. This isn’t the best way to discover content, but it can help you understand what your audience is seeing in their search results and what other videos you will be throwing your hat into the ring with.

4. Utilize Keywords Effectively

Optimize Your Video

When creating your video content, you want to make sure that your main topical keyword is being used frequently. This helps TikTok’s algorithm understand easily what your content is about.

It should be natural, but find ways to include it where you can. Continuing with our FHA loan example, if I want to optimize my video about “What is an FHA loan?”, here is how I would do it:

Caption

In the video’s caption/description, I would make sure to start with “What is an FHA loan?” and I would be sure to mention FHA loans a couple more times in that caption. Finding a natural way to do this shouldn't be too tricky.

Simply writing out the answer in your caption provides a way for you to include your keywords as well as providing something for users to read while the video plays (sometimes playing multiple times).

Remember – long captions are your friend both for increasing watch time and SEO.

Cover Image/Thumbnail

Your cover image or thumbnail allows you to select what the video will look like on your profile grid. It’s also how users will first be presented with your video when they see it in TikTok search. So if your video is “What is an FHA loan?”, it's a good idea to a text title with that phrase to your thumbnail.

Alternatively, consider something that teases an answer – like, “FHA Loans explained in 90 seconds”. The more your thumbnail showcases that you have informative content about topics that people are wanting, the more views you will get.

Comments

This is an underrated way to utilize keywords, but anytime there is text connected to your video, that is an opportunity to optimize for SEO. Not only does TikTok keep track of comments, but it also compiles a list for you of top keywords used in comments for each of your posts. So what does this mean for you? Theoretically, if TikTok knows what words are being used most often in comments, then the algorithm will promote videos with comment sections discussing that very thing.

In order to boost the SEO power of your comment section, find ways to engage with comments and work you keyword into the conversation. If you get a comment like, “Thanks for the info!” Instead of responding with a like and a “You’re welcome!”, comment with “You bet! Is there anything new you learned about FHA loans?” This will not only help prompt another comment in response, but also adds another comment to your video that includes keywords about FHA loans.

Also, don't forget that every time you respond to a comment, Tiktok counts that as a new comment on your video. Do with that what you will.

5. Create Short-Form Video Specifically

A lot of times we see social media gurus recommend a number of different strategies for creating content. One that we have seen over and over again is to film a long-form video, chop it up into bits and then publish those on your platform.

While this can help you create a lot of content very quickly, and oftentimes these videos tend to do well, it can also result in a couple of things. One of the biggest reasons why its important to create short form video content specifically is because your videos will be more complete.

Creating a video with the mindset of “I have 90 seconds to deliver maximum impact” leads you to cut down on the fluff and deliver a video that is lean and informative. Oftentimes while editing a larger form video down for a TikTok, it can be difficult to find a nice 90 second video that has good flow, makes sense without referencing things that were cut, and is engaging enough to perform well.

It’s not a bad practice to turn longer form content into short form videos, but these should be supplementary to your main short-form content rather than what dominates it.

6. Look to Analytics for Posting Times

Anyone telling you that there are specific times that you should be posting on TikTok is lying to you.

Most likely not intentionally, but the fact of the matter is that there is no perfect time to post on any day. Most of that data comes from their personal posting results, which takes too many factors into account in order for that data to be broadly applicable or accurate.

Barring the fact that there are different time zones, different schedules, and the reality that most content that performs moderately well stays on the For You page for days or even weeks, posting at one specific time every day is not going to fix it for you.

But what you can do is look at your analytics inside of TikTok Creator Studio to determine what videos performed well with your audience and when they were posted. If you see consistencies, follow those insights. But if you don’t see a specific time that delivers improved results, then chances are that there isn’t one.

Instead of thinking about when the right time to post is, think about the optimal time for engagement. Engagement on a video in that first hour after posting really helps to push it further into the TikTok algorithm. So whatever time of day you feel gets you the right engagement early on, follow that posting time.

Most importantly, experiment with different posting times. Try posting in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Test out posting on weekdays and weekends. There’s no wrong time to post – as long as you pay attention and learn from the results.

7. Be a Platform User

It might be impossible to stress this point enough – USE THE APPS YOU ARE POSTING ON.

If you are viewing these social media platforms as a place to simply dump your content and hope that it turns into lead form fills through the link in your bio, then you are wasting your time on TikTok.

Audiences on TikTok share a proximity with the creators that they follow that is almost unique to the platform itself. Because the tools in the platform allow for not just likes and comments between creator and audience, but also utilize the engagement of the platform into the videos themselves (with features like video replies), your audience wants to feel like there is a person on the other end of their comments.

Those mortgage and real estate professionals who use and engage with the platform outside of their daily posting are also the ones seeing the most benefit.

Why?

In being active users on the app, they have learned the ins and outs of the app. They are seeing trends in real-time, engaging with them, and finding content out in the wild on their For You page that they can repurpose or recreate in a way that works well for them.

Maybe its a Stitch, a Duet, or something different, but they are viewing content that works on the app which in turn is helping their content.

And that doesn’t even cover the engagement piece. Posting your content and walking away is sure to land your content in the TikTok graveyard. Posting and then engaging with your audience through liking and responding to comments, creating a dialogue, and using video reply features to answer questions and generate new content shows your audience that you care and that you are here to help.

8. Leverage Hashtags

Whenever we talk about posting on social media, we usually get asked about two things: the first is “what time should I be posting?” and the second is, “what hashtags should I be using?”

Hashtags are something that are oftentimes misunderstood. The goal of hashtags is to help categorize your content. Usually users on TikTok aren’t searching hashtags specifically.

Instead, they search for keywords and phrases. But hashtags allow you to signal to the TikTok algorithm what your content is about so that it knows where to fit it in the algorithm.

Finding the right hashtags can seem tricky, but it’s actually not too complex.

One easy way that you can find the hashtags that are best for your content is to see what hashtags other successful content creators are putting on their videos that align with your topic.

In the above example, you can see that at the end of the caption, we have a number of different hashtags. This video below with over 15k views by @IamAndrewRussell is using some great hashtags.

Here is what those hashtags are and why they work:

#homebuyer: He’s wanting to reach homebuyers with this information and this hashtag categorizes his content as made for homebuyers.

#mortgage and #realestate: Both of these hashtags help to push this video to those looking for mortgages and real estate, since FHA loans can benefit both groups.

#firsttimehomebuyer: This hashtag might be the smartest one he’s using here. It’s a more specific version of that first #homebuyer hashtag, and also helped him to get TikTok to categorize his video under the topic First Time Home Buyer (which you can see at the top in the search bar).

#mortgagebroker: Here he is putting this video in the path of anyone looking for a mortgage broker to help them in finding a loan.

#FHA: Plain and simple, this hashtag will help this video get into FHA-centric searches. In fact, we found this video by searching “#fha loans explained”.

Hashtags aren’t a surefire way to get your content seen, and the more you add doesn’t necessarily equate to more views – but when used correctly, hashtags can help put your content in the right channels for people to run into on their For You pages.

9. Use Trends Wisely

One thing you will hear from nearly every TikTok guru is to find and use trends.

Well, that’s not always something that is going to work. So you're going to have to be smart about it.

Trends are a great way to reach a wider audience, but you have to be strategic in the way that you use them. Not every trend is going to make sense with every niche. So let’s take a look at the different types of trends and where they make sense to use in your content:

Trending Music

One of the best customization pieces of TikTok’s editing capabilities is its library of music and other sounds that you can use in your videos. Selecting these audio files and placing them into your music adds an additional layer of creativity to your videos.

When you use a trending audio, whether a song or other sound, it will be filed under the sounds’ page and searchable under that sound in the app.

Trending Sounds

This is where things get really tricky. Trending sounds are little sound snippets that go viral on TikTok. These might have gotten popular one way or another, whether its a quote from a movie, audio ripped from another viral TikTok, or something else.

The most difficult part of using trending sounds is knowing the context around when and how to use them. Using them properly can give you a great TikTok with viral potential, while an incorrectly used audio can fall flat or make it clear that you did not understand the point of the trend. The best way to know the difference is through experience using the app.

The more you use the app yourself and view content on TikTok, the more you’ll see how others are using these trending sounds and where it makes sense to insert your content into the mix.

10. Optimize Your Thumbnails

While a majority of users won’t see your video thumbnails (they aren’t visible when videos appear on the For You page), your thumbnails can still have a major impact on the success of your content in both the short and long term.

Your video thumbnail is created in the final stages of your video creation and publication process. After your video is edited and ready to go, you can create your thumbnail on the Caption screen by tapping the small thumbnail preview in the right corner.

Your thumbnail title should be attention-grabbing. This is what will be seen on your profile and in TikTok search results when your videos show up. Look at the videos below – without the added text titles, would you know what each video is about or what to click on? If you can't tell what the video is about, neither can your audience.

So what’s the right approach to this text?

You want your text to be engaging and interesting. If you’re explaining what a FICO credit score is in your video, here are some options that invite a click:

• What is a FICO Credit Score?
• FICO Credit Scores Explained
• Everything to Know about FICO Credit Scores
• FICO Credit Scores: A 90 Second Explanation

It doesn’t have to be much, but including your keyword in the thumbnail is another great way to optimize your video for that keyword. Another tip is to make sure to choose a thumbnail for your video with a video frame that is interesting enough to attract views.

11. Have Fun!

Perhaps the best advice for improving the success of your video content on TikTok is to have fun creating and posting your content. When you start to embrace the fun of creating videos by finding new ways to educate and entertain your audience, that’s when you’ll see success.

The more you enjoy yourself, the less you’ll worry about view count and the more you’ll be willing to experiment and find new ways to engage your audience – instead of simply creating the same content over and over again.

Your energy and attitude comes through on screen, and if your audience feels like you are just going through the motions rather than genuinely looking to create content to inform and engage, you’ll find that your content won’t perform as well.

Make great content with SocialCoach and Video Catalyst

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Get started with Video Catalyst today and start making TikTok videos easier than ever!