TikTok SEO Strategies to Rank Your Videos In Search

TikTok SEO strategies are essential to ranking your videos are getting more views. Here’s why and how!

In 2021, NBC News published an article confirming that TikTok was more popular than Google. That was a sign that this social media behemoth would take the scene by storm in the next few years.

In 2023, TikTok is the 6^th most popular social media platform with over 1 billion monthly users. If you’re an online marketer, you’ll appreciate what a goldmine of traffic this platform can be if you leverage it well.

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TikTok SEO: The hard truth!

Generally, the TikTok algorithm favors entertainment-styled videos.

These tend to be videos of people doing trending dances mindlessly or pranksters pulling infantile pranks to get more views.

For some strange reason, the most trivial and nonsensical videos are the type of content that’s generously splashed across your TikTok feed.

More and more people are starting to suspect that dumbing down Western society is the TikTok platform’s insidious agenda. Whatever your stand on the issue may be, one truth remains:

Getting your marketing videos to stand out on TikTok will be an uphill struggle.

Not only is the audience there for light entertainment, but they have the attention span of a housefly that just sipped some Red Bull. Many TikTok users report being unable to focus on anything for long periods after using TikTok often.

So not only are you trying to make your marketing videos stand out on a platform that gives more reach to puerile content, but you have an audience with a short attention span that scrolls mindlessly.

To rank your videos well, you must be proactive rather than leaving it to chance. You have your work cut out when getting reach with TikTok.

Why rank with TikTok SEO?

Even though TikTok seems to be mostly entertainment-oriented, the fact that it surpassed Google in popularity a year or two ago highlights one fact:

People are also using it as a search engine, which is a crucial point to note.

So, you’re not competing with the millions of lighthearted videos suggested by TikTok. You’re competing with other marketers in your niche and trying to outrank them in the search results on TikTok.

TikTok SEO starts with keyword research

The first step will be to have a seed keyword.

Let’s assume you’re in the email marketing niche.

“List building’ could be one seed keyword that you may have.

Enter this term in the TikTok search field and take note of the other keyword suggestions it provides in the search bar.

This function is like the autocomplete feature in Ubersuggest. The keywords that TikTok suggests are usually highly relevant, and you’ll want to make videos for those too.

The search results will also show other keywords people are searching for too. These are all important keywords. Note them down for your future videos.

One of the best ways to rank will be to make videos targeting keywords people are searching for.

Optimize your bio for TikTok SEO

Once you have a seed keyword or two, you’ll want to use these keywords in your TikTok bio.

For example, if your niche is gardening, your bio may state, ‘Daily Gardening Tips for Beginners!’

While simple, the bio has the seed keyword and mentions how there will be new tips for the viewers every day. That’s enough reason for many of them to follow you.

Using your keyword in your profile will also tell TikTok what your channel is about. So, make sure it’s optimized.

Optimize your videos for TikTok SEO

Ideally, you’ll want to say your keyword in the first sentence when you create your video. It will let the TikTok algorithm detect and understand what your video is about.

Your video thumbnail should also have the keyword, and unlike YouTube, you do not need amazing ones.

A simple white box with a few words (including your keyword) will do. TikTok viewers can easily read and know what your video will be about.

Use the keywords in your captions, video description, and have a hashtag or two with the keyword in it.

What types of videos get the most views?

Since TikTok videos are usually short and people scroll by fast, you’ll need to start your video off with a hook to reel the viewer in. People decide on whether to watch a video or scroll down in microseconds.

So, it would be best to grab their attention within the first few seconds.

If your niche is list-building, a hook like, “This list-building technique got me 276 subscribers in 1 day!”

Now, the viewer not only understands what the video is about, but they’re curious about the technique because the hook has a benefit.

It will prompt them to click on your video to watch it and again highlights the importance of good keyword research and copywriting skills you want to focus on.

Posting frequency

Ideally, you’ll want to post 2-4 videos spaced out at intervals daily. Most people on TikTok are addicted to it and use their phones several times daily.

You’ll become more familiar when they keep seeing your videos and increase your chances of getting watched.

Remember how Andrew Tate became the most infamous man on TikTok?

He had his affiliates constantly posting clips of him all over TikTok. Not only did he build a massive audience in record time, but he became one of the most Googled people in 2022.

Andrew himself did NOT have a TikTok account. That’s what is truly unique.

If you wish to stand above the noise on TikTok, you need to post more. One video a day is ok, but you need at least 2-3 to gain traction.

Embeds and backlinks

Embedding your TikTok videos on your site and building backlinks to your videos may help.

While there’s no sure way to know if they positively impact your rankings (unless you test them out), it doesn’t hurt to do what you can to give your videos a little push.

There are services on Fiverr where people offer to build backlinks to your TikTok videos. Try a couple out and see how they work for you.

Be entertaining to maximize watch time

Videos that are engaging and fun while providing value will have the highest watch time and maximize TikTok SEO. Ensure your content is congruent and the videos are high quality.

If your niche is affiliate marketing, all your videos should revolve around this topic. Do not suddenly post videos of yourself dancing or give tips on raising tropical fish just because you have two goldfish at home.

Keep your videos focused and niche-specific. Doing this will encourage viewers who watch one of your videos to click on your profile and watch whatever other videos you have.

The higher your videos’ watch time, the more you’ll be favored by the algorithm, meaning a better ranking in the TikTok search results.

Study your analytics

Looking at your analytics now and then will reveal which videos are getting the most engagement and traction. Now you’ll have data to reverse engineer what’s working and make similar videos. Give the audience what they want.

The more similar videos you have, the more views you’ll get, and your follower count will increase too.

TikTok SEO: Study your competitors keywords

When you do a keyword search on TikTok, study the first 5-10 videos. These are your competitors. Take notes on what they’re doing.

By modeling what works, you’ll boost your chances of ranking well and will avoid wasting time.

Collaborate

Collaborating with other popular TikTokkers in your niche will expose all parties to a broader audience. You get exposure to their followers, and vice-versa. It’s inevitable to have more people following you when you get more exposure.

The more followers and views you get, the better you appear to the TikTok algorithm. Your popularity is like social proof.

Generally, the more popular TikTok creators have an easier time ranking their videos because they have a ‘reputation’ on the platform. So, you’ll want to work on developing a rep too.

Grey hat tactics

Thousands of newbies face a common problem on TikTok or any social media platform. They lack exposure, so they struggle to build a following.

However, the platform doesn’t give them much exposure because they lack a following. It’s a tricky catch-22 situation.

Creating video after video only to see 20 views or less can be disheartening.

Will you keep making videos hoping a couple of them will take off and get you traction?

Or will you resort to grey hat tactics and ‘assist’ yourself?

You can bet your last dollar that many of the most popular influencers on TikTok, Instagram, etc., secretly buy views, likes, and followers.

While most platforms frown upon these practices, one cannot deny they work when employed with control and distraction.

A quick Google search for ‘buy TikTok views’ will give you several search results for companies offering these services.

Three services that we found while writing this article:

1. UseViral.com

2. SocialBoosting.com

3. SocialWick.com

While this article doesn’t suggest that you use these services, it’ll be remiss of us not to mention how to use them if you so decide to.

Here is a quick list of tips to bear in mind:

Make sure the views are coming from real human accounts. You want to avoid bot traffic.

Buy small packages. Do NOT suddenly buy 400,000 views for your video if it’s a new channel.

Buy views for 1 video at a time. Do NOT purchase views more than once a week. The goal is to take things slowly. Paying $4 for 1,000 views is sufficient initially to give your videos an edge.

Ensure the views are drip-fed, which means that the views gradually come in throughout the day/s. This measure will appear more natural to the TikTok algorithm.

The service should offer to track too. You’ll want to see where the views are coming from.

There should be a money-back guarantee. The better services offer a refund policy, so there’s no financial risk for you if they can’t deliver what they promise.

What’s most important to remember is that less is more when you’re starting. Do NOT be too enthusiastic and buy too many views all at once. A 1000-2000 views per video will seem more natural and easier on your wallet.

Buying views is not a crutch for poor-quality videos and an unoptimized bio and description. Only when all the other tips mentioned above are in place will you want to cautiously and gingerly test buying views (if you choose to).

Winning on TikTok is about persistence and consistency

The more videos you make, your chances of building an audience increase. Your analytics will also have better feedback when you have a solid body of work to conclude from.

So focus on creating the best content you can consistently.

Do proficient keyword research and optimize your bio and descriptions. If you can do that, it’s just a matter of time before your videos rank well and you build a solid, engaged audience on TikTok.

Finally, ensure you have a link in your profile that takes them to a landing page where they can join your list or buy your products.

Use Linktree to create a page with links pointing to different web properties you own.

You must never build your house on rented land. Siphon TikTok’s traffic to your web assets and build an email list. That’s the one asset you’ll genuinely own.