TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years. According to The Social Shepherd, TikTok hit 1 billion monthly active users in 2021, making it the 6th most popular social media platform in the world. With its short form videos, viral trends, and powerful algorithm, TikTok has become a cultural phenomenon and captivated Gen Z users in particular. Understanding how search works on TikTok is key for creators looking to grow their audience on this platform.
TikTok Basics
TikTok is a popular short video sharing app owned by ByteDance, a Chinese internet technology company (1). It allows users to create, share, and discover short videos ranging from 15 seconds to 3 minutes. Some of the key features of TikTok include:
- Lip-syncing and dancing videos with popular songs and audio clips
- Funny skits, challenges, and trending hashtags
- Powerful video editing tools and special effects
- Personalized “For You” feed based on interests and interactions
- Duets and reactions to other videos
Since launching internationally in 2017, TikTok has grown exponentially and now has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. It’s especially popular with Gen Z and younger millennials.
TikTok Profiles
TikTok profiles are the public face of each user’s account. Profiles display important information such as the user’s username, profile photo, bio, follower count, and more. Unlike private accounts, public TikTok profiles allow anyone to view a user’s uploaded content, like videos and live streams.
Some key elements of TikTok profiles include:
- Username – The unique name each user selects for their account that appears on their profile.
- Profile Photo – The main photo that represents each user’s account.
- Bio – A short description users can provide about themselves or their account.
- Followers – The number of other users following that profile.
- Following – The number of users that profile follows.
- Likes – The total number of likes the user’s content has received.
Users have control over their profiles and can edit elements like their username, photo, and bio through their account settings. Profiles give users an identity on TikTok and allow others to get a quick glance at their popularity and content style.
Search on TikTok
TikTok allows users to search for content in a variety of ways. You can search by keywords, sounds, or hashtags on TikTok to find videos about specific topics that interest you. To search, simply tap the magnifying glass icon at the top of the app. This will bring up the search bar where you can type in keywords, usernames, hashtags, or sounds.
Searching by keyword is the most straightforward way to find videos about a certain topic. For example, searching “cat videos” will bring up an endless scroll of funny feline content. TikTok’s algorithm is quite advanced, so even vague searches tend to yield very relevant results.
Every sound and song used in a TikTok video can also be searched. Just type the name of the song or the lyrics heard in a video to locate the associated clips. This makes it easy to find the original viral videos that started a meme or trend. Searching by sound is a great way to discover new content.
Finally, every video can be tagged with relevant hashtags by the creator. Typing a hashtag into the search bar allows you to explore that niche community of videos. The hashtag system is essentially a massive, crowd-sourced system of categorization. It’s an easy way to dive deep into your particular interests on TikTok.
So whether you’re searching for comedy sketches, makeup tutorials, parkour stunts, or niche subcultures, TikTok’s robust search functionality makes discovering new videos effortless. Just tap in a keyword, song, or hashtag and let the algorithm serve up an endless stream of personalized entertainment.
Source: TikTok: Searching
Finding Your Profile
There are several ways for others to discover your TikTok profile if you have a public account. Users can find your profile by searching for your username directly on TikTok. For example, if your username is @katie123, someone could search for “katie123” and your profile will appear in the results. TikTok also has a “Find Friends” feature that allows users to search for people they may know by linking their contacts or other social media accounts like Facebook or Instagram (source).
If you use your full name as your display name, your profile can also be discovered by searching your first and last name. You can also make it easier for others to find you by using relevant hashtags in your bio or video captions. The more discoverable information you provide, the easier it will be for other users to find your public profile and content.
Who’s Searching You?
Unlike some other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, TikTok does not provide users with information about who has searched for or viewed their profile. There is no feature on TikTok to see a list of users who have looked you up.
TikTok profiles are public by default, meaning anyone can search for and view your profile without you being notified. The app is designed this way to encourage open discoverability and viral content sharing.
Some users wish TikTok showed profile views so they could know who is interested in their videos and profile. However, TikTok prioritizes user privacy and anonymity. Showing profile views could enable stalking and harassment.
If you want to know if a specific friend or follower has viewed your TikTok profile, you would have to ask them directly. But there is no way to see a complete list of everyone who has searched for you on TikTok.
Making Your Profile Discoverable
One of the best ways to get more profile views and followers on TikTok is to make your profile as discoverable as possible. Here are some tips:
Use relevant hashtags in your captions and descriptions. Popular hashtags like #fyp (for you page) can help get your videos in front of more viewers who are browsing those tags. You can also use more niche hashtags related to your content.
Engage with trends and viral sounds. Duetting or stitching popular TikTok videos can introduce your profile to new audiences. You can also use trending sounds and effects to make it easier for your videos to be found.
Go live regularly. Livestreams let viewers get to know you in real time. They also get your profile featured on the “Live Now” section of the app, increasing your visibility.
Collaborate with other creators. Doing duets and shoutouts with larger accounts exposes their fanbase to your profile.
Optimize your bio. Include relevant keywords people may search for. Add links to other social profiles so viewers can learn more about you.
Post consistently. Uploading at least a few videos per week keeps your profile active on viewer’s feeds and the “Following” tab.
Privacy Concerns
TikTok has faced scrutiny over its data collection and privacy practices. According to Kaspersky, TikTok collects a significant amount of user data including browsing data, contacts, financial information, biometrics, content of communications, and location data [1]. There are concerns that this data could be accessed and used by the Chinese government, since TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is based in China.
A study by JSTOR raises concerns that in TikTok’s early years, data was processed in China, giving the Chinese government potential access [2]. TikTok claims data is now stored on servers in Singapore and the United States. However, TikTok’s privacy policy still allows data sharing with its China-based affiliate ByteDance.
According to VPNOverview.com, privacy advocates argue TikTok’s excessive data harvesting and unclear data handling practices could enable surveillance, profiling, censorship, and security vulnerabilities [3]. Users have limited visibility into how their data is used. While TikTok states it will not operate in China, it remains concerning how data is protected from the Chinese government.
TikTok Alternatives
With increasing scrutiny around how TikTok handles user data and privacy, many are looking for alternative apps that offer more control. Some top alternatives include Triller, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
These apps provide features similar to TikTok, such as short video creation and viral distribution. However, a key difference is greater visibility controls. For example, Triller allows users to make their profiles private, restricting who can view posts. YouTube Shorts ties into YouTube’s robust account settings, giving creators options to limit searchability and comments. Instagram Reels integrates with Instagram profiles, which have options to restrict visibility and interactions.
For those prioritizing privacy and data security, exploring TikTok alternatives can provide more transparency and control over how personal data is handled. While no platform offers complete anonymity, many competitors offer better safeguards against unwanted attention and visibility.
Conclusion
In summary, TikTok offers options to keep your profile private from searches, but these are limited. By default profiles are public and discoverable, so anyone can search for you. Users have some controls to limit this discoverability, like making an account private or disabling search suggestions. However it’s impossible to fully hide a profile from being found through direct searches of your username. TikTok’s algorithms also recommend content, which can surface your videos to new viewers. Those concerned about privacy may want to limit personal info and consider using alternative apps.
The key takeaways are:
- TikTok profiles are public by default and fully discoverable through searches.
- Users can limit discoverability by making an account private or disabling search suggestions.
- Direct searches by username will still locate private accounts.
- TikTok’s recommendation algorithm surfaces more content to users.
- Those concerned can limit sharing personal information or use other apps.
While TikTok offers some privacy settings, users cannot fully control who can find or view their profile. Weighing discoverability with privacy concerns is an important consideration on the platform.
