TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. With such a large user base, there are countless videos being produced and searched for every day. While your main TikTok feed shows videos based on your interests and interactions, you may be wondering how you can find and view all of the content being searched for and engaged with by the full TikTok community. Here are some tips on how to discover the most popular TikTok searches right now.
Check the TikTok Search Page
The easiest way to see trending searches on TikTok is to go directly to the TikTok search page. Here you will find a list of the top hashtag searches, as well as top search terms used by TikTokers. The search page shows top hashtags first, followed by general keywords used in searches.
Reviewing this page daily or weekly can give you an idea of what types of content are resonating most with TikTok users globally. You’ll see topical hashtags around events, celebrities, viral content, memes and more. You can also identify rising trending keywords that may signal new trends or interests.
Checking the main TikTok search feed gives you a broad overview of what’s popular in TikTok searches right now. You can then search any of the terms to view associated videos and go deeper into trending topics.
Search Popular Hashtags
As noted above, hashtags are a core way that trends and topics surface on TikTok. Even if a hashtag isn’t ranking on the main search page, searching by top hashtags can show you a breadth of content people are engaging with.
Some consistently popular hashtags include:
- #fyp – Stands for “For You Page,” this is a common hashtag added to videos to help them get viewed by more users
- #viral – Used for videos aiming to become viral sensations
- #follow – Used to gain more followers by capitalizing on trending content
- #funny – For funny videos users want surfacing on the For You page
- #dance – Dance videos are hugely popular on TikTok
There are also always timely trending hashtags around current news, events, memes, challenges and personalities. Searching these time-sensitive hashtags can show you a pulse of how users are engaging with pop culture trends via TikTok.
While using individual hashtags can be insightful, you can cast an even wider net by searching for popular combinations like:
- #fyp #viral #funny
- #fyp #follow #dance
- #dance #viral #2022
Mixing trending tags together gives you a look at some of the most sought after content. You may uncover funny dance challenges going viral, or timely news commentary aspiring to trend. Hashtags are truly the gateway into the wider world of TikTok searches and trends.
Use TikTok Challenges as Search Terms
TikTok challenges take the app by storm and are an incredibly popular type of content. Users love participating in viral challenges as both creators and viewers. Challenges generally have an associated hashtag, but you can also search for them as keywords.
Some of the most popular TikTok challenges include:
- The Renegade
- M to the B
- Blinding Lights Challenge
- The Git Up Challenge
- The Carol Baskin Challenge
When you search for the names of these challenges you’ll see a collection of videos posted around the trend. It’s a neat way to go deep on a particular TikTok search craze.
You can find ideas for more trending challenges by exploring the Discover tab in the TikTok app. The Discover page surfaces popular “challenges” that are going viral now. Searching these current challenges can show you rising trends.
Look Up Trending Sounds
Popular sounds and music clips are a huge TikTok trend. Users create videos using the same sounds as a way to collaborate around viral content.
You can find currently trending sounds by searching for:
- Top sounds
- Trending sounds
- Viral sounds
This will display sounds being used in top videos this week. You can also search for specific sound names or lyrics to find associated videos.
Some examples of frequently used viral sounds include the following:
- No Bones – TikToker doggface208 skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac
- “The butcher’s club!” sound from the Walten Files
- Oh No by Capone
- “What’s gibby thinking about” sound from iCarly
Searching by sound is a unique way to discover the convergence around specific audio clips rising in popularity on TikTok.
Explore Trending Effects
TikTok effects go viral just like sounds and hashtags. Fun augmented reality (AR) effects get used by creators in numerous videos, fueling trends.
You can find popular effects by searching:
- Trending effects
- Viral effects
- Top effects
Some effects that have gone viral include:
- Cartoonify
- Green screen
- Time warp
- Beyoncé’s Break My Soul dance effect
Effect searches display videos using certain filters or AR. It’s a cool way to see how creators utilize effects to heighten trends and challenges.
Follow Trending Creators
Lastly, pay attention to which creators are going viral themselves. The top individual creators on TikTok often catalyze search trends through their own popular videos. Their content frequently utilizes trending sounds, effects, hashtags and concepts as well.
Some of the most popular TikTokers include:
- @charlidamelio
- @khaby.lame
- @bellapoarch
- @addisonre
- @therock
When you follow viral creators you can get an inside look at the trending content rising fastest around these influencers. Their feeds, sounds, hashtags and effects showcase what’s hot in the TikTok world.
In addition to the most followed creators, also check out the accounts hitting your For You feed most frequently. These rising stars are likely tapping into trending searches.
Use Third-Party Analytics Sites
There are also external sites that provide data on top TikTok searches and analytics. These can supplement your search findings:
- Future Views – Tracks top videos, creators, sounds and hashtags
- Hype Auditor – TikTok analytics and insight reports
- Wallaroo – Metrics for top TikTok posts
Sites like these highlight rising trends with data on engagement and growth. They capture trend arcs across platforms to inform searches.
Regularly Searching Leads to Trend Discovery
Making the effort to search TikTok regularly using the tactics above will keep you tapped into the viral content and trends on the platform. Hashtags, sounds, effects and challenges quickly rise and fall in popularity, so checking back frequently will reveal the latest crazes.
It helps to search at different times of day to get a comprehensive pulse. The prime hours of late afternoon and evenings is when teen and young adult engagement peaks in particular.
While TikTok’s algorithm will serve you related video feeds, taking your own proactive initiative to search can uncover developing trends before they fully explode. Staying on top of the latest popular searches keeps you informed, entertained and ready to participate in the fun.
Now that you know how to manually search out the most popular content types, you can become a trend expert on TikTok searches. Master trending hashtags, sounds, creators and challenges so you always know what’s hot in the TikTok world!
