What are keywords on TikTok?
Keywords on TikTok refer to words or phrases that users search for when looking for specific types of videos. They help describe the topic and content of a video in a concise way. TikTok uses keywords attached to videos to determine how to rank them and surface them to users searching for relevant content.
When creating a video, TikTok creators can add relevant keywords in the caption, title and hashtags. The algorithm scans these elements to identify what the video is about. Videos that match a user’s search terms or interests will appear higher in search results and recommendations. This makes choosing strategic keywords an important part of optimizing videos to be discovered.
Keywords act like a summary of a video that tells TikTok – and users – what it’s about. Selecting keywords that are commonly searched by users but not oversaturated by competing videos can help increase visibility and views (Source: https://www.pipiads.com/blog/supercharge-your-tiktok-views-with-new-keyword-insights/). Keywords help TikTok determine a video’s relevance and are key for creators looking to expand their audience.
Why filter video keywords?
Filtering video keywords on TikTok can help improve discoverability, reach your target audience, and optimize your videos for search. By choosing the right keywords and hashtags, you can increase the chances that your content shows up for users who are looking for videos about certain topics. This allows you to get your videos in front of more potential followers who are likely to be interested in your brand or message.
Keywords serve as signals to TikTok’s recommendation algorithm about your video’s topic and content. TikTok ranks and recommends videos based in part on keyword relevancy. Using keywords that closely match a user’s interests helps the algorithm understand your video is a good match for that user (Source). This improves the odds of your video getting shown to viewers who care about your niche.
In addition, filtering out irrelevant or problematic keywords can help target your videos toward your ideal audience. Removing keywords unrelated to your brand prevents your content from being mistakenly recommended to the wrong users. Tailoring keywords to your target demographic allows you to intentionally reach the people you want to connect with.
Overall, strategic use of keywords gives you more control over video discovery and enables you to direct your videos to those most likely to appreciate them. This helps grow your follower base with relevant people.
How TikTok ranks videos
TikTok uses a complex recommendation algorithm to determine which videos to show each user. The goal is to provide a personalized “For You” feed that serves up engaging and relevant content.
The algorithm looks at a variety of factors, including:
- User interactions – Videos get ranked higher if they receive lots of likes, comments, shares, etc. This signals popularity and engagement.
- Watch time – Videos that keep viewers watching and retaining their attention are more likely to be recommended.
- Interests and activities – The algorithm tries to match video content with each user’s personalized interests.
- Device and account settings – Factors like language, country, age and device help determine relevance.
So in summary, creating content that generates strong user engagement, especially through likes and comments, is key to ranking highly and getting recommended by TikTok’s algorithm. Fitting user interests and producing captivating videos that hold attention are also important ranking factors.
Sources:
https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/guide-to-tiktok-seo/
Finding the Right Keywords
Choosing the right keywords is crucial for getting your videos seen on TikTok. You’ll want to research and select keywords that are relevant to your content and have decent search volume. According to Keyword Tool, you can use TikTok’s autocomplete search predictions to find good long-tail, low competition keywords. The key is finding a balance between specificity and search volume.
Start by brainstorming keywords related to your video’s topic. You can get ideas by looking at tags used by top content in your niche or typing your main keyword into TikTok’s search bar and seeing the autocomplete suggestions. Tools like Hootsuite also have TikTok-specific keyword research features. Look for keywords with 500-100k monthly searches for a good starting point.
Avoid ultra generic keywords like “funny video” or hyper-specific ones with extremely low search volume. The keywords should directly relate to your content. You want ones that real people would search for and find your video helpful. Always double check search volume estimates before settling on your final keyword list.
Keyword research tools
Keyword research is a crucial part of optimizing videos for discovery on TikTok. There are several tools that can be used to research which keywords perform best and identify opportunities.
Some of the top keyword research tools for TikTok include:
- TikTok analytics sites like Highbrow – Analyze keywords used by competitors or influencers to understand high-performing keywords.
- Google Trends – See search volume and trends for keywords related to your content.
- Ubersuggest – Get keyword ideas based on a seed keyword.
- KeywordTool.io – Generate long-tail keyword ideas.
These tools help you find keywords that are popular and have high search volume. You can also use them to find related keywords and long-tail variations that are more targeted. Researching keywords before creating and optimizing your videos can help reach a wider audience on TikTok.
Negative keywords
Negative keywords help avoid irrelevant views and spam on TikTok. By adding negative keywords to your campaign, you tell TikTok not to show your ads to users searching for those terms.
For example, let’s say you sell flowers. Some negative keywords could be:
- toys
- video games
- pizza
TikTok won’t show your ads to users searching for those unrelated terms, avoiding wasted ad spend. This helps target your ads to only interested users searching for flower-related keywords.
Excessive spam or irrelevant content in the comments can also hurt your TikTok videos. Negative keywords help avoid attracting the wrong audience that doesn’t engage genuinely with your content.
Overly broad targeting without negatives risks poor click-through-rates and high bounce rates. Carefully researching and adding negative keywords ensures your content and ads reach the right people.
(Source)
Keyword stuffing
Keyword stuffing refers to overusing certain keywords repeatedly in a video’s title, description, captions, hashtags, and anywhere else possible in order to manipulate the algorithm and rank higher. But this technique can backfire and actually hurt your content’s performance.
TikTok’s algorithm is designed to detect keyword stuffing and may negatively impact videos using this tactic. As Alex Wedoweb explains in a video, “Keyword stuffing can actually harm your website’s ranking, not help it. Search engines can penalize sites for over optimizing” (source).
Instead of stuffing keywords, TikTok recommends focusing on creating high-quality, engaging content that people will genuinely want to watch and share. Utilize relevant hashtags appropriately without going overboard. Relying too heavily on repetition of keywords results in a poor user experience.
As Reflect Digital advises, “TikTok are wise to keyword stuffing so creators shouldn’t rely on keyword repetition for SEO improvement” (source). Moderation is key when incorporating keywords into your content.
Number of keywords to use
When optimizing your TikTok videos, it’s recommended to use 3-5 strong, relevant keywords. According to research The Ultimate Guide to TikTok SEO 2024, using 3-6 keyword hashtags can help your videos rank better in TikTok search. The key is choosing a small number of keywords that precisely describe your content.
Trying to stuff too many keywords into your TikTok metadata will look spammy to the algorithm. As noted in TikTok SEO: Tips for Showing Up in TikTok Search, it’s better to use 3-5 strong keywords multiple times rather than 10+ weak keywords once. Research your top keywords, identify 3-5 winners, and optimizing around those.
Tracking Performance
TikTok provides robust analytics to track your video’s performance and optimize based on insights. The two main analytics tools are TikTok Analytics and TikTok Ads Manager.
TikTok Analytics allows you to see real-time data on views, likes, comments, shares, audience demographics, traffic sources, and more. You can filter data by video, country, device, gender, age, and date range. This helps identify top-performing videos and user segments to target.
For advertisers, TikTok Ads Manager provides campaign performance data including impressions, reach, clicks, conversions, and return on ad spend. You can break down metrics by ad creative, audience, device, and more. This is crucial for optimizing ad targeting and budget allocation.
By regularly analyzing TikTok analytics, you can identify high-performing keywords to double down on and low-performing keywords to eliminate or refine. Continuously optimizing keywords based on performance data is key to driving more views, engagement, and conversions over time.
Updating keywords
Since trends are always changing on TikTok, it’s important to continually monitor your keyword performance and update keywords as needed. You can use TikTok analytics or third party analytics tools to see which keywords are driving the most views and engagement for your videos.
Keep an eye out for rising trends and new viral sounds by checking platforms like HootSuite and Sprout Social. This allows you to swap out less effective keywords for ones that are gaining popularity.
Updating older videos with new keyword selections can help them come up in fresh searches. You can edit the captions, hashtags, and on-screen text to incorporate the new keywords.
It’s also a good idea to stay on top of seasonal trends and event-related keywords that may be popular for a short time. Take advantage of these opportunities, but be ready to cycle them out as they fade.
By continually optimizing with new keywords, you can keep your TikTok videos ranking in search and help more users discover your brand.
