The search bar that appears on TikTok videos allows users to easily find and view other videos using the same sound, song, hashtag, or effect. By tapping on the search icon, users can explore a whole catalogue of related videos and discover new content and creators.
The TikTok Video Search Bar
The search bar is the magnifying glass icon that pops up on the bottom right corner of TikTok videos. It appears a few seconds into any video with audio, effects, hashtags, or captions. Tapping on it opens a page with thumbnails of other TikTok videos using the same elements.
For example, if you’re watching a TikTok dance video with a popular song, the search bar lets you view many other videos with that same soundtrack. Or if you see a video using a unique filter or effect you like, you can tap to find more videos utilizing it.
Searching by Sound
The most common use of the TikTok search bar is to find videos using the same sound or music. Whenever a video contains an original audio clip or popular song, the search icon appears.
Tapping it will pull up a page titled “Search by sound” displaying rows of video thumbnails all containing that audio. You can scroll through to watch different creators lipsyncing, dancing, reacting, or utilizing the sound in their own videos.
This makes it easy to discover new content and follow trends by seeing how the TikTok community puts their own spin on popular sounds.
Finding Viral Sounds and Songs
The TikTok search function is a gateway to viral sounds and music. Popular audios will have search pages with millions or even billions of video views.
Users can ride these viral trends by watching related videos and getting inspiration for making their own take. For creators, it’s a way to capitalize on hot sounds for more visibility.
Discovering Original Sounds
Not all searchable sounds are from mainstream songs. Many are original audios created by users. The search feature lets you find the originator of unique sounds and follow their account for more.
Searching by sound is a great way to uncover up-and-coming musicians on TikTok and listen to their work.
Searching by Hashtag
Videos containing hashtags also display the search icon. Tapping it opens a page titled “Search by hashtag” showing other videos using the same tagged keyword(s).
This allows you to easily find more content around specific themes, memes, challenges, etc. For trending hashtag challenges like #FlipTheSwitch or #SilhouetteChallenge, the search page aggregates all related videos in one place.
Finding Trending Challenges and Memes
Viral hashtag challenges, memes, and topics will have search pages full of videos. It’s an easy way to stay on trend and create your own videos around popular themes.
Creators can use hashtag searching to join hot trends and get their content seen by more people interested in those topics.
Discovering Niche Communities
The search function also connects you with more niche hashtags and communities. Tap on the search icon from a video using a lesser-known hashtag, and you may find a specialized pocket of creators and content.
Smaller hashtags can unite users around hobbies, occupations, identities, subcultures, and more.
Searching by Effect
Videos edited with filters, lenses, or other effects will also have the magnifying glass icon. Tapping “Search by effect” displays similar videos using the same visual enhancement.
This makes the search feature a handy tool for finding out how to replicate fun effects you want to try in your own videos.
Discovering Trending Effects
Special effects go viral on TikTok just like sounds and hashtags. Searching by effect lets you see who started popular effects and how other creators are utilizing them in their content.
Using trending effects is an easy way for users to make videos aligned with what’s currently hot on TikTok.
Learning How to Use Effects
Not sure how to use a certain lens, filter, or effect you’ve seen? Searching by effect pulls up multiple examples of it in action so you can study how it’s applied and replicated.
Effect searching functions like a tutorial, teaching you which effects pair well together and the different ways they can be utilized creatively.
Finding Specific Users and Videos
In addition to broad discovery of content by sound, hashtag, and effect, the TikTok search bar can also help you locate specific videos and creators.
If you recently watched a video but didn’t Like or follow the user, search makes it easy to track it down again. Just tap the search icon and scroll through similar content to re-find the video and account.
You can also search by username if you only remember the creator’s handle. Typing it into the search bar pulls up the account along with their videos.
How TikTok’s Search Works
TikTok’s powerful recommendation and search algorithms analyze each video’s audio, visuals, captions, hashtags, creators, engagement, and more. All this data allows users to efficiently search by virtually any component of a TikTok video.
By tapping that little magnifying glass icon, you open a portal into the massive web of videos using that exact track, effect, hashtag, or other element. It shows you how that one piece of content fits into the vast trove of videos on TikTok.
Opening Discovery Pathways
The search function essentially creates discovery pathways between connected videos and sounds. It reveals how pieces of content relate and lead users down rabbit holes to related niches and communities.
These discovery pathways help videos, creators, hashtags, and trends spread quickly through the TikTok universe as users search and reshare content.
Powering Trends and Challenges
TikTok’s highly intuitive search is key for powering viral trends and challenges. Users searching by hashtag or effect opens the floodgates for memes and popular videos to gain insane amounts of views.
Creators can strategically optimize their content for searchability to ride waves of trends for more visibility.
Connecting Niches and Communities
The search function also connects niche communities as users discover rabbit holes of related content. Smaller hashtags get a boost when users find them through search and create their own videos using the tag.
Obscure sounds and effects also spread through search. Users bring unknown tracks and filters into the mainstream when they search by and share that unique content.
Why TikTok Made Search a Central Feature
Seamless search and discovery were key pillars of TikTok’s design from the start. The app was built around algorithmic recommendations and enabling users to easily find related content.
Driving Engagement and Sharing
TikTok knew discovery would drive more engagement and sharing as users naturally want to interact with content linked to their interests. The search function taps into that demand for personalized discovery.
Seeing connections between videos through search and hashtags satisfies users’ desire to be part of content trends and community subcultures.
Competing with YouTube
TikTok also wanted better discovery tools to compete with YouTube early on. YouTube was already the leader in user-generated video, partly thanks to its powerful search and suggested videos feature.
So TikTok optimized for similar discovery capabilities to attract both viewers and creators of short-form videos away from YouTube.
Differentiating from Musical.ly
Additionally, easy video search set TikTok apart from its Musical.ly origins. While Musical.ly focused solely on lipsyncing videos, TikTok’s search opened the doors to diverse content niches to fuel the app’s rapid growth.
Search was key for TikTok establishing its own identity as it evolved beyond just a lipsyncing platform.
Tips for Using TikTok’s Search Feature
Here are some tips to use TikTok’s search function effectively:
- Tap the search icon on videos to uncover a web of related content.
- Use search to find trending hashtag challenges, viral sounds, popular effects, and more.
- Search obscure hashtags and sounds to discover niche communities and rising musicians.
- Search by usernames you want to re-find or learn more about.
- Use search to learn how to use fun effects you want to try.
- Strategically add searchable elements like hashtags, sounds, and effects to your own videos.
- Go down the rabbit hole of discovery pathways by tapping and searching interesting content.
- Follow creators and hashtags you find through searching videos.
