There are a few main reasons people may be searching for specific TikTok videos. The most common reasons are to find a funny or viral video they saw before, to find more videos from a creator they like, to find videos related to a specific topic, or to find the original source of a video. TikTok’s powerful recommendation algorithm makes it easy for great content to go viral quickly, so people often search to rediscover a video they enjoyed.
To find a funny or viral video again
Often times, users will see a really funny or entertaining TikTok video either within the app’s For You feed or somewhere else like Twitter or Facebook. But if they didn’t like or follow the video at the time, it can be hard to find it again within TikTok’s endless stream of fresh content.
Searching with keywords related to the video’s content is the best way to try and dig it back up. For example, searching “laughing cat bread pillow” or something specific like that. TikTok’s search will scan video captions, sounds and hashtags looking for matches.
To find more videos from a creator
Once you discover a TikTok creator you really like, searching is an easy way to uncover more of their videos. You can search their unique username if you know it to pull up all videos associated with their account. Or keyword search things like “funny cooking videos” if you know their niche but not their handle.
Searching is helpful because favoriting videos from an account or following it doesn’t guarantee their old content will show up for you. So searching can surface some of their greatest hits you otherwise wouldn’t see.
To explore a specific topic or trend
Hashtag challenges and trending topics spread like wildfire on TikTok. When something is going viral, people rush to search related terms so they can join in. This helps surface the most popular videos and creators within that niche.
For example, searching #BookTok will uncover the most viewed videos about books. And searching “baked feta pasta” will reveal the top food creators who have tried that recipe. Exploring hot topics is one of the best uses of TikTok search.
To find the original viral video
TikTok videos often spread outside the app and get reposted everywhere without credit. A funny or cool video might appear on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. If you want to find the original source video from TikTok, searching intelligent keywords can help track it down.
Like if you saw a “grandma dancing to pop music” on Facebook, searching something similar on TikTok like “grandma dancing pop song” can potentially reveal the first uploader. This satisfaction of discovering the OP makes searching worthwhile.
To research sounds, songs or audio
Discovering new music is one of the top uses of TikTok. People will search lyrics they can remember or other audio clues to try and find a song name. Identifying the sound or music in a popular video is also common, so people search things like “Oh no oh no oh no no TikTok song” to great success.
Using TikTok’s built-in song recognition or searching likely lyrics are the best ways to find unknown songs. Audio searching satisfies the needs of music lovers on the app.
To shop products featured in videos
TikTok has become a powerful platform for influencers and brands to highlight consumer products. Clothing items, gadgets, books, beauty products, and more regularly go viral in short reviews and hauls.
When something catches your eye, you can search the product name or descriptive terms to find shoppable videos about it. This research helps users discover where to purchase coveted items spotted on TikTok.
To learn dance moves and other trends
Dance challenges and viral video formats dominated TikTok in its early days. And many users still search to find tutorials on popular dances they want to learn and trends they want to participate in.
Searches like “renegade dance tutorial” or “how to do the woah” satisfy this need. As do searches for viral trends like “muglife challenge” and “flip the switch.” TikTok remains a destination for learning the latest internet crazes.
To find videos related to interests and hobbies
TikTok features thriving communities around every interest and hobby imaginable. Gardening, cooking, gaming, sports, crafts – you name it. Niche communities use search to connect with each other.
For example, a baseball fan might search “mlb tiktok” to find other accounts posting about the sport. Or a knitting enthusiast could search “knitting haul” to discover creators with that shared passion. Targeted searches reveal a world of content around your personal interests.
To scope out competition
For TikTok creators and businesses, searching is an important way to research their competition and the landscape of their niche. They’ll search their own name or brand to see what comes up. And search competitors or industry keywords to analyze the top videos.
This competitive research helps creators find untapped topics to make content about and better understand what works well on TikTok. It’s about staying on the cutting edge for creators and brands.
