If you’ve ever tried using the search feature in TikTok and not gotten the results you expected, you’re not alone. TikTok’s search functionality can be hit or miss at times. There are a few key reasons why TikTok’s search doesn’t always work as expected.
TikTok’s Search Algorithm
The biggest factor impacting TikTok search is the algorithm the platform uses. Like all social media algorithms, TikTok’s is designed to show you content it thinks you’ll engage with, not necessarily the most relevant content to your search. The algorithm curates your For You feed and search results based on your past viewing history, interactions, user demographics, and more. This personalized curation means everyone’s search results will be different even when searching for the same keywords.
Additionally, the algorithm tends to prioritize popular, trending content. So you may search a very specific keyword but get results unrelated to that term if TikTok’s algorithm decides other content is getting more traction. Unless what you’re searching is currently trending, the results may be hit or miss.
Issues Indexing All Content
With over a billion monthly active users, the amount of content uploaded to TikTok daily is massive. Their systems likely have difficulty indexing every single video in a timely manner. So when you search something very recent or from a smaller creator, it may not appear simply because it has not been fully indexed by TikTok yet.
This issue can also impact search results for niche topics and keywords that aren’t commonly searched. Videos on these topics may not get prioritized for indexing by TikTok’s systems. So relevant content could exist but not get surfaced in search.
Limitations of Keyword Search
TikTok relies heavily on keyword searching, matching what you search to keywords in video titles, descriptions, captions, hashtags, etc. But this type of text-based search has inherent limitations.
Content creators don’t always include optimal keywords. And keyword stuffing could enable irrelevant videos to appear in search results. Visual cues and nuances in video content itself that can’t be captured by keywords alone.
So you may not get content relevant to your search even if the right keywords aren’t present in the text metadata TikTok indexes. Reliance on keywords in search introduces opportunities for mismatch between the visual content itself and limited text descriptions.
Restrictions on Certain Types of Content
TikTok does place restrictions on certain types of content like pornography, violence, illegal activities, dangerous acts, etc. This means searches related to restricted content are unlikely to return many results, if any. TikTok blocks these search terms and results as part of content moderation efforts.
There are also regional restrictions where some content/keywords are limited only to certain geographic locations. So your ability to find certain types of content through search varies based on your TikTok region setting.
Evolving Search Algorithm
As a newer social media platform, TikTok is likely still evolving their search algorithm versus more mature platforms. There is a learning curve around optimizing search at their massive scale. Expectations for search relevancy and accuracy may be unrealistic relative to TikTok’s age.
They are likely still collecting user data and implementing tweaks to improve search over time. Early algorithm limitations and gaps in indexing content are expected as TikTok enhances their systems to better index and retrieve the tremendous volume of videos being uploaded.
Ways to Improve TikTok Search Results
While TikTok search has its frustrations, there are some tips to help improve your own search experience:
- Use natural language instead of just keywords. Phrase searches as full questions to provide more context.
- Try different keywords, synonyms, and spellings to return a wider range of results.
- Use hashtags related to what you’re searching for to narrow results.
- Follow creators in your niche to populate your For You feed with relevant content.
- Like and engage with videos you enjoy to tune the algorithm over time.
- Browse trending hashtags and sounds related to your interests.
- Check out other features like Discover for finding creators.
While not perfect, TikTok’s search capabilities are constantly evolving. Being aware of algorithmic biases, indexing limitations, and leveraging other discovery features can help you get more from search today.
What TikTok is Doing to Improve Search
With the rapid growth of TikTok came increased scrutiny around safety, privacy, and search results. In response, TikTok has taken several steps to improve users’ search experiences:
- Introduced longer video lengths up to 10 minutes to allow more in-depth content.
- Rolled out creator crediting tools to properly attribute viral content.
- Enabled captions on videos to augment text metadata for search indexing.
- Developed moderation algorithms to quickly identify and restrict inappropriate content.
- Added warnings and restrictions around dangerous challenges and content.
- Implemented changes to give creators more control over video privacy settings.
- Partnered with outside experts to advise on safety, security, and integrity of app experience.
While TikTok is still far from perfect, these actions demonstrate an awareness of weaknesses around problematic content and a commitment to improving systems and policies. As their most popular feature, enhancing search relevancy also remains a top priority.
TikTok has pledged to continue refining their algorithms and content moderation tools to address concerns. They aim to balance free expression with user safety and search accuracy. Progress may seem slow but the platform is still young and has time to evolve – if it makes search optimization an ongoing focus.
The Future of Search on TikTok
As TikTok usage continues to skyrocket globally, the platform’s approach to search will need to scale and advance as well. Here are some ways TikTok may improve search functionality moving forward:
- Leverage AI and machine learning to index and retrieve content more intelligently.
- Shift algorithms to optimize for search relevancy over engagement.
- Develop better systems for detecting illicit and dangerous content.
- Expand content moderation and fact-checking worldwide.
- Enable more filtering and advanced search operators.
- Integrate with speech recognition to allow voice searching.
- Improve recommendations beyond the For You feed.
- Forgo the algorithm at times to allow true chronological search.
TikTok is aware that as it matures as a platform, robust and accurate site search will need to catch up. Early growing pains are expected but solvable. With so much content being created, effective discovery through search is key to TikTok’s long-term success.
Prioritizing relevance over engagement metrics, applying the latest AI, and moderating responsibly will be pivotal. TikTok has their work cut out but room to get search right. The tools and talent exist – executing on that potential poses their greatest challenge.
For TikTok users, staying patient and keeping expectations realistic will lead to the best experience. Search perfection takes time but TikTok’s progress will be interesting to watch.
