SEO for TikTok: optimizing videos for greater visibility

For many, the expression will probably make them break out in hives, but today we’re talking about SEO for TikTok. It sounds strange, doesn’t it? After all, SEO is literally the activity of optimizing for search engines and was created to optimize websites and improve their positioning on Google, certainly not for a viral video platform. And yet, TikTok has long since ceased to be just a social media platform for “leisure”: millions of users use it to search for information, products, tutorials, advice and reviews, just as they would on a search engine. The fact that Google itself is increasingly positioning content from TikTok in its SERPs should give us food for thought. In short, TikTok is no longer just a social network for short entertainment videos, but represents a real search tool, used above all by younger people who prefer to search for answers directly here rather than on Google. But what does it mean to do SEO on a platform that has no links or traditional SERPs? It means understanding the dynamics of the algorithm, using the right keywords, optimizing videos and captions so that they can be found by users and included in the valuable “For You” section. In short, here too you compete for visibility. And those who think that all you have to do to become popular is dance or launch a challenge must instead find out how this new form of digital discovery really works.

What is SEO for TikTok?

Talking about SEO for TikTok means referring to a set of strategies aimed at making the videos published on this special platform more searchable and visible, by exploiting both the internal search function and the recommendation system of the “For You” feed.

Enhance your digital strategy

Now TikTok content is included in Google’s SERP: use SEOZoom to monitor opportunities for visibility and discover new possibilities for growth!

Scopri di più

At first glance, SEO and TikTok are not similar worlds: the social network does not have a classic SERP, does not index links and is not based on traditional ranking factors such as the number of backlinks or domain authority. On the other hand, SEO literally and semantically encompasses the tactics to emerge on traditional search engines.

Yet, if we broaden our gaze just a little, we can see that this relationship is not so “out of whack”: more and more users are using TikTok to find answers to specific questions, product reviews, practical advice and educational content, to the point that Gen Z and Millennials have now set aside Google for some types of informational research, thanks to the speed and visibility of video content.

So, while not a “real” search engine, the way users discover content on TikTok has many similarities to classic SEO: instead of formulating a query and receiving results based on relevance and authority of the content, on this platform the algorithm distributes videos based on engagement, but also considering keywords, sounds, text and audience interactions.

This change has led to the spread of SEO for TikTok, an expression that encompasses all the techniques to ensure that your videos are found more easily by users, both through TikTok’s internal search and through the algorithm that decides which content to include in the “For You” feed. This approach combines optimization of keywords, positioning in relevant hashtags, strategic use of viral sounds and a particular attention to the structure of the content, so that the TikTok algorithm can recognize and classify the video correctly, increasing the chances that it will be shown to the right audience, without depending exclusively on advertisements.

TikTok SEO and traditional SEO: differences and similarities

We can therefore consider TikTok almost a hybrid of a social network and a discovery engine, and mastering its visibility rules allows creators, companies and professionals to build a solid presence and obtain constant traffic.

However, it is clear that TikTok and Google work in very different ways: SEO on the search engine is based, among other things, on factors such as links, domain authority, semantic relevance, technical aspects, etc., while the dynamics of the Chinese platform are more immediate and reactive. A video can get millions of views in a few hours, if optimized in the right way and amplified by algorithmic distribution.

The first major difference is that TikTok doesn’t have a classic results page hierarchically organized according to a text ranking algorithm. But – and this is a very important element – there is an internal search that shows videos based on their relevance to the query entered, giving priority to the most interactive content optimized with appropriate keywords. This means that optimizing text, hashtags and sounds increases the likelihood of appearing in the search results within the platform.

Another dissimilar aspect is the behavior of the user: on Google, the person actively chooses which result to click on based on their search, while on TikTok it is previous preferences and interactions that determine the content displayed. The “For You” feed offers videos tailored to each individual user, evaluating elements such as viewing time, repeat views, comments, likes and shares – which is why a video on TikTok doesn’t just have to exist, it has to be engagingly distributed in order to be effective.

However, there is an important similarity to consider, and that concerns keyword management. While on Google the use of keywords in titles and text content is (still) fundamental for positioning, on TikTok the platform carefully analyzes the caption, hashtags, text superimposed on the video and even the words spoken. This means that, even if there is no tool like Google Search Console, optimizing the language within the content helps to improve its positioning in internal search.

TikTok as a search engine for the younger generations

We’ve said it before: TikTok is increasingly becoming an alternative to searching on Google, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, and has become the go-to place for a large audience looking for tutorials, product reviews, travel tips and information on specific topics, and who prefer an immediate video format to a classic text article.

This transformation has also been confirmed by Google itself: the search engine has found that about 40% of young adults prefer TikTok and Instagram to traditional search to discover places, trends and products. The authenticity and speed of the information offered by creators – often perceived as more reliable than institutional brands – have made TikTok a key tool for the digital customer journey.

Consequently, those who want to stand out online cannot ignore TikTok as a channel for visibility, integrating it into their content marketing and SEO strategies to intercept an audience that is increasingly using Google as a single source of research.

Why can we talk about SEO for TikTok

So even though TikTok is not a search engine, its algorithm still has to decide which content to show users, both in the feed and in internal searches. This means that there are specific optimization dynamics that influence the visibility of videos, just as in the traditional SEO context.

And there is yet another element that we cannot overlook, which calls into question the behavior of Google itself: more and more often TikTok videos are the expression of searches, we know this well, and in many cases they even appear before traditional textual content, making it even more urgent for brands and creators to adopt appropriate optimization strategies.

How the TikTok algorithm works

The TikTok algorithm is the hidden, dynamic engine that decides which content to show each user, making it one of the most personalized and engaging platforms. Unlike other social media platforms, where the feed is dominated by posts and content from friends or profiles followed, TikTok bases its distribution on a combination of signals of engagement, user preferences and behavior and content analysis, and therefore organizes the visibility of content mainly through automatic recommendations. This makes it possible for any creator to get millions of views even without a consolidated follower base, as long as the video is recognized as interesting by the algorithm.

Each uploaded video is immediately analyzed and tested on an initial sample of users. If it generates a good level of interaction and is viewed in its entirety, the system progressively distributes it to an ever wider audience. However, the process is not linear: some content can gain visibility even after days or weeks, if the algorithm detects a new opportunity for dissemination. This logic of continuous learning means that content on TikTok does not necessarily have a short life cycle, but can be relaunched several times based on current trends or changes in user behavior.

The key to visibility on TikTok, however, is not simply to publish captivating videos, but to understand how the system decides to push them to different audiences. The algorithm constantly learns from the interactions of each user and adapts the individual feed based on explicit and implicit interests. This means that, for content creators, it’s not enough to get engagement just once: continuity over time is essential to build a stable and recognizable presence on the platform.

The “For You” feed, the heart of the platform

We’ve mentioned it several times already, and with good reason: “For You” is the main section of TikTok and represents the entry point for most users. Here, priority is not given to videos published by accounts that are followed, but rather to a selection of content based on its relevance to the specific interests of the person browsing. Each feed is unique and based on the digital behavior of the individual user, making TikTok a highly personalized platform.

This is another important distinction between the Chinese platform and other social networks: here the content is not shown mainly based on social connections, but the videos receive an initial test phase, which is used to verify the interaction rates before the possible distribution to a wider audience.

Preferences are learned through continuous interaction analysis. Every video watched, every like, every share or comment, and even the speed at which content is scrolled through, tells TikTok which topics are most interesting to a user. The system cross-references this data with that of other users with similar interests, creating an ecosystem of increasingly accurate recommendations.

Compared to platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, which are strongly based on contact networks (although in recent years algorithms have been progressively shifting the focus also to recommendations of content external to the direct contact network), TikTok works more like a content platform than a traditional social network, because here users don’t need to actively follow a profile to see its content in their feed. This logic makes it easier for new creators to emerge: it is not necessary to build a consolidated community to increase visibility, but the right content (and deemed relevant by the algorithm and the recommendation system) can reach a wide audience even if the creator has few followers.

What are the ranking factors on TikTok

Although we don’t have explicit details on how this complex machine works, we do have some general information on how the TikTok algorithm works and the elements it evaluates to decide which videos to promote in the “For You” feed and to whom to show them. There is no single dominant parameter, but a combination of factors that determine the ability of content to spread on the platform.

One of the most relevant aspects is the level of audience interaction with a video. The more likes, comments, shares and saves it receives, the more likely it is to be pushed to a wider audience. However, the metric that seems to have the most significant impact is viewing time: if a user watches a video in its entirety or reviews it several times, TikTok evaluates the content as particularly engaging and relevant, increasing its distribution in the feed.

In addition to direct user interactions, TikTok also analyzes the video content itself. Overlay text, audio, words spoken in the video and description influence the classification of the content. The algorithm uses these elements to understand what a video is about and associate it with the searches made by users on the platform. For this reason, videos that use consistent keywords between the caption, visible text and audio have a higher probability of being correctly indexed and distributed to the right audience.

Account and device settings also play a role in the initial distribution of content. TikTok considers factors such as the account’s language, geographical location and device model used to show the videos first to a potentially more similar audience. For example, an Italian video will initially be distributed mainly to Italian-speaking users, unless it shows signs of particular universal relevance that justify a wider distribution.

Finally, there are also negative factors that can limit the visibility of a piece of content. If a video receives numerous “Not Interested” feedbacks, or if it records a high number of users who skip it in the first few seconds without interacting, the algorithm can reduce its distribution until it is completely excluded from the “For You” feed. Even violations of TikTok’s guidelines can have consequences on the visibility of the profile, leading to a temporary limitation of content distribution or, in more serious cases, to account suspension.

Why do SEO on TikTok

But why pay so much attention to a “simple” entertainment platform? In reality, as we already mentioned when talking about how to use TikTok for brands, this social network is becoming an essential tool for discovering content and searching for information, thanks also to an audience of users that now exceeds one billion active profiles.

Optimizing videos for SEO on TikTok means maximizing visibility, generating more interactions and creating monetization opportunities, by exploiting the way the algorithm distributes content.

While virality on TikTok once seemed to depend almost exclusively on luck and the ability to fit into the flow of trends, today we know that content discovery is guided by precise logic. A well-optimized video has a better chance of being shown in the “For You” feed, in internal TikTok searches and even in Google’s organic results, and therefore becomes a strategic tool both for creators who want to increase their following, and for brands and companies that aim for visibility and conversions.

Benefits of video optimization

From a practical point of view, working on SEO optimization on TikTok offers concrete advantages, because it can directly influence positioning, audience interaction and the return on investment for brands and creators.

A video that follows SEO best practices on TikTok is not limited to appearing to followers, but reaches a wider audience thanks to the “For You” feed. TikTok shows videos based on the specific interests of the user, and optimized content has a better chance of being progressively distributed to new users.

As mentioned, TikTok’s algorithm rewards content that receives high levels of interaction: a well-structured and optimized video brings more likes, comments, shares and watch time, creating an exponential growth effect. This helps both in building a loyal community and in reaching new users interested in the proposed content.

An optimized profile also makes the conversion from viewing to commercial interaction more effective: many creators and companies monetize directly from TikTok through the Creator Fund, sponsorships and direct sales. The greater the visibility and engagement of a profile, the greater the chances of obtaining collaborations with brands or monetizing through the platform’s internal programs.

TikTok as a research tool: the statistics

Being able to stand out on the platform also means being closer to the habits of a significant market segment: 40% of Gen Z uses TikTok to search for information even before turning to Google, a trend that is changing the way content is discovered and consumed on the platform.

The most frequent searches are for how-to tutorials, product reviews, travel tips, technology and beauty trends, a sign that people prefer short, immediate video content that has been socially validated by other users, rather than articles or text results.

Unlike Google, TikTok offers direct, visual answers, based not only on keywords but also on user engagement and interactions. This means that highly engaging content has a better chance of emerging than content that only focuses on search relevance.

But there’s more.

Optimization doesn’t only produce effects within the platform. More and more TikTok videos are indexed by Google and shown among the organic results, offering a strategic opportunity for content creators. That is to say: a well-optimized video on TikTok has the possibility of gaining visibility even outside of the platform, reaching users directly from Google’s SERP. Whereas before we spoke generically of “social signals” that Google considered to strengthen a brand’s authority, with modern SEO the impact of these platforms has become even more direct and relevant.

How to use TikTok SEO to get traffic on Google

Before we go on to discover the “real” optimization rules, there are a few small tricks that can increase the chances of a TikTok video being shown in Google search results. These are:

• Include relevant keywords in the video title and description.
• Use strategic hashtags that reflect the most popular search queries.
• Create comprehensive and valuable content that has a high retention rate (greater chance of ranking on Google).
• Incorporate TikTok videos into blogs and websites as well, improving their organic indexing through external traffic.

The integration between TikTok and Google represents a concrete opportunity to expand visibility and exploit the dynamics of search engines to bring traffic to your profile or business.

Strategies for optimizing content on TikTok

But let’s get to the heart of the SEO for TikTok concept.

The starting point is that publishing a video without a precise strategy is equivalent to leaving your visibility to chance: as we said, the platform’s algorithm works on well-defined logics, which determine which content deserves to be distributed to a wider audience and which ends up relegated to the margins. Therefore, to obtain concrete results it is necessary to understand how to optimize every aspect of the content, from the use of keywords to interaction with the community, including the choice of hashtags and the correct exploitation of musical trends.

Optimization on TikTok is not a rigid process like SEO on Google, but follows its own rules that make it more of a mix between content strategy and social media marketing. The platform favors content that instantly captures the interest of its audience, focusing on interactions and viewing time. For this reason, taking care of every detail of the video significantly increases the probability of being shown in the “For You” feed, of obtaining internal searches and even of appearing in the organic results of Google.

How to do keyword research for TikTok

The correct use of keywords may seem more related to Google SEO than to a platform like TikTok. In reality, understanding which keywords to use in the texts that accompany videos, in subtitles or in the visual content itself is one of the most effective strategies to improve the findability of a piece of content.

TikTok, unlike Google, is not based on a search system centered on static pages, but uses a combination of textual analysis, visual elements and user behavior to determine the best positioning of a video. Finding the right keywords therefore means understanding how people use the platform to search for content and replicating those dynamics in a strategic way.

There are various methods for identifying the best keywords on TikTok. The most immediate one is the search bar inside the platform: by typing in a generic term, automatic suggestions are shown that indicate the real queries used by users. For example, by searching for “skincare”, TikTok could suggest more specific keywords such as “oily skin skincare routine” or “cheap anti-aging skincare”.

Another very useful tool is the TikTok Creative Center, a platform that allows you to identify trends, hashtags and emerging keywords based on concrete data on the use of the platform. This is particularly useful when you want to anticipate trends and join conversations that are already active.

However, relying on the platform’s internal data is not enough. For more targeted research, it’s useful to analyze the content of the main competitors and the most successful creators in your niche market. It only takes a few minutes to scroll through the videos of the most followed profiles in a given sector to understand which words recur most frequently in the descriptions and in the texts in superimposition.

Techniques for searching for relevant keywords

Selecting the right keywords doesn’t mean limiting yourself to the most popular words, but (again!) understanding the intent of the user in the search. Generic keywords have a high search volume, but competing on them is difficult. Inserting terms that are more specific allows you to intercept a targeted audience and reduce competition.

An excellent strategy is to focus on keyword long-tail, i.e. combinations of multiple words that identify specific searches and are closer to the user’s real needs. For example, the term “fitness” is very generic and saturated with content, while “HIIT training for beginners” has a much more precise target and, consequently, a greater chance of generating relevant interactions.

Once you have identified the keywords, it is essential to use them correctly in the video. TikTok doesn’t just read the post description, but analyzes the visual text, audio and subtitles to identify the theme of the content and classify it accordingly.

How to take care of the texts that accompany and describe the videos

There is also work for copywriters, because – although strongly video-based – the platform also pays attention to the textual aspect, particularly in descriptions, subtitles and hashtags. Analyzing data, testing different approaches and actively responding to community interaction allows you to obtain concrete results and grow a profile organically and steadily.

The description that accompanies a video on TikTok can contain up to 2,200 characters, but the section visible to users in the feed is limited. For this reason, it is essential to include the most important keywords at the beginning of the description, avoiding relegating them only to the comments or the final parts of the text.

An effective caption must be clear and engagement-oriented, without being generic or redundant. Let’s compare two approaches:

• “New tutorial, I hope you like it! Let me know in the comments!”
• “Here’s how to create the perfect makeup base for combination skin in 3 easy steps! What’s your favorite contouring product?”

The second option is more effective both because it includes specific keywords and because it directly stimulates interaction.

TikTok also uses an advanced visual analysis system to interpret video content, which is why the text overlay contributes to the classification of the content . Inserting the keyword directly into the video, for example with a visible title, increases the likelihood that the algorithm will recognize it as relevant to that topic.

Similarly, subtitles are not only a help to accessibility, but also represent an additional signal that TikTok uses to understand and categorize content. If a video talks about “how to care for curly hair”, but this information is only present in the description and not in the text or audio, the algorithm may not classify it correctly.

Finally, hashtags are not filler, nor are they intended solely to increase generic visibility. Using the right mix of trendy generic hashtags and more specific and relevant hashtags helps content to stand out in internal searches and in suggested videos.

Mistakes to avoid and common problems

Even the best content can fall flat if mistakes are made that penalize visibility on TikTok. The platform’s algorithm is designed to favor the distribution of videos that are highly relevant to the audience, but small missteps can result in content not being indexed correctly, ending up hidden among billions of others or failing to reach the right audience.

Many creators focus exclusively on the quality of the video, but SEO on TikTok is not just a question of aesthetics: indexing errors, incorrect use of keywords and hashtags, or irregular publications can limit the dissemination of content even when it is potentially valid.

Videos not indexed or indexed with the wrong keywords

Not all videos on TikTok are indexed correctly. When content is uploaded, the platform analyzes the text, voice, hashtags and visual elements to understand the topic and place it in the most suitable feeds. If this categorization is not done correctly, the video may end up in a segment with a lowly relevant audience or even not appear in the platform’s internal searches.

A quick way to check the indexing of our videos is check the search bar: if a keyword closely related to the published content appears, we have been successful.

If it doesn’t appear or, worse, if a non-pertinent keyword is shown, it means that the algorithm has not correctly interpreted the topic.

Another sign that the video may not have been properly categorized is if it has not been included in the “For You” section, especially if the previous content regularly obtained significant views. If the video seems to have reached a plateau after a few hundred views, it is possible that it has been misinterpreted by the algorithm.

If a video is not found via search or is not being distributed correctly, there are a few things you can do to help:

• Analyze the title, description and hashtags: verify that the keywords are relevant and used naturally. A common mistake is using terms that are too vague or not contextualized.
• Use text in videos: Keywords inserted in text overlays and subtitles help TikTok to better categorize the content.
• Avoid editing the description after publication: Changing the text or removing hashtags after the video has been published can reduce its stability in the distribution of the algorithm.
• Observe user behavior: if the first viewers scroll quickly without interacting, TikTok may consider the video irrelevant and limit its distribution.

If all else fails, an extreme solution may be to remove the video and republish it, making sure to fix any problems before posting it again.

Hashtag overload and keyword stuffing

The strategic use of keywords and hashtags is essential for visibility on TikTok, but too much can have the opposite effect. Filling the description with keywords that are unrelated or continuously repeating the same hashtags does not improve the chances of ranking – on the contrary, it can confuse the algorithm and reduce the relevance of the content.

As mentioned, many creators make the mistake of inserting ultra-generic hashtags such as #FYP, #viral or #trend hoping for an increase in views, but these terms, being abused by millions of users, have almost no impact on content discovery. Furthermore, TikTok classifies videos based on a combination of hashtags, text keywords and user behavior: if these signals are not consistent, the video risks not being distributed to the right audience.

The algorithm rewards specificity and relevance: rather than saturating the post with unrelated hashtags and keywords, it is much more effective to choose 3-5 well-targeted hashtags that have a solid search volume and a real connection with the video content.

Irregular Posting and Loss of Momentum

TikTok works on a system of progressive learning. Each account builds a relationship with the algorithm, which keeps track of the publication frequency and average engagement. Publishing at an irregular frequency prevents the platform from building a stable distribution of content, gradually reducing the exposure of subsequent videos.

On TikTok, consistency is a sign of reliability. Accounts that post several times a week often gain more visibility than those that upload content sporadically. A long period of inactivity can mean that new videos take longer to gain momentum, with an initial distribution that is smaller than that of creators who post continuously.

Maintaining a regular publication schedule doesn’t mean pushing out forced content. It’s more important to have a sustainable editorial calendar, even if it’s limited to 2-3 posts per week, rather than alternating weeks with lots of videos and periods of inactivity.

Creating content not relevant to your niche

One of the most serious mistakes on TikTok is to publish content that does not fall within the niche of reference of your profile. The algorithm tries to identify precisely the theme covered by each creator, and if the production of videos is inconsistent, the account risks losing its identity in the eyes of the platform.

If today a profile publishes fitness content and tomorrow it switches to restaurant reviews, TikTok may struggle to categorize it, distributing the videos to an inconsistent target audience and reducing the ability to obtain organic interactions. This problem mainly affects novice creators, who experiment with different topics without a clear strategy.

To avoid this problem it is essential to define a niche and stick to it, working on content that reinforces the positioning of the profile in a specific category. If you want to explore a new theme, a more effective strategy may be to introduce it gradually, linking it to what is already working on your profile.

Consistency of content affects not only the algorithm, but also the audience. Users follow accounts for specific reasons: if a profile frequently changes topics, the community built up to that point may lose interest in the new content, complicating not only distribution, but also the level of general engagement.

How to optimize videos on TikTok, the basic actions

We have therefore realized that optimizing for TikTok requires the integration of several strategies that allow a video to reach the right audience and obtain effective distribution in the “For You” feed. Every element of the video, from the choice of keywords to the narrative structure, affects visibility and engagement, influencing the way the algorithm evaluates the content.

The first step to try and improve the ranking of a video on TikTok is to identify the most relevant keywords. The platform doesn’t work like a classic search engine, but carefully analyzes the terms used in the description, visible text and subtitles to understand the content and associate it with an interested audience. For this reason, including relevant keywords in the first lines of the caption helps the algorithm to correctly categorize the video, while the use of key terms in the overlay text or subtitles reinforces this association and improves the accuracy of distribution. In addition to direct research, you can take advantage of tools such as the TikTok Creative Center, which provides up-to-date data on emerging trends and terms, and study your competitors’ top-performing videos to identify common terms that frequently appear in the descriptions or texts visible in the videos.

The description should encourage interaction: asking users to comment, answer a question or save the video increases engagement signals, which are one of the main ranking factors for TikTok. Phrases like “What is your experience with this topic?” or “Write in the comments what you think” encourage participation and improve the distribution of the video. Furthermore, some studies on viral content show that videos with well-structured subtitles get more viewing time and engagement than those without.

At the same time, the choice of hashtags plays a strategic role: TikTok doesn’t work like Instagram, where there’s a logic of “coverage by volume”, and therefore inserting #FYP or #viral doesn’t help to obtain visibility, because they’re used indiscriminately. It’s useful to carefully select the most relevant ones, avoiding generic and overly competitive tags that don’t add value to the video’s ranking. An effective combination of hashtags includes both popular ones related to the niche of reference, and specific ones that help to intercept more targeted searches, using around 3-5 hashtags per video. A selection consistent with the content ensures that the video is shown to users who are really interested, reducing the risk that the algorithm will distribute the content to an audience that is not very engaged.

A third fundamental lever for optimization concerns the use of sound trends. The algorithm monitors which sounds are most used and interacted with by users, and tends to promote content that exploits popular sound trends. The easiest way to discover trending sounds is to explore the “Sounds” section within the platform: here we find an updated list of the most used tracks in the recent period, where we can find a track to use for our content in a coherent and relevant way, so as to make it part of an already consolidated trend and increase the opportunities for discovery.

Some creators experiment with multiple versions of the same content using different sounds to see which one generates the most engagement: this strategy allows them to test the impact of audio on distribution and adapt future content based on the results obtained. However, it should be remembered that not all viral sounds are suitable for every niche. If the content does not naturally integrate with a particular piece of music or audio effect, forcing its use can be counterproductive. It is always preferable to choose sound trends that are similar to your target audience, making sure that the content and audio are complementary.

Interventions to optimize the video structure

TikTok rewards content that captures attention quickly and keeps viewers watching until the end of the video: the structure of the content is therefore crucial to improve performance and maximize distribution.

The first 2-3 seconds of a video are the most important. If the viewer is not immediately engaged, they are likely to fast-forward, which the algorithm interprets as a lack of interest and penalizes the video’s distribution. For this reason, it is essential to start with an effective hook, for example with a direct question, a preview of the topic, a surprising statement or a visual element that arouses curiosity.

Duration also matters. There is no “ideal” time and much depends on the type of content, but on average videos between 7 and 15 seconds tend to get the best engagement rate, as they have a high completion rate. If the content requires more in-depth analysis, longer videos can be made, but without losing the rhythm and visual impact needed to keep the audience engaged.

Another crucial factor is the call to action. Directly encouraging users to comment, like or save the video helps improve engagement metrics, increasing the likelihood that the content will be shown to a growing number of people. Phrases such as “Save this video so you don’t miss it” or “Write about your experience in the comments” stimulate interaction and generate positive signals that TikTok uses to expand the reach of the video.

What “when” we publish can also make a difference: uploading a video when your audience is active increases the chance of getting immediate interactions, which are decisive in the first phase of distribution. Thanks to the insights data we can identify the times when followers are most active and develop an editorial plan to schedule content at the most strategic moments, improving its initial visibility and ability to climb the “For You” feed.

Furthermore, TikTok rewards consistency. A profile that posts regularly is more likely to see its content spread than one that uploads videos occasionally. The algorithm takes into account the publication history: those who post 3-5 times a week maintain stability in the distribution of videos, gradually improving performance.

Finally, no strategy is effective without analyzing the results. Analyzing TikTok data allows us to identify strengths and weaknesses in our content, correct mistakes and replicate what works. The platform provides detailed analytical tools with metrics such as average viewing time, engagement rate, impressions and interactions, all of which are essential information for understanding which content is really working. The completion rate is one of the most important parameters: the more users watch a video until the end, the greater the chance that the algorithm will show it to new audiences. A useful technique for identifying best practices for our channel is A/B testing: creating video variations with different titles, hashtags or descriptions allows us to identify which elements most influence performance.

Final checklist: what to do to maximize visibility on TikTok

Summarizing all these words, here is a practical and complete checklist to maximize visibility on TikTok and take full advantage of the platform’s algorithm.

1. Keyword research and selection

• Identify relevant keywords using the TikTok search bar.
• Consult the TikTok Creative Center to discover trends and emerging key terms.
• Analyze the content of the main creators in your niche to identify recurring keywords.
• Use long-tail keywords to intercept more specific searches.

2. Optimizing the caption and text in the video

• Include the main keyword in the first few words of the description.
• Write a caption that encourages interaction, for example with a question directed at the audience.
• Avoid generic text such as “New video! What do you think?” and focus on more detailed descriptions.
• Use text overlay in the video to reinforce the algorithm’s recognition of the topic.
• Insert subtitles containing the keyword to improve accessibility and search relevance.

3. Use strategic hashtags

• Avoid generic hashtags such as #FYP or #viral that don’t add value to the video ranking.
• Combine popular hashtags with niche-specific hashtags to appear in more targeted results.
• Limit the use of hashtags to 3-5 well-selected ones, instead of filling the description with irrelevant tags.

4. Pay attention to sound trends

• Choose trending sounds and music to increase distribution.
• Check out sections like “Popular Sounds” on TikTok to identify the most used music.
• Create variations of the same content with different sounds and see which ones receive the most engagement.

5. Effective content structure

• Careful attention to the opening hook: the first 2-3 seconds must immediately capture the attention of the user to prevent them from skipping the video.
• Optimal video length: content between 7 and 15 seconds tends to have a higher completion rate, a factor rewarded by the algorithm.
• Clear call to action (CTA): encourage users to interact with phrases such as “Save this video for later!” or “Write about your experience in the comments!” .

6. Consistent publishing schedule

• Maintain a regular publication frequency (at least 3-5 videos per week).
• Analyze the best times to post using TikTok insights and post at peak times for your audience.
• Maintain consistency in content, avoiding jumping from one topic to another without a clear strategy.

7. Performance monitoring

• Analyze TikTok insights to evaluate which content was most successful and why.
• Observe the video completion rate, which is a strong indicator of quality for the algorithm.
• Experiment with different video formats and types to see what works best with your audience.
• Record the data for each publication and do A/B tests, checking the impact of different hashtags, captions and formats.

SEO for TikTok: FAQs and main concerns

Optimizing content on TikTok requires method, experimentation and a good level of understanding of the dynamics of the platform; not a negligible element, strategies continue to evolve and therefore it is also necessary to learn to adapt to changes.

Intercept traffic from TikTok to Google

With SEOZoom you can find the keywords that bring TikTok videos to the SERP: seize the opportunity!

Find out more

The goal must be to move from the particular – improving the visibility of a single video – to the general, that is, to build a solid digital presence over time regardless of the number of followers you start with.

After addressing every aspect of TikTok SEO, it may be helpful to clarify some common misconceptions to avoid mistakes and set up an effective strategy.

1. What is SEO on TikTok and why is it important?

SEO on TikTok is a set of techniques used to optimize videos so that they are better understood by the algorithm and shown to a wider audience, both through the “For You” section and in internal searches on the platform. Unlike traditional SEO on Google, the key factors here are watch time, interactions, effective use of keywords and hashtags, and the thematic consistency of the account. Optimizing content on TikTok allows you to increase the visibility of your profile, grow organically without advertising investments and, in some cases, obtain visibility even in Google search results, where more and more TikTok videos are indexed and positioned.

2. How can you better position your videos on TikTok?

Ranking on TikTok is based on a series of key factors:

• Audience retention: the more a video is watched until the end, the more TikTok will distribute it.
• Engagement (likes, comments, shares, saves): the algorithm rewards videos that receive a lot of interaction.
• Relevance: content aligned with trends and the specific interests of the audience is more likely to be pushed in the “For You” section.
• Frequency and consistency of publication: posting regularly helps to maintain a steady distribution of content.

3. How can you increase traffic to your TikTok profile?

To generate more organic traffic and attract new followers, it’s essential to:

• Create valuable, useful or entertaining content to encourage sharing.
• Take advantage of viral trends, adapting the format to your content to intercept new users.
• Participate actively in the community, responding to comments and interacting with other creators through Stitch and Duet.
• Promote videos on other platforms, including TikTok in your social channels (Instagram, YouTube Shorts, Twitter).

4. How can you make a TikTok video more easily findable?

To increase the chances of a video being found on TikTok, it’s important to:

• Include keywords in the first few seconds of the video, in the overlay text and in the caption.
• Optimize the description by placing keywords at the beginning and creating engaging text that encourages user interaction.
• Use relevant hashtags, combining viral ones with more specific ones from your niche.
• Add subtitles and mention the keywords in the video audio as well to help the algorithm recognize the topic being discussed.

5. How to find the best keywords for TikTok SEO?

Identifying the right SEO keywords for TikTok is essential to improve the findability of videos. There are several useful methods for finding relevant keywords:

• Use the TikTok search bar: type in a general term and related search suggestions will appear, indicating the queries most used by users.
• Analyze competitors and successful creators in the same niche, checking which keywords they use in their descriptions and text overlays.
• Take advantage of the TikTok Creative Center, a useful resource for discovering emerging search trends and tendencies.
• Observe the most used hashtags in related searches to identify effective keywords to integrate into videos.

6. What are the best hashtags for visibility on TikTok?

Hashtags on TikTok help the algorithm categorize content and show it to the most interested users. To optimize their use:

• Avoid generic hashtags such as #FYP or #viral, which have millions of associated videos and do not guarantee greater visibility.
• Use 3-5 well-targeted hashtags, combining widely used ones with specific and less inflated hashtags.
• Choose hashtags that reflect the search intent of users, avoiding inserting too many to avoid confusing the algorithm.

7. What is the optimal video length for maximum visibility?

The perfect video length depends on the content, but some data confirms that shorter formats tend to be more successful.

• Videos between 7 and 15 seconds have the best completion and retention rates and are more easily distributed by the system.
• Longer content (30-60 seconds) can work if it has a dynamic rhythm and retains the viewer until the end, avoiding lapses in attention. This length is suitable for tutorials or more complex content.
• Videos over 60 seconds work best in specific niches, such as storytelling or niche insights. TikTok allows videos up to 10 minutes long, but these are only favored in special cases.

The most important element is not the duration itself, but the ability to keep the viewer until the end of the video. If a longer video retains the audience well, TikTok will reward it over shorter content with low engagement.

8. How important are trending sounds and music?

The use of viral sounds is one of the most important factors for organic growth on TikTok. The algorithm tends to push videos that use trending tracks, favoring their distribution in the “For You” feed.

To take advantage of this element:

• Consult the “Popular Sounds” section on TikTok to identify the most used tracks.
• Combine a trending sound with original content to increase user attention.
• Test different sounds to find out which ones generate the most engagement in your industry.

9. Does TikTok reward accounts with the most followers?

Unlike other platforms, TikTok does not base video distribution solely on the number of followers an account has, and each piece of content is treated individually. Even a new profile can get millions of views if a video is in line with the audience’s interests and has a good watch time.

This means that anyone can quickly climb the ladder on TikTok, even without an initial fanbase. However, building a community helps create a pool of loyal users, who can interact more often with videos and improve distribution over time.

However, a profile with many followers has indirect advantages: greater habitual engagement, community support and a more constant potential for virality.

10. Is there a tool for analyzing SEO on TikTok?

TikTok does not offer advanced SEO tools like those available for Google, but it does provide detailed data within the profile insights. TikTok’s Analytics Dashboard allows you to monitor:

• Where the traffic on the videos comes from (“For You” feed, profile, internal searches).
• Which content generates more interactions and which has a higher completion rate.
• What time the audience is most active, useful for planning publications.

For an analysis of trends and keywords, tools such as TikTok Creative Center offer useful data on the most searched topics. In addition, with a side-effect use of SEOZoom it is possible to monitor the visibility of TikTok videos in Google’s SERPs, using Social Opportunities to identify which content achieves “organic virality” and thus find new angles useful for your multi-channel strategies.

11. How long does it take to see results with SEO on TikTok?

Visibility times on TikTok can vary based on the frequency of publication, the quality of the content and the response of the audience. Some videos get immediate visibility, while others can take days or even weeks before being distributed in the “For You” feed.

A determining factor is the behavior of users in the first hours after publication: if the video generates rapid interactions and has a good completion rate, it can be pushed quickly. However, TikTok can also relaunch “dormant” content if the algorithm detects an increase in interest over time.

To obtain more predictable results, it is essential to maintain constant publication and monitor insights to understand which content works best.

12. How can you tell if a video has been indexed correctly?

TikTok does not provide direct indication of video indexing, but there are some signs that can confirm if a piece of content has been classified correctly:

• Internal search: the most immediate method is to search for your video using the main keyword in the TikTok search bar. If the video appears in the results, it means that it has been indexed for that keyword.
• Search bar suggestions: in some cases, TikTok displays related keywords below a video. This is a clue that the algorithm has correctly associated the content with a specific theme.
• Insights data: scrolling through the video’s advanced statistics and checking where the traffic comes from (searches, “For You”, profile) helps to understand if the video was discovered through internal queries.

If a video does not appear in searches or does not receive traffic, it may be useful to review the strategy of the keywords used in the video description and texts.

13. Can I apply TikTok’s SEO strategies to other social media platforms?

Although each social media platform has a different algorithm, many of the optimization strategies used on TikTok can also be applied to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, obviously with some key differences to keep in mind.

• Keywords and text in videos: as on TikTok, on YouTube Shorts too the algorithm analyzes visible text and audio to categorize a video. Using keywords in subtitles and text overlays helps content discovery.
• Hashtags and trends: Instagram and Facebook use a discoverability system similar to TikTok for Reels, so the correct use of hashtags and sound trends helps improve positioning on these platforms too.
• Engagement rate: on all platforms, video distribution is influenced by audience behavior. A high completion rate and quick interactions indicate that a video is relevant and facilitate its dissemination.

However, TikTok has a more aggressive algorithm for discovering new content, which makes organic growth easier for those starting from scratch compared to other social networks.