Written by
Julia CohenPosted 1 year ago
If you had a dollar for the number of times people mention a TikTok video in a day, youâd probably be pretty richâbecause there are so many videos, trends, and users that are completely embedded in pop culture by the platform. With millions of videos out there, finding the kind of content you want on TikTok can be a bit of a minefield. In todayâs toolkit, weâll show you how to search on TikTok.
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How to search on TikTok
To search on TikTok, hereâs what youâll need to do:
- Make sure you are on the Discover page, which you can get to by clicking the home icon at the bottom of your screen. The app usually opens on this page.
- In the top right-hand corner of your screen, click the magnifying glass icon.
- Start typing in the video, user, trend, sound, general keyword, etc. that youâd like to search for. Be as specific as you can!
- Select search and youâll be able to choose from âTopâ which displays accurately selected videos based on your term: âVideos,â âUsers,â âSounds,â âShop,â âLIVE,â and âHashtags.â
- If you donât know what to search for, TikTok will suggest search terms in the âYou may likeâ section.
As you can see in the steps above, there are different methods when it comes to how to search on TikTok. Here are our tips for each one:
How to search by trend on TikTok
Sometimes trends will have names like the âIce Bucket Challengeâ or âMain Character Trend,â but most of the time they wonât.
If you remember what happens in a TikTok trend youâve seen but canât remember the sound it uses, describe the video as accurately as possible in your TikTok search.
e.g.: âTrend where man is singing over a POVâ
@haleyybayleeNot gonna lie⌠Iâm still kinda into this filter tho đđđ⏠original sound â đ
How to search by sound on TikTok
If you know the name of the song youâre searching for, this one is easy. Most trends are set to a sound or song and this is how users find them. However, if you canât remember the sound name, you can get a little stuck. When searching for the sound, try describing it or the trend that uses the sound if you canât remember its name.
TIP: If you see a trend on TikTok while you are scrolling that you want to recreate, make sure to save the video, so you can come back to it later instead of relying on memory.
@thesavbananas TW: emotional âźď¸ #savannahbananas #baseballboys #baseball #ceilings #fyp㡠#trending #reels #parody #musicvideo #mlb #ceilingslizzymcalpine ⏠original sound â xxspeed.up.audiosxx
How to search for a user on TikTok
If youâre looking for a specific user whose content you like, all you need to do is type in their name or username to find them in the search.
However, if you canât remember, try and describe their content or the last video you saw of theirs.
e.g.: âGirl who makes seagull noises.â TikTok is usually accurate enough to point you in the right direction with its keyword search.
@ilovespicey #scargirl #fakescar #scargirlexposed #scargirlannie #scargirlvideo ⏠Forever â Labrinth
How to search for help or recommendations on TikTok
Maybe youâre not looking for a specific video or maybe you donât know quite what youâre looking for yet. You can also search for topics on TikTok, which will then suggest videos based on your search.
As an example, letâs say youâre looking for book recommendations in the true crime niche. Type âtrue crime booksâ or âtrue crime book recommendationsâ in the search bar and youâll discover lots of videos based around that niche with recommendations.
@truecrimecaitlyn Replying to @tamowen1710 @tamowen1710 my true crime book recommendations! let me know if you want recommendations for fiction crime books too!â¤ľď¸ #fyp #foru #truecrimebook #truecrimeuk #uktruecrime #ukcrimes #tedbundy #jonestown #elizabethsmart #chriswatts #truecrimebooks #crimebooks #booktok ⏠prolly my spookiest beat (slowed + reverb) â prodby668
How to appear in searches on TikTok
Now you know how to search on TikTok, letâs talk about how you can actually appear in searches. Unlike Instagram, TikTok can be a little tricky when it comes to a âmagic formulaâ for making sure your content is seenâoften it can feel quite random as to which videos end up going viral or becoming popular. There are a few tricks you can use to better your chances of appearing in specific searches.
Use the right hashtags
By categorizing your videos with hashtags that are trending and match the niche of your content, people who are interested in your content will find your videos easier. Look at the type of video you are posting or which niche you are in, and find hashtags that are trending around these topics.
Be more descriptive with your caption
Captions can be treated like âkeywordsâ on TikTok. If your caption describes your video or the trend you are jumping on, it will be more likely to appear in a search as TikTok will know exactly what your video is about.
Use closed captions
This is a great one especially if your video largely consists of you talking to camera or using a voiceover. You essentially get free searchable keywords in the form of closed captions, which likely describe your video as they take into account what you are talking about. This also helps let TikTok know exactly what your video is about and how it should appear in searches.
Make sure your video has a topic
This can be hard when you are creating a video based on a specific trend, but if your content has a searchable topic, it makes it a lot easier for it to appear in search results.
Use a trending sound
As with most TikTok content, sounds are quite integral to going viral. Whether your video is taking part in a trend or youâre just creating a normal piece of content, make sure to use sound/music. If youâre talking in your video, lower the sound volume so that your voice can still be heard, but youâll still appear in searches for the sound.
Flickâs tip: Trying to find trending sounds on TikTok? Click here to learn how to find the best ones for your content.
Create original content
TikTok penalizes content that is reposted, so be sure to create original videos on your account.
Stitch a popular video
Another great way to make sure you are appearing in searches on TikTok is by stitching or dueting a popular video to create a reaction or response. That way when people search for that video, itâs likely that yours could come up too.
We hope todayâs article gave you some food for thought, and actionable tips when it comes to searching for TikTok content and appearing in searches on the platform. To explore how you can maximize your social reach, click here to learn more. Be sure to make the most out of your content by clicking the banner below to start a free trial with Flick and get all the insights and tips into the analytics of your social accounts.
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