TikTok focussing on search and SEO

TikTok is moving it’s focus to online search

It might come as something of a surprise to many people to discover that TikTok is, in fact, giving serious competition to Google when it comes to its online search capabilities. That’s right; there is far more to TikTok than the popularity of its amusing video clips, and significant data is dispelling misconceptions about the platform’s usefulness to businesses. Major brands have already recognised this and are building a brand presence on this platform.

 

In terms of social media marketing, TikTok is one of the most misunderstood platforms out there. This means that too many businesses are, in fact, writing off what is potentially one of the most exciting social media platforms around at the moment. Are there really any businesses out there that can afford to miss out on potential marketing opportunities that could improve that all-important bottom line?

Statistics 2022-2024

When it comes to the demographic of TikTok, many of those responsible for marketing assume that it is far too young to be of any value to their organisation, particularly for B2B companies. It is true that the largest audience on TikTok is GenZ, but companies who believe that TikTok is only for teens should take another look, because the evidence very firmly suggests that this is not the case anymore.

 

As of April 2023, the largest group of users on TikTok was 18-24 year olds with 38.5%. However, those aged 25-34 were not lagging far behind at 32.5%. Those aged 36-55+ made up the remaining 29.1% of TikTok users.

This means that almost 30% of those who use TikTok are over 35 and another 33% are aged 25-34. Popularity amongst those who would be considered older users is growing. This is not the only trend that has challenged the perceived “norm”.

Internal data from Google also backs up these stats. In their 2022 survey they discovered that around 40% of those born between 1997 and 2002 had a preference for TikTok over Google when it comes to online search queries.

With TikTok gaining popularity across all age groups it stands to reason that their search function will also gain popularity.

Why might you choose TikTok?

TikTok offers some significant differences when it comes to usability which are very important for users. The three biggest reasons are:

  • The video format presentation of the results (69%)
  • The answers are more relatable (65%)
  • Answers are more personalised (47%)

In order to see why so many people are considering TikTok as their first option, let’s take a look at what TikTok is up to.

Search result formats

At the moment, TikTok is testing a range of different SERP formats so that they can see which ones users prefer. These formats will be prioritising both their ecommerce functionality and search engine capabilities.

It is clear that the format does have some resemblance to Google. It puts shopping first (important for both B2C and D2C brands), it has paid advertising above its organic contents, and it also includes suggestions such as “people also ask”. Marketing teams should be considering if there is a need for TikTok paid ads or a TikTok SEO strategy.

 

Reviews

In their quest to improve their position as a discovery and search platform, TikTok is now prompting its users to submit reviews for content where locations and destinations are included. This is not just for creator accounts but brands as well, and this move highlights the importance of having authentic content.

 

When a brand has a location tag placed on its content, users are encouraged to add reviews, and this isn’t a very new feature, reviews can be dated back to around October time. However, this is the first time they’ve shown on the app. There is a good chance that in the not too distant future a reviews tab may be added to the app. This is something that will help brands gain a good level of credibility and also trust with their audiences.

 

To make this a productive part of any marketing strategy it is important for marketers to consider the necessity of customer testimonials and reviews, and other user-generated content as part of a TikTok marketing strategy. They should also consider that, where possible, location tags should be added to content.

As well as reviews, location guides are being rolled out. This means that when a user clicks on a location within a video, they will be shown content that is similar. These searches will include for instance:

  • Top posts
  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Accommodation
  • Shopping
  • Parks

This means that for those brands who are involved any of the following industries this represents a huge opportunity to promote themselves:

  1. Hospitality
  2. Entertainment
  3. Travel

In order to use this opportunity to its fullest businesses in these industries need to consider how they rank for key sections in these guides and that they have clear branding in place to ensure that content is visible  If businesses use all of the tools that TikTok puts at their disposal then they can significantly improve their reach and visibility through the platform.