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Everything Marketers Need to Know

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Everything Marketers Need to Know

TikTok made a massive splash on the social media scene in 2016 and has only grown in popularity and capability since then. While some initially regarded it as a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon for teens, the platform now reports over 1 billion users worldwide, with over 150 million in the U.S.

Of course, marketers want to go where the people are – so brands that sat out the early days on the platform are starting to get involved. Now, the competition for your target audience’s attention is fiercer than ever before.

If you’ve decided it’s time to expand your presence on the platform, a good starting point is a TikTok SEO strategy. In this post, we’ll delve into everything you need to know about optimizing for organic visibility on TikTok from actionable tactics to ongoing analytics.
 

What is TikTok?

 
TikTok is an ultra-popular, short-form video content app. While a desktop version exists, the app is primarily mobile-based vertical videos. Creators can make videos up to 10 minutes in length and have an arsenal of video effects available to explore their creativity while boosting engagement. If you frequent platforms like YouTube or Instagram, you’ve likely seen a repost from TikTok with someone lip-syncing, dancing, dueting, or trying some type of viral challenge.

 

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In a recent Ted Talk interview, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew described the idealistic goal of TikTok being a community that provides people with “a window to discover, a canvas to create, and a bridge to connect.”

 

Why is TikTok SEO an Emerging Trend?

 

As users flock to the platform, brands and creators alike are naturally curious about maximizing their reach on the platform and building their audiences. While TikTok ads are always an option, there’s an increasing interest in a free way to boost your visibility: TikTok SEO.

One of the foremost reasons that brands are planning SEO strategies for TikTok is the platform’s ability to successfully appeal to Gen Z. Some experts even predict TikTok supplanting websites like Google among the Gen Z demographic – in 2022, a Google executive referenced an internal survey indicating 40% of their respondents (U.S. users aged 18-24) were likely to start their search journey on TikTok or Instagram instead of Google.

For brands targeting this core demographic, TikTok may be the best way to reach them, but it isn’t just the younger demographic pushing growth for the app. TikTok is appealing to various demographics and regions, demonstrating strong growth across older users. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that one day the general public may use TikTok’s search function to find anything from local restaurants to their new favorite household product.

Another reason TikTok SEO interest is increasing is that more TikTok videos appear directly on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). So, a TikTok search optimization effort doesn’t only improve visibility within the native TikTok platform, but can also help with visibility on mainstream search engines.

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As we consider macro trends for organic search, we anticipate results will continue to be increasingly visual. If TikTok videos begin to appear consistently on the Google SERPs – like YouTube videos and carousels do today – TikTok could take over a substantial portion of the SERP. And if brands don’t create and optimize content in this format, they’ll lose SERP real estate to brands that do.

The large number of users on the app could also shift user behavior over time, with individuals looking for more short-form video content as an easy way to digest information.

TikTok provides an entirely different search experience. For users who value social proof, want to see someone they know and like using the product, or go into detail about why they love a good or service, their results on TikTok can be much more compelling than a detailed blog post providing similar information.

As was the case previously with classic SERP features like “People Also Ask,” product listings, knowledge graphs, video carousels, and image carousels, SERP real estate is valuable.The more of it you can claim, the more likely it is you’ll turn knowledge-seekers on the search engine into customers of your brand.

The main thesis for SEOs to pay attention to this emerging trend is that TikTok is growing so large, so quickly, that Google can’t ignore it. In order not to have it significantly cut into its business, Google is likely to continue to integrate TikTok results to encourage users to continue searching with them to find the content they want.

We’ve already seen the introduction of YouTube shorts as Alphabet’s answer to this, and we don’t see this content format becoming less relevant in the near future.

If nothing else, the range of outcomes with TikTok is fascinating to marketers. Only time will tell if it will become an ecommerce titan to rival Amazon, a direct Google competitor in search, or face irrelevancy with an outright ban in the United States.  

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Knowing these potential outcomes, how your customers currently use the platform, and the tactics available, will help you determine how to approach TikTok SEO and paid campaigns.  
 

How to Use the TikTok Algorithm for Search Engine Optimization

 
While intimate details of TikTok’s algorithm haven’t been leaked recently like Twitter and Baidu, there are signals we know influence their recommendation system that increases the likelihood of being discovered in For You pages. 

Personalization heavily influences results, so no two users are guaranteed to see the same recommendations. Demographic details, such as age and region, factor into the algorithm, but the most significant inputs derive from how users interact with content on the app. Interaction signals are then applied through machine learning to cross-reference similar users and introduce related content the user might also like.  

If you’re just getting started, here are some of the most essential signals worth your attention. 
 

Use popular hashtags

 
Like other social media platforms, hashtags are critical in categorizing topical content. By incorporating hashtags relevant to your brand’s niche, you’ll increase your ability to be found by an audience likely to appreciate and engage with your content.
 

Work with influencers
 

While TikTok makes it easier to be discovered without starting off with a massive audience than some other platforms, partnering with influencers can still help boost your brand reach.

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Since authenticity is in the DNA of the platform, it’s crucial to partner with influencers who align with your brand voice and values.

Creating niche content that resonates with their followers increases the potential for virality with a single post more than on other social channels.

 

performance-influencer-guide

 

If you’re interested in finding out how to find the right influencers on TikTok, we recommend working with an influencer marketing agency that can guide you through the process and ensure your partnerships align with your campaign goals.

We also recommend incorporating this content onto your website when possible. If you have the usage rights to use the content on your website as well, then embedding influencer content into blog posts or other types of informational content on your site can maximize the investment of an influencer partnership.
 

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Use keyword-rich text on videos

 
TikTok uses straightforward keyword signals similar to website page titles and header tags. One of those signals is the text you can add to your videos. This readable text provides valuable context about your video’s content. It also increases the likelihood of showing up when users search for related topics or in the For You feed of interested users.
 

Put your keywords in captions

 
Another keyword signal is in the video captions. By including relevant keywords within the character limit for captions, you can reinforce keyword relevancy for your video. As with any keyword signal, you want to be precise with your keywords to describe the content accurately. Otherwise, you’ll end up frustrating your viewers.
 

Capture attention in 6 seconds or less
 

The human attention span is short, and on a platform with endless content merely swipes away, you have a short amount of time to hook your viewers. Whether your video is 10 seconds or 10 minutes, you need to grab attention immediately if you want people to take the ride with you.
 

Be trendy

 
Jumping in on trends is a great way to demonstrate brand personality and show you’re an engaged community member, not just an intruder trying to sell. Seeing what’s trending with your community and getting involved is a great way to excel with the engagement signals paramount to growing organic visibility on the platform.
 

Finding Popular Keywords & Hashtags for TikTok SEO

 
With how quickly trends come in and out on TikTok, the best place to find popular keywords and hashtags that capture the culture’s zeitgeist is on the Discover page. If you’re capitalizing on a popular trend, you can replicate the hashtags others are using. 

Or, if you’re building a community in a specific niche, use the hashtags that are resonating most with that audience to drive engagement.

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Influencer Pack 1

 

TikTok has a search bar that will provide some keyword suggestions as you begin typing, but you can also use the organic research tools you use for standard SEO activities. While the insights won’t be specific to the platform, they can be directionally helpful to incorporate into your video content.

As you create videos and get data from TikTok, you’ll be able to see if your SEO keyword research tools are helpful for your content or if you get better direction from your community on the app. 
 

Can TikTok Help with Your Website’s SEO?

 
Like YouTube videos, embedding TikTok content on your website can also increase your visibility directly on Google.

With several algorithm updates aimed at helpful content over the past few years, it’s clear Google is placing a premium on quality content in user-friendly formats. 

Google still prefers YouTube results over TikTok videos in most cases, but we could see this balance out in the future, especially if there are more lawsuits around Google’s competitive practices. Additionally, depending on the query type, especially those including “TikTok” in the query, there are more TikTok results in the SERP. 

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Similar to ChatGPT and the evolution of search with advances in generative AI, TikTok will likely create a big enough shockwave to carve out its own space in Google search, and result in opportunities to help your SEO program.
 

What Types of SEO Analytics Exist for TikTok?

 
TikTok offers three main categories of analytics to help you evaluate performance on the platform:

  1.     Overview
  2.     Content
  3.     Followers

 
In your profile, nested under the “Analytics” section of “Creator tools,” you can find metrics such as the total number of likes, comments, and shares your video has received. You can also view metrics like average watch time to see if users are falling off of your videos before completion. 

One of the most valuable sections is under the Follower tab, where you can see the times when your audience engagement is highest.

All in all, the in-platform analytics aren’t the most robust, but it’s helpful to provide direction on whether your content strategy 
 

Conclusion

 
TikTok’s growth trajectory and the macrotrend of increasing visual search results make TikTok SEO a topic you can’t afford to ignore.  

By incorporating short-form video as part of your content strategy, you’re not just capitalizing on a new tactic; you’re taking a future-looking step to continue providing the right content at the right time in the right format.

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Brands that consistently put in the effort to create quality content to meet their customer’s expectations will see more organic success, while brands that ignore it will slowly see their organic traffic dwindle as the landscape changes.

If you’re looking for an SEO team that stays on top of the relevant trends and can provide the technical and content strategy recommendations you need to be competitive in today’s landscape, reach out to our SEO services team or contact us today.

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How To Combine PR and Content Marketing Superpowers To Achieve Business Goals

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A figure pulls open a dress shirt to reveal the term PR on a Superman-like costume, reflecting the superpower resulting from combining content and PR.

A transformative shift is happening, and it’s not AI.

The aisle between public relations and content marketing is rapidly narrowing. If you’re smart about the convergence, you can forever enhance your brand’s storytelling.

The goals and roles of content marketing and PR overlap more and more. The job descriptions look awfully similar. Shrinking budgets and a shrewd eye for efficiency mean you and your PR pals could face the chopping block if you don’t streamline operations and deliver on the company’s goals (because marketing communications is always first to be axed, right?).

Yikes. Let’s take a big, deep breath. This is not a threat. It’s an opportunity.

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Reach across the aisle to PR and streamline content creation, improve distribution strategies, and get back to the heart of what you both are meant to do: Build strong relationships and tell impactful stories.

So, before you panic-post that open-to-work banner on LinkedIn, consider these tips from content marketing, PR, and journalism pros who’ve figured out how to thrive in an increasingly narrowing content ecosystem.

1. See journalists as your audience

Savvy pros know the ability to tell an impactful story — and support it with publish-ready collateral — grounds successful media relationships. And as a content marketer, your skills in storytelling and connecting with audiences, including journalists, naturally support your PR pals’ media outreach.

Strategic storytelling creates content focused on what the audience needs and wants. Sharing content on your blog or social media builds relationships with journalists who source those channels for story ideas, event updates, and subject matter experts.

“Embedding PR strategies in your content marketing pieces informs your audience and can easily be picked up by media,” says Alex Sanchez, chief experience officer at BeWell, New Mexico’s Health Insurance Marketplace. “We have seen reporters do this many times, pulling stories from our blogs and putting them in the nightly news — most of the time without even reaching out to us.”

Acacia James, weekend producer/morning associate producer at WTOP radio in Washington, D.C., says blogs and social media posts are helpful to her work. “If I see a story idea, and I see that they’re willing to share information, it’s easier to contact them — and we can also backlink their content. It’s huge for us to be able to use every avenue.” 

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Kirby Winn, manager of PR at ImpactLife, says reporters and assignment editors are key consumers of their content. “And I don’t mean a news release that just hit their inbox. They’re going to our blog and consuming our stories, just like any other audience member,” he says. “Our organization has put more focus into content marketing in the past few years — it supports a media pitch so well and highlights the stories we have to tell.”

Storytelling attracts earned media that might not pick up the generic news topic. “It’s one thing to pitch a general story about how we help consumers sign up for low-cost health insurance,” Alex says. “Now, imagine a single mom who just got a plan after years of thinking it was too expensive. She had a terrible car accident, and the $60,000 ER bill that would have ruined her financially was covered. Now that’s a story journalists will want to cover, and that will be relatable to their audience and ours.” 

2. Learn the media outlet’s audience

Seventy-three percent of reporters say one-fourth or less of the stories pitched are relevant to their audiences, according to Cision’s 2023 State of the Media Report (registration required).

PR pros are known for building relationships with journalists, while content marketers thrive in building communities around content. Merge these best practices to build desirable content that works for your target audience and the media’s audiences simultaneously.

WTOP’s Acacia James says sources who show they’re ready to share helpful, relevant content often win pitches for coverage. “In radio, we do a lot of research on who is listening to us, and we’re focused on a prototype called ‘Mike and Jen’ — normal, everyday people in Generation X … So when we get press releases and pitches, we ask, ‘How interested will Mike and Jen be in this story?’” 

3. Deliver the full content package (and make journalists’ jobs easier)

Cranking out content to their media outlet’s standards has never been tougher for journalists. Newsrooms are significantly understaffed, and anything you can do to make their lives easier will be appreciated and potentially rewarded with coverage. Content marketers are built to think about all the elements to tell the story through multiple mediums and channels.

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“Today’s content marketing pretty much provides a package to the media outlet,” says So Young Pak, director of media relations at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. “PR is doing a lot of storytelling work in advance of media publication. We (and content marketing) work together to provide the elements to go with each story — photos, subject matter experts, patients, videos, and data points, if needed.”   

At WTOP, the successful content package includes audio. “As a radio station, we are focused on high-quality sound,” Acacia James says. “Savvy sources know to record and send us voice memos, and then we pull cuts from the audio … You will naturally want to do someone a favor if they did you one — like providing helpful soundbites, audio, and newsworthy stories.”  

While production value matters to some media, you shouldn’t stress about it. “In the past decade, how we work with reporters has changed. Back in the day, if they couldn’t be there in person, they weren’t going to interview your expert,” says Jason Carlton, an accredited PR professional and manager of marketing and communications at Intermountain Health. “During COVID, we had to switch to virtual interviewing. Now, many journalists are OK with running a Teams or Zoom interview they’ve done with an expert on the news.”

BeWell’s Alex Sanchez agrees. “I’ve heard old school PR folks cringe at the idea of putting up a Zoom video instead of getting traditional video interviews. It doesn’t really matter to consumers. Focus on the story, on the timeliness, and the relevance. Consumers want authenticity, not super stylized, stiff content.”

4. Unite great minds to maximize efficiency

Everyone needs to set aside the debate about which team — PR or content marketing — gets credit for the resulting media coverage.

At MedStar Washington Hospital Center, So Young and colleagues adopt a collaborative mindset on multichannel stories. “We can get the interview and gather information for all the different pieces — blog, audio, video, press release, internal newsletter, or magazine. That way, we’re not trying to figure things out individually, and the subject matter experts only have to have that conversation once,” she says.

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Regular, cross-team meetings are essential to understand the best channels for reaching key audiences, including the media. A story that began life as a press release might reap SEO and earned media gold if it’s strategized as a blog, video, and media pitch.

“At Intermountain Health, we have individual teams for media relations, marketing, social media, and hospital communications. That setup works well because it allows us to bring in the people who are the given experts in those areas,” says Intermountain’s Jason Carlton. “Together, we decide if a story is best for the blog, a media pitch, or a mix of channels — that way, we avoid duplicating work and the risk of diluting the story’s impact.”

5. Measure what matters

Cutting through the noise to earn media mentions requires keen attention to metrics. Since content marketing and PR metrics overlap, synthesizing the data in your team meetings can save time while streamlining your storytelling efforts.

“For content marketers, using analytical tools such as GA4 can help measure the effectiveness of their content campaigns and landing pages to determine meaningful KPIs such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, lead generation, and conversion rates,” says John Martino, director of digital marketing for Visiting Angels. “PR teams can use media coverage and social interactions to assess user engagement and brand awareness. A unified and omnichannel approach can help both teams demonstrate their value in enhancing brand visibility, engagement, and overall business success.”

To track your shared goals, launch a shared dashboard that helps tell the combined “story of your stories” to internal and executive teams. Among the metrics to monitor:

  • Page views: Obviously, this queen of metrics continues to be important across PR and content marketing. Take your analysis to the next level by evaluating which niche audiences are contributing to these views to further hone your storytelling targets, including media outlets.
  • Earned media mentions: Through a media tracker service or good old Google Alerts, you can tally the echo of your content marketing and PR. Look at your site’s referral traffic report to identify media outlets that send traffic to your blog or other web pages.
  • Organic search queries: Dive into your analytics platform to surface organic search queries that lead to visitors. Build from those questions to develop stories that further resonate with your audience and your targeted media.
  • On-page actions: When visitors show up on your content, what are they doing? What do they click? Where do they go next? Building next-step pathways is your bread and butter in content marketing — and PR can use them as a natural pipeline for media to pick up more stories, angles, and quotes.

But perhaps the biggest metric to track is team satisfaction. Who on the collaborative team had the most fun writing blogs, producing videos, or calling the news stations? Lean into the natural skills and passions of your team members to distribute work properly, maximize the team output, and improve relationships with the media, your audience, and internal teams.

“It’s really trying to understand the problem to solve — the needle to move — and determining a plan that will help them achieve their goal,” Jason says. “If you don’t have those measurable objectives, you’re not going to know whether you made a difference.”

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Don’t fear the merger

Whether you deliberately work together or not, content marketing and public relations are tied together. ImpactLife’s Kirby Winn explains, “As soon as we begin to talk about (ourselves) to a reporter who doesn’t know us, they are certainly going to check out our stories.”

But consciously uniting PR and content marketing will ease the challenges you both face. Working together allows you to save time, eliminate duplicate work, and gain free time to tell more stories and drive them into impactful media placements.

Register to attend Content Marketing World in San Diego. Use the code BLOG100 to save $100. Can’t attend in person this year? Check out the Digital Pass for access to on-demand session recordings from the live event through the end of the year.

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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

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Trends in Content Localization – Moz

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Trends in Content Localization - Moz

Multinational fast food chains are one of the best-known examples of recognizing that product menus may sometimes have to change significantly to serve distinct audiences. The above video is just a short run-through of the same business selling smokehouse burgers, kofta, paneer, and rice bowls in an effort to appeal to people in a variety of places. I can’t personally judge the validity of these representations, but what I can see is that, in such cases, you don’t merely localize your content but the products on which your content is founded.

Sometimes, even the branding of businesses is different around the world; what we call Burger King in America is Hungry Jack’s in Australia, Lays potato chips here are Sabritas in Mexico, and DiGiorno frozen pizza is familiar in the US, but Canada knows it as Delissio.

Tales of product tailoring failures often become famous, likely because some of them may seem humorous from a distance, but cultural sensitivity should always be taken seriously. If a brand you are marketing is on its way to becoming a large global seller, the best insurance against reputation damage and revenue loss as a result of cultural insensitivity is to employ regional and cultural experts whose first-hand and lived experiences can steward the organization in acting with awareness and respect.

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How AI Is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy

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How AI Is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy

AI and startups? It just makes sense.

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