Uncovering the working principle and recommendation algorithm of TikTok search algorithm

What is Tik Tok SEO?

Before talking about what Douyin SEO is, let’s briefly talk about the Douyin tool.

Tik Tok is a music-based creative short video software. Launched on September 20, 2016, it is a music short video community platform for all ages . In December 2019, Douyin was selected as one of the 100 model brands at the 2019 China Brand Power Festival. Daily active users have reached 400 million !

Tik Tok advertising promotion SOLGN: Meet a better life!

From the above introduction, I believe you should agree that Tik Tok is a platform that cannot be ignored in terms of influence or traffic. Now it’s the fourth year, and it’s not easy to do it well. But, do you know? Baidu has been established for 20 years, and there are still people generating Baidu search traffic!

What is Tik Tok SEO? Applying the cross-platform SEO thinking in SEO thinking means optimizing the search ranking of Douyin.

SEO means search engine optimization, and everyone involved should know it. Baidu SEO is Baidu search engine optimization. You may ask, when did Tik Tok become a search engine? In fact, Tik Tok is not only a search engine, but also a recommendation engine!

Baidu can be understood as a comprehensive search engine, such as searching for images, text, videos, sounds, etc. You can understand Tik Tok as a vertical short video search engine. For example, there are vertical ones like Docin and Chinese document search.

So how to do Tik Tok SEO? Please continue reading.

Working principle and application of Tik Tok search algorithm

Before we talk about how to do Douyin SEO, we must first understand how the Douyin search algorithm works. Well, just like when we do Baidu SEO, we need to first understand the working principles of Baidu search engine.

Why does Tik Tok need a search algorithm? On the one hand, this is because there are at least millions of user videos released every day, which is a huge amount. On the other hand, users are vague about their needs, so they need.

Because the TikTok platform itself processes text, sound, images, and content in videos uploaded by users, and at the same time, TikTok users use it to find content, influencers, and music needs, TikTok SEO came into being.

The key point of the video above is that user needs are vague, did you know? The core of SEO is to solve user pain points and needs, which will bring you traffic and conversions. User needs are vague, so let me give you a simple example.

For example, there is a music called "An Old Dream" on Douyin which is very popular. What about the user? If he/she types "old dream" into Douyin, do you know what he/she is looking for? Is it a musical dubbing of an old dream? Still an Old Dream short video, Still an Old Dream author Mou Youyou?

If you don’t search, you definitely won’t know, so you definitely won’t be able to find the most accurate needs. Well, it’s very simple, as shown in the picture, you will know the user needs. Thanks again for the TikTok search history reminder!

In fact, this is SEO thinking! What kind of thinking is it? Keyword thinking and user demand thinking in SEO. If you make special effects materials, or teach dance, then you may get search traffic if you post related videos with this keyword. As shown below:

The default search on Tik Tok is a comprehensive sort. In fact, you can also find the videos you want to imitate by selecting the latest and hottest ones. There is also a time sorting function, so you can find videos within the most recent specified time.

How to use Tik Tok SEO?

Here are four main processes for you:

1. Find keywords for user needs

Regarding finding keywords for user needs, we recommend that you search on the platform where you do it. If a third-party tool has already extracted the keywords, you can also use that tool to analyze them. (For example, Baidu SEO has Baidu Keyword Planner or webmaster keyword tools).

Why should we search directly on the platform we are on? Because the search habits of users on each platform are different. For example, on Baidu, Taobao, or WeChat, user searches may be different. For example, the search results for the word Huawei mobile phone on Baidu and Taobao are completely different. I believe you can understand.

Okay, how do I find it on TikTok? First you have to use the root word . What is a root word? Simply put, we can understand a word by participle, for example, the root word of Xiaomi mobile phone is small, rice, hand, and machine. Of course, you don’t need to be so detailed about Douyin. As long as you understand the business, you can find it step by step.

For example, I want to generate traffic for middle-aged and elderly people. They may like old songs, so use "old songs" to search instead of "old" or "song". The words found in this way are the words to be laid out later and are organized into an EXCEL table for future use.

2. Analyze your competitors

As for analyzing competitors and how to find them, I have actually already written above. That is to use the latest or hottest sort in the Tik Tok search results to find the latest videos with high likes and the top few hot videos.

How to analyze it after finding it? The main analysis includes: account name, account profile (positioning), video title, video topic tags, video content (cover, ending, length, plot, etc.), number of videos, user comments, etc. Let’s continue with the example of old songs (I have no vested interests in the examples below).

Let me tell you, when you see the article search, tell the editor that this is not it, this is sorted according to your search at that time. That’s why the official said that the working principle of Douyin search is not static.

How do we analyze whether the content is good or not? How to judge whether it is good or not is not whether you think it is good or not, but whether the users think it is good or not. I suggest you read a few more articles, including the top three of the same type, to find the common points.

3. Create content that meets user needs

Content that satisfies user needs, this is TikTok, oh, not just TikTok, Baidu search, even this public account article I wrote has this original intention!

Regarding producing content videos that meet user needs, generally speaking, those produced by a team are more likely to become popular than those produced by an individual. Individuals become popular only occasionally. Many videos like Yichan Little Monk opening a box without thinking have become popular.

This requires a lot of energy and time. What’s more, the painful thing is that the video you put a lot of energy into may not necessarily go viral!

How to produce it? For a film like ours that we shoot casually, how many people can write the script? What, what is a script? If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know. Then there is also the possibility of shooting short videos. For example, a well-known EXCEL tutorial has a script for shooting videos.

4. Layout keywords

Well, here comes the most important part of Douyin SEO.

When we talk about keyword layout, we are mainly referring to the layout in the title or topic tags when you publish the video. Of course, if your account also does this business, you can name your account this.

For example, the collection of classic old songs has almost been registered, haha.

The title contains keywords or long-tail keywords. This is simple to understand, such as:

The top ten classic old songs that people born in the 80s must listen to, each one is a classic!

The order of these keywords doesn’t really matter, just include them. Speaking of tags, if your title doesn’t include it, it counts as including the topic tag. Example:

This song will make men silent and women cry! #Classic Old Songs#

Does the phrase "men are silent and women are in tears" sound familiar to you? There were too many titles of articles in public accounts with this kind of title in the past. Can it be used in the video? Of course you can. Of course, the label can be placed in the front or back. Of course, it doesn’t mean that if you read what I wrote about Douyin SEO, your video will have traffic and become popular. It’s not like that. The core of Tik Tok is its recommendation algorithm!

Understanding Tik Tok recommendation algorithm

Now that we have discussed the working principle of the TikTok search algorithm, let’s talk about what the TikTok recommendation algorithm is and how to use it?

In fact, it is not just the Douyin SEO that is being written about now, such as Baidu SEO and Google SEO. Many people come to ask how to do it and how to get started. In fact, Baidu and Google have officially released search engine webmaster guides, but few people have read them, especially few who have carefully understood and read a few articles!

It's not just laziness, it's also an attitude towards the matter. Many people treat it as a job. You want me to make Tik Tok, right? So I just shoot and post it. I haven't even looked for or read the most basic requirements and rules. So some people asked me why the video I submitted failed the review.

If you use a knife as a prop, or stand on the top of an 88-story building to shoot a video, it would be strange if you can post it successfully. The official TikTok has indicated that danger or life-threatening content is not allowed. You think it's exciting, right?

Allow me to quote a famous quote and show off. There are a thousand Hamlets for a thousand readers! So, when you see the recommended algorithm above, everyone has a different understanding. When it comes to watching videos, there are a thousand different feelings for every thousand people who watch them.

Awesome glass Tik Tok, based on big data, combines 1 out of 1000 people with 1 out of another 1000 people and the other 1 out of the other 1 to form 1000 people with the same interests and hobbies. So you will find out how Tik Tok knows that I like to look at ancient beauties. In fact, big data betrayed you, haha.

As a side note, I'm currently watching "Westworld 3", in which intelligent robots counterattack humans. Well, I don't know if it's possible in the future. But things like Tik Tok are actually quite scary, hahaha.

How to use Tik Tok's recommendation algorithm to get more traffic to your videos, or even make them popular? Read on.

How can Tik Tok become popular?

This article about how to play Tik Tok was written two years ago and became popular on another public account with less than 500 followers. Now it has been read over 6,500 times. You can read the article in the related recommendations at the end.

Then, let’s write a paper combining the recommended algorithms above and the latest observations. Why add the word " possibly "? Because even if you do what is said below, it is only possible. Because the TikTok recommendation algorithm is not so easy for you to master, this is the core of TikTok as a platform!

According to the Tik Tok algorithm, the first five video works of all new accounts are the key to determining the initial weight of the account. The higher the user feedback data obtained in these five videos, the higher the initial weight. For example, the three works released in the early stage of WeChat Video Account are also very important!

In addition, it is said that videos posted by new Tik Tok accounts are more popular in the system and are easier to recommend than those posted by old accounts.

For example, after the new TikTok determines the initial weights of the first five videos, the following four main factors will affect the weights of subsequent accounts. That is, the number of views (completion rate), number of likes, number of comments and number of reposts. The importance of these four factors from high to low is: playback volume (completion rate) > likes > comments > reposts.

How to improve the completion rate?

1. The beginning needs to be quick: Users may only need 3 seconds to decide whether to continue reading. If the beginning is dragged out, most users will leave.

2. If it is the structure of a script, it should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Even if it is a one-minute script or a stand-up script, there should be suspense/negation/questioning/experienced expectations to keep users interested in reading on.

3. Pay attention to choosing good soundtrack. Use more popular music on Tik Tok, and the data will usually be much better than without any music.

4. The picture quality of your short video is good. It should be clear and advanced, never low-level. Tik Tok users are generally young, so if something is too earthy, the user rejection rate may be relatively high.

How to increase interaction rate?

The so-called interaction rate mainly refers to how high the user's intention to comment on your video is. The more effective ways to increase interaction rate are as follows:

Make interesting or informative comments in the comment section. Tik Tok users actually like to read great comments. The comment sections of many videos are very exciting and may even be more interesting than the videos themselves. Hahaha.

You can pre-buried 3 or so comments in the message area, which can be questioning the topic or making jokes. In short, the focus is to attract users to stay and take a look, attract users to pay attention to the comment area and even directly participate in the topic discussion. This can increase the interaction rate, as well as the completion rate and duration of stay.

In addition to the above two cores, there are 5 more specific operations on Douyin for your reference:

1. Choose to publish videos during the peak hours of user activity, usually in the morning, noon, and evening. One hour before work in the morning, 1-2 hours break at noon, and after get off work in the evening before going to bed.

2. Take advantage of official or regular hot spots. You know, for example, today is the college entrance examination, someone has already sent it out in advance.

3. Use more popular music on Tik Tok. For example, the Old Dream Time which is still popular recently, I also posted one, although I am not popular, hahaha.

4. More @TikTok assistants. I used to @, but now I @ less. If your content is good, you can @ha.

5. Position in popular business circles. I believe you understand this, because there are many people near popular business districts. For example, Chunxi Road in Chengdu where I went to college, West Lake or the Southern Song Dynasty Imperial Street in Hangzhou where I work now, Nanjing Road in Shanghai, etc.

OK, I wrote another 4000+ words, and it took me nearly four hours to organize the materials and write. If you think it’s good, please share it with friends in need if convenient.

Author: Bai Yangseo

Source: Baiyang SEO Optimization Tutorial ( baiyangseo ）

Related reading:

In-depth analysis of Tik Tok’s recommendation algorithm!

Douyin recommendation review mechanism, see here!

How to use Tik Tok recommendation algorithm to build brand?

Tik Tok Promotion: The Secret of Tik Tok’s Recommendation Algorithm!

Do you want to know more about the "TikTok recommendation algorithm" that is said to be magical?