I occasionally find helpful videos on TikTok in between the AI trickery of bunnies hopping on trampolines and QVC-esque sellers pushing products. TikTok continues to operate as a visual search engine, giving brands the opportunity to be what their audience is searching for by prioritizing SEO and collaborating with creators in their niche.
Using TikTok As a Search Engine
TikTok has become my research tool for very specific things–not all things, as I haven’t totally outsourced my thinking to a machine yet. Beyond using it for recipes, clothing recommendations, and craft tutorials, I also rely on it to find locals’ recommendations when traveling.

I relied on TikTok recommendations on a recent working trip to New York City. My queries ranged from more general, “best coffee shops in nyc,” to specific, “gluten free bakery in midtown nyc.” The videos inspired an entire list of places to go saved in my Google Maps app. I was then able to plan my days around a cluster of places I wanted to visit in each area of the city.
The videos that I saw influenced several stops throughout my week. They inspired me to visit Modern Bread and Bagel, Noglu, CAVA, Chopt, Julietta Gelato Cafe, and the Palace Restaurant. All of these places turned out to be delicious and fulfilled their specific purpose in the moment.

Modern Bread and Bagel gave me a delightfully indulgent gluten free s’mores cinnamon roll, CAVA gave me a healthy meal on the go for less than $15, and the Palace Restaurant was the perfect NYC diner meal with an expansive gluten free menu. I can confidently say that these TikTok recommendations added to my joyful moments on this trip in between aimlessly wandering around the city and seeing what I would find.

Brand Collaborations with Creators
The way people use TikTok as a search engine combined with the ever-growing pool of high-quality content creators to choose from creates a great opportunity for brands to reach niche audiences. On the flip side, it also inspires creators to pitch the brands they already love to post about.
If your brand is searching for creators to collaborate with, here are a few things to keep in mind:
What Are People Searching For?
Since TikTok is essentially functioning as a video search engine, I invite you to consider prioritizing SEO when posting content.
What are people searching for that would lead them to your brand?
For me, the connection was obvious: the search for gluten free bakeries led me to Modern Bread and Bagel and Noglu. For your brand, the search could be more or less specific.
There will be obvious search terms that lead to your brand and not so obvious through lines. Consider them all when researching content and requesting to work with creators. These keywords can then be used naturally in your caption, on-screen text, and in the video itself.
Disclaimer: I’m not suggesting that every video needs to be overly keyword driven, but rather giving you ideas for how you could start capturing new traffic on TikTok by incorporating SEO into some of your videos.
Find Who’s Already Making Relevant Content
The best partners are often creators who are already talking about relevant topics for your brand. I noticed the same creator kept popping up for me for gluten free food in New York City. I watched so many of her videos about gluten free restaurants, bakeries, and more, some that she’d been going to for years since her dad is gluten free.
Instead of trying to force partnerships based on someone that has a high follower count, look for the creators who are already posting about topics relevant to your business. You can also search for creators who are local to you or fit another demographic that’s important to your brand.
Follower Count Doesn’t Matter As Much As You Think
Follower count is no longer the most important social media metric. It doesn’t dictate the reach that individual posts can have.
The videos I watched to find local food recommendations ranged in views and likes, from the tens of thousands down to less than one hundred. Some of the videos were recent and others were more than one year old. I didn’t follow any of the people whose videos I watched while in New York. Especially on TikTok, many people watch videos without ever following that creator.
Don’t let a creator’s “low” follower count discourage you from partnering with them. Follower count doesn’t dictate their reach or engagement. Micro-influencers often have the most engaged and trusting audiences.
Start Using TikTok As A Search Engine
Incorporating SEO on TikTok and in your creator collaborations can be a great way to reach highly engaged audiences. Whether you’re on the brand side or the creator side and considering a collaboration, go for it! You never know what good could spring from a new partnership.
There’s always more to read–find more musings from me on marketing, books, and more.