Grow your brand on TikTok using Search Data

On TikTok, search powers discovery, enabling users to find, consume and interact with content they're interested in. Therefore, having access to reliable search data at scale is key for brands looking to build a data-driven strategy aimed at growing their presence on the platform and at connecting with audiences through Search.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to leverage TikTok search data for growth, providing a practical example with Loop Earplugs’ leading strategy, and show you how you can get access to search data at scale.

How to Use TikTok Search Data for Growth

Being discoverable is key to reach the right audience through Search and grow a brand on TikTok. This means that your goal should be for your content and profile to appear on top of search results each time your audience looks for relevant topics in your niche. To achieve this goal, you should focus on five essential tasks:

• Content Strategy: Analyse search trends to determine the topics, formats, and styles your target audience engages with most, and create content that matches their interests.
• Content Gaps Identification: Ensure your content directly addresses user needs and matches their search intent by identifying the most popular search queries in your niche for which relevant content is still missing. Create content that meets user demand.
• Keyword Research: Identify the exact keywords users input when looking for content in your niche. Analyse their popularity, competition level, and context of use to prioritise high-impact keywords. To learn more about how to conduct keyword research, check out this article on our blog.
• Competitor Insights: Evaluate competitors’ high-performing content, identify gaps in their strategy and opportunities to differentiate your brand. Understand what keywords and search terms competitors are targeting and how effective they are in doing so.
• Hashtags Optimisation: Select relevant, high-ranking hashtags to increase discoverability and target specific audience segments. Read more about how to effectively use hashtags here.
• Influencer Partnerships: Find creators to collaborate with that are consistently ranking on Search for relevant topics in your niche, leveraging their search relevance to amplify your presence.

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TikTok search data is an invaluable tool to achieve this goal, as it provides you with:

1. What search queries and keywords users are actively searching for on the platform, giving you a direct line to their interests and intentions.
2. What the top results are for each search query as well as their performance metrics, providing you with insights on what content your target audience engages with, who the top ranking creators are in that niche, and what performance metrics you should aim at in order for your content to appear in the top results for a specific search query.

With these information, creators and brands can source inspiration for their content, build their creative strategies to meet audience interests and demand, and create content that people want to see more of. Ultimately improving discoverability and building a stronger presence on the platform.

Loop Earplugs is a great example of how powerful a content strategy based on search data can be. They effectively harnessed TikTok's search data to inform and refine their content strategy, resulting in significant brand growth. Below we illustrate their approach.

Loop Earplugs’ Leading TikTok Strategy

Loop Earplugs, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand focused on promoting noise-cancelling earplugs, successfully leveraged TikTok search data to enhance their brand presence and drive conversions.

Using this data, Loop Earplugs were able to:

1. Tailor their content to align with popular search queries, ensuring their videos were matching their target audience intent.
2. Optimise their videos for the TikTok algorithm by including relevant search terms, long-tail keywords and hashtags resulting in their content dominating search results.
3. Identify successful creators in the wellness and lifestyle spaces who were ranking for relevant keywords, leading to successful collaborations that increased brand awareness.

As a result, Loop Earplugs experienced a significant uptick in engagement and conversions. Their targeted content strategy, backed by search data, allowed them to connect with their audience more effectively and build a stronger brand presence on TikTok by dominating search results in their niches.

Below we highlight some specific examples that illustrate their approach.

Identifying High-Impact Topics through Search Queries

TikTok's search functionality serves as a window into users' interests, doubts and questions. Loop Earplugs effectively used search data to pinpoint topics their audience cared about and identify use-cases to target.

Analysing related searches to the general terms like “earplugs” highlighted user interest in use cases and niche terms like earplugs for noise reduction, for sleeping, for plane and for ADHD, revealing a significant demand for solutions to different problems. Recognising this, Loop positioned their products as practical tools for managing these challenges, creating content tailored to these different themes.

For example, they partnered with UGC creators and influencers to share videos directly addressing the pain points related to sensory overload surfaced in search queries, earning engagement from targeted audiences. A lot of videos featured the messaging "Why Loop Earplugs are a Game-Changer for ADHD". This earned Loop Earplugs not only top search results on TikTok, but also on Google.

Creating Content That Answers Frequently Asked Questions

Search data highlighted common queries, doubts or misconceptions about earplugs, enabling Loop to craft educational content that preemptively answered these questions. This approach built trust and eliminated barriers to purchase. For example:

• Tutorials like "How to Choose the Right Loop Earplugs for You" were inspired by queries such as “best earplugs for concerts” or “earplugs for sensory issues”.
• Explainer videos addressed the doubt on “Why Loop earplugs don’t block all sound?” directly addressing raising concerns about functionality while emphasising their ability to reduce, not eliminate, noise.

Tracking Community and Niche-Specific Interests

Through search data, Loop identified emerging communities discussing their needs on TikTok. Search data showed an overlap between ADHD-related hashtags like #adhdprobs, #neurodiversity and search terms like “noisecanceling solutions”. This insight guided Loop to collaborate with creators in the neurodivergent space, amplifying their reach within these communities.

For example, in collaboration with creator @mindovermatter, Loop featured a video captioned "Experience the Calming Difference with Loop Earplugs for Sensory Overload" highlighting the benefits for individuals with ADHD.

Timing Content with Trending Searches

Loop stayed agile by tracking surges in search trends. When events like festivals or exams spiked searches for “noise-canceling earplugs” or “study concentration tips” they created timely, relevant content.

For example, Loop launched campaigns around “The ultimate festival must-haves” targeting searchers looking for practical gear for loud environments.

Amplifying User-Generated Content Using Search Metrics

Loop encouraged user-generated content (UGC) by promoting popular hashtags identified through search data, fostering community engagement and authentic promotion.

Optimising Content and Ads Based on Search Data

TikTok's search metrics gave Loop granular insights into what audiences were searching for at different stages of the buyer's journey. Loop used this data to:

• Refine Ad Targeting: Ads highlighted specific use cases (e.g. “earplugs for concerts” or “travel-friendly ear protection”) to align with search terms.
• Test Content Formats: Content that reflected user searches, such as “before and after” demonstrations or humorous skits around common noise-related frustrations, resonated strongly and increased conversions.

For example, Loop's targeted ads focusing on specific use cases, such as "earplugs for concerts" resulted in a 50% reduction in cost per acquisition (CPA) and doubled their conversion rate (CVR).

Loop’s TikTok success highlights the transformative potential of leveraging search data effectively. Now, let’s explore where you can access this data at scale to power your own TikTok growth strategy.

How to get TikTok Search Data

Accessing TikTok search data is essential for building a data-driven content strategy that enhances your brand's visibility and engagement on the platform. ShortFormData offers a comprehensive solution by providing access to TikTok search data at scale.

For example, with ShortFormData you can:

• Identify Content Gaps: Discover topics your audience is searching for that lack sufficient content, allowing you to create videos that fulfil unmet needs.
• Conduct Keyword and Hashtag Research: Access detailed keyword insights to enhance your video metadata, improving your chances of ranking higher in search results.
• Analyse Competitors: Examine top-ranking videos and strategies of your competitors to understand what works and identify areas where you can differentiate your content.

ShortFormData enables you to make informed decisions that align with audience interests and demands, ultimately driving growth and success on TikTok.

Conclusion

To succeed on TikTok, data-driven decisions are essential. Accessing TikTok search data is key for brands, creators, and agencies looking to drive growth on the platform. By accessing reliable search data at scale, you can optimise your content strategy and identify key opportunities to grow a stronger brand presence.

If you're ready to take your TikTok strategy to the next level, start exploring how our platform provides the most detailed search data on the market.