The daily TikTok hashtag search can feel like one of the more challenging parts of succeeding on TikTok. Like most social media channels, TikTok uses hashtags as both a sorting and navigational tool. The hashtags you place in your captions help you to get in front of the right audience and determine where you’ll appear on the TikTok “For You” page.
While there are some tags which seem to appear on virtually every TikTok post, like #FYP, you won’t get far using just a handful of trending hashtags in each post.
Improving your reach on TikTok, generating and engagement, and creating new opportunities for conversions means investing in the right #hashtag strategy.
Here’s what you need to know to get started.
Why You Should Use Hashtags On TikTok
First, let’s cover why the TikTok hashtag search is such an important part of your posting strategy.
Though TikTok might be one of the newest social media platforms, it still leverages a lot of the standard social media tools and strategies we’ve seen from older platforms, like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. This means #hashtags are still a big deal.
While the TikTok algorithm (how the platform ranks posts), is still something of a mystery, most people believe hashtags do play an essential part in which posts get the post attention. The better your hashtag choices, the more eyes you’ll get on your content.
Perhaps even more importantly, hashtags are often the foundation of crucial trends on TikTok. Trends are what ensures anyone (no matter how many followers they have) can go viral with a TikTok post. Create a hashtag challenge like the #EyesLipsFace challenge from ELF, and you get people talking about your brand, increasing your reach, and engaging with your profile.
Hashtags also ensure people on TikTok can find your content, as anyone who clicks on or searches for a specific tag can see all content labelled with that tag – similar to most social media channels. Pick hashtags similar to the ones your customers already follow, and you’re also more likely to end up on the “For You” page, where TikTok recommends content it thinks users will like.
6 Tips To Conducting A TikTok Hashtag Search
Because TikTok is still in its “growth” stage as a social media platform, it’s often difficult to know for certain which hashtags are going to be the most successful. Fortunately, there are ways to refine your TikTok hashtag search to improve your chances of finding the right tags.
- Use The Discovery Tool
Virtually all social media platforms have a search function, and TikTok is no exception. The “Discovery” tool is where you can check out some of the latest content trending on TikTok. This is usually a mixture of different videos getting a lot of views and engagement.
To visit the Discovery page, just click the “Discover” option on the web or tap the magnifying glass on the bottom left of your account page. The Discover page shows you which hashtags are getting the most attention right now.
Browse through the hashtags available to determine which ones make the most sense for your brand. Remember, if you find a hashtag challenge, there’s always an option to mix things up by adding your unique flair to the challenge.
- Take Notes From Top Influencers
While a lot of people are still figuring out how to master TikTok, there are a handful of creators out there who already know exactly how the platform works. TikTok influencers aren’t just a great tool for improving your reach, they can also be a source of education and inspiration.
You can use a TikTok user search tool to track down TikTok influencers with the biggest impact in your industry, by searching for names connected to a specific term. There’s also the option to simply search through some of the trending content on TikTok to see which creators always seem to be getting the most attention.
Once you’ve found a TikTok influencer connected to your industry and target audience, pay attention to the kind of content they share, and the hashtags they most frequently use. Listing some of the trending hashtags popular among influencers in your videos could help you to rank higher, as users can click on hashtags to see other similar content.
- Check What Hashtags Competitors Are Using
While you might not want to copy/paste your competition’s entire TikTok strategy, you can definitely use them as a source of inspiration. After all, your competitors are targeting the same audience as you, so there’s a good chance their hashtags will be relevant for you, too.
There’s a good chance you already know some of the competitors you have in your niche, so see whether they have a TikTok account, and pay attention to what they post. It’s also worth looking into which other companies your followers are checking out regularly on TikTok, as there may be some competitors on the platform you're not aware of yet.
When using TikTok for business growth, remember to add your own spin on anything you take for inspiration. Bringing your own personality into your videos will help make you stand out among potential followers.
- See What’s Currently Trending
As mentioned above, you can use the Discover page to check out what’s currently trending throughout the whole of the TikTok platform. However, one excellent way to make sure you get the right kind of inspiration, is to visit the “For You” page.
The “For You” page is packed with content similar to what you’ve viewed and liked in the past. This means you can see trending posts related to your niche, and the social media content you want to create. Check out the top trending hashtags on the “For You” page and add them to your list of potential tags to use.
Another way to find out what’s trending is to check out trending topics on other social media platforms. There can sometimes be a significant overlap between channels like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and so on.
- Create Your Own Custom Hashtag
While your TikTok hashtag search should definitely involve searching for which tags and challenges are currently trending, it’s important not to focus on trending tags alone. Sometimes, it’s difficult to get the attention you need in a sea of other posts from similar TikTik users.
With this in mind, look at creating your own TikTok hashtag instead. This is a great way to get people talking about you or your business. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to drive people to create some great user-generated content for your future marketing campaigns.
For instance, Little Mix decided to celebrate 10 years in the music industry with #LittleMixCovers this year. The tag attracted hundreds of thousands of videos from people showing their Little Mix singing skills.
- Use A TikTok Hashtag Generator
Finally, if you’re really struggling for inspiration on your TikTok hashtag search, you could consider using tools to help you. TikTok hashtag generators are simple software solutions where you can enter a specific term like “chocolate” and get hundreds of possible hashtags back.
While not all of the hashtags you generate will necessarily be the best options for your brand, most of these tools will be able to give you a head-start on your hashtag strategy. The tools can even give you an insight into which tags are gaining the most attention right now. Plus, the majority of hashtag generators are free to use, so you don’t have to worry about emptying your social media budget.
Just type a couple of words into the hashtag generator’s search bar to get started.
Some excellent options include:
20 Trending TikTok Hashtags Right Now
- #FYP
- #Viral
- #Comedy
- #Dance
- #Viralvideo
- #Meme
- #Featureme
- #Art
- #Fun
- #Prank
- #LearnonTikTok
- #Challenge
- #Makeup
- #Funnyvideos
- #Handwashchallenge
- #Challenge
- #Storytime
- #Dog
- #Cat
- #Love
Master Your TikTok Hashtag Search
Sometimes, the TikTok hashtag search process can seem a little daunting, particularly when TikTok is still so new on the social media scene. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to find inspiration and opportunities for your social media campaign.
With the tips above, you can find which hashtags are currently trending, explore niche hashtags to help you find the right audience, and even create branded hashtags of your own.
