GuideIntermediate
TikTok SEO & Retention Guide
Estimated reading time: 9 min • Updated Sep 30, 2025
Overview
Own intent on TikTok by pairing keyword-aware captions/onscreen text with retention-friendly pacing.
Who It’s For & Outcomes
- Keyword list for 5 pillars
- Hook & beats for first 5 seconds
- CTA system for bio clicks
Prerequisites
- Audience topics & FAQs
- Basic editing toolkit (captions/subtitles)
Step-by-Step
- Collect 25 keywords from autocompletes/comments; group by pillar.
- Write on-screen titles with the exact keyword variant.
- Open with a strong promise or counter-intuitive claim in 3 seconds.
- Use jump cuts every 1–2 seconds; add subtitles for silent viewing.
- Caption: 1 keyword phrase + 1 CTA. Keep it short.
- End with clear visual CTA (arrow/overlay) to the bio link.
Platform Notes
TikTok
- Links in captions are often not clickable; use visual CTA to bio.
Checklist
- 25 keywords grouped
- On-screen title templates
- Subtitle workflow ready
Common Pitfalls
- Keyword stuffing
- Slow openings
- No CTA
FAQs
- How long should videos be?
- Test 12–35 seconds; optimize for completion.
- Do comments help ranking?
- Meaningful comments correlate with distribution.