By skyforbes 
It started with a bet. My friend, a traditional SEO expert, scoffed at my TikTok feed. “It’s for dance trends,” he said. “No one searches there.”
I challenged him. For 30 days, I would ignore conventional wisdom. I wouldn’t write a single blog post or try to rank on Google’s first page. Instead, I would treat TikTok not as a social network, but as a search engine. My goal was simple: drive tangible, trackable traffic to my new website using only TikTok SEO.
The result stunned us both. In one month, a single video delivered over 50,000 views to my site and landed me a consulting client. I didn’t go viral by chance; I did it by strategy.
In 2025, with over 40% of Gen Z preferring TikTok over Google for discovery, ignoring its power as a search platform is a critical mistake. Whether you’re a creator, a small business owner, or a marketer, the rules of discovery have changed. Here’s how you can change with them.
The Mindshift: TikTok is Not Social Media, It’s a Search Engine
The first and most crucial step is a change in perspective. You are not just creating content; you are answering questions.