TikTok is helping creators generate ideas by sharing the most-searched topics on the app

TikTok‘s new tool is a reminder of the app’s relevance in the search world. The leading vertical video platform has announced Creator Search Insights, which allows users to discover the topics that viewers are searching for most often.

In fitting fashion, TikTokers can access Creator Search Insights through the app’s search bar. By typing in that specific three-word string, creators can learn which topics are generating the most search traffic across the app. That list can be sorted by category or refined to only include searches that are relevant to a creator’s specific interests.

A TikTok Newsroom post clarifies that Creator Search Insights is only available in “select regions” for now, so depending on your location, you may not be able to take the new feature for a test drive. For the creators who do have access, Search Insights has the potential to become a significant revenue stream. The Newsroom post notes that search value will be incorporated into the Creator Rewards Program, the monetization option formerly known as the Creativity Program.

“Creators can see which topics are most popular based on a popularity score or the Recommended Topic label next to the search term,” reads the post. “These topics have a high potential for engagement and creators can reference these labels as they shape their content strategies and chart their creative direction.”

Creator Search Insights is TikTok’s latest attempt to boost its search business, which was once viewed as a challenger to Google’s search empire. More recent studies have suggested that TikTok’s status as a search engine may be declining in popularity, but that shift hasn’t stopped the app from rolling out search ads and other features that make use of the magnifying glass icon that appears in its upper-right-hand corner. Creator Search Insights is the latest addition to that toolkit — and it’s a reminder that not all video suggestions need to come from generative AI.