Two TikTok charts side by side. Hashtags show what creators are tagging; searches show what viewers are typing into the search bar.
Reading this chart
The hashtag chart moves slowly and leans on broad tags such as seasons, sports leagues and countries. The search chart is where specific stories appear first, from a song going viral to a news case people want the video for.
Use the tabs to compare the two. A topic that appears in searches but not yet as a hashtag is usually early, because viewers are looking for it before creators have caught up.
Chart: Top trending hashtags on TikTok.
Chart: Top trending search terms on TikTok.
Questions
What is the difference between the hashtag and search charts?
Hashtags are what people attach to their own videos. Searches are what people look for. Searches react within hours to a story; hashtags take longer to build and longer to fade.
Why do short tags like nfl or usa show up?
Broad tags collect huge numbers of videos during a season or an event, so they rank highly without pointing to one story. The search tab is more useful for specifics.
Does a TikTok search trend spread to other platforms?
Often. Check the trending everywhere section on the home page, which lists topics appearing on TikTok and at least one other chart at the same time.
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