u/CreatorSearchInsight

HAPPY MONDAY FOLKS!!
Just want to say, I'm super excited as we should be finalizing the webinar dates this week, so stand by for an announcement please!
Also, I'm loving all the interactions we've been having on here lately. Good news about creators' videos doing well from the Ambassador Program and also some of you sharing your hard work on our Feedback Friday posts. Let's keep it up!!

As usual...

Please use this post to ask questions and provide feedback!
If you see someone else asking a question you may know the answer to or simply want to drop some knowledge, feel free to comment below! As a reminder, we LOVE to hear from you so please let us know if you have any feedback or recommendations for Create Search Insights!

Hey all,
Just a small update that the next heating wave for confirmed Creator Search Insights Ambassador Program videos is happening next week!
We are currently doing the manual review for videos so please be patient with us.
Thank you!!

Hey folks!
It's Tony, your CSI guy here.

Every webinar, we ask the attendees what features they'd like to see next. During our last webinar, one user simply mentioned "Load from drafts." Immediately after, our chat starting blowing up with requests for this feature!

^(yes, load from drafts. Is that possible Tony?)
^(Oh yes, load from drafts!)
^(drafts 100000%)
^(Yes load from drafts is HUGE)

As we emphasize many, MANY times. Your feedback is crucial as it truly helps shape Creator Search Insights into the tool you want it to be. With that being said...

I'm SOOOOO excited and pleased to announce that loading from drafts into CSI is now available and live! Because of the huge demand for this feature, our team got to work to make this happen! Once again, showing that your voices are heard and that we strive to make a difference for creators like you.

When we ask you to help us, help you, we really mean it. Our team reviews the feedback and we collaborate on finding the best, most effective solutions to your problems. I hope you creators can feel as excited as I am. Not just for the feature, but to see that there's a team behind the product that truly cares for its users 🥲

Howdy folks, it's your CSI guy here!
Here's a random little fact about me: I used to be a content creator just like all of you! Well, if you count some of the webinars I host and some videos I post here and there, I guess I'm still a content creator... My point is that I can relate to many of you and your struggles! I've been there before! I understand how hard things can seem or how daunting it can all be!

I want to take a bit of time to share some advice that has helped me previously. Please keep in mind that these are NOT meant to be any sort of guarantee. Also, don't think of these as must-follows as everyone has their own way of growing. Finding the advice that works best for you is what's important! (Except that last one)

---------------------------------------------------------------

• Avoid some common strategy mistakes
  • Don't just pick a random topic to create about without any thought. Sure, that popularity score may be enticing, but keep in mind; Can you do the topic justice? Will your audience like the video/topic? Will YOU like it? That popularity score should be that extra motivation, but the topic itself should be what you're excited about.
  • Slapping on trending sounds, effects, etc... isn't enough. While these can help a lot, you've still got to put in the effort to make it relevant to your topic and flow smoothly.
  • Ask yourself "why should they care?" when creating your video. In the same way, ask yourself "why do I care?" when you watch a video. What does the video you've created provide for the viewer? Remember, our research shows that viewers look for videos that are clear, engaging, and valuable. Be careful with inside-jokes or obscure references that others might miss.
• Don't forget to focus on brand identity and value
  • When I say brand, I don't mean like a product. I mean brand as in how you present yourself. Your content should align with your brand identity, it should align with YOU! And provide value for your audience!
  • How can you make yourself and/or your videos feel unique? How can you make your content so that when someone watches, they know it's your video? This one might be quite difficult, but sometimes, just being genuine and creating content you actually love is all it takes.
  • During our webinars, I see quite a few people ask how to build their brand if they don't have a niche. This is where getting creative gets even more fun! What can YOU do to help people recognize you as a brand? Your hairstyle? Your intro? Maybe something in the background? Your entire background?! There's many creative ways to make yourself stand out and be memorable.
• There is no failure, only lessons (and long-term growth!)
  • Imagine spending all week planning out your video, being excited, shooting, editing it, then posting it... only for it to just gain a few views initially. This isn't failure, this is a seed you've just planted. As seen from our webinar, you folks in chat, and our research, if you created your video with the right search keywords and hashtags used, your video can see some exponential long-term growth! That seed might end up being the tree that never stops growing so don't let it deter you.
  • Always remember to reflect. If a video didn't perform how you expected it to, go over why it may not have. Put yourself in the shoes of your followers. Take it one step further (pun intended) and put yourself in the shoes of a random user coming across your video. Why are they watching? Why aren't they watching? At what point did they stop and why? Reflecting is one of the best ways to grow, so remember to ask yourself some questions, but also, don't be too hard on yourself!
• HAVE SOME GOOD LIGHTING AND AUDIO!!
  • This one specifically stands out to me because (some more Tony CSI Guy lore) I'm a film major. Please, PLEASE, pay attention to the lighting of your videos. You do not need professional lighting, audio, or editing. You should, however, try to use the best lighting and audio you can get within your means and situation. Sometimes, this can mean waiting until the next day to shoot your video instead of shooting it at night in your room with a dim light. There is nothing wrong with that! But, visually, natural/bright lighting can be more eye-catching and professional. This also stands out as "high-quality" which is something I've covered before here.
  • Avoid over-editing and over-using effects and filters as these can make your videos harder to watch at times. Sometimes, a simple, well-lit video is all it takes.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The most important piece of advice I can provide is...

>!Remember to have fun!<

This should be something you enjoy and look forward to! You're excited to learn more and continually improve your creations! Some users come in with a goal: make money. There is nothing wrong with this goal, but sometimes, the process can take a lot more work and effort than expected, which may quickly lead to burn-out. If you have fun and stay proactive in trying to improve, success will find its way to you! Remember that Creator Search Insights has so many tools and features to help YOU grow so continue to explore and try them out!

Hey all!
As we're preparing for our next set of webinars, we'd like to know if there's currently a preference for which day of the week we should host the two webinars?

In the past, we've held the webinars are Thursday and Friday for Sessions 1 and 2 respectively. However, we're open to hearing some suggestions this time and would like to see if we can make them work.

As for the time itself specifically, unfortunately, we are limited to a start time between 9am to 11am (PST). We can potentially try to start it later, but that may be difficult.

So what are your preferred days and times?

Happy Monday folks!
We are wrapping up the webinar planning and should have the next set of webinar dates hopefully by the end of the week. I'm excited to "see" and speak to you all again!
A little preview of a small change I made: I'm trying to leave a bit more room to interact with the folks who attend our webinars more. Hopefully, to answer some questions and just... chit-chat 😄

As usual...

Please use this post to ask questions and provide feedback!
If you see someone else asking a question you may know the answer to or simply want to drop some knowledge, feel free to comment below! As a reminder, we LOVE to hear from you so please let us know if you have any feedback or recommendations for Create Search Insights!

Check out this video a creator made for our Creator Search Insights Ambassador Program!
Have YOU been submitting some CSI related videos?! There's a chance we may feature your video on a future post :)

What I love about optimizing videos for Search is that there really is no failure. There's only long-term growth waiting to happen! As long as you used the right keywords, descriptions, and hashtag, there's always the chance that users out there will search for the topic that your video covers! And of course, if you put in the effort to make it high-quality, then those users who watch your video are now watching for longer and trusting much faster. Using Creator Search Insights to get those right keywords and hashtags, you can feel much more confident in your video's growth, even if it isn't immediate!

Imagine spending all week planning out your video, being excited, shooting the content, editing it, and then posting it... only for it to just gain a few views initially. This isn't failure, this is a seed you've just planted. As seen from our webinar and our research, if you created your video with the right search keywords and hashtags used, your video can see some exponential long-term growth! That seed might end up being the tree that never stops growing so don't let it deter you.

And I say this often, but always remember to reflect. If a video didn't perform how you expected it, go over why it may not have. Put yourself in the shoes of your followers. Take it one step further (pun intended) and put yourself in the shoes of a random user coming across your video. Why are they watching? Why aren't they watching? At what point did they stop and why? Reflecting is one of the best ways to grow, so remember to ask yourself some questions, but also, don't be too hard on yourself!

Hey all,
Just a small announcement that the next promotion wave of the Ambassador Program is coming up soon. We're aiming to have this done next week, so please be patient with us!

We had a massive influx of submissions for the Creator Search Insights Ambassador Program and with each submission, we do a manual review. Yes, our team watches your videos so make sure you're following the guidelines!

I'll keep y'all updated on here once we've gone live with this next wave. Thank you all for participating!

And if you're new here and want to learn more, check out this post!

Happy Tuesday folks,

Tony, 'the CSI guy', here!
If you haven't heard of me, I'm the host of TikTok's Creator Search Insights webinars and videos. As a creator myself, I try my best to provide advice and guidance to creators, whether it's related to CSI or not. Today's topic is about the hook and steps beyond that...

I know many creators struggle with the hook when it comes to creating content. Let's discuss some details related to the hook, but also, beyond the hook itself.

Obviously, you want to capture the viewer's attention right? How are you doing that though? Are you showing something interesting? Are you showing something captivating? Are you showing/saying enough?

One thing I've noticed recently is that some people are posting hooks that are too vague and ambiguous. For example: "I can't believe this happened!" At this point, it's just not enough. People can read very quickly and if they're not getting a bit more detail, they may pass your video. Try using more specific details! Bonus points if you can include numbers such as "I spent 30 sleeping without a blanket, this is what happened." You give your audience a taste of what they're about to find out about and generate curiosity.

Past the hook, we want to keep the pace and momentum going. I've mentioned this more recently in another post, but it's important that I reiterate this. The moments beyond the hook may be crucial. This is almost like a make or break point in your video that determines whether your audience continues to watch or not. Slowly building suspense? Guess what? It might be too slow. Try showing your strongest visual or mentioning the most important part of your video between 5-7 seconds and see if that improves your watch time! "But Tony, The CSI Guy, what about the 'build' you were mentioning? You can still reveal the main point/result/end of your video before the actual end and continue to build. How did you get to that point? What exciting details happened in-between? Can you work backwards and make that ending even better once details are revealed? Here's a rough example:

"I slept without a pillow for 7 days, here's what happened:
By day 7, I was a completely different person.
I was already noticing that on day 3, I couldn't turn my neck properly. It was frozen and I was in pain.
By day 5, something strange happened. I was falling asleep faster, but the quality of sleep wasn't good.
By day 6, I realized that falling asleep faster didn't mean I was more comfortable. I was actually more exhausted from the pain and lack of sleep quality!
And by day 7, I was a zombie! I woke up feeling the worst I've ever felt. Angry, in pain, unfocused. I was a completely different person. Not the happy-go-lucky person I was before..."

I know it's a rough example, but you can see how I opened with a hook, explained the end result, then got into the details building up there! There are definitely ways to do this, so get creative!

Of course, there is no 100% right answer to all of this because if there was, trust me, I'd be giving it to all of you. It takes time to nail the hooks and beyond that point. It also depends on your audience so don't feel defeated if it takes some time. Remember to continue experimenting with not only what works for your audience, but for you. Your style and how you enjoy doing it! And if you need inspiration, there's always Creator Search Insights (you know I have to plug this in here!) CSI will help you with hooks via AI Outline, so have some fun trying out the different suggested hooks; verbally read and act them out! Take advantage of a free, built-in resource that can help you!

So, how are you folks doing your hooks? Do you usually use hooks? Facts? Numbers? Are you doing it more verbally or visually? Let me know below!

Hello fellow creators,
Did you know that Creator Search Insights could help increase your rewards from the Creator Rewards Program?

The Creator Rewards Program rewards videos that are 1 minute or longer. By using CSI to optimize your videos for search, you can improve the performance of your videos which will in turn, earn you more rewards!

**Search Performance DOES factor into your rewards**
It measures how well your content covers in-demand search topics, and how frequently your content drives viewers to search for related topics. We touch this briefly during our webinar, but you read that right! When someone watches your video and searches for other related topics afterwards, you can get rewarded for this!

So how do you maximize your search performance?

• Browse topics on Creator Search Insights to see what people are currently searching for.
• Select a topic and make engaging videos on it. Your rewards grow when viewers watch your videos from start to finish, and search for related topics afterwards.

Using CSI, you can also (and should also) optimize your videos for search by using related, concise hashtags and keywords. So when a viewer is searching for a topic, your video not only shows up and catches their attention, but they're watching for longer and trusting faster!

Happy August folks!
Can you believe we're more than halfway through the year already? On tail-end of summer?
The cool thing is that we're about to head into holiday season which means there'll be a ton of new topics to post about! Holiday-related topics right?! Which means creators should start planning ahead 👀

As usual...

Please use this post to ask questions and provide feedback!
If you see someone else asking a question you may know the answer to or simply want to drop some knowledge, feel free to comment below! As a reminder, we LOVE to hear from you so please let us know if you have any feedback or recommendations for Create Search Insights!

Happy Friday folks!
I know many creators struggle with the hook when it comes to creating content. Let's discuss some details related to the hook, but also, beyond the hook itself.

Obviously, you want to capture the viewer's attention right? How are you doing that though? Are you showing something interesting? Are you showing something captivating? Are you showing/saying enough?

One thing I've noticed recently is that some people are posting hooks that are too vague and ambiguous. For example: "I can't believe this happened!" At this point, it's just not enough. People can read very quickly and if they're not getting a bit more detail, they may pass your video. Try using more specific details! Bonus points if you can include numbers such as "I spent 30 sleeping without a blanket, this is what happened." You give your audience a taste of what they're about to find out about and generate curiosity.

Past the hook, we want to keep the pace and momentum going. I've mentioned this more recently in another post, but it's important that I reiterate this. The moments beyond the hook may be crucial. This is almost like a make or break point in your video that determines whether your audience continues to watch or not. Slowly building suspense? Guess what? It might be too slow. Try showing your strongest visual or mentioning the most important part of your video between 5-7 seconds and see if that improves your watch time! "But Tony, The CSI Guy, what about the 'build' you were mentioning? You can still reveal the main point/result/end of your video before the actual end and continue to build. How did you get to that point? What exciting details happened in-between? Can you work backwards and make that ending even better once details are revealed? Here's a rough example:

"I slept without a pillow for 7 days, here's what happened:
By day 7, I was a completely different person.
I was already noticing that on day 3, I couldn't turn my neck properly. It was frozen and I was in pain.
By day 5, something strange happened. I was falling asleep faster, but the quality of sleep wasn't good.
By day 6, I realized that falling asleep faster didn't mean I was more comfortable. I was actually more exhausted from the pain and lack of sleep quality!
And by day 7, I was a zombie! I woke up feeling the worst I've ever felt. Angry, in pain, unfocused. I was a completely different person. Not the happy-go-lucky person I was before..."

I know it's a rough example, but you can see how I opened with a hook, explained the end result, then got into the details building up there! There are definitely ways to do this, so get creative!

Of course, there is no 100% right answer to all of this because if there was, trust me, I'd be giving it to all of you. It takes time to nail the hooks and beyond that point. It also depends on your audience so don't feel defeated if it takes some time. Remember to continue experimenting with not only what works for your audience, but for you. Your style and how you enjoy doing it! And if you need inspiration, there's always Creator Search Insights (you know I have to plug this in here!) CSI will help you with hooks via AI Outline, so have some fun trying out the different suggested hooks; verbally read and act them out! Take advantage of a free, built-in resource that can help you!

So, how are you folks doing your hooks? Do you usually use hooks? Facts? Numbers? Are you doing it more verbally or visually? Let me know below!

Hello fellow creators!
I've got 5 -- count it -- FIVE, tips for you BEFORE you even hit that record button! Please note that these are not in any specific order, though I'd definitely start with Creator Search Insights and using AI Outline first ;). Also, again, these are simple tips and are not meant to guarantee any success. I'm writing this as a way to help creators have a small checklist to follow when they're ready to start creating.

1. Clean your camera lens! Please, please, please, make sure your camera lens is clean so when you film, your video comes out crisp and clear. Be sure to use a microfiber cloth as it won't damage the lens and provides the best cleaning possible! Avoid smudges, dust, etc... A clear video opening adds to your hook!
2. Location. Location. Location. Where are you shooting? What time of day? How is the lighting? Be sure to film in a location that not only fits your video and narrative, but allows the viewers to understand your video. Whether you're filming yourself or a subject, remember to have clear lighting! Better lighting = better video quality! Not just for TikTok, but in general. Lower lighting will require your camera to create more 'artificial lighting' which can hurt the video quality.
3. Visualize your video. How do you want it to look? How do you want it to sound? What will you say? Where will you do this all? It helps to get an idea of how your video should look. A great way to do this is to draw out your visualization like a storyboard! It might sound cheesy and trust me, I'm not the best at doodling stick figures either, but it tremendously helps with ensuring the rest of the process is smooth as you're creating a guideline for yourself!
4. Use AI Outline to plan your video! This one is sort've a culmination of the other points so far, but using AI Outline in Creator Search Insights can help you flesh out your video. From the topic itself to the things to say, the hook, the build, even the visuals! Experiment with AI Outline and save your outline for reference later!
5. Determine your goal of the video. What do you want the video to do? Of course, we all want our videos to reach a lot of viewers, engage, get views, create a following, etc... But beyond that, what is the value of your video? Are you telling a story to entertain viewers? Are you educating them? Are you simply trying to express how you feel? There isn't a wrong answer, but remember to have a goal in mind. This will help with your outline, visualization, script, everything!

Once again, these are tips to help creators start before they start! This is not a mandatory checklist or guidelines, but these will hopefully give you some insight on how to think about your videos. It's okay to just pick up the phone and start filming anything if that's how you're feeling. Who knows, maybe you're gain a following from folks who just want to see and hear you! But if you want a more strategic approach, keep these in mind. Good luck!

Hey everyone, it's Tony, The CSI Guy!
Let's talk about your videos. More specifically, your video's average watch completion time. This metric lets you see the average point in which viewers stop watching your video. Now, I'm sure 99.99% of you all know there's quite a heavy emphasis on the hook, but what folks don't emphasize enough is what happens after the hook. We like to call it, the build.

You might've worked super hard on your hook! You've finally settled for something that's quick, interesting, and can actually... hook. But that doesn't mean your job is done! You've got your viewers interested, now can you continue to hold their attention? This is where you BUILD! Whether it's tension through intense storytelling or by leaving breadcrumbs of information to keep your viewers enticed, it's very important to continue the build in your video. While you may think "don't I just keep talking about the topic?" which isn't wrong! But there's more to it than just that. Here are some tips to help you keep up the pace in your video with a better build!

Once again, these

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Deliver on the promise of your hook

Sometimes your hook may be so good that you've set up an expectation that you simply cannot follow through with. For example, your hook could be full of energy and excitement... only for the rest of the video to sort've calm down. Viewers expect the rest of the video to be like the hook or more. You've created a form of a promise and you should keep that promise by adding onto that hook. Piling on more energy or information; build!

Keep it refreshing

Sometimes seeing the same visual can get boring very quickly. Don't be afraid to change your camera angle for those who show their faces. Also, don't be afraid to try some cuts in your editing so you can provide a sense of energy and pace. However, do NOT over-edit as it can easily feel frenetic. Your cuts should match your energy and excitement! As your video builds after the hook, your cuts should always match the energy and information. This also does not mean you HAVE to add edits, but if you don't, try adding some photos or visuals on screen to keep the viewers engaged.

Get. To. The. Point.

I know we all love ending on a bang, but that can sometimes take a bit too long. Especially if you're still learning about how you want your videos to be paced and just how much information you plan on packing into it. I'm sure some of you have seen those videos that start with what you want to see/hear then work backwards from the very beginning on how they got there. The point of their video is already in the hook, now they're building back up towards it. Don't be afraid to get to the point. You don't always need to explain the full context of things! Heck, even a lack of explanation can sometimes cause engagement in the form of questions. What's important is getting to the point at the right time so the viewer can understand what they're watching and then you may build on their curiosity such as how you got to that point and dissecting that point.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I mention this often, but the next time you watch a video for more than just 6 seconds, take your time to understand the video. What was their hook? What was the build? Is there any techniques they may have used that you could learn? While the hook can help you stop a scrolling viewer for a few seconds, the build is what would keep them around long enough.

Of course, the longer your watch completion time, the better performance your videos have! Keeping the viewers around shows TikTok that you're making some high-quality, engaging content. With a high watch time, these viewers have now spent more time with you, so they're also becoming more aware of you, the creator, as a brand. That familiarity can eventually become a follow or create a sense of trust that allows them to feel comfortable enough to engage with your videos. Whether they're watching it (as they've seen and trust your content) or even commenting as they feel you're a familiar face they want to interact with. Remember to get them excited, engaged, and give them something to talk (or think) about!

^(And as always, these are just general tips and tricks and are not intended to be instructions guaranteeing any particular outcome :))

Happy Monday, Creators!

If you haven't noticed (and I really hope you have), I've been posting a bit more long form content. I want to point out that all of those posts are written originally by me, The CSI Guy! No AI is used and I sort've just... blabber and blabber about tips and tricks. I hope you folks are enjoying those posts though as I write them with the intention to help you all!

As usual...

Please use this post to ask questions and provide feedback!
If you see someone else asking a question you may know the answer to or simply want to drop some knowledge, feel free to comment below! As a reminder, we LOVE to hear from you so please let us know if you have any feedback or recommendations for Create Search Insights!