Module 12

TikTok, Pinterest, SEO and AI search

10 lessons, 34 stepsOne instruction at a time, each with the result to expect. Tick steps as you go; Helix remembers.

Outcome: you know when and how to add channels beyond Meta and Google, and how to be found in Google search and in AI assistants.

Related SOP: 10 TikTok and emerging channels

In plain words

Stage: Attract (get seen by people who want what you sell). Every lesson below is tagged with its stage; see Attract, Convert, Grow.

What it is: When to add TikTok, Pinterest and search, and how to be found by AI assistants.

Why it matters: New channels can help, but only after Meta and Google are working. Add one at a time.

Do this:

  1. Only start a new channel once your main ads are profitable.
  2. Reuse your best ads, edited for the new channel.
  3. Write clear product titles and descriptions so search engines understand them.

Words to know:

  • SEO: Changes that help your store show up in Google without paying for ads.
  • Meta description: The short summary under your page title in Google results.
  • Organic: Unpaid: posts, search results and word of mouth that you do not pay to show.

All words are explained in the glossary.

Lesson 12.1: TikTok readinessAttract

Why this matters

TikTok can bring cheap attention, but only once you have videos that work there and tracking in place. Getting ready first stops you paying to learn what free posts could teach you. Only start TikTok ads once Meta and Google are profitable.

0 of 4 steps done

Step 1 of 4

Post free (organic) TikTok videos 3 to 5 times a week for a month to learn what works for you.

Expected result

You know which video styles get views and comments.

Lesson 12.2: Structures by spendAttract

Why this matters

TikTok structures depend on spend, just like Meta. Too many campaigns on a small budget starves each one.

0 of 2 steps done

Step 1 of 2

Find your daily spend band in the table below and set up the campaigns listed for it.

Expected result

Your TikTok account matches your budget.

Good to know

Daily spend Setup
About $100 One purchase campaign, plus a small campaign aimed at an earlier step (view content or add to cart). The earlier step gives TikTok more data to learn from.
About $200 Add a catalog or shopping campaign.
About $300 or more Add a traffic campaign to a landing page, or a video-view campaign, for cheap reach. Test each creative style separately.

Lesson 12.3: Spark ads and creatorsAttract

Why this matters

Spark ads run normal TikTok posts, yours or a creator's, as ads, keeping the post's likes and comments. Creator videos are the main fuel for TikTok ads (Module 19).

0 of 2 steps done

Step 1 of 2

Ask the creator to generate an authorisation code in their TikTok settings (Creator tools > Ad settings) and send it to you.

Expected result

You have a code for each post you want to run.

Lesson 12.4: Optimising TikTokAttract

Why this matters

TikTok ads tire fast, sometimes in 3 to 4 days, so they need closer watching than Meta. Early signs warn you before cost per sale gets worse.

0 of 5 steps done

Step 1 of 5

Check TikTok every day or two and watch early warning signs: rising CPC, rising cost for each add to cart, and falling video watch rates.

Expected result

You spot tired ads before CPA rises.

Lesson 12.5: TikTok searchAttract

Why this matters

Many people use TikTok like a search engine. Saying and showing your keywords helps your videos get found for months.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Say your main keyword in the first line of the voice-over.

Expected result

TikTok can hear what the video is about.

Lesson 12.6: TikTok ShopAttract

Why this matters

TikTok Shop lets people buy without leaving TikTok, with automated campaigns that aim for total sales (GMV), affiliate creators and live shopping. Commission and fees can eat margin, so check the maths first.

0 of 2 steps done

Step 1 of 2

Work out your margin per order after TikTok Shop's commission and fees.

Expected result

You know your profit per order on TikTok Shop.

Lesson 12.7: PinterestAttract

Why this matters

Pinterest pins keep getting found for months, much longer than social posts, and people plan purchases there well in advance. It rewards steady posting and early seasonal planning.

0 of 4 steps done

Step 1 of 4

Add fresh pins every week with search words in titles and descriptions, on boards by theme and season.

Expected result

Your pins show up in Pinterest search.

Lesson 12.8: SEO step by stepAttract

Why this matters

SEO (search engine optimisation) means getting found in Google without paying for ads. It takes months to build but keeps paying. Five steps cover most of it.

0 of 5 steps done

Step 1 of 5

Research keywords: start with buying searches ("buy linen shirt", "best linen shirt"), check volume, difficulty (how hard to rank) and intent, and pick about 10 per category.

Expected result

Each category has a list of target keywords.

Lesson 12.9: AI search and agentic commerceAttract

Why this matters

More shoppers now ask AI assistants (like ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity) what to buy, and some assistants can shop for them (agentic commerce). Clear facts, reviews and clean product data decide whether they recommend you.

0 of 4 steps done

Step 1 of 4

Make your brand facts the same everywhere (site, marketplaces, social bios) and grow your reviews.

Expected result

AI assistants find consistent facts and plenty of proof.

Lesson 12.10: Instagram shoppingAttract

Why this matters

Instagram shopping lets people tap a product in a post and buy. It is free once your catalog is connected.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

In Meta Commerce Manager, set up your shop and connect your product catalog.

Expected result

Commerce Manager shows your shop as approved.

Self-check

  1. How many ad-ready videos should you have before paying for TikTok ads?
  2. How long should a meta description be?
  3. What feeds AI assistant answers about your brand?
Answers
  1. About 10 to 15.
  2. About 150 to 160 characters.
  3. Clear site content, clean product data, reviews, brand facts that are the same everywhere, and mentions on other sites and platforms.

Words to know in this module

SEO
Changes that help your store show up in Google without paying for ads.
Meta description
The short summary under your page title in Google results.
Organic
Unpaid: posts, search results and word of mouth that you do not pay to show.
Pixel
A small piece of code on your store that tells Meta when someone views, adds to cart or buys.
CPA
Cost per acquisition: how much ad money it took to get one sale.
CTR
Click-through rate: out of every 100 people who saw your ad, how many clicked.
Campaign
The top level in an ad account. It holds the goal, like getting sales.
Landing page
The page someone lands on after clicking an ad.
Creative
The ad itself: the picture or video plus the words.
Partnership ad
An ad that runs from a creator's own account, so people see their name instead of yours.
Creator
A person who makes social content and can feature your product.
MER
All ad spend divided by all sales, as a percentage. MER 25% means $25 of ads for every $100 of sales.
Margin
The share of each sale you keep after product cost. A $100 sale with $40 product cost is a 60% margin.
Profit
What is left from sales after product cost, shipping, payment fees, discounts, refunds and ads. This is the number Helix cares about most.
All words to know