If you’re building a social media strategy, it’s now pretty hard not to consider using TikTok.
With more than a billion active monthly users, it’s just as powerful as other major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
In the world of TikTok, genuine content reigns supreme. More than on other social media platforms, users favour innovative and engaging TikTok videos over highly edited, curated posts - the type you might typically produce for other major platforms.
This difference is what gives TikTok creators a connection with their audience that’s hard to match elsewhere.
But many business owners haven’t yet taken the time to figure out how TikTok can work as a marketing tool.
This could be because they think the platform still has an exclusively ‘youthful’ user base. However, TikTok is now attracting a wide range of ages and demographics, and the comparatively low competition presents a huge opportunity for your business, allowing you to reach large numbers of people at relatively low cost.
Plus, engagement figures are exceptionally high. According to one study, TikTok beats all other platforms when it comes to engagement levels, and it’s also adept at keeping people on the app, as users typically interact with it for 45 minutes a day.
How it works
Before we talk about the rise of TikTok as a marketing platform, let’s quickly cover how it works. The platform is based around short video clips, usually no longer than 15 seconds, which users continuously swipe and scroll through.
People can ‘like’, comment on, or share the videos with others through their own messaging apps.
TikTok allows you to add all sorts of editing effects and background music to videos.
This has resulted in lots of dance clips going viral on the platform, as people can record a video of themselves dancing to a particular song or action, or miming to a particular lyric.
What is TikTok marketing?
TikTok marketing can help businesses increase brand awareness, build engaged communities, sell products and services and get feedback from customers.
Virality and impressive engagement levels mean that TikTok is a great place to spend your marketing budget. Businesses use various tactics including influencer marketing, TikTok advertising and creating organic viral content.
TikTok opened a TikTok for Business hub in summer 2020, and with a business account you can add more information to your profile and access real-time metrics and audience insights.
Creating your own content
Creating a Business TikTok account for your brand and making your own organic content gives you the most freedom to portray your brand’s personality.
The sky really is the limit - you can post everything from product unboxings to day-in-the-life videos and dance challenges.
The tricky part is working out how to create the kind of content that resonates with TikTok users.
Content and style on TikTok are different from those on other social media platforms.
Succeeding with TikTok often comes down to creating exciting content. If you can do that, people are more likely to watch and engage with your videos, meaning the algorithm puts your content in front of more people.
If you use the platform as an observer for a week or two, you’ll develop a feel for what’s popular with users. This may then make things much easier when you use the platform as a marketing channel.
Spend some time scrolling through the ‘For You’ page for inspiration.
TikTok Ads
By investing in a TikTok Ads account, you can access millions of followers to increase your marketing efficiency.
Ads increase engagement. Creating marketing campaigns that are highly optimised leads to more likes, comments, and shares - and more engagement means higher brand awareness and conversions.
Along with TikTok’s standard ad formats - In-Feed, TopView, Branded Hashtag Challenge, and Branded Effect - new formats are regularly being made available for businesses and brands to utilise.
TikTok influencer marketing
TikTok influencer marketing is a big part of the app’s appeal to marketers. Major stars can have a huge impact on the success of your business, with tens of millions of users watching their content every day.
But you don’t need to work with a high-profile influencer for successful marketing, many firms discover rising stars or influencers in their own specific niche and form partnerships with them.
Niche interests are incredibly popular on the platform, and good TikTok creators can amass millions of followers in a particular genre or sub-culture.
As with influencer marketing on any other platform, the key is finding the right influencer for your brand.
But with these established niches, you can easily find influencers in your space.
People buy what they see
Fresh, targeted content delivered on TikTok really can drive your leads and sales. According to research from Adweek, nearly half of TikTokers make purchases from brands they see in the app. If you use TikTok in the right ways, there’s a good chance of someone seeing your products or services and buying from you.
At its core, all social media marketing is about posting relevant and engaging content on the right platforms - and that now includes TikTok, front and centre.
Want to know more about TikTok marketing?
Get in touch with the Ascensor team and discover how we can help your business grow with a TikTok marketing strategy.