TikTok, an authentic platform without artifice
The statistics on TikTok are also impressive:
- In 2019 it was the second most downloaded app (beaten only by Whatsapp)
- The app has been downloaded over 1.65 billion times
- The average user opens the app more than 8 times a day
- Around 60% of TikTok users are women, around 40% are men
One of the new platforms that has exploded recently is TikTok. This hybrid of Twitter and Instagram allows its 1 billion monthly active users to create short music-focused videos and edit them with lenses, filters, and AR features.
Thanks to its effects and various creative features, TikTok’s content was adopted by teenagers, but quickly caught the attention of young adults (almost 70% of its active users are under 40). It’s also THE platform for any brand looking to grab the attention of Gen Z and Millennials.
Master the basics of TikTok first
TikTok stands for entertaining and visually appealing content. The app is therefore not the place for serious sales pitches. Used primarily by a 16-24 year old target, you will need to creatively connect with them in order to be successful on the platform.
Even if you are a community management professional on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook or Instagram, TikTok is a separate platform that requires a special social media strategy.
Before building a marketing strategy on TikTok, you need to know the platform from A to Z. Familiarize yourself with the platform, here are some things to try:
- Create your own videos : Most of the videos posted on TikTok are made by the users themselves. When you’re ready to get started, don’t settle for the quality of a professional videographer. Start recording your video with your phone, then add filters and use cool effects.
- Add music: TikTok is integrated with Apple Music so you can add songs to your videos, remix them, and add sound effects.
- Follow the accounts you like: Look for other competing companies on TikTok and like their accounts to follow them and see what type of content they are posting. Also, follow the industry giants and see their marketing campaigns;
- Buy virtual coins: TikTok allows users to buy virtual coins with real money. You can then use them to give virtual gifts to others.
Always keep it as simple as possible on TikTok. One of the biggest advantages is that you don’t have to create very sophisticated videos. Just take out your smartphone and start filming. Although silly videos are very popular on TikTok, there’s no point in making a rude or inappropriate post if that’s not your company’s style.
Take a relaxed, less commercial approach
Unlike Instagram, TikTok largely rejects polished, high-quality content. As such, it has earned a reputation as a laid-back platform that users feel comfortable expressing themselves on.
The beauty of TikTok is that it is an accessible creative space where heavy commercial content should be avoided. Let engagement guide you and find what makes your company fun. Make sure you understand your brand culture, values, and identity so what you create remains authentic and true to your brand.
TikTok is a hub for creative, fun, and sometimes wacky ideas, so try to tone down the brand’s tone and join the playful community.
Use the hashtag challenge for influencer marketing
TikTok has proven to be a must-have influencer marketing tool for most brands. Hashtag challenges are an essential strategy of the TikTok platform and community. At any time, whether you are experienced or still testing the waters, you will find that there are many challenges to be faced at all times. Users interested in the hashtag challenge can take part in just a few steps.
Identify the right TikTok influencers
The first step is finding the right TikTokers that share your brand values and have an audience that aligns with your business needs. Learn more about important influencing factors. At this point, TikTok stars have not only turned their fame into lucrative advertising, but also into reality shows, movie roles, and business ventures. These are the characters that the TikTok world revolves around, but your industry or niche likely has its own powerful players. So keep an eye out for these rising stars.
Examine the trends that your target audience is following
This strategy can be used on any social network but is particularly useful on TikTok. The platform sees high volume on specific topics such as entertainment, dance, DIY, travel and education. Understand your audience to see what type of content they are most engaged with and use that data to create relevant posts.
For example, if you find that your target audience is very interested in humorous videos, why not post videos of your co-workers playing hearty pranks in the office?
Create content that people will want to see
There is no secret or recipe to succeed on TikTok and ultimately promote your business on TikTok, but there are some good rules to follow:
Make sure your video This is attractive: It may seem obvious, but the better your audio and video, the better your content will be to watch. That doesn’t mean you have to invest in expensive equipment, but be sure to shoot in well-lit rooms where the tone is clean. If clear audio is not possible, add a trend track to your video instead of the original audio.
How-to videos and tutorials are always popular : Whether it’s a fitness video or sharing cooking recipes, audiences tend to love tutorials and instructional videos on their feed. To make them stay until the end of the post, show off your expertise or reveal some behind-the-scenes information.
Conclusion
TikTok is relatively new, especially in the business world. But as such, it’s not as saturated as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Also, it’s a lot cheaper to advertise on this platform because it doesn’t yet have a strong community of influencers, especially since there are far fewer users competing for placements, advertising, and sponsorships.
Plus, it helps you take that crucial first step of marketing to Gen Z, the notoriously hard-to-reach generational group that’s becoming increasingly important in our economic system.
If you would like to learn more about the topic and further your education in this area, take a look at our web marketing training with social media strategy component.