Forget the days when TikTok was just for young people. Nowadays, everyday people and brands, just like you, put more trust in others’ reviews when making choices about products and services. And by all accounts, TikTok is emerging as a leading social media platform.
If you’re still contemplating whether to join this trend and embark on your TikTok adventure, I’ve prepared a treasure map with a few compelling reasons why you should and a guide to set your TikTok voyage on the course to success.
1. What is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short videos, ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. It was launched in 2016 by Chinese company ByteDance and has since gained immense popularity, especially among Gen Z and Millennials.
2. Why is TikTok Important for Marketers?
TikTok’s user base is primarily made up of younger generations1, making it a valuable platform for brands looking to target this demographic. Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm is designed to promote content based on user engagement, rather than follower count. This means that even smaller brands have the potential to reach a large audience if their content is engaging and creative.
According to data from TikTok itself, shared by Shopify, 78% of TikTok users reported that they’ve made a purchase after encountering a product in TikTok creator content2. The platform’s influence on consumer behavior is undeniable. TikTok offers a unique and engaging way to showcase products and services, making them not just visible, but also desirable to a vast and highly active audience.
3. Creating a TikTok Marketing Strategy
Before diving into creating content on TikTok, it’s important to have a solid marketing strategy in place. Here are some key steps to consider when developing your TikTok marketing plan:
Define Your Target Audience
As with any marketing strategy, it’s crucial to understand your target audience on TikTok. This will help you create content that resonates with them and increases the chances of engagement. Take the time to research the demographics of TikTok users and identify which segments align with your brand.
Set Clear Goals
What do you want to achieve through your TikTok marketing efforts? Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales, setting clear goals will help guide your content creation and measure the success of your strategy.
You should also choose your tone and style. Will it be a profile with funny videos? Or maybe educational content related to your niche?
Duolingo, for example, has achieved great success on the platform by adopting a humorous and entertaining approach using its green owl mascot, Duo.
@duolingo real ones let you do the bare minimum and give you full credit 😌 #Duolingo #ourgodisanawesomegod #trend #comedy #god #imscared #DuaLipa #DuaLingo ♬ original sound – William
Research TikTok Trends
TikTok is known for its viral trends and challenges, and staying on top of these can help your content gain traction. Spend time browsing the app and researching popular hashtags and challenges to see how you can incorporate them into your content.
Collaborate with Influencers
Influencer marketing is a popular strategy on TikTok, with many users gaining a large following through their creative and engaging content. Collaborating with influencers can help your brand reach a wider audience and add credibility to your content.
4. Creating engaging content
Now that you have a solid strategy in place, it’s time to start creating content for TikTok. Here are some tips for creating engaging and effective content on the platform:
Keep it Short and Sweet
TikTok videos are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes, but the most popular videos are often much shorter. Keep your content concise and to the point to capture the attention of viewers and increase the chances of them watching until the end.
Use Trending Sounds and Effects
TikTok offers a wide range of sounds and effects that can add an extra layer of creativity to your videos. Keep an eye on trending sounds and effects and incorporate them into your content to stay relevant and increase the chances of your videos going viral.
And how to find it? Easy peasy! You can use TikTok Creative Center to find what songs are trending in each country.
When you use trending music on TikTok, you significantly increase your chances of getting your video seen by a larger audience. However, it’s important that it makes sense for your content; otherwise, you’ll just be trying to leverage something that doesn’t connect with your audience. Context is everything.
Be Authentic and Creative
TikTok users value authenticity and creativity, so don’t be afraid to let your brand’s personality shine through in your content. Use humor, storytelling, and unique visuals to capture the attention of viewers and make your brand stand out.
Encourage User Engagement
TikTok’s algorithm favors content with high levels of user engagement, so it’s important to encourage viewers to like, comment, and share your videos. Ask questions, create polls, and use calls to action to prompt viewers to engage with your content.
For example, when you ask a question in a video, you’re opening up a channel of communication and interaction with your audience. This, in turn, helps the TikTok algorithm understand that your audience is highly engaged with your content. Videos with high interaction levels tend to go viral more quickly on TikTok.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key in the world of TikTok, just as it is on any other social media platform. Frequent posting is essential for signaling to the algorithm that you’re a reliable and popular content creator. But what’s the ideal posting frequency? According to WordStream3, you should aim for 1 to 4 short videos a day.
Consistent posting not only boosts your views but also increases your chances of hitting that viral video jackpot. Even someone as popular as @bellapoarch, who has 93 million followers today, needed 8 months before getting her first viral hit. In 2020, Bella started her career by uploading gaming and cosplay content on TikTok. After posting a video lip-syncing to the British rap song ‘M to the B,’ Bella gained attention and within 8 months of releasing her debut video, she went viral.
Street Brew Coffee is a great example of small business success. Caitlin Campbell has crafted a remarkable TikTok success story for Street Brew Coffee with her short and captivating coffee videos. With over 900K followers and 20M video likes it’s clear that they’re doing something right. Caitlin’s key to TikTok business growth? Consistency. Post daily and show up regularly.
@cc.campbell Welcome to a day in the life of a coffee pop-up #coffee #coffeetok #coffeetrailer ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show
This means you need time to figure out what your audience craves. It’s all trial and error, so don’t give up until you find the content formats that resonate best with your audience.
5. Tiktok Ads
In addition to organic content, TikTok offers advertising options for brands looking to reach a wider audience. Here are some of the ad formats available on the platform:
In-Feed Ads
Similar to Instagram and Facebook ads, in-feed ads appear in between organic content on the “For You” page. These ads can include a call to action and a link to an external website.
Brand Takeovers
Brand takeovers are full-screen ads that appear when a user first opens the app. These ads can include images, GIFs, and videos and can link to an external website or a branded hashtag challenge.
If you want to learn more about how to make your ads successful, TikTok has created a helpful guide for creators, and small & large businesses. You can find it here.
6. Measuring Success on TikTok
As with any marketing strategy, it’s important to measure the success of your efforts on TikTok. Here are some key metrics to track:
Views and Engagement
Keep an eye on the number of views and engagement (likes, comments, shares) your videos receive. This will give you an idea of how well your content is resonating with your target audience.
Follower Growth
Track the growth of your follower count over time to see if your content is helping to increase your brand’s reach on the platform.
Website Traffic and Conversions
If your goal is to drive website traffic or sales, use tracking links and UTM codes to measure the success of your TikTok marketing efforts.
TikTok analytics can be a valuable tool for businesses using the platform as part of their marketing strategy. You can gain valuable insights into the performance of your content and the engagement of your audience. These analytics provide detailed information about your followers, including their location, demographics, and interests.
This data can help you understand your target audience better and tailor your content to their preferences. It can also help you track the success of your campaigns by providing information on views, likes, shares, and comments. By analyzing these metrics, you can identify which types of content resonate with your audience and make data-driven decisions to continually improve your TikTok marketing efforts.
Wrapping It All Up
Today, TikTok is certainly a platform to consider in a digital marketing strategy. From the evolution of the app to the creation of TikTok Ads and TikTok Creators, the company has been progressing rapidly. In the near future, it is expected to continue growing and providing content creators with even more and better solutions to monetize their audiences.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun with your content, and remember to measure your success to continually improve your strategy. TikTok Marketing now becomes essential in a communication and authority-building strategy, whether it’s for a personal brand, business, or any other endeavor.
I hope these tips from your friendly social media pal can give your TikTok journey a great start!
Edgar
References
1 Distribution of TikTok users worldwide, Report by Statista, 2023
2 Small Business Marketing on TikTok: The Ultimate How-to Guide, Guide by Tiktok, 2023.
3 How Often to Post on TikTok for the Most Views & Followers, Article by Rob Glover, WordStream, 2023
