The Basics Of TikTok For Your Business

TikTok has only been around as a social media app since 2017 when it merged with the app Musical.ly, but it’s definitely taken the world by storm, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once thought of as primarily a Gen Z app, it now has over 80 million monthly users in the U.S. (Wallaroo Media) and has users that span across generations, demographics and lifestyles. If you’ve wanted to start marketing on TikTok for your brand but haven’t been sure where to start, check out my tips below!

Take Advantage Of Engaged Users

TikTok users spend an average of 52 minutes on the app per day, which only trails TV and OTT for content consumption (Wallaroo Media), so users are consistently in the app for large periods of time consuming content, logging in an average of eight times per day. Also, outside of YouTube, TikTok users are not duplicated in many other social media apps, so TikTok becomes a great cost-effective way to reach the target audience with good frequency. All of these facts should make a target-rich environment for your brand’s potential consumers, so being on the platform organically makes sense to increase brand equity.

Participate In Trends

TikTok is a place that thrives on video trends and paired music/sounds. When specific video content becomes popular, as more and more users participate in using the sound and/or recreating what’s in the popular video, it’s possible for a user to easily see 10-20 videos that are participating in the trend as they scroll their “for you page,” which is the newsfeed on the app. This instantly creates a connection with the emotion the user feels toward the trend — i.e., it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s happy, it’s emotional — that resonates every time they hear the sound used in the video. By taking advantage of the trends and doing your own creation of the trend on the platform, that feeling is then transferred toward your brand, giving instant brand lift and equity. Participation in trends must happen in real-time, and the content should look native to the platform. Coming in late to a trend will not give much positive correlation to your brand.

Engage With User Accounts Quickly

If you see something that a user has posted that either highlights your brand or is something that is adjacent to your brand — i.e., you sell hunting gear and you see someone’s account that posts a lot of videos of themselves hunting — engage with those users by liking, commenting or sharing (stitching/dueting) their videos. When people see a brand commenting in real-time on the platform, they usually develop a positive attitude toward that brand. TikTok is not like Instagram or Facebook, where most consumers follow brands and comment on their content. While that does also happen on the platform, the TikTok platform is designed for brands to go to the consumers, engaging with them and their content.

Capitalize On Paid Ads And Influencer Ads

On top of organically being present on the platform and following trends, brands should layer on paid ads and influencer ads when applicable. Ad types range from awareness down through the conversion funnel to website conversions/purchases. While ad types are important, the creative used for the ads is actually more important. This creative should not be repurposed from another platform, but created specifically for TikTok, looking native to the platform. Also, since users are the real stars of the platform, it makes perfect sense to use them to highlight your brand and products.

Reach Out To Us For Help

If you need help navigating TikTok or other organic and paid social media opportunities for your brand, The Brandon Agency can help with all of your media and social media needs. Contact us today to get started.