TikTok has taken the world by storm. The social media app has over 1.5 billion monthly users and those numbers are expected to rise. Due to its large audience, the platform has turned into a valuable marketing tool for businesses.
With TikTok marketing, businesses can advertise their products and services in ways that were not possible. Here’s a closer look at what TikTok marketing is and what TikTok strategies you should follow:
What Is TikTok Marketing?
TikTok marketing is the use of TikTok to promote your brand. You can show your audience the services you offer, the products you sell and the culture your company adopts. This can all be done in short-form video content, the most effective way to capture an audience.
These videos last between 15-60 seconds and they come in different forms. This includes dancing, lip syncing, humour, texts and many more. Your content can even be a mashup of different genres!
TikTok’s algorithm-driven For You Page (FYP) is also a game changer. It curates content specially for each user, ensuring videos with high engagement and relevance reach a broader audience. This makes TikTok a powerful platform for boosting brand awareness.
In other words, curating high quality content has the potential to bring thousands if not millions of users to your page! That being said, it’s important to implement the right TikTok strategies to make the most out of your campaign.
The Best TikTok Strategies
1. Research Your Audience
Always conduct research on your target audience. Understand who they are, their preferences and the type of content they engage with. TikTok’s audience demographics are diverse, spanning different age groups, interests and niches.
Use TikTok Insights to track metrics such as video performance, engagement rate and follower activity. This will show you how to tailor content that aligns with their interests.
Whether it’s viral challenges, trending soundtracks or collaborating with niche communities, it’s important to know what your audience wants.
2. Analyse Your Competitors
The next thing you need to do is analyse your competitors. Knowing what your competitors are up to will help you identify their strengths and weaknesses. Start by observing their TikTok profiles and pay attention to the following:
- Content Themes: What types of content are they producing? Are they focusing on viral challenges, product demonstrations or creative storytelling?
- Engagement Metrics: How well are their videos performing in terms of likes, shares and comments?
- Hashtag Usage: Which hashtags do they commonly use to increase discoverability? Using the right hashtag strategy will give context to your content and drive traffic to your post.
- Collaborations: Are they working with influencers or engaging in user-generated content campaigns?
This will help you uncover gaps in their strategy and identify trends that you can use on your brand. Don’t forget to use TikTok Insights to benchmark your performance against competitors.
3. Produce High Quality Videos
TikTok is purely visual so it’s important to make the most out of your content. Producing high quality videos can be the difference between success or failure. Here are some strategies to creating the best videos:
- Prioritise Lighting: Use good lighting to ensure your videos look professional. Natural light works well, but investing in tools like ring lights can make your content stand out.
Pair this with sharp visuals and smooth transitions for a polished final product.
- Stay up to Date With the Latest Trends: Research is essential even in TikTok marketing. In this case, it’s important to stay updated with the latest trends. TikTok is the go to destination for all the latest trends.
By leveraging tending content, you can increase your content relevance and visibility.
- Incorporate a Strong Hook: TikTok’s algorithm rewards videos that capture attention within the first few seconds. Use a captivating hook like a compelling question, a bold statement or an eye-catching visual to keep viewers engaged.
- Use Creative Tools: Creative tools like video editing apps can help refine your production. TikTok also offers built-in creative tools like filters and effects. These features will make your content more interactive and dynamic.
- Use Full Screen Vertical Videos: Most consumers consume content in portrait mode. By shooting videos in a 9:16 aspect ratio, you can maximise the screen space and ensure your content perfectly fits into TikTok’s format.
4. Collaborate with Influencers
Collaborating with influencers can give your campaign that added boost. They can help you create authentic and creative content that resonates with your audience. It’s also important to choose the right influencer for your campaign.
They come in many different forms and are usually divided into nano, micro, macro and mega influencers. This is typically based on the number of followers they have. Influencer marketing is also about building trust and credibility with your audience.
Influencers are seen as relatable and their recommendations often carry more weight than traditional advertisements.
5. Use TikTok Advertising
No marketing strategy will be complete without some paid advertising. TikTok advertising is a powerful way to amplify your reach. With TikTok for Business, businesses can run and design ads using a set of creative tools.
There are also a variety of ad formats to choose from, each serving a different purpose. You can use these formats to tailor your campaign according to your objectives. For example, you can use TopView Ads to showcase your business at the top of TikTok.
This will put your brand at the center of attention, ensuring instant engagement the moment users open the app.
The Benefits of TikTok Marketing
- Massive Audience Reach: With over 1.5 billion users, TikTok provides access to a diverse global audience. The platform ensures a broad reach across different age groups. This includes teens, young adults and even families.
- Enhanced Brand Awareness: TikTok’s For You Page (FYP) algorithm promotes content based on user interest. This will help your videos reach audiences far beyond your followers.
Creative, high-quality videos can quickly go viral, boosting your brand visibility.
- High Engagement Rates: TikTok boasts some of the highest engagement rates across social media platforms. Features like duets, stitches and comment interactions allow brands to foster genuine connections with their audience.
- Affordable Advertising Options: Companies can create cost-effective ad campaigns with TikTok for business. Ad formats such as In-Feed Ads, Branded Effects and Branded Hashtag Challenges cater to various marketing goals.
- Creative Flexibility: TikTok is a playground for creativity. Whether it’s coming up with a call-to-action (CTA), leveraging trending sounds or using dynamic effects, the platform offers endless ways to capture attention.
TikTok marketing is a postmodern marketing strategy that should not be overlooked. By using the right TikTok strategies, you can harness the power of this social media platform to elevate your brand. Just remember to stay authentic, creative and consistent.
Need help with your TikTok strategies and marketing? Contact us to find out more!
