First off, why TikTok and do I really need it for my business?
TikTok – The fastest growing social media platform
Any savvy business will understand the impact of including TikTok in your marketing social strategy. No longer is this social media platform just for young teens to practice their dance routines; businesses across the globe are getting in on the action and using TikTok to reach their target market, increase brand awareness and drive sales. It has been estimated that there will be 15million TikTok users by 2025 – that’s one big, captive audience. This article provides some top TikTok Marketing Tips!
TikTok Shopping
There’s a huge opportunity for brands and organisations of all sizes on TikTok, and with the launch of in-app shopping, it’s become even more essential to brands looking to connect directly with customers. 70% of TikTokers say they’ve discovered new brands and products on the platform that fit their lifestyles and almost half of TikTok users say they bought something they saw in the app. (Nielsen).
TikTok is its own beast! And users can’t get enough!
There’s no denying that TikTok has a very different set of capabilities and functionality to other social media platforms. TikTok has built-in recording and editing capabilities that make it easy for content creators to quickly record, edit, post and share video content across other social platforms. The focus is on video, not text or static imagery. The content feel is very individual and unique, and the focus is certainly on creativity so let those innovative juices flow!
Questions and considerations to ask yourself before you dive in
- Is your target audience or a particular audience segment on TikTok? For each social media platform, consider your competition, your audience and your target customer profile – is TikTok where you need to be? Only go fishing where the fish are!
- Are you competitors on TikTok? Do a quick search to see if your competitors are there – if they are it’s a good indication that you should be too.
- Do you have resources, skills and time in-house to produce TikTok content? TikTok is a short-form video social media platform and as such, high quality videos are the required media.
- What does your TikTok content plan look plan? What do you want to share and how often?
All questions to ask yourself before you decide if TikTok is right for your business and or if you need the assistance of a TikTok Marketing Agency. Ready to get stuck in with TokTik? Then let’s go!
#tip 1 Build your community through authenticity
Now’s the time to pull out the fun and creative elements of your brand and think of the ways you can get those across through your TikTok content. If you create a community around your unique content, it will be easier when the time is right to push your product/service to a captive audience. TikTok would be the perfect channel to perhaps show some behind the scenes content which would allow your audience to have a deeper understanding of the work involved in running your business. This adds a human connection and helps to build long term brand trust and loyalty.
#tip 2 Be an educator and a storyteller
There is nothing wrong with creating and sharing fun content, but always try and look for the story angle and add value through educational content in order to become a go-to resource. Showcase your products by demonstrating HOW to use them; tutorials always work well, particularly for beauty and fashion brands. If you’re a small business owner, your TikTok content strategy could be around your business journey to date, a typical day-in-the-life, or the things you love most about what you do. 👉 ensure the beginning of the video is attention grabbing to encourage watchers and not those who will just scroll on by.
@onbrandgroup 7 Days of TikTok Posting. We’ve got you 🤜 Take it away Craig David.. Sing it with us (warning: it’s catchy)! It’s 10pm on Monday Post it by 9am on Tuesday Enjoy 7am on a Wednesday Flip it Thursday (7pm) 3(pm) – Friday Brunch Saturday (11am) By 4(pm) on Sunday! #onbrandgroup #tiktokposting #marketingagency #stalbansmarketing #craigdavid #7daysoftiktok ♬ 7 Days – Craig David
#tip 3 Be a trendsetter with songs and hashtags
TikTok captions are limited to 100 characters, so it’s important to be selective with your chosen use of hashtags. TikTok videos that use trending hashtags are more likely to be discovered and have a better chance of success than those that don’t. Check your competition on TikTok and see which hashtags they’re using to pick up audiences of engaged users. You don’t have to use the same ones but understanding their tactics will provide a good foundation for your own posts.
Another way to spot the best TikTok hashtags is to look at influencers in your sphere. TikTok influencers will be the most up-to-date on the latest hashtags that are relevant to their audiences.
Just as with Hashtags, the use of trending songs will also amplify your content and ensure greater reach. Keep an eye on the songs used on the “For You” page as this will show you which music will give you the best chance of being featured. Save any songs you want to use in a future video to your favourites. To do this, just click on the song at the top and under the name you’ll see a bookmark.
#tip 4 Optimal video length – less is often more
According to a report by WIRED, one in four of the most liked TikTok videos fall within the optimal recommended video length of 21 to 34 seconds. However, short-form content can be limiting, especially for a brand promoting its product or service. But the general advice still stands, make your TikToks as short as possible. Short and succinct videos encourage people to watch your video many times – that’s one way to go viral!
#tip 5 Is there such a thing as too much content?
Unlike other social channels, with TikTok you can afford to be more liberal with your posting schedule and post more frequently. Be experimental. Try new trends or ideas. Don’t worry about making every TikTok “perfect”, this channel loves authenticity so see what resonates best with your audience and be patient. Sometimes a TikTok video will take a few weeks to really take off and get pushed to more people by the algorithm.
#tip 6 Post at the best times for maximum engagement
The prime time to post on TikTok for maximum engagement for each day of the week is: Monday: 10 PM Tuesday: 9 AM Wednesday: 7 AM Thursday: 7 PM Friday: 3 PM Saturday: 11 AM Sunday: 4 PM
#tip 7 Stand out from the crowd with user generated content
As a business, find ways to encourage your community to share videos of themselves using your products or services – user generated content is one of the key USP’s for Tik Tok. This content type will not only drive brand awareness, but also encourage customer loyalty through sharing real life experiences.
#tip 8 Engagement, engagement, engagement
We would always advise that it is good practice to always be the first person to add a comment to your video. Many brands will then post follow up information in the first one or two comments beneath the video. This helps to spark conversation, and engagement which will widen your reach. video. Always try to also acknowledge and respond to every comment left on your video too!
#tip 9 Cross Promote your TikTok content
We are big fans of working smarter not harder, so always consider sharing your TikTok content to your other social channels. Don’t forget Instagram Stories too! – just don’t forget to add a clear call to action, encouraging your audience to also follow you on your TikTok account.
#tip 10 Don’t forget to measure success
There is only one way to improve and be more successful at TikTok, keep an eye on your analytics.
If you have a “Pro” account, you will have inbuilt analytics which will give you a better understanding of your performance over the last 7 and 28 days, and which of your videos have trended the most during this period.
#tip 11 And finally, don’t forget paid for campaigns to really give your brand a boost
TikTok now offers paid for advertising making it easy to advertise on the platform. They offer three types of ads:
- In-feed native ads – these are the closest to a traditional ad on TikTok. You can add website links and Order Now buttons on the ad. They are skippable ads, which you can use in multiple ways
- Hashtag challenge ads – with these, a user is served a banner ad that takes the user to a page of instructions and rules of the featured challenge. You can use it to target specific consumers
- Brand makeover ads – these use a mix of images, GIFs, and video clips that link to a landing page or hashtag challenge
If you would like support with your TikTok marketing strategy, or if you are lacking time or resource for your implementation, then we would love to hear from you!
Author: Catherine Firmin
Account Director – OnBrand Group
E: [email protected]
T: 03333 220022
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