You may be thinking, “TikTok is for the younger generation, why on earth would I use it for marketing?” Well, because it’s the most viewed website in the world, knocking Google off its throne. That’s right, the social media platform that originally started as a singing and dancing sensation has turned into endless creative opportunities for digital marketing. And if you really want to grow your business and add a little ~spice~, jumping on the TikTok bandwagon will do just that.
First things first – What is TikTok? 🤷♀️
TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that allows users to create and share content in a few minutes on any topic. The platform thrives off viral videos where creators use hashtags like “For You Page (FYP)” giving every video a chance, showing it to a small audience. Yes, even if you have 0 followers. If your video performs well with this small group, TikTok will continue to push it out to more people that they think will like it. Because of this, typically you can tell in the first hour or two if you have a viral video on your hands. And voila, that’s what makes TikTok one-of-a-kind.
Don’t get us wrong, we love our 15 minutes of fame, but the main reason this is important is because your video can be seen all over, potentially bringing in new clients and employees. You’re literally marketing yourself, but in a less formal way that others feel they can connect with.
Why digital marketing and TikTok are the ultimate power couple 🤝
TikTok reflects a key social media trend for creative skills and collaboration amongst a versatile group of audiences. Its fast-paced nature keeps users engaged for relatively long periods, with users spending an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. Let’s break down a few steps on how to get your video to reach the right demographic.
Kick your video off with a bang 💣
Dive right in, this is no time for slow burns. We now have a shorter attention span than a goldfish (an issue for another time) so people are more likely to scroll past your video if you don’t grab their attention from the get go. Whether you open with visual appeal or a fun fact, set the tone and topic of the video within the first few seconds so people understand what they’re watching. Short and sweet is what you’re aiming for here.
Use trending sounds 🎶
Us digital marketing people have the upper hand here, because we can truly be creative. TikTok goes through trending cycles of a handful of audios which you can play off of. This lets you humanize your brand and show off content you normally wouldn’t. A couple examples below:
@yellowexpressau Brace yourself boys!! #fyp #funny #marketing ♬ original sound - user61981888970
@soulhearttoks When you've got a million other things to do/write, staying on top of blogs can be hard!!! Don't give up - consistency wins the content marketing game, not just frequency! #digitalmarketing #contentmarketing #marketingstrategy #marketing ♬ original sound - Soulheart
@soulhearttoks People are always searching for businesses like yours and SEO will help them find you for a long time to come. #marketing #SEO #digitalmarketing #fyp ♬ original sound - Scott
TikTok Marketing Tips + Tricks 📚
Throw a few educational ones in the mix, but don’t make it too boring. Remember, people will scroll through if they aren’t captivated in the first few seconds. Tips and tricks are perfect for providing a knowledgeable point of view, while adding a touch of personalization. If you have expertise in a certain subject, create informational videos to help people learn more about it. Quick bullet point videos work great for these, with text reading over the screen guiding the user through the mini-lesson.
Reply to your comments 💻
Engage with all your followers, fans and haters. Letting people know you’re a real human behind the phone and not a robot will help boost engagement. Liking and replying to comments with text is so last year — TikTok has raised the bar with video replies. All you have to do is click on a comment from any one of your videos and you’ll see a comment box come up and to the left, is a red recording button. Tap that button and a recording screen will come up with a little text box with the comment. Brilliant if you ask us.
Use distinct hashtags #️⃣
Sometimes the #fyp (For You Page) hashtag is a bit too generic, so try using niche tags. If you have a super niche video, niche hashtags can help TikTok serve your video to the right crowd. However, if you’re not posting something that appeals to a variety of people across the platform, it’s best to not pigeonhole it with hashtags and let the algorithm serve and decide who it should be shown to.
And on this app, anything can go viral, including cutting a cucumber, and hashtags play a big part in the TikTok puzzle.
Want to learn how to navigate and utilize TikTok? Give us a shout and our team would love to hear from you!
