TikTok is a social network that operates through a mobile application, which we download onto a tablet or mobile phone. It allows users to watch diverse content, record short videos up to 180 seconds long, edit them, and add special effects to the video itself. As with most other apps and social networks, users can follow others and like and comment on videos. TikTok users can create videos up to 180 seconds long, recorded with a mobile phone or tablet. Videos can be recorded in a single take, or multiple clips can be combined together to last up to 180 seconds. They can be edited and various effects can be added: speed up, slow down, reverse playback, and more. Users can add music and other sound effects to their videos.
Once we download the app, we can watch videos without creating an account – but if we create a profile, we can follow others and create our own videos. Most users record and produce a video in which they sing along to music by well-known musical artists (TikTok also allows recording videos that are not related to music, such as various challenges, dancing, and comedy sketches). They then share the videos with other users. Users can log into TikTok with a phone number, email address, Facebook, Twitter, Google account, or Instagram. They can then search for popular creators, browse categories and hashtags. TikTok also has a feature that allows two users to perform a duet, but both users must follow each other.
The social network is of Chinese origin and is owned by ByteDance, which is headquartered in Beijing. It was created in 2016 and merged with the app Musical.ly in 2018. TikTok requires users to be at least 13 years old to use the app, and those under 18 must have parental or guardian permission.
TikTok’s algorithm is one of the most unique parts of the experience. When you open the app, there are two tabs available for viewing content – a page made up exclusively of accounts you follow, and your For You Page, abbreviated as FYP. TikTok’s algorithm uses artificial intelligence to offer users recommendations on which videos to watch based on previous views. The app tracks the types of videos users like and comment on, as well as the users they follow, to build a picture of what content interests the user. The app is growing rapidly and is currently the sixth largest social network in the world.
- The app has been downloaded to mobile devices and tablets by more than 1.65 billion users.
- In 2019, it was the second most downloaded app in the world.
- According to official statistics, the average user opens the app 8 times a day.
- The largest demographic group on TikTok is young people aged 18 to 25, which is also one of the most sought-after target groups for marketing.
First, you need to understand TikTok
If you are thinking about using TikTok as a marketing and promotional tool for small businesses, start by creating a small business account and thoroughly researching the platform. TikTok is not a platform designed for aggressive selling, as the app offers a huge number of ways you can present your products/services/company in either a fun or a different way. Therefore, it is best to look at what other brands are doing. You will also want to make sure your audience is on TikTok before moving forward. Here are some suggestions on how to create videos in the best way to attract your target audience:
- watch as many videos as possible – open the app and you will automatically see a huge variety of different videos. Take a good look at your favourite brands and profiles and watch their videos to get a feel for the platform. Also, don’t forget to follow industry leaders and check out their marketing campaigns.
- at the beginning, don’t aim for the quality of professional videographers – the majority of videos posted on TikTok are created by users themselves using their own phones and tablets. Start recording with your phone, add filters, use different effects…
- add music – TikTok works with Apple Music, so you have a huge selection to choose from; you can cut out the parts you like, play around with different effects and mixes, or simply use music that is already viral and widely used.
Use different ways to present your business
Once you have researched your competitors and know that your audience is on TikTok, it is time to create content for your business. While you can certainly record a funny video, various dances, or singing, there are many other better and more appropriate options that are recommended for promoting your business.
- To start, you can introduce yourself and your team. Try to present your story, company name, and workspace in the most interesting and original way possible, to give your target audience a sense of authenticity. It is highly recommended that you be as active as possible in the comments section under your videos. This gives viewers the opportunity to interact with you virtually.
- TikTok is a great platform where you can briefly explain your success story. If you have a special story about how you built your company, you can record a video explaining what you did and perhaps inspire someone else.
- Lately, a very popular form of promotion is showing how a company makes its products, then packages and ships them. Going one step further, you can be active in the comments section under your videos, where viewers can ask you to show how you do it specifically for their order. However, this tip is most suitable for smaller businesses.
- Instead of explaining yourself why viewers should buy your product, ask someone who has already purchased it if they are willing to record a short video for you describing their experience with you and how satisfied they are with the overall service or product.
Use appropriate hashtags (#)
The hashtag (#) was until recently just one of many characters on a keyboard, until Twitter turned it into an internet sensation. Today, hashtags are an integral part of all social networks, such as: TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram… Standing out from the thousands of posts that people from around the world share every minute on social platforms is difficult, and the chances of your post being seen by someone who isn’t already your follower are slim. And this is exactly where hashtags come into play.
A hashtag is a keyword or phrase that follows the ”#” symbol and is written in a post or comment for the purpose of emphasis and easier discovery. Using a hashtag allows social networks to recognize and index your post so that it is visible to users who are not your followers. It is a handy tool that allows users to find your post through a keyword.
If you want your content to be discovered, you need to do some research on hashtags – what kinds of hashtags are trending, what target audience you are aiming for, and which hashtags relate to your business. You cannot simply use random hashtags because they are popular – hashtags must actually be relevant to your video. Otherwise, users who click on them will be disappointed and will not want to return to your account.
Whenever you post a video on TikTok, don’t forget to add relevant and popular hashtags. Keep in mind that TikTok is primarily an entertainment platform. Users are looking for content that will entertain them. Use hashtags strategically to capture the audience’s attention.
Collaborate with TikTok influencers
If you have previously worked with influencers on Instagram, you may be tempted to collaborate with those same people on TikTok as well. However, there is a reason why you should consider working with people who only became active on TikTok (as opposed to Instagram).
In general, they will not have such high payment expectations as established Instagram influencers, and they will likely be more daring on TikTok compared to those who are active on multiple different platforms. Therefore, definitely include influencers who started on TikTok in your search – these are people who truly understand how to drive engagement.
On TikTok, it is much easier to reach a huge number of views and for a video to go viral, precisely because of its interesting algorithm, which is different from other social networks.
One of the best ways to find suitable influencers on TikTok is to use TikTok’s marketplace – the TikTok Creator Marketplace. This platform allows brands to search for and collaborate with influencers – all you need to do is request access to the platform.
Once access is granted, you can search through the catalog of TikTok creators. Use the following search filters to find information about a creator’s profile and valuable audience data:
- country; the country where the person you are targeting with your promotion lives.
- topic or type of content published by the creator – the TikTok platform is able to recognize the context and objects in a video, so the TikTok Creator Marketplace can accurately segment creators into content categories.
- reach, which can be sorted by the following points: 1.) 10 thousand to 100 thousand, 2.) 100 thousand to 1 million, and 3.) 1 million to 10 million. Keep in mind that the true potential reach of a creator’s content often exceeds their own audience. If a piece of content is featured on the For You Page, a creator’s reach could exceed millions.
- average views: this data point helps predict the future performance of a piece of content and the average views of past videos.
When evaluating potential influencers who could help you with promotion, carefully review their previous posts and the brands they have promoted in the past, along with their results. However, keep in mind that while finding a TikTok influencer with the right audience is very important, the look and feel of content on TikTok is quite unconventional.
Ask TikTok influencers for advice
Don’t be afraid to ask TikTok influencers for their perspective on what kind of sponsored videos on TikTok will perform best with their audience. After all, they are the ones who are most active on this platform and have spent time testing different approaches to see what works best on it.
Therefore, collaborate with them to create a message that is authentic and aligns with TikTok’s somewhat unconventional approach, rather than a message that seems too corporate. The key is to be flexible and allow influencers to provide feedback on your strategy, so that you develop a campaign that is aligned with your brand and resonates with TikTok’s engaged user community. As always, the best campaigns come from close collaboration, and the same applies to TikTok.
TikTok ads
On TikTok, there are 5 different types of ads:
- TikTok In-Feed Ads are video ads that are displayed in the native news feed as users scroll through the FYP page. They blend well with the TikTok feed, making it easy for users to scroll through quickly. If you create a full-screen in-feed ad that is engaging, users won’t overlook it. In-feed ads can be liked, commented on, shared, and users can interact with the advertiser’s TikTok videos.
- TikTok Brand Takeover Ads – as the name suggests, they appear as soon as users open the TikTok app and take over the screen for a few seconds before transitioning into an in-feed video ad. They are also displayed on the FYP page as photos, videos, or GIFs with clickable links leading to landing pages within TikTok. They are effective for generating mass awareness and driving sales, as the ads are shown to the right audience.
- TikTok Top View Ads – are similar to brand takeovers. The difference is that these ads don’t cover the screen immediately when users log in. They occupy the first post in the feed after three seconds. They display up to a 60-second full-screen video with auto-play and sound. This helps increase brand exposure.
- TikTok Branded Hashtag Ads – allow you to ask users to film themselves, for example dancing or doing something with a product, and post it with a specific hashtag. The ads appear at the top of the discovery page. When users click on the hashtags, it leads them to landing pages on TikTok and a collection of other TikTok videos from the same hashtag challenge.
- TikTok Branded Effects Ads – allow companies to create an ad within the app using their own custom filter. The ad can last up to 10 days. This is an excellent and fun way to allow users to engage with your company.
Now that you’ve learned some ways to help your business achieve better marketing on TikTok, get to work quickly. TikTok is definitely one of the most interesting ways to promote on social media.
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