I know more than a few people who said they took a ’10-minute break’ from their work to scroll through TikTok and only returned to reality two hours later.
Such is the power of this social media platform that debuted in its present form in 2018, not too long ago. In recent years it has become more popular than it ever has been. A marketing report by data.ai in 2022 expected TikTok to break 3 billion downloads worldwide, with the same figure in dollars to be spent by app users via IOS and Google Play.
With all this, it is no surprise that TikTok is one of THE digital marketing tools to keep your eye on if you haven’t already.
What is TikTok?
Don’t worry if you’re one of those people who are not on the app and don’t know exactly what it does. The app is dedicated to short-form videos of about 15-60 seconds that can span a great number of subjects, from DIY crafts to dance moves and comedy stints. It is hugely entertaining, and because we are a visual generation, once we start scrolling…the rest is history!
So, here’s why you should be on TikTok
You learn and grow. Yes, it does sound cliché, but you can gather so much information on cultures, trends and people on TikTok. What is even better is that the content you will find on the app is created by people like you and me, for people like you and me. Thus, it is relatable as it is entertaining. This also paves the way for ordinary people to become popular due to the content they post. Previous or existing follower numbers are not a requisite to become famous. It’s a great way to make yourself be seen and heard.
TikTok is also extremely easy to use and facilitates a feeling of community. Like most social media platforms this is one of its most appealing factors. The COVID-19 pandemic saw many celebrities take to TikTok to connect with their fans despite the lockdowns and the restrictions.
Furthermore, if clever and creative memes and humorous skits are what you like to unwind to at the end of a long day, TikTok is your place to be. It is the source of many creative ideas and content that spirals out to inspire even more such creative content. And it’s not just for ‘the young ones’ either- TikTok offers content across all age groups.
Marketing and TikTok
You may think that digital marketing trends and tools are one too many now. But the crux of the matter is that without digital marketing, our world as we know it will drastically change, and go back to the mundane, the uninteresting and the predictable.
According to Investopedia, TikTok brings its revenues in from in-app purchases (in 2019 it had grossed $80 million in in-app purchases worldwide).
So, if you have been convinced by all these reasons to market on TikTok, it’s time you get started. Firstly, creating a TikTok business account is necessary, so that you can get access to other tools such as analytics and ads. This also enables you to create an e-commerce storefront that allows customers to purchase within the app itself, without having to go to a web landing page.
Starting your TikTok business account
Creating an attractive profile should be your first point of duty. Make your bio snappy and informative (80 characters is all you get). You should also connect your other social media accounts to your TikTok account and update all your business contact details. Also don’t forget to set up the auto-message to be able to respond without delay when customers Direct Message you.
Rocking your brand on TikTok
While TikTok is slowly gaining ground amongst the adult population, it is still very much the younger audience’s digital habitat. So, know the audience you plan to market your brand to- you probably won’t find as many Gen X audiences as you want to, on the platform.
Go all out and get as visual and as creative as you can. If you’re on TikTok, you want to showcase your visual creativity. Keep an eye on what other brands are doing to grab attention and draw some ideas that you can also work on to make your content pop. Use the editing tools available on TikTok such as filters, text overlays, voiceovers and so on to produce brilliant content.
Keep posting and keep creating new videos. If people are to know what your brand is about, they will want to see how it’s made, the people behind it and the conceptual reasoning behind its inception. Make your content funny, engaging and informative; there are very few instances where humour doesn’t do the job.
This is also the place where you can find plenty of influencers and procure their services to market your brand. You can partner with them to push your brand to the right audience, perhaps even exclusively. Choose the right influencer for the job. You don’t have to go after the most expensive one; there are a range of influencers who work under different guidelines and budgets.
Ready, set, monitor!
Watch how many views your videos get, what the growth rate is, what the average user watch time is, and what videos are trending most. The information you acquire through this will help you make better decisions on content with each piece that you produce.
Remember- 49% of people have said that they purchased a product after having viewed it on TikTok. That’s a market that is waiting to explode, and yours should be the business to take advantage of it. So, what are you waiting for?
(Anouk De Silva)