by Jodi Rizzo
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you have probably heard of the latest social media craze, TikTok.
TikTok is a video-sharing social networking service owned by Chinese company ByteDance. The social media platform is used to make a variety of short-form videos, from genres like dance, comedy, and education, that have a duration from 15 seconds to one minute. TikTok has more than 300 million active monthly users worldwide.
So, is it worth it for your business to invest resources in this trendy, new platform?
TikTok has the ability to utilize influencers to market your product quite possibly better than any other social media outlet but it’s also important to make sure your content is produced at a high quality. Because it is video-based, it is not as easy as just putting up a good photo like Instagram or Twitter and making the appropriate tag. From that aspect, there will be a greater investment upfront, but one that is worthwhile if it gains traction in the long run.
If you were to poll a group of Gen Z’ers, chances are a large portion has been swayed into making a TikTok purchase, tried a dance, or sampled a recipe featured on the app. That engagement factor is extremely valuable to your company and your brand.
Once you’ve determined that your potential market is using TikTok, here are some tips from the folks at Forbes to get the most out of the app to drive sales and increase brand awareness.
TikTok Do’s and Don’ts
Do keep it light and fun.
TikTok “is an opportunity to show a more creative and humorous side of your brand,” says Mihovill Grguric of mobile marketing agency Udonis.
Do be candid.
“Videos that jump directly to the point and are about 15 seconds long are preferred. Content that’s humorous, candid, and informal performs the best,” according to Grguric.
Do use music.
“Music is a big part of TikTok and can be used strategically to make videos more interesting and engaging,” says Grguric.
Do format properly for the platform.
Meaning, shoot vertical video, not horizontal (which creates big black bars above and below), advises Rafael Sales, data strategist at Sparkloft Media.
Do use a challenge.
Create a campaign that challenges users to create and upload TikTok videos related to the challenge, using the hashtag #HashtagChallenge, and tag three of their friends to also attempt the challenge. “Walmart took advantage of this by utilizing multiple influencers and introducing the #SavingsShuffle, an on-brand dance challenge in which the hashtag garnered over 450 million views,” says Sales. “The reward for the user was the potential to gain some popularity if their dances rose to the top of the hashtag.”
Do respond to other brand challenges.
In addition to kicking off your own challenge, also participate in challenges established by other companies.
Do mimic content that’s trending.
Consumer fintech company Tally closely monitors what’s trending every day, says senior growth manager Nick Weinberg, “allowing us to quickly recreate content that will resonate with potential Tally users. For example, there’s a popular video series on TikTok that tells a story by knocking away paper signs. We used that same concept to highlight Tally’s value proposition.” It got results. “Compared to Instagram, TikTok has been 300 percent more efficient in getting customers to sign up for Tally,” he says.
Do collaborate with influencers and partners.
Tapping into the established following that a TikTok influencer has built can boost engagement and awareness quickly.
Don’t make a hard-sell ad.
“If your business has a product, the best type of content to create is one that showcases your product but doesn’t feel like an overt ad,” says Austin Iuliano, a social media consultant. Iuliano describes a successful 60-second TikTok video featuring Bearded Dragon hot sauce. “The entire video was a simple top-down shot of ingredients being added in, stirred, cooked, blended, then added to the bottle. At the very end they added the label,” he says. The video went viral.
Need help getting your TikTok for business up and running? Look no further than the ultra-creative crew at Bogues Group for all your PR, marketing, and event needs!