Considering TikTok to market your business? Don’t know where to start?

In this article, we will discuss why your business should be on TikTok and arm you with 7 tips to be successful on TikTok and take your business to the next level!

Why should your business be on TikTok?

TikTok is a short-form video sharing platform that is extremely popular among the younger demographics. With over 1 billion active users monthly, TikTok is the most downloaded non-game application of 2020 and still is the most downloaded as of July 2021. TikTok is a huge marketing opportunity filled with active audiences who consume catchy, entertaining videos along with the advertising that goes with it. In addition, TikTok is the social media platform with the biggest opportunity to ‘go viral’ as your videos can still be distributed to a large group of people even if they don’t follow you.

The best part?

These videos are super easy to make! You don’t need a huge team or fancy video equipments to create fun content for your audience. A phone, the app and some creativity can take you a long way! So if you’re a business owner looking to create a presence on TikTok, here are a few tips for you to create content, build brand awareness and form a relationship with your audience!

1. Find Your Niche: Trial & Error

Before deciding what type of format, song or topic you want to discuss on your video, you need to know and understand your niche. When first starting on TikTok, it is good to try out different video formats to find out what your audience is interested in, whether it be tutorials, behind-the-scenes, humour content etc. You can also analyze what your competitors are posting and find ways to produce better content than them.

2. Create Engaging Content

The best way to gain more traction and followers is by creating engaging content that makes people want to like, comment, share and follow. Make sure to kick-off your video with a strong opening to keep people from scrolling away. As TikTok is a fast-paced social media platform, it is crucial to hook your audience from the beginning to make them watch your video until the end. Some of the key metrics being measured by the algorithm to determine whether your video is engaging and relevant is the watch time and completion rate. The higher both rates, the more likely that the algorithm will share the video to people’s ‘For You’ pages and the more likely the video will go viral.

Although you have the option to make videos up to 3 minutes long, users prefer shorter videos as studies found that the general population’s attention span are getting shorter. With only a few seconds to persuade people to follow you, make sure to have good quality content that is not bland. This can be done by showcasing your products in new/surprising ways, incorporating your products into a wider, popular trend on TikTok or adding some interactive component like inviting your followers to share experiences about your products.

3. Be Real and Authentic

TikTok is known for its authentic nature and brands that show authenticity through their contents are the most successful on TikTok. Unlike Instagram where perfect and polished posts are most popular, TikTok encourages real and relatable content. Users are tired of the typical branded contents, they engage more with videos that capture their emotions. Emotions such as humour, excitement and inspiration can encourage viewers to share your videos as they can connect with the video.

One way to capture viewer’s attention and emotions is by telling stories. You can make videos about the story and values of your brand/product. Create an immersive storytelling experience by leveraging editing features and convey a message that can resonate with your audience. To prevent the audience from scrolling away, build excitement by showing the final results first and then work backwards to tell the story of how everything comes to be.

4. Hop On Trends and Alter It to Fit Your Business

Hopping on a trend can help increase your brand visibility (https://blog.iconosquare.com/10-tiktok-branding-strategies-to-grow-your-business/). Trends can vary from challenges, video effects, songs or hashtags. Analyze how your brand can fit and benefit from the trend. For instance, people love popular songs and if you use a trending sound, your video will automatically be distributed to more people and receive more engagement. The video does not have to be a choreography to the song, instead the song can be used as a background music for any type of video and you can certainly put your creative spin on it!

It is critical to jump on the hottest trends quickly as it is ever-changing. To increase chances of going viral, get ahead of the trend wave by spotting trends before everyone else does. You can go to the discovery page where it displays all the trending hashtags and challenges or leverage TikTok trending search feature.

5. Collaborate with Influencers

Having influencers promote your brand can help you reach more people. A few tips to choose the right influencer for your brand:

a. Make sure the influencer is active in your industry (ex. Fitness, fashion, beauty, etc.) so that your product is showcased to the relevant audience.

b. Find influencers that fit your brand values and can resonate with your audience. When the influencer is a good match with your brand, it can help strengthen your brand image. Working with a well-liked influencer can make your brand more likable to consumers, leading to higher purchase intentions.

Keep in mind that the number of followers is not everything! Influencers with a smaller following can be more precise and focused on your niche and they usually have a higher engagement rate than celebrity and macro influencers!

6. Use TikTok Paid Advertisement Features

TikTok advertising can greatly expand the reach of your content hence, increasing brand visibility and awareness (https://leadsbridge.com/blog/tiktok-advertising/). There are different paid advertising formats offered by TikTok with different ways to encourage engagement, you can choose which ads form is suitable for your business depending on your goals:

a. Brand takeover ads

Brand takeovers are full-screen videos that pop-up when users first open the TikTok app which usually include a clickable hashtag or links. These videos usually last for 3-5 seconds and then change into an In-feed video ad. The main advantage of using this form of advertising is that it can increase mass awareness (https://leadsbridge.com/blog/tiktok-advertising/) as it is instantly engaging and cannot be missed.

b. Top view ads

Similar to brand takeover ads but Top View ads usually last up to 60 seconds.

c. Hashtag challenges

Through branded hashtag challenge, your brand can invite users to create videos performing something in relation to your brand/product, turning them from passive onlookers to active participants. Users then post the videos using a defined hashtag and usually some prizes are awarded as an incentive. This advertising form can encourage and facilitate engagement with customers in a new way. When your customers are given the opportunity to participate with your brand’s message, it can foster a deeper connection between you and your customers.

d. In-feeds ads

Short form videos on users’ For You page that look similar to native TikTok videos. They blend with TikTok feed so your ads would look more organic. The main advantage of using this advertising option is that it looks more natural and users can easily interact with your video.

e. Branded effects ads

Branded effects allows your brand to create custom stickers or AR filters that users can use on their video. Branded effects usually last up to 10 days. It is a fun way for customers to engage with your brand.

f. Assess Your Campaign Results

Utilize TikTok’s analytic tools to learn valuable insights from your promotional campaign and see what can be improved. For example, if the average watch time and completion rate is low, think of possible ways to make your video more engaging, perhaps by making shorter form videos or find another way to deliver your message. You can also monitor feedback from users through your comment section to help you understand whether you are on the right track.

Conclusion

With its increasing popularity, TikTok is one of the most promising advertising platforms out there. It is definitely worth incorporating TikTok as one of your marketing communication channels and take advantage of its rapid growth. Take note of these 7 best tips to help you come up with the best TikTok marketing strategy for your brand!