If you want to market your products to a younger audience then there is no doubt that TikTok provides you with a great opportunity to do this. With more than 500 million worldwide users it has surprised many with its fast growth. To get the best out of TikTok you need to know what you are doing and in this article we will explain the best way to approach it.
Understanding the TikTok Platform
Just jumping on to the TikTok platform, before you know what you are doing, will turn users away – so you need to study it carefully before you get involved. Take a look at the most popular videos on TikTok and work out why users are attracted to them.
You also need to know how to interact properly with TikTok users. If you get this wrong, you’ll drive users away in droves. It is essential that you realize that TikTok is all about fun and entertainment. There are a ton of mini music videos that do well as well as humorous videos, too.
There is no place on TikTok for pushy sales messages. In the United States the majority of users are between 16 and 24 years old and they are not interested in sales pitches. You have to be creative in the way that you connect with TikTok users.
Your Content must be Fun
You have to be prepared to create really fun content for TikTok. Once you get used to doing this you can create really inexpensive videos that have a major impact on the platform. TikTok users are not expecting top quality Hollywood style videos so you can record on your smartphone and this will be totally acceptable.
It really is best to keep it simple and not try to be too clever. Create light hearted videos that showcase your products used in an entertaining way. TikTok users will really appreciate this and believe that you are authentic and will trust you.
Use Hashtag Challenges
Many brands and organizations have had a lot of success with hashtag challenges. You create a branded hashtag and then use this to promote a challenge where users participate by creating their own videos using your hashtag.
A good example of this was the hashtag challenge created by Guess Jeans. Their challenge was to ask TikTok users to create videos of themselves wearing their Guess clothes “their way”. Their hashtag was #inmydenim.
Use Influencers
There are already influencers on TikTok that have huge followings of millions. This is a great way to extend your brand reach on the platform. Not all influencers will be willing to work with you. Your brand and style needs to fit with theirs or they will turn you down.
Influencers need to be comfortable with your products. If they like them then they will be willing to showcase them to their audience. Do your homework here and use external tools to check on potential influencer bios before you commit to working with them.
TikTok Ads
Recently TikTok launched their ads program. Here you can pay for different ad types which are all in short form video format to extend your reach. There are four types of TikTok ads:
- Native Ads (in feed)
- Hashtag Challenges
- Brand Takeovers
- Branded Lenses
By using these ads strategically you will be able to reach out to many TikTok users. There are targeting options for you to narrow down your audience and these will improve over time. Time will tell how effective TikTok ads are.
