Just when you thought you had Facebook and Instagram covered, along came TikTok – so what do you need to know when navigating this new platform for business?
What initially started as a space to share short form and somewhat silly videos, has rapidly morphed into one of the dominant social media platforms in 2020. As of October 2019, TikTok had surpassed 800 million active users. Despite recent roadblocks in the United States, the platform is continuing to grow at an unprecedented rate, with the average user opening the app more than eight times per day.
How Does TikTok Work?
The major factor to consider when learning how TikTok works, is that it’s been predominantly embraced by Generation Z (those born after 1996), who account for over 60% of its users. With the aim of the game being for users to create and share entertaining fifteen second videos (think lip-syncs, feature skits and dance competitions), it’s not entirely surprising to hear that many businesses have been reluctant to embrace the platform when compared to other more “tried and true” social media marketing options available via Facebook and Instagram.
However, Generation Z is proving to be one of the most diverse age groups yet, and hold high levels of education, digital nativism, social and cultural awareness. When paired with a high propensity in being more emotionally expressive and open than their predecessors, it’s a key insight that can be weaponized when learning how to navigate TikTok for business.
How Can TikTok For Business Help My Brand?
According to recent 2020 statistics released from Wyzol, a whopping 87% of businesses are using videos as a part of their brand’s content strategy. Interestingly enough, of those businesses, 83% are reporting that video content is giving them a strong return on investment. As we all know, getting a good bang for your buck is the ultimate end goal for all marketing strategies.
While this has traditionally been associated with YouTube – the biggest player in the video marketing industry – other emerging platforms like Snapchat and TikTok are giving the former a run for its money. TikTok in particular is somewhat more user friendly for a video marketing beginner – it’s fun, it’s casual and the video form is shorter, but is it worth the time of marketing professionals?
Apart from launching the careers of a whole new generation of influencers, nothing says “open for business” quite like unveiling a paid advertising component – something that TikTok recently announced in June 2020. So other than pouring your advertising budget into a paid campaign that you “hope” might yield some results, what other options are then when it comes to nailing TikTok for business?
Tips And Tricks For Success In TikTok For Business
If you’re a brand or business that’s considering dipping your toes into the TikTok pool, then the good news is that it’s not as daunting as it looks.
Keep It Simple – TikTok should be considered as an opportunity to show a creative, humorous and light hearted version of your brand. Long form video isn’t your friend on this platform, so informal fifteen second videos usually perform the best.
Don’t Skip The Music – Most viewers on this platform are actually listening to the video with their sound on, so make sure you don’t skip the musical component of your upload. Once again, you have fifteen seconds to make an impression, so keep it relevant.
Get The Dimensions Right – TikTok is designed for mobile viewing, so when crafting your video do ensure that it’s in the portrait (vertical) format and not landscape. Nobody likes to watch an upload with two giant black lines – it’s a waste of your screen, and your time.
Participate In #Challenges – Either create your own, or participate in those of other brands. It’s a great way to both network and reach new audiences, particularly those within similar industries or brand positions as yours.
Work With Influencers – A collaboration with an influencer can greatly assist in boosting your brand’s engagement and awareness. This can otherwise take months (or years) if you’re going at it alone – the influencer has already done all of the hard yards for you.
One crucial point to note when trying out TikTok for business is to avoid the angle of a hard sell. Sure, you can showcase how your product or service functions, but try to keep it fun – TikTok is not the platform for blatant advertising, as it will only alienate your audience members.
Ready To Start Filming Content?
The problem that many businesses face when it comes to producing great video content is that they may not have the time, energy or resources to do so – but avoiding content marketing may actually be doing their brand a disservice.
Thankfully here at Content Hive, producing top quality content (including video) is exactly what we do best – so why not book in a free discovery call today to discuss how we can get your business buzzing online.
