The new kid on the social media scene, TikTok is quickly growing to be the most popular social media app among younger audiences.
Most businesses are noticing, but may not be sure the best way to leverage TikTok marketing. It’s incredibly helpful for businesses with Gen Z and millennial audiences, however, and it’s only expected to grow over time.
With this roadmap to fuel your business growth with these simple TikTok marketing techniques, you can learn all about TikTok and its unique features for boosting your presence.
The Value of TikTok
Launched in 2016, TikTok uses short-form video content to hold viewers’ attention. This has proven popular, especially with young generations that prefer raw and authentic experiences over traditional marketing tactics.
In fact, TikTok has become so popular that it’s setting video trends on other platforms, including the original spot for videos, YouTube.
TikTok users spend nearly an hour on TikTok each day and enjoy the in-depth interactions they can have with brands, which is why the platform is so important for your social media marketing strategy.
Understanding TikTok
TikTok has a lot in common with other social media, but it’s taking a new approach that may take some getting used to. The videos are typically 15 seconds to 60 seconds, but shorter videos are more popular with users.
The videos are also different than what you might see on other apps. They’re typically raw and unproduced, making them feel more like an off-the-cuff experience than a planned and produced ad. It’s not enough to take a clip from a previous video ad and post it on TikTok – you need to make the content align with what’s popular on the platform.
Fortunately, you can record a video in the TikTok app or create and edit a video on your preferred device and upload it. Over time, you may get more comfortable creating a live video right there. TikTok also offers features to enhance your video, such as effects and filters.
Users show that they like a video by leaving comments, sharing it with their followers, liking the video, or viewing it more than once.
Tips for TikTok Marketing
TikTok is a powerful marketing tool, so here are some tips to position yourself for success.
Keep Up with What’s Trending
TikTok is all about trends. Like Twitter or Instagram, TikTok hashtags are used to establish trending content and for users to search for topics or brands. These hashtags tend to trend, telling you what is popular on the platform at that time.
That said, TikTok trends move much faster than other platforms. You have to adapt quickly and come up with content ideas on the fly to catch the wave of a current trend. If you take too long, you could be behind the trend when you post.
Use Appropriate Hashtags
As mentioned, TikTok uses hashtags to make videos searchable for users. When they open the app, they can find the content they’d like to see with the search bar, and videos are indexed by hashtags.
Make sure your hashtags are relevant to your content, however – don’t just piggyback on a trend that doesn’t connect to your message. For example, if you offered a free practice driving permit test for student drivers, good hashtags may include #driversed or #practicepermittest.
You can’t include tons of hashtags like Instagram, though. Be selective about your hashtags to make the most of your space.
Keep Posting Consistent
TikTok creators post a lot of content, but it’s more important to take your time and post only relevant content instead of low-quality content just to get something on your account. It’s best to plan out your content in advance and keep a schedule to ensure you’re being consistent.
If you need to hop on a trend, break from the schedule and fall right back into it once the trend has passed. You can probably use your original content for a future post instead.
Enhance Videos with TikTok Features
TikTok offers numerous features to enhance videos, which is part of its popularity. You can add effects, text, music, and other touches that make your video more engaging and unique, which works well for the average TikTok user.
Make sure you experiment! TikTok has a lot on the offer, so get creative with the way you use features and see what works best for your audience.
Work with an Influencer
Influencers are popular on virtually every social media platform, but influencer marketing skyrocketed with TikTok. The platform is the home to many rising stars, and you can find influencers in just about any industry you can imagine.
For example, if you’re looking to market driver’s ed resources to teens, you can choose to partner with a teen influencer that has a good student driver following. Just make sure the influencer has an image and tone that aligns with your brand, then reach out to see about promotion or content creation.
Foster Engagement from Your Followers
User engagement fuels just about everything on TikTok, so your brand has to get great engagement to gain traction. Comments, likes, shares, and reactions to videos boost content and make it discoverable to others, so do your best to foster engagement with your following.
If someone leaves a comment on your video, thank them or start a conversation. You should also comment and like others’ posts to show that it’s about community, not just you. If you get negative feedback, be sure to respond in a diplomatic and polite way. Negative comments won’t ruin your brand, but the way you handle them can have a huge impact. Take advantage of an opportunity to shift a negative into a positive.
Boost Your Brand with TikTok Marketing Techniques
As more and more people get on TikTok, we can expect the audience to become larger and more diverse. The platform is setting the trends for other platforms, despite many businesses not taking it seriously yet. You have a chance to get in early and become an established brand before everyone else catches on.
Author’s Bio:
Tim Waldenback is the co-founder of Zutobi, a gamified e-learning platform focused on online drivers education to help teens get their license. Tim founded Zutobi to make world-class driver’s education fun, affordable, and easily accessible for all.
