Imagine your brand going viral, gaining followers by the thousands, and generating buzz like never before. That is the potential of TikTok! With over 122.5 million users in the United States and hundreds of millions worldwide, the popular app has immense consumer power. Whether running a small business or a large corporation, this guide gets you on the ground floor, launching TikTok for your brand.
1. Understand TikTok’s Audiences
Before diving into TikTok marketing, you must understand its user base. With billions of downloads worldwide, TikTok attracts a predominantly younger audience, mainly Gen Z and Millennials. These highly engaged users spend significant time on the app, presenting a tremendous opportunity for your business to connect with their target market.
Once you’re familiar with the overall demographics of the app, check out the audience of your brand’s niche. Which content, creators, and brands are they most watching, interacting with, and sharing? What trends are they responding to? What hashtags do they use to find and populate your industry’s niche? Some industries have whole “Toks” dedicated to them, like #BookTok or #TeacherTok or #BeautyTok, so make sure you’re exploring the platform thoroughly to find where your target audience is and what content gaps you can fill for them.
2. Understand How TikTok Works
Ask yourself, “Am I familiar with the important characteristics of the social media platform TikTok to effectively promote and utilize my brand?” Here are some of the main features you need to be familiar with:
For You Page
The For You Page (FYP) is TikTok’s algorithm-driven feed that displays content tailored to each user’s preferences. To leverage this feature, you should create engaging, high-quality videos that resonate with your target audience. Utilizing trends, challenges, and relatable content can increase your brand’s visibility and reach on the FYP.
Trends
TikTok challenges, hashtags, and sounds are viral trends encouraging users to participate and create content. As a business owner, you can tap into these by creating branded versions of each, inviting users to showcase their creativity while associating their brand with the trend. More on this in the next couple of steps!
Influencer Collaborations
Partnering with a relevant influencer who aligns with your brand values and target audience can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and credibility. Collaborating with influencers for sponsored content, brand mentions, or takeovers allows you to integrate their established audience and generate authentic engagement.
3. Content Ideas For TikTok Marketing
Here are a few ideas for content you can post to your brand’s TikTok. Check out our blog for more social media content ideas and video marketing strategies!
- Behind-the-Scenes Footage: Offer your audience a glimpse behind the scenes of your brand, showcasing your workplace, team, or product development process. This humanizes your brand, fosters authenticity, and builds a connection with your audience.
- How-To Videos and Tutorials: Share informative and entertaining how-to videos related to your industry or product. Provide valuable tips, hacks, or tutorials that educate and engage your audience. This positions your brand as an expert and builds trust among viewers.
- User-Generated Content: Encourage user-generated content by creating challenges that involve your audience. For example, ask them to complete a duet with you, answer questions in a stitch, or share their experiences with your products. User-generated content not only boosts engagement but also strengthens your brand community.
4. Optimizing The Algorithm For TikTok Marketing
Optimized social media platforms are the remedies for higher ranking through search engines. Try the following to see the difference:
- Use Engaging Introductions and Captions
Captivate viewers from the first second by creating captivating introductions and captions. Hook them with an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a visually appealing snippet to encourage them to watch the entire video.
- Utilize Trending Sounds and Music
TikTok thrives on music trends, so integrating popular songs and sounds into your videos can increase their discoverability. Stay updated with the latest music trends and select tracks that align with your brand’s tone and message.
- Leverage TikTok’s Editing Tools
TikTok offers various creative editing tools such as filters, effects, text overlays, and stickers. Experiment with these features to enhance the visual appeal of your videos, make them more engaging, and align them with your brand’s aesthetics.
Pro Tip: Always enable closed captioning on your TikTok videos to make your content accessible!
TikTok is one of the most effective ways to get your brand in front of your target audience. However, success doesn’t come automatically. Creating TikToks that effectively promote your brand, reach new prospects, and engage your audience takes effort and planning. If you have questions or need help creating TikToks that are both engaging and entertaining, contact us to schedule a consultation or training.
Stay tuned for Parts II and III of our Guide For Launching TikTok insights!