Navigating TikTok for Marketers: A Beginner's Guide

TikTok has been taking the digital world by storm for the past few years. With about 1.67 billion monthly users it is becoming the most powerful platform for building followers and brand loyalty. While TikTok is most popular with younger audiences it is quickly piquing the interest of older audiences. Its success comes from playing off the 3 Second Rule which is how long a video has to get your attention before you lose interest. 

Studies show engagement on TikTok is about 15% higher than other social media platforms. With stats like these it’s no wonder TikTok is quickly changing the way trends and videos exist in social media marketing.

If your brand has decided TikTok is the next step, don’t be scared. At the end of the day, it’s as intimidating as any other social media platform. Here are some tips and tricks to remember once you dive into TikTok.

Utilize UGC 

Here’s an easy one! User-generated content (UGC) is always going to be your best friend when it comes to social media marketing. This is especially the case in videos over posts. People like watching everyday people using the products you’re selling, they want honest reviews and honest reactions and UGC provides both. Influencers can be intimidating to reach out to for collaborations, but they can make all the difference in how your videos perform. This applies to any platform, but especially TikTok. Influencers breed loyalty and you want this loyalty shared with your brand. 

Reply To Comments

While this seems like a common-sense engagement strategy many brands don’t respond to their audience and it reflects poorly on the brand. TikTok offers a feature where you can reply to comments with a video and this usually performs well. People don’t just want you to give a standard response, they want you to go above and beyond and show you as a brand care about your consumers. 

Q&A

In March 2021, TikTok launched the highly successful Q&A feature. It works by filing every response under the original question allowing you to see all the answers. As a brand, you can use this one of two ways. The first is answering questions, they can apply to your brand or they can just be fun. Either way, this will get your video in front of more eyes allowing your brand to reach more. The second is by asking questions. You could have a question asking people to show how they use one of your products for example. Not only will these videos reach a wider audience, but they’re also always connected to your brand through the question. 

Call To Action

The easiest and most simple way to encourage engagement is by including a call to action (CTA). This assigns viewers a task and most are willing to comply. Honestly have fun with your CTAs, you want them to engage your audience so they will interact with the posts. There is no exception to this rule even when using TikTok. 

Trends

The first thing that most people think of when they hear TikTok is trendy. This is because so many popular trends have originated on the platform. If you hear people talking about their OOTD (outfit of the day) or a GRWM (get ready with me) you are experiencing TikTok trends taking the world by storm. As a brand brainstorm what popular trends you can participate in. This can be tricky since you want the video to make sense. Don’t participate in a trend just to do it because you won’t resonate with your audience if you do the trend correctly though it could skyrocket your brand. 

If you’re feeling brave you can even try creating a trend. Many big brands do this and see lots of success with this strategy. Remember new trends start somewhere so why not have the next one start with you? 

Check Analytics

Like most other platforms, TikTok offers analytics on each video. Take advantage of these statistics as they provide valuable insights into how people react to your posts. To access analytics go to ‘Creator Tools’ in settings and click on ‘Analytics’. Here you’ll find three categories: Overview, Content, and Followers. Make yourself familiar with these categories so you can understand what they’re telling you. 

TikTok Ads

TikTok advertising has recently grown in popularity. They offer a wide variety of ads, making it perfect for almost any brand. TikTok ads are more suited for B2C brands over B2B brands due to their engaging video format. Once you create a TikTok Ads Manager account you are ready to be as creative as you want with your video advertising. 

TikTok is reaching more people in more ways than any platform has done before so as long as you’re consistent with your posting you’ll see results. Keep these tips in mind while creating content and engaging, but remember going viral isn’t an exact formula. Follow your instincts and have fun with your content and you’ll do just fine.