TikTok is a video social media app and a video-sharing platform. In the U.S., it is called musical.ly, but sometimes it is referred to as musical.ly, musica.ly, or musicale.
The company behind the app is Musical.ly Inc., and is based in Shanghai, China. The app was first launched in 2014, and was created by Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming, who also serves as the current CEO of Musical.ly and Tiktok Inc.
TikTok has been downloaded over 1 billion times on both Android and iOS devices since its inception in 2014 and has over 200 million users globally as of April 2018. Its popularity has led to the creation of similar apps like Douyin by ByteDance, a Chinese technology company that had launched its own short-video social media app originally named Short Video in 2015 which later rebranded in May 2016 as Douyin (also known as TikTok outside of China).
The importance of short-form videos for brands has become increasingly relevant in social media spaces. According to the Digital Marketer, short-form video connects with audiences more, gets more views, and generates more shares.
With TikTok, brands can engage, interact with, and ultimately create brand loyalty among their users.
A brand’s TikTok strategy can be simple or complex. It can be focused on follower acquisition, engagement, and brand awareness. It can be as simple as sharing branded TikTok videos on a company’s social media page or it can involve a company-wide, multi-departmental effort to create videos, distribute them, and measure the results. The starting point for any brand’s TikTok strategy is identifying how it intends to use TikTok to engage users.
The TikTok app works like this: Users share videos by either recording them or by taking existing videos and editing them. These videos are then uploaded and shared with other users through the TikTok app.
TikTok is different from other social media platforms because it allows users to record any type of video. There are no length or format restrictions for videos posted to the platform. Users can choose from existing video content or record and create their own videos.
In this article, we’ll cover how brands can use TikTok for outreach, engagement, and brand awareness, as well as how to build a successful TikTok strategy.
What are the best practices for brands on TikTok?
If you’re looking to grow your brand on TikTok, the first place you should look is at the TikTok trends page. This is where all of the hot videos are being posted and it’s a great place to start to get an idea of what’s working.
If you want to join in on the fun, you need to make sure you’re using one of the big influencers’ hashtags. These are people who have hundreds of thousands, even millions, of followers and they’re posting the hottest content. If you use one of their hashtags then those people will be able to see your video and hopefully you’ll be able to get some more followers in return.
It’s also a good idea to go and check out some other brands that are on TikTok. See what they’re doing and see if you can get some inspiration from them. Some brands use videos as adverts for their own products, but others are just posting about what’s going on in their world. It might be that by just posting about your own brand but not actually promoting anything directly, you can get even more followers this way.
When and why might brands want to use TikTok?
TikTok is one of the hottest new social networks and it’s all about videos. It’s a creative app that lets you make fun, short videos and then share them with your friends. It also has special features for music, dance and more.
Here are some reasons why brands might want to use TikTok:
- They’re already doing it. Brands have been posting on TikTok for over a year now and this is a trend that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, recent reports say that at least five more major brands plan to start advertising on TikTok in 2019 including Walmart, Hyundai, and Sephora!
- They can be funny. The short video aspect of the platform allows brands to be a bit funnier than they might be able to on other social media channels. For example, they can post clips of their employees or customers acting silly or having fun with their products.
- They can be creative with how they present their content on the platform too. With text posts, emojis and filters, there are plenty of ways that brands can convey their messages perfectly within the format of each video without sacrificing the experience of actually watching the videos themselves!
- They can build a following. One of the biggest benefits of creating a Tiktok channel is that it builds your audience. People who follow you on TikTok are far more likely to follow you on other social platforms too.
- They can build loyalty. People who follow your brand on TikTok are also much more likely to follow your brand on other social media platforms and watch your videos if they have a good experience.
- They can be interactive. Uploading videos to Tiktok is interactive. You can upload short videos, add your own videos, follow other Tiktok users, search and watch content, comment, like, share and subscribe.
- They can save time. Posting to Tiktok is really easy. You can post videos directly from your phone, add filters, edit videos, add music and add text.
If you’re looking for an immediate short-term boost in followers, the best way to achieve this is to post videos that trend. Trending videos get huge numbers of views, which means more followers.
A trend can last anywhere from four hours to a day. It basically depends on the number of people who are watching. If you put a video out there that becomes a trend, then it’s only a matter of time before your video gets more views than any other video on TikTok.
There are a number of different factors that can influence whether video trends. The video might have gone viral, or it could be getting good feedback. It might have the aesthetic that’s trending. Or it could be related to recent world events.
It’s very important to use the right keywords. If you have a keyword that’s trending at the moment, then your videos will probably get a lot of attention.
Tips for building a successful TikTok strategy
So you’ve decided to start posting videos on TikTok. Now what?
The first thing you need to do is create a strategy for how you’re going to use TikTok.
Are you going to use TikTok as a brand awareness tool? Are you offering information? Are you going to create videos about your products? Are you going to use TikTok to provide customer service?
No matter what you decide to do, you need to make sure you research how other brands are using it. There are thousands of brands using TikTok and if you want to learn from what they’re doing, then it’s very important that you do.
You should also try to find influencers that are in line with the type of content you plan on posting. For example, if you’re selling makeup products, then you need to find influencers who are posting makeup-themed content.
You should also consider if TikTok is the right platform for you. TikTok is very popular with younger people, so if you’re targeting an older audience, then TikTok may not be right for you.
Finally, don’t forget to use hashtags! Do some research on your own. Find out what hashtags are trending right now, but make sure you’re careful. TikTok has tools that you can use to check your hashtags for copyright. Make sure you’re adding the right hashtags, otherwise your video won’t be seen.
Is TikTok safe for brands?
Is TikTok safe for brands? It’s the question that many corporations have been asking, but so far, the answer is yes. TikTok is an app that allows users to create short videos and share them with their friends. It’s been described as the “Instagram of short videos.” The app is free to download and very popular with younger generations. However, brands have been breaking into the TikTok market, but so far, the reviews are positive. Brands that have recently launched their TikTok accounts include Pepsi, Hyundai, McDonald’s, and Old Navy.
Brand awareness
Brands have found that TikTok is a great way to provide value to their customers. TikTok’s users are mainly young people, so brands that target this audience can share brand-related information with them. For example, Pepsi is using TikTok to highlight its partnership with the NBA. The Pepsi NBA Challenge is a contest where users create and submit short videos showing off their basketball skills. The best video wins $10,000.
Another popular TikTok account is True Wireless. This brand created an account through which users can find out more about its products. True Wireless is a Bluetooth headset brand, so the account features videos showing what Bluetooth headsets are like. True Wireless also creates videos that ask users questions about its products.
Information
Brands are also using TikTok to provide value to their customers. For example, Hyundai has created a TikTok account called “Hyundai Smart Tips.” This account gives users information about car maintenance. The account covers issues like windshield wiper replacement, oil maintenance, and battery replacement.
McDonald’s has also created a TikTok account. The account is McDonald’s Decoded. In this video, McDonald’s gives users information about its foods. McDonald’s also uses TikTok to create videos that show customers how to use its food. For example, McDonald’s created a video of how to make egg McMuffins.
Customer service
Another popular use for TikTok is customer service. Many brands have used the app to give their customers information about products. For example, Olay created a TikTok account called “Olay’s Lip Genius.” This account gives customers information about different Olay products.
TikTok has also been used for customer service. For example, Zomato created a TikTok account called “Zomato.Food Delivery.” This account gives customers information about Zomato’s services. This account also has videos that show customers how to order on Zomato, how to tip on Zomato, and how to order on Zomato through Zomato’s app.
TikTok’s popularity with younger generations
TikTok is especially popular with younger users. The app has 250 million daily active users. 75% of TikTok users are under the age of 25. This age group is popular among brands, but it’s important to remember that TikTok’s users are also people who are creating and sharing content. This means that brands can’t expect their TikTok account to be completely free of content created by other users. TikTok also has a reputation of being a “wild west” of social video sharing. This means that many users create videos that don’t always follow TikTok’s rules. Because of this, it’s common to see TikTok videos that break the platform’s rules.
How do you create an engaging and effective ad?
Consumers are on TikTok, uploading videos, recommending products, and discussing brands. The TikTok social platform is creating a massive opportunity for advertisers, but how do you create an effective ad?
1. Use TikTok for Outreach
Brands can use TikTok to reach out to their audiences. TikTok offers brands the opportunity to engage with users through videos that correspond to the mission of their brand.
For example, instead of posting content about new products every day, brands can consider sharing videos about new trends, products, or seasonal updates and share them on TikTok.
A study done by Social Media Today found that 77 percent of TikTok users are between the ages of 18 and 25, so brands can use this platform to reach younger audiences.
Brands can also use TikTok to reach out to influencers. Many influencers have large followings on TikTok.
For example, advertisers can use TikTok to reach out to YouTubers who have large followings on TikTok.
2. Use TikTok for Engagement
Content that is posted on TikTok may be viewed, commented on, and shared. This user-generated content creates engagement between brands and TikTok users.
Users can comment on posts, which increases the likelihood post will be viewed and shared.
Many brands use engagement on TikTok to increase brand awareness. Brands can post relatable content that encourages users to comment and share.
For example, the LEGO Group, the world’s largest toymaker, posted videos titled “How are you?” and “What’s happening?” for users to comment on and share their reactions.
3. Use TikTok for Brand Awareness
Because TikTok is new, brands can use it as a way to get their brand in front of new audiences. As the platform grows, it becomes easier for brands to reach new audiences with TikTok. As users discover TikTok and start to use it, brands will build a brand presence on TikTok.
4. Use TikTok for Community Building
Brands can use TikTok to increase community engagement. TikTok has communities with millions of members. These communities provide a place for users to share content and interact with each other.
Users can join communities sponsored by brands or start their own communities.
For example, the Brazen Life, a lifestyle brand, started a “TikTok Tribe,” a community for Brazen Life followers. The Brazen Life Tribe has 629 members, who discuss Brazen Life content, products, and events on the TikTok platform.
5. Use TikTok for Product Trial
Unlike Instagram, TikTok allows brands to share video content with users. This allows brands to share videos that showcase products in action.
For example, users of the TikTok platform can use videos to review products. Product review videos increase purchase intent among users.
Users can share product review videos through TikTok, which increases the likelihood of users recommending products.
6. Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience will help you create content that resonates with users and encourages them to engage with your brand.
Users on TikTok fall into the demographics of:
Young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.
Teens between the ages of 13 and 17.
7. Test Your Page
Before launching a TikTok campaign, a brand should test the page.
For example, a brand should test the page to make sure it loads quickly, that the resolutions of the photos and videos are right, and that the content is promoted properly.
Conclusion:
There are many ways to promote your brand on TikTok. The most common is to use your own personal account to show your personality and who you are. It’s important to remember that it’s not just a platform to promote your brand, but also to have fun.
