TikTok for Business 101: How to Use TikTok for Marketing
Have any questions?
Just contact us below, our
team is always ready to help.
Within a span of less than five years, TikTok has emerged as a formidable marketing tool for brands, fundamentally transforming the way consumers consume media.
Starting with a 15-second video limit, which eventually expanded to 60 seconds and now 3 minutes, TikTok has laid the groundwork for the surge in short-form video content production. Its influence is so profound that even established social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube have had to introduce their own versions of short-form video creation, such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, in direct competition with the pioneering platform - TikTok.
If you're eager to discover how to effectively leverage TikTok as a digital marketing tool for your brand, continue reading this comprehensive guide provided by our expert Social Media Marketing team at Bold x Collective.
Understanding TikTok
Given that TikTok is primarily used by Gen Z and Millennials, it is crucial to approach content creation with creativity in mind. Traditional marketing approaches, sales tactics, or aggressive advertising do not resonate well on this platform. Instead, brands can harness the advantages of TikTok by focusing on building brand awareness, often without significant financial investments. Staying updated with trending sounds and content readily available on TikTok's "Discover" page can help in this regard.
Equally important is infusing your brand's content with a distinct personality. Whether it takes an educational/informative or fun/playful approach, giving your brand a unique voice is essential. As a general principle, TikTok users prefer to be informed or entertained rather than persuaded by overt promotional content.
Some fun ideas to introduce your brand to the platform include:
Step-by-step time-lapsed video of how your product is made and/or packaged
Give a behind-the-scenes tour of your office workplace
Introduce yourself and your team in a fun way with trendy music or actions
Explain the story behind your brand’s name
A day in the life (employee edition)
For more TikTok ideas for small businesses, read this.
Examples of brands that have mastered their TikTok personality:
Duolingo – 3.0m followers
Lionsgate – 3.8m followers
Ryanair – 1.5m followers
The Washington Post – 1.2m followers
Chipotle – 1.7m followers
Where Do I start?
Although it may appear daunting to expand your business presence on a new platform, TikTok is an experiential application where success doesn't necessarily require expertise. To begin, familiarize yourself with the landscape by examining competitors. Observe how others in your industry are performing, learn from their successes and failures, and find inspiration.
Typically, your initial TikTok video receives a "boost" and has a higher chance of generating substantial impressions. It is essential to ensure that your first upload is of high quality, follows a popular trend, or incorporates a popular sound. This approach increases your reach by catering to TikTok's algorithm, potentially attracting followers right from the beginning.
As the saying goes, "content is king" on TikTok. Even accounts with no followers can achieve millions of views.
Create Relatable & Fun Content
TikTok revolves around authenticity. Unlike Instagram, you don't need to invest significant time or money in producing high-end videos or photography because the aesthetic of your profile isn't as critical. By utilizing TikTok's "Discover" page, you can effortlessly keep up with current trends and creatively incorporate your brand into them.
While Instagram emphasizes images and Twitter focuses on text, TikTok places its emphasis on sound and video. This grants your brand the freedom to explore various possibilities and experiment with different types of content without the concern of perfect alignment with the rest of your profile. Ultimately, TikTok is an informal platform, and its marketing should reflect that. Inject personality into your brand, enjoy the process, and be genuinely engaging to build brand awareness and a dedicated following.
Engage for Engagement
As an interactive platform, embrace the opportunity to engage with other creators' content, whether it directly relates to your business or not. This strategy, commonly employed by brands and organizations on TikTok, can significantly expand your reach and has proven successful for many, as demonstrated by previous brand examples.
By leaving comments on other users' content, even if it's not directly related to your brand, you can increase your exposure. Those scrolling through the comments of that video are likely to come across your comment, brand name, and profile picture. If your comment is entertaining or informative, users may be inclined to visit your profile and explore your videos.
However, capturing a follower's attention hinges on the quality and entertainment value of your content. While gaining a visit to your profile is a positive step, securing a follower depends entirely on the excellence and appeal of your videos.
Collaborate with Influencers
The growth of influencer marketing in recent years owes much to TikTok's impact on its development. With influencers on the platform amassing millions of followers and views, collaborating with them undoubtedly offers tremendous exposure for your brand.
However, you don't necessarily need to partner with high-profile influencers to enhance brand awareness. As previously mentioned, TikTok's unique advantage lies in the potential for content to go viral even with a small or non-existent following. Consider collaborating with micro and/or niche influencers whose existing content and following align with your brand and target demographic.
This approach will make influencers more receptive to collaboration, while their followers are more likely to be genuinely interested in your products or services. While many influencer collaborations involve compensation, numerous micro-influencers are also open to receiving free products in exchange for testing and providing honest brand reviews. Remember, you don't always have to loosen the purse strings to engage in influencer marketing.
TikTok Ads
While it is important to avoid making your profile content solely focused on product or service advertisements (as it may not resonate well with TikTok users), similar to Instagram or Facebook, TikTok provides opportunities for brands to run ads on its platform. There are various types of ads available on TikTok, and here is a breakdown of them:
In-feed Native Ad: An ad that plays in between user content. A downside to this form of advertising is that users can quickly scroll past it.
Branded Lens: A filter designed by your brand for users to use when creating videos. When done successfully, this can be an engaging way for users to interact with the brand.
Brand Takeover: Before seeing any user, content there is a (brand takeover) ad when the app is opened. This would be the very first thing a user sees when going on TikTok.
Sponsored Hashtag Challenge: This is an engaging form of advertisement that allows brands to promote a specific hashtag challenge for users and then advertise it on TikTok’s “Discover” page. An example of this would be RBC’s #RBCPodiumPose and Toyota’s #ToyotaWave challenge. However, sponsoring a TikTok Hashtag Challenge can be very expensive for smaller businesses, but consider starting a hashtag challenge on your profile without sponsoring!
TikTok's advertising landscape is still in its early stages of development and may not be widely embraced by smaller brands. If your brand operates with a limited budget, it is advisable to forego paid advertising and instead prioritize creating compelling content, fostering engagement, and exploring influencer collaborations.
Conclusion
TikTok marketing sets itself apart from other social media platforms. The most successful brands on TikTok have achieved growth by being genuine, relatable, and timely in their content. They also engage with other accounts, collaborate with influencers, and occasionally run ads. Authenticity remains key on TikTok, even when it comes to marketing.
If you require additional guidance, the team at Bold x Collective is always available to assist you. Contact us to embark on your journey towards TikTok success! For more information, be sure to explore our previous blog posts: Everything You Need to Know About TikTok Marketing and How do I Start a TikTok for My Brand?