TikTok is not the platform that comes to mind when discussing digital marketing, but there is great potential on offer from the ever-growing social media platform.
Since 2018, TikTok has experienced a sharp increase in users, nearly tripling in size. It is expected that TikTok will join the ‘billion monthly active users’ club and reach 1.2 billion in 2021.
With such a big audience, it would be unwise to not tap into the kind of exposure a brand can get on TikTok.
Of course, you need the right approach because this platform is different from other popular platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
There are many TikTok trends to keep an eye on and ideas that will work well if executed correctly. So, let’s discuss some of the best TikTok strategies that you can use to take your marketing efforts to the next level.
Here’s a quick look at some interesting TikTok statistics that motivate brands to make the most of the music-inspired platform.
1. Use Text and TikTok Captions
Is TikTok all about video? Sure. But can text add context to your message? 100% yes. TikTok has a slew of options for adding custom text to your videos to help drive home whatever message you are trying to get across.
In fact, a lot of videos you post might not even have any spoken words in them—so adding text is going to be even more beneficial!
One nice little trick if you are doing a “how to” video is to use TikTok’s auto-generated TikTok captions on your videos—this can be a huge time saver as well.
This feature also ensures that those with hearing impairments (or those watching in silent mode) will still know what the content is all about.
If you wish to reach your audience regardless of whether or not they can hear the audio portions of your content, adding text or captions will help you achieve this goal.
2. Use TikTok Playlists
A newer feature that’s being added to TikTok is the ability to put your content into playlists.
With well-organized playlists and highlight reels, your followers will be able to discover more of your content.
Themed playlists are a good idea because brands can make collections of tutorials and informative lists for their followers’ convenience.
Here’s how you can create an interesting playlist to showcase your best content:
- Create a Business (or Creator) account
- Enter the navigation menu and click on ‘me’
- You should be given a prompt menu and here you’ll tap ‘sort videos into playlists’
- Give your playlist a name (it can be up to 15 characters long)
- Select the videos you want to be in your new playlist
- Determine the order in which the videos will be played
That’s it!
Keep in mind that only public videos can be added to playlists, and a video can only be in one playlist at a time. While this sounds restrictive, some creative planning should make up for the lack of freedom with playlist creation.
3. Explore TikTok Hashtags
Hashtags are the heartbeats of TikTok content. Every day, new viral hashtag challenges are created and shared.
TikTok’s Discover tab is organized by popular and trending hashtags, so if you want your content seen, you need to use hashtags.
To find hashtags most related to your brand, put yourself in your audience’s shoes. What would they be searching for that could lead them to you?
You can go broad and use something like #lipstick if you’re in the cosmetics industry, or #marketing if you’re a marketer. Alternatively, you can be more specific and use detailed hashtags such as #TikTokMarketing.
Another way to find hashtags you can use is to look at your competition. What hashtags are they using, and how much attention are they getting?
TikTok’s Discover tab can also be quite useful in finding trending hashtags that might be relevant to your brand.
Hashtag challenges are also a great way to (try to) go viral. The #GetUpChallenge and the #FindYourCore challenge are just two examples of hashtags used the right way.
4. Stay Updated on TikTok Trends
To be successful as a business on TikTok, it’s very important to be part of YOUR audience’s community.
One way to achieve this is by taking part in TikTok trends. Study the latest trends and find creative ways for your brand to be part of them. It’s especially important to avoid being “salesy”—you are building a community, not slinging product here. Keep in mind that not every “trend” is going to fit your brand—which is fine!
So pick and choose where you can get creative and integrate your brand, but don’t try to just jump on every trend as it will likely come off as “trying too hard” to fit in.
TikTok trends can include dances, challenges, songs, sound bytes, and using TikTok app features like “duets” (which is one of our favorites).
*Pro Tip – Use the “For You” page to keep up with the latest trends.
5. Collaborate With TikTok Influencers
Social media influencers remain an industry staple and are used by millions of brands to drive awareness and perhaps even some additional sales.
TikTok has its own set of influencers that brands can work with to engage with their community and increase their visibility.
The #TooSickToBeSick campaign is a fantastic example of how a medicine brand collaborated with an influencer to promote its product.
Other ways of working with influencers include hashtag challenges, endorsements, and account takeovers.
TikTok Strategies Can Boost Marketing Impact
Social media marketing can be a tough nut to crack, but it’s not impossible. Using the TikTok tips shared here will help you get started and build a strong, effective marketing campaign that will reach your audience and get your content in front of more eyes.
It will take some trial and error to get the perfect campaign going, but if you need advice on getting started, our expert team is here to help.
Call us at (877) 866-6699 or contact us here and we’ll get back to you ASAP with feedback and ideas for your next campaign.