With over 2 billion downloads, TikTok has become one of the most quickly downloaded apps in the world and it is thanks to it’s user-focused approach – that’s great and all, but for the less tech-savvy of us, we need to delve into how TikTok will affect business. The platform is becoming a popular way for brands to reach their audience, and many influencers use it as a way to grow their subscriber base.
The Basics
TikTok makes it easy to create short videos with music and special effects and share them with friends, or on social media. The videos are then uploaded to the user’s profile page, where they can be viewed by other TikTok users. The app also has features like user comments, likes and shares as well as an option for sharing with other social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram (so your friends can see what you’re doing). It is a primarily organic platform, relying on the likes, FYP (For You Page) and sharing and tagging friends, to facilitate worldwide reach.
TikTok is used by a huge array of users for a range of reasons, and one of the common reasons is for humour and entertainment. Think back to the days of ‘You’ve been framed’ – yeah, you can literally stream one video after another for hours of amusement but that’s not all. You can stream content from your favourite TV hosts doing the latest dance trends, psychologists and therapists sharing advice and even your average Joe sharing #lifehacks.
Who is using it?
It’s no secret that TikTok has been growing exponentially, and the app was featured on Apple’s App Store in December 2018 as one of the “best apps of the year.” While the majority of users are younger people (the app is most popular among teens and 20 somethings), some older people use it regularly. This means it could be an excellent marketing tool for your company if you want to reach a wide demographic audience.
Building a brand on TikTok
Building a brand on TikTok is no easy task. It’s hard enough to create an image that people will remember, but it can be even harder to do so when you aren’t sure how long your content will stay relevant. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to keep your brand looking fresh and interesting:
- Be consistent with your brand. Your audience needs consistency in order for them to build up trust in whatever message you’re sending out there—so make sure that all of the content produced under the same username or handle is similar in tone and style.
- Make sure it’s authentic. If the content feels forced or fake, viewers won’t feel compelled to come back for more (and they probably won’t). Authenticity doesn’t mean getting personal—it just means being honest about who you are as an artist/performer/etc., so people know what kind of experience they’ll get when watching one of your videos on TikTok . . . which leads us into our next point:
- Create relatable content for your audience! Everyone wants something different out of their social media feeds; if someone sees something relatable (and funny), then chances are they’ll spread those laughs around via comments/sharing etc., which could lead others seeing this type video over time – thus building awareness around whatever purposeful cause was behind making this particular piece.”
If you are hoping to find a hack for content though, sorry to tell you it’s not going to happen. There is no stock content that you can steal from Unsplash to post on TikTok, it is all about real faces and real places.
Advertising Potential
Similar to other platforms, you can sponsor ad’s on TikTok, though these are not so common (which is the main appeal for users). You can also host live streams during which you can discuss and link to products on your TikTok shop. You can also link to products on posted videos, which is what many influencers do.
Unfortunately, for service based businesses it is is not so easy, but this is where brand awareness can thrive which in turn bring in business if it is done correctly. You can speak with us for content ideas and brand awareness, but for actual video content we really recommend you as the face of the business.
Who are influencers on TikTok?
Influencers are people with a large social media following. They can be anyone from a professional actor to an amateur musician, but they all share one thing in common: their content has been viewed by millions of people. Influencers can help you reach your target audience and increase your brand awareness, which will make it easier for you to sell your products or services. However, there are two things you should keep in mind when working with influencers:
- Beware of fake influencers: some companies hire actors and pay them large amounts of money (upwards of £10,000) just to pretend like they love their product and promote it on Instagram or Twitter at the expense of their followers’ trustworthiness. If an influencer seems too good to be true—or if they’re charging too much money—then chances are that they’re not authentic either!
- You are not guaranteed to make more sales from their post, and simultaneously, be prepared to be overloaded with sales. Some businesses have experienced criticisms after influencers have advertised their products and they have been unable to keep up with demand.
So will you be exploring your creative video skills?
TikTok is the perfect place for brands to build their audience base and reach new customers. If your company is people focused, putting content on this platform will allow potential customers see what you are up too and what is involved in your business.
The great thing about TikTok is that it allows users to post all types of content from comedy sketches, music videos and personal stories; so if you’re looking for ways to increase brand awareness then this could be just what you need!
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