TikTok Marketing 101

Are you looking for a way to reach a new and engaged audience? TikTok might be the answer! With more than one billion users on the TikTok platform, it’s no wonder the social media channel is expected to see brand marketing increase by a whopping 40% in 2022. (Even outpacing the likes of Instagram and YouTube).

Nike, Sony, and Pepsi (just to name a few) have already added TikTok to their social media marketing mix with great success. Fancy getting your brand in on the action with extensive reach and youthful engagement?  Then read on for your crash course in TikTok marketing.

What is TikTok marketing?

TikTok marketing is the practice of utilising the TikTok platform to promote a product or service. This kind of promotion usually takes the form of common marketing strategies such as: 

• Influencer marketing

• Original content

• TikTok ads

What is Influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing that involves working with TikTok creators who have a large following (and therefore, influence) to promote your brand.

For example, when Charli D’Amelio (TikTok’s most popular user with over 140 million followers) teamed up with the spicy chip brand, Takis, for a TikTok video, the results were impressive, to say the least:

• Over 19 million views

• 3 million likes

• More than 220,000 comments

• 43,000+ shares

What is original content?

Original content marketing refers to TikTok videos created by your brand (as opposed to user-generated content). This can be anything from a creative and funny video featuring your product to educational TikToks that shows your audience how to use your service.

For example, Rihanna’s cosmetics brand, Fenty Beauty, commonly posts short-form makeup tutorials and new product drops. With over 19 million cumulative likes, the results speak for themselves.

What are TikTok ads?

These are paid ads, similar to what you might find on Instagram or Facebook, where brands can target their audience by age, gender, interests, and other relevant demos. There’s hardly a lack of variety either, with TikTok offering five different ad types including: In-feed ads, Brand Takeover ads, Branded Hashtag Challenge ads, TopView ads, and Branded Effects.

In-Feed ads, for example, are TikTok videos that show up in users’ main feeds, similar to how an Instagram ad would appear. These are full-screen and can be up to 60 seconds long. (Though best practice suggests keeping it to 15 seconds or less). 

Why should brands use TikTok marketing?

There are a number of reasons TikTok should be on every marketer’s radar. Not only is TikTok the fastest-growing social media platform, but users are also incredibly engaged with the content they consume on the app. This allows brands to:

• Enhance reach

• Boost awareness

• Increase conversions

• Receive valuable customer feedback

• Facilitate customer service

How to win at TikTok marketing?

While there is no TikTok marketing silver bullet, there are a few tried and true methods to help your brand get started on the right foot.

• Don’t Sell to your audience

  : TikTok users are incredibly savvy and can see right through a hard sales pitch. Instead, focus on creating content that is entertaining, educational, or both!

• Keep it short and to the point

  : There’s a reason TikTok is a short-form video platform. Users are after quick, snappy reels. So it’s best to aim for posts of no longer than 15 seconds if you don’t want people flicking past your content before you’ve even gotten to the CTA.

• Be creative

  : With TikTok’s editing features and AR filters, the sky’s the limit when it comes to creativity. So have fun with it and experiment!

• Take to the comment section

  : TikTok is all about building a community and interacting with your audience. So make sure to jump into the comment section of your posts and engage with other users. Replying to questions and giving subtle nods of approval to user comments is a great way to show you’re taking notice of your audience and that you care about what they have to say.

• Hop on the trends

  : TikTok is known for its trends and challenges, which can be a great way to show your relevancy (and your human-side) to users. By creating content that takes advantage of the hottest hashtags and daily trends, the TikTok algorithms will reward you by putting your brand in front of a wider audience.

• Work with a social media marketing agency

  : While we’ve touched on some of the main aspects of TikTok marketing in this blog, it’s really only the tip of the iceberg.

Knowing the ins and outs of the platform, developing a comprehensive strategy, plus having the time and resources to see it through with consistent posting and quality content can be A LOT to manage in-house. (Especially if your brand doesn’t have a devoted paid media and community management team.)

By working with our Sydney digital marketing agency, you can have peace of mind knowing that your brand’s social media marketing is in the expert hands of both our community management team and our paid media department. With a proven track record of driving real business results by tailoring bespoke strategies to each of our clients’ particular business goals, we can help you take your TikTok marketing to the next level.