If you’re not personally on TikTok, you’re probably not under 25. The widely popular video-sharing app is the most used social media app by Gen Z and has also been adopted by businesses around the world to achieve huge success in branding and marketing.
Further, the app had heavily influenced how other social media, like Facebook and Instagram are used, with the engagement of video content significantly surpassing both written and still photo content on both platforms.
With its massive user base, (1.1 billion active users worldwide as on January 9, 2024 according to Demandsage), and a large Gen Z following (keep in mind, Gen Z typically have the largest discretionary income of all the working generations), TikTok is worth embracing if you want to increase visibility for your brand.
So, give me the low down on TikTok . . .
Target Audience
I know, I know, we harp on a little bit about this . . . understanding your Target Audience is paramount on any social media site. There’s no point firing for a target if you don’t know where it is, right?
TikTok primarily reaches a younger demographic, with the majority of users falling between the age of 16 – 34. By understanding your audiences interests and behaviour patterns you can create content that resonates with them and increases the likelihood of engagement.
So if your brand’s target audience doesn’t fit into this demographic should you even bother with TikTok? The short answer is no.
Social media is an insatiable beast. When building a brand, working smarter not harder is always the motto. Too many brands fall victim to trying to reach the masses rather than developing trustworthy and meaningful relationships with a solid customer base. So if TikTok really isn’t where your audience spends their time, then there are probably other platforms better suited to your brand. We give you permission to read another blog.
Authentic content that suits the platform
So we’ve established that your target marketing is hanging out on TikTok. Now it’s time to create some compelling content.
Embrace TikTok’s creative features such as filters, effects and popular challenges/trends to enhance your content’s appeal but make them yours!
Videos that are around 10-20 seconds in length achieve the best engagement on TikTok. To capture the attention of users, you videos should be authentic, entertaining and relatable. TikTok is an extremely fast paced social media platform and whilst you will see many people trying to recreate TikTok trends, the best engagement comes from creators who are willing to take what is popular and make it fresh. Think circa 2000, when Pepsi took its popular recipe and added a hint of lemon calling it’s “new product” Pepsi TWIST. TikTok users don’t mind seeing more of the same if you’ve remixed your content with a hint of freshness that is on brand for you.
While it is important to include reference to your brand, avoid being overly promotional and instead focus on creating content that aligns to your brand’s values and speaks to your target audience.
Understanding TikTok culture
Gen Z has been referred to as a passive generation. They have grown up on the Internet and the online environment feels as real to them as the literal world. This results in them engaging with content in a very personal way albeit living a portion of their life “passively” behind a screen. The community they’ve built online is very real to them, so as a brand it’s important that we work to become a part of it. To engage with your community, respond to comments on your videos, follow relevant accounts and ensure that you don’t just engage with your own content but the content of your followers as well. By actively participating in the TikTok community you can build relationships, increase your visibility and foster a sense of authenticity around your brand.
The community culture of TikTok is one heavily circulated around “influencers” and “trends”. Young people feel a deep sense of connection to the producers of the content that is on trend on TikTok. This is why it is not only invaluable to post regularly on the platform, but to also engage with the responses to your content in a conversational tone. TikTok is the perfect place to show the personality behind your brand OR to engage with influencers who will model your brand’s personality for you.
For this reason it is very important that you have a deep understanding of your brand voice and persona. Knowing who you are, what you’re about and who you are trying to reach is all a part of developing this brand personality.
Once you feel like you have a good handle on your brand persona, then work on staying true to it. Don’t get caught up in recreating popular content unless it aligns with your brand. To keep you up with TikTok lingo . . . a Gen Z’er watching a poorly aligned bandwagon video would call your TikTok “cringe”. Don’t be cringe. On this flipside, if you are creating content that is tickling your audience’s fancy, then you are “bussin” (we want to be bussin).
TikTok provides a powerful platform for brands to engage with a young and vibrant audience. By understanding your target audience, creating meaningful on trend content with a solid call to action in mind, collaborating with other brands and/or influencers and developing a solid brand identity you will be able to successfully leverage this fast paced social media platform to achieve your branding goals.
Remember, TikTok is constantly evolving, so stay up to date with the latest trends and features, whilst still staying true to your brand identity to maximize your marketing efforts.
If you’re unsure about where your brand sits in the market or need some advice on your branding and marketing endeavours, we’d love to help. Get in touch at www.rubyonyx.com.au/contact.