It’s time to talk about TikTok.
“But isn’t that app just for teenagers making dance videos?” If that’s your assumption, think again! TikTok can actually be an incredibly effective marketing tool for brands. The question is, are you brave enough to get creative and try something different?
In 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded app for the third year in a row.[i] Whilst it may have once been considered something exclusively for Gen Z, it’s clear TikTok is continuing to grow in popularity, with a bigger demographic than you might think. 32% of TikTok users are aged between 25 and 34, and 3.4% of TikTok’s audience are older than 55.[ii]
Companies that have had success on TikTok include Ryanair, Duolingo, Gymshark, Gucci, Monzo, Little Moons, and even Stoneage Pressure Cleaning (seriously, check it out). As these examples highlight, a vast variety of businesses are popular on TikTok, regardless of size or industry type.
Wondering if your brand should be on TikTok? Here are our top five reasons why brands shouldn’t fear this fast-paced video-making machine…
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HIGH LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT
Did you know, TikTok is the most engaging of all social media apps, with an average user session of 10.85 minutes? [iii] Not only is TikTok great at grabbing and keeping people’s attention, but you don’t even have to have a lot of followers for your videos to do well.
Due to the way the TikTok algorithm works, users are recommended videos based on what they like, and the use of trending hashtags and sounds is particularly favourable. For example, Monzo currently has over 37k followers, yet one of their TikToks has more than 2 million views! This video used a sound that was very popular at the time.
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A UNIQUE WAY OF SHOWCASING BRAND PERSONALITY
One obvious fact about TikTok is that it’s far from boring! Sometimes it can be difficult to showcase a brand’s personality on social media, due to limitations such as tone of voice, formality, or word count. TikTok is a game changer in this respect. Being such a creative and fairly new platform, there are very few limitations on what you can do.
It seems obvious that people buy from people, and what better way to show the personalities behind your business? Ryanair and the Empire State Building have even managed to personify inanimate objects, something which would work on very few platforms apart from TikTok!
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COMMUNITY BUILDING
TikTok has over one billion monthly active users.[iv] The opportunity to build a sense of community amongst those with similar interests is vast. This is apparent when you see the variety of popular hashtags on the app, which range from #glutenfreelife and #veganrecipes to #beautyhacks and #singingtips.
There are many ways your business can use hashtags on TikTok. For example, a coffee shop, could create fun content around #coffeechallenge. The key to success on TikTok is not to be ‘salesly’ but to add value to viewers, either through entertainment or advice.
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CREATIVITY IS ENCOURAGED
All together now: TIKTOK IS NOT JUST FOR DANCE VIDEOS!! Dance videos are popular on the app and can work very well, but there is also massive variety in the content on the app, from life hacks and how to videos all the way through to relatable humour, ASMR, and even driveway pressure washing! You name it, it’s probably on there. TikTok presents a fantastic chance for you to get creative and think outside the box when reaching potential customers.
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PROVEN TO DRIVE PURCHASES
Did you know, TikTok is the top app for consumer spending[v]? People probably don’t often associate TikTok with selling, but perhaps that’s part of the reason why thirty-seven percent of users discover a product on the app and immediately want to buy it.[vi] Here at Tempt HQ, we’ve personally purchased at least two products we saw on TikTok (transparent post-it notes and a water bottle to be precise) and are still considering other potential purchases we’ve seen on the app (one member of our team, who wishes to remain anonymous, is currently tempted to buy a weighted anxiety dino – look it up).
It’s no wonder #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt amassed over 7.4 billion views in 2021. [vii] Whether you choose to drive purchases via TikTok ads or to build brand awareness via influencers or your own videos, TikTok can work for your brand in a variety of ways.
Of course, as with anything, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Whilst TikTok is a platform pretty much all brands should consider, there are a few points to think about first. The main question: What is your aim when creating an account? Other questions to ask yourself include: Do you have the resources and time to make videos? Is this platform appropriate for your business and the audience you are trying to reach? Is it likely to add value to your brand in particular?
Not every social media platform works for every brand, and we’d really encourage focussing on the ones which do best suit your business, especially if you are short on resources. One thing is for sure, though, brands should not fear TikTok!
If you’d like some help with deciding which social media platforms are right for your brand, start a conversation with us.
[i] https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/
[ii] https://www.omnicoreagency.com/tiktok-statistics/
[iii] https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/
[iv] https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/
[v] https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/
