Should Your Brand Use TikTok?
It’s not about how many followers you have, it’s all about how good your content is.
I'm biassed, but I would definitely say yes. I help brands create and grow their tik tok pages and this is why I recommend it.
Build Brand Awareness
TikTok is all about quick entertainment that evokes an emotional response and is not limited to the number of followers you have - so it’s perfect for smaller brands.
Big Brands Also Love TikTok
Big Brands Love TikTok
TikTok is now a huge hit with mostly everyone (even my 76 year old dad watches the videos I send) from Gen Z to celebrities, athletes, musicians and grandparents, it’s little wonder that we’re seeing big brands turning their focus to the short-form video app. The fashion world has been quick to jump on the TikTok bandwagon, but in the past few months we’ve also seen everyone from Milk to luxury car makers creating bespoke content and campaigns for the platform.
Should My Small Brand Use TikTok?
Small Brands Love TikTok
TikTok has a large global user base and its focus is on entertaining, positive and fun content, TikTok has proved a fun new way for brands looking to engage with TikTokers. It's currently relatively uncluttered with advertising, and as its ad formats are entirely video-based, a good advert needs to look like normal content and not an ad. The well-trained eyes of the social media generation can spot forced “authenticity” a mile away, so it has to be genuine. Alongside this, its high engagement rates have proved a massive draw for advertisers - inspiring companies from Nandos to Marvel to invest in bespoke content and campaigns for the video app. Here, we explore why even smaller brands are turning their focus to TikTok, and how they've achieved impressive results…
No Need For a Huge Social Following
You don't need a huge social following - the content and hashtags do all the hard work for you. It's the perfect social media for brands without a huge following, as it's an interest-based algorithm, you can get 1000’s and millions of views and even if you have no followers.
TikTok is Content Driven
Content Driven Not Follower Driven
One of the things that makes TikTok unique - and highly valuable to brands - is that it runs on a content graph, rather than a social graph. This differentiates it from social media as the content users see is not limited to that created by the people they follow or their social spheres. Instead, the TikTok algorithm serves content based entirely on users’ interests, and the videos they watch and engage with. For brands, this means being able to reach a massive audience, without necessarily having a huge following.
Anyone Can Be TikTok Famous
TikTok Loves Niches
For individuals and brands looking to build a presence on TikTok, this makes reaching a mass audience surprisingly simple (it's not that simple). As an open platform where anyone can be discovered, the flow of content is not slowed or obstructed by invite-only groups or the need for followers.
Find a TikTok Niche
The best way to get discovered is to create content aligned with your target audiences’ interests. Gaming, beauty, fashion, education, comedy, and sports are some of the app’s most popular categories. Brands who tap into these categories can instantly become much more visible, as content tailored to a target audience’s interests will scale naturally on TikTok.
Anyone Can Reach Millions of People on TikTok
Above all else, TikTok’s algorithm is built for discovery, delivering a perpetual stream of new entertainment direct to millions of individual feeds. With its focus on serving users content they enjoy, TikTok has built an active and loyal audience: the average engagement rate in the UK is 15%, meaning that users aren’t just watching short videos - they’re also creating and sharing them.
The Future of TikTok
The Future Of TikTok
TikTok is now monetising their platform with advertising and the new TikTok Shop. Will this change the algorithm like Facebook and Instagram so that you have to pay for reach? If it does then it will kill the platform. Fingers crossed they leave it an interest-based algorithm.
So in short, yes get onto TikTok, but don't just copy your content from other social channels as this will not work. You need to find your niche and play to what your audience will like. Some brands will innately translate over into the humour and pace of Tik Tok better than others.
Micks Top Tik Tok Tips
Mick’s TikTok Top Tips
Research Your Hashtags:
Your hashtags are the best way to get in front of your target audience, what does your niche like, find the hashtags and use them, always testing. You will need to understand your niche and that means getting into the app and finding out what works, get lost in a TikTok hole and learn what you need to do. Your hashtags are like an online address.
Find A TikTok Niche
Find Your Niche:
Don't try and sell your products - sell your brand culture via fun, creative videos., TikTok is about building global brand awareness.
Create Short Video Content specific for TikTok:
Film your videos in portrait and under 7.5 seconds, the content must create an emotional response - make people laugh or cry, but it must evoke an emotional response.
If you need any help please don't hesitate to contact me for more advice.
Cheers,
Mick Armstrong
A TikTok Creator