5 Ways to Use TikTok for Business
TikTok has been downloaded over 2 billion times, making it the most downloaded app in 2020, according to HootSuite. And it goes far beyond simply entertaining viewers. The app brings in more consumer dollars than Disney+, Netflix and YouTube do. That means that brands shouldn’t ignore the power of this fun-loving dance and lip-sync app (which, in truth, can do a whole lot more). Instead, harness its power to reach your customers and drive sales.
Let’s dive into five business strategies to make the most of the platform.
1. Make Sure Your Audience is On TikTok
First things first: Your audience has to be on TikTok if you want to make an impression on them. And your audience may be spending time on TikTok without you even knowing. However, just because TikTok is super popular, don’t assume your potential customers are also fans of the app. Consider TikTok’s user demographics and determine if they crossover with your audience.
TikTok’s main user base is made up of young adults under the age of 30 (a lot of them are on Instagram and Snapchat, too). Now, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other age groups represented here — there are. There are some users between the ages of 30 and 64, so if that’s your target audience, consider adding TikTok to your marketing efforts (maybe just not the biggest part).
2. Try to Get a Pet or Kid Into Your Videos
Almost nothing is more entertaining than an adorable (or hilarious) pet or child in TikTok videos. If your brand isn’t lucky enough to be animal- or child-focused, you’re not necessarily out of luck. Do your employees have pets? Can you hold a “take your child to work” day? Are you able to make an especially adorable pet or little one an unofficial office mascot who helps you promote your products or services? Do it.
Xbox did this by posting a video with a dog from one of their video games.
https://www.tiktok.com/@xbox/video/6943270174707518725?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
And Taco Bell posted a video featuring one of TikTok’s most famous (and cutest) babies, Franklin.
https://www.tiktok.com/@tacobell/video/6895172330406857990?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
3. Take Advantage of What’s Already There
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel in order to do well on TikTok. In fact, jumping on a bandwagon is an excellent way to get your content seen. Stay on top of TikTok trends, like challenges, hashtags, and dance competitions. If any of them have any way of intersecting with your brand, make content around it. It doesn’t even have to directly relate to your products or services. For example, you could have everyone in the office partake in a lip-sync competition or a trending practical joke. The point is to get your brand name out there by putting more eyes on your content.
4. Let Your Fans Do Some of the Work For You
User-generated content is an excellent option for a number of reasons. First, you don’t have to actually create content in order to fill up your feed. Second, your fans will feel like VIPs or celebrities when they see that you’ve chosen their videos for your account. And third, you’ll automatically reach their audience when they post about your brand (and they’ll benefit in the same way).
Nike does an excellent job at this. Their TikTok feed is full of videos created by their fans and followers.
https://www.tiktok.com/@nike/video/6968500477097020678?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
5. Pick the Best Advertising Method for Your Brand
TikTok has several advertising options if you’re ready to pay to get more eyes on your content and followers for your account. Here are the monetization options you can choose from:
- Brand Takeover: A brand takeover ad appears at the top of the user’s feed; it’s placed before the user views any other content. The ad will link to your landing page. Your ad will be exclusive to a specific category, and there’s only one ad per category that can show in that slot each day.
- Branded Lens: By running an ad for a branded lens, the lens will be included in the trending list, which means more people have the opportunity to see it. Users can then choose the filter when they’re searching for one to use in their video. The branded lens will be live for 10 days.
- Native: A native ad will play between regular content as the user scrolls. This type of ad can be between 9 seconds and 15 seconds, which doesn’t leave a ton of time to get your message across — but it is short enough that some users may watch the whole thing instead of scrolling by. (On that note, users can opt to skip it, so make sure it’s interesting enough that they won’t want to.) Native ads include buttons so that you can direct viewers wherever you want them to go.
- Sponsored Hashtag Challenges: Hashtag challenges drive a good portion of TikTok content. By sponsoring a hashtag challenge, yours will be plastered across the Discover page, thanks to a custom banner. This means that millions of users may see the hashtag challenge and participate in it. When a user taps your banner, they’ll be directed to a video that you create to explain and demonstrate the challenge.
Do you want to see one of these advertising strategies in action? Apple has a branded hashtag called #AirPodsJUMP that users are finding their own creative ways to interpret.
https://www.tiktok.com/@apple/video/6940021325981355269?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
If you want your business’ TikTok account to stand out from the crowd, you’ll want to check out the tips in our article 12 Ways to Become TikTok Famous. We also have one about how to go viral on TikTok. Good luck, and let us know how you do!
Brian Meert is the CEO of AdvertiseMint, the #1 Hollywood-based digital advertising agency that specializes in helping successful companies advertise on Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Tiktok. AdvertiseMint has managed millions of dollars in digital ad spends in entertainment, fashion, finance, and software industries. Brian is the author of the best-selling, The Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising, a contributor to Newsweek and Forbes, and a thought leader and speaker.
