For roughly the last two years, TikTok has blown up on the social media scene. What started as an app for pre-teens (originally called Music.ly) has since gained serious traction among a wide range of users. Unlike its many social media predecessors, TikTok’s popularity seemed to spike practically overnight and, so far, it’s maintaining its place among the top social media platforms. Marketing on TikTok can provide small businesses like yours with good opportunities.
What can you do on TikTok?
TikTok is primarily a video sharing app. There is a desktop version, but the majority of the platform’s functionality can be found through the mobile version. Like a lot of the other social media giants, TikTok is free to download and use. It does have paid advertising capabilities for those who are interested (though you have to be set up as a business account to access them).
Since it’s re-launch under the name “TikTok,” the app has gone from a dancing and singing app to one where users share short-form videos on all sorts of topics. You can find videos explaining video game hacks, reviewing newly released books, sharing recipes from decades past, and explaining tips for drawing or painting. Despite the wide range of topics, there are also niches within those topics, and those niches can be a good place to market your business.
The Almighty Algorithm
Almost all social platforms run on algorithms. Unlike Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, TikTok’s algorithm is much friendlier to first-time users. You don’t have to be start out big to have your content placed before a big audience. There are, of course, a few tips you can follow to help your content grow.
Tip #1—Schedule Your Posts
According to research done by Influencer Marketing Hub there are better and worse times to post each day. While following these posting times is not a guarantee of views, it will increase the likelihood of more of them. Here’s a quick chart for your reference:
Tip #2—Play with Trends
The internet is full of trends and TikTok is certainly no exception. Whether it’s a popular dance, a filter-based game, or a funny sound, utilizing trends can be a great way to put your content in front of new audiences.
Have you heard of the “It’s Corn” video? In August, a YouTube channel posted an interview with very enthusiastic child explaining his love of corn. From there, another YouTuber was inspired to create an auto-tuned version of the corn-related interviews. This song made its way to TikTok and blew up. Many brands have jumped on the corny bandwagon and have used it to promote their businesses. Here’s one example from Chipotle:
While Chipotle is not a small business, we can still learn from their example. They didn’t directly use the song, but they were able to play off of its popularity and off of customers’ familiarity with the boy from the interview, to reference the video and grab people’s attention.
Tip #3—Post Engaging Content
As with all social channels, the content you post will ultimately determine the level of engagement you receive. While TikTok’s algorithm is a bit friendlier, it’s still programmed to highlight content that performs well. If the content you make isn’t interesting, people will likely scroll past it without watching all the way through. The more they scroll past it, the more TikTok will ignore it. To avoid this, create content that is educational, inspirational, or entertaining. Combine 2 (or all 3) of those qualities for even better content. This will help viewers to resonate with your content and convert them from viewers to followers.
In Conclusion
Marketing on TikTok can provide your small business with exciting new opportunities. You can reach people of almost any age through the platform and raise awareness about your products or services. Those connections can convert viewers into customers.
If you’re interested in marketing on TikTok, give us a call. Bold River Marketing can help you manage your posting schedule, conceptualize content, and record and edit videos for your TikTok page.