094. How Brands are Using TikTok Marketing (Opinion)

Up and down the country people are going mad for the latest dance crazes and the funniest videos. It seems like an age since Vine shut down and at last we have a social media video outlet the world trusts – that platform is TikTok and brands are now using it to produce Tik Tok Marketing.

TikTok allows short videos of up to 15 seconds, over double the 6 seconds vine allowed. As you can guess, this is more than enough time to create something funny, informative or just plain wacky. However, the app also lets users join videos together, meaning you can string together around 60 seconds of footage in total. TikTok also has one of our favourite features within the social sector, live video!

The number of people using and loving the TikTok app has caused a stir globally, leading to brands and businesses flocking to the app as they look for marketing opportunities. With over one billion users, it would be bonkers for brands to not be adopting the worlds favourite new social media platform, especially if your client demographic falls anywhere between the 13-30 category – with that audience being noticeably the most active on the app. However, as all social media platforms do, this will begin to rise, so prepare yourselves for the ride, TikTok is coming through.

So how can brands make the most of TikTok?

Steal the spotlight

Despite more brands making the inevitable move to TikTok, the marketplace is still relatively empty compared to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. This is partly because people don’t know how the platform works and they don’t have the time to find out. Video content is absolutely key to social media marketing across all platforms, so why not show off your brand on TikTok?

There are multiple ways to use the short video hosting space, Elf Cosmetics have already made use of TikTok, running a campaign that said “Do that thing with your eyes 👀 Let me see them lips 💋 Attitude and gimme face! 🤩" We got the beat, you’ve got the moves. 💃🕺 Now eyes, lips, face, dance your way to $250 worth of e.l.f. Cosmetics makeup + skincare products!”. Telling people to #eyeslipsface (E.L.F) in their videos to be seen.

With big players like Kylie Cosmetics also using the platform, it’s vital Elf do what they can to stand out in the race. Tutorials could also be used on TikTok if your product requires assembly, it would at least cut out all those awkward family arguments over the IKEA instructions.

Clothing giants Guess were one of the first companies to run a large scale marketing campaign through the platform, they said:

“Ready for your close up? Show us how you style your denim 👖 Transform your outfit from a mess to best-dressed! All you need is denim. #inmydenim Challenge your friends 👯‍Sponsored by GUESS 🔻”

Using #inmydenim, TikTok-ers were given the opportunity to reach more viewers on TikTok and show off their Guess denim – a win for both parties.

Find those who influence

With the rise of any new social media platform comes a host of new household names carrying the title ‘influencer‘. The key with influencer marketing is understanding your brands demographic and then aligning it with that of the influencer. In the past, the 13-30 market was incredibly difficult to find a foothold in. However they can be a vital demographic – if they find a brand they love, they’re happy to go to war beside that brand and stick with them.

TikTok offers an audience of this market, albeit only for the time being, and those influencers with the most loyal following can be valuable commodities. The beauty of using TikTok influencers is that to become popular on the platform, you have to be creative and stand-out from the crowd. Meaning those who you could potentially hire will bring a different point of view for your product and are likely to be more creative than those from different platforms.

Paid campaigns

Do TikTok use paid campaigns? Of course, they do! It wouldn’t make sense if they didn’t, however it is worth running a sample to see how it works for your business.

In our time on the app, we have found the whole thing engaging and in the right place, pretty hilarious. With a fresh coat of thinking and some brilliant content, TikTok could undoubtedly become one of the major players in brand marketing.