TikTok is on top
Did you go from being blissfully unaware of the existence of TikTok to suddenly realising it was everywhere, all the time? You’re not alone – the video-sharing app has rocketed into public consciousness since its founding in 2016 to a total of 1.8 billion monthly active users (as of writing) and it’s been downloaded more times in the U.S. than any other social app since it emerged.
But what’s contributed to TikTok’s sudden rise to power? Well, you may have heard talk of the scarily accurate TikTok algorithm. This story begins with TikTok’s now feted ‘For You Page’. Imagine Facebook or Instagram with no friends – pretty boring, right? One of TikTok’s main points of difference from its competitors is that the ‘FYP’ serves you videos whether you have any friends on the app or not. Its famous algorithm starts to register how you’ve responded to what it’s shown you, and the things you seemed to like or interact with most, it gives you more of.
All this means that the more you watch, the more you want to watch (until you find you’re stuck in a scroll hole and need to climb your way back out again!). And this is why it is such an effective marketing tool. Consumer spending on TikTok reached $6 billion in 2022 and it’s expected to generate more than $11 billion in U.S. ad revenue by 2024 – outstripping rivals like Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest.
Is it right for your business?
Just because TikTok is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for every business. And even though increasing amounts of people of all ages are using TikTok, the app still has a core demographic. 5% and 17% of TikTok’s global audience are women and men (respectively) between 18 and 24 years old. 55+ year-olds, on the other hand, make up the smallest group of users, at 1.7%. So, TikTok is an ideal marketing tool if Gen Z is your target demographic.
However, TikTok is used for more than just sales – it can also be used effectively for brand awareness. Your target demographic is still important here, but there are still a lot of users outside of the Gen Z age group using the app. This means, even if your target demographic isn’t Gen Z, you can still make use of the platform if it aligns with your business.
What are you trying to say and how do you like to say it? If you like to have a bit of fun with your marketing, and your TOV tends to be on the less-than-serious side, TikTok might well be the right platform to engage with. But if you prefer to communicate in a more professional tone, there are probably other apps that could serve your needs more effectively.
How this platform makes your target audience Tik
It’s fun!
Making videos on the sillier side is a great way to attract more followers and generate dialogue with your customers. It’s a cheap, easy way to get creative and really make a splash!
Boosts brand awareness
Increasing your social media following and building customer relationships through entertainment will naturally lead to brand awareness. If the goal is to remain top-of-mind for potential customers when they need your products or services, TikTok is a great way to make that happen.
Home of the influencer
Influencer marketing is a really powerful tool. When TikTok users with lots of followers promote a product, they can reach a high number of people who are genuinely interested in what they have to say and are more easily swayed by their recommendations, because they’re following them already!
#Hashtags
TikTok’s Discover page helps users find content related to specific topics using hashtags. By using hashtags properly, content creators can increase their reach and make content visible to a larger audience. And when users engage with a post, they’re more likely to see it again in the future, too.
Work smart
TikTok business accounts offer you access to all sorts of helpful analytics about how your content is performing and your followers. Having these metrics to refer to means you can do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
TikTok marketing, done well
Red Bull
Red Bull uses its TikTok account to post videos of extreme sports and stunts – entertaining, tick! But what makes Red Bull’s TikTok so successful is consistency. They post an average of twice a day, receiving around 1.2 million likes every month. This tactic works because the videos they post are so fun – they either showcase something spectacular, or hilariously bad. Viewers aren’t sure what’s coming next, but whatever it is, they know they’ll enjoy it.
Flighthouse
Starting as a page where users could find original sounds, Flighthouse pivoted into posting viral videos and is best known for introducing challenges like the Crocs Shoe-Throwing Challenge. Off the back of this success, Flighthouse started partnering with other brands, influencers, and celebrities. Now, they’re the most followed brand account on TikTok and have produced 4,300 TikToks, more than any other brand on the app.
Penguin x STM Agency
When Penguin wanted to launch a campaign to re-release Start with Why by Simon Sinek (a business book about how great leaders inspire action), we decided the best place to start would be with TikTok’s library of book lovers, business bosses, and savvy self-help movements – inspiring them to start a new chapter and buy the book.
By working with influencers and paid ads, we helped drive results by:
• Tapping into niche communities and using micro-influencers with higher engagement rates. The self-help niche was more effective than general #BookTok.
• Prioritising authenticity by making sure the content matched the creator's style and values. This built trust and drove action.
• Staying flexible and allowing influencers to leverage insights about their audience to make the collaborations more effective.
Want to find out how your business could be using TikTok for small business marketing? Drop us a line to talk about your vision – we’ve got lots of ideas and we’d love you to get in touch!
