An increasing number of brands are using TikTok to promote their products as they attempt to grab the interest of younger audiences using short video clips. The platform provides unique marketing opportunities as well, such as in-app purchases, live streaming, and branded clips.
As TikTok continues to become a frontrunner for marketers to advertise on, it raises the question of how to make your brand different from the competition. And that’s precisely why you’re here! We created an easy how-to guide on TikTok marketing and compiled 15 tips for you to implement.
What is TikTok marketing?
TikTok marketing is using TikTok or TikTok videos to market your brand and products or services. You can easily create an online presence for your business by using engaging short videos that highlight what your business offers.
While social media marketing encompasses all marketing strategies on different social media platforms, marketing on TikTok is dedicated to only TikTok.
Maintain a unified voice across all platforms your brand exists on, including TikTok. That said, the content you create for TikTok will differ from what you put out on other platforms.
How to create a TikTok business account
To start creating a TikTok business account, you need to first discern the difference between business and creator accounts.
Below are some of the major differences:
- Business accounts receive access to advertising and analytical features.
- Business accounts have limited access to the sound clips.
- Business accounts are able to set up an e-commerce storefront.
- Business accounts are allowed to use scheduling tools and other third-party apps for TikTok content management.
- Business accounts can utilize a website link in their profile bio.
TikTok offers its business accounts additional features, which surpass the lack of access to the entire sound library. To set up a TikTok business account, complete these fast steps:
Step 1. Install the TikTok app and start a new account.
Step 2. Navigate to your TikTok profile and click the three horizontal lines icon on the upper right.
Step 3. Select Settings and Privacy.
Step 4. Select Manage Account.
Step 5. Select Switch to Business Account.
Step 6. Pick the option that best fits the type of your business.
And you’re done! You now have a business profile and can begin optimizing your account to attract your desired audience.
Marketing Strategy On TikTok
1. Start with creating and branding your TikTok account
We’ve covered how to create a business account on TikTok. The next step is to optimize and brand the account so that it is recognizable alongside your other social media accounts. To begin branding, go to Edit Profile and then complete the following:
- Profile photo or video: TikTok allows users to add a video as their profile picture. If you decide to use a still photo, ensure that it is a clear version of your logo. Consider making an animated version of your logo if you want to create a video.
- Name: Your business name.
- Username: Try to ensure your username is also the business name, but without any spaces.
- Pronouns: For a single-owner business, you may wish to provide your pronouns.
- Bio: You have a total of 80 characters to provide a brief overview of what your business is about.
- Email: Enter your business contact email address.
- Nonprofit: If your business aims to support a nonprofit for a cause, feel free to add them directly in your profile.
- Category: If you have already done this as you created your business account, well and good, but if not, choose the category that you think best describes what your line of business is.
- Social: Add your Instagram and YouTube accounts.
Another option is to predefine an auto-reply message to users who send you a DM. To set up an auto-reply message, go to the hamburger menu, choose Business Suite, and then Auto Message. After achieving the milestones of 1,000 followers, you will have the opportunity to add your website URL to your account profile.
2. Determine target audience
To understand your target audience, you conduct research on their demographics, psychographics, and online habits with the aim of crafting content that would attract them. The big question is, “How can you accomplish that?”
Let’s begin with something elementary. Start basic by thinking of age, gender, location, interests, and hobbies to create a profile of your perfect viewer. To build your audience demographic and psychographic profile, you can use TikTok’s analytics tool and other social media analytic tools and gather the data.
3. Define your goals
Remember, TikTok is a video platform. The quality of your videos matters because low-quality ones won’t be engaging. Ensuring that you provide high-quality video content with appealing and clear visuals and proper presentation is important if you want your videos to not get scrolled away.
Learn about properly uploading your content, such as the preferred resolutions. As previously stated, the suitable size for TikTok videos is a 9:16 vertical ratio.
Indeed, the level of quality captured in your videos can intensely impact how audiences engage with them on such fast-paced platforms. If your videos consistently provide value, followers are bound to multiply, along with the shares and engagement rates in your content.
4. Develop a Content Strategy
A solid content plan enhances TikTok’s branding and gives it a cohesive identity. This method focuses on developing a timeline detailing the type of content to be shared and when.
First, decide on the degree of frequency of your video posts—daily, weekly, or any cycle that works for you. Next, list the themes, topics, challenges, or any other elements your videos will encapsulate.
You can also check out online planning tools like StoryChief, which come with helpful collaboration options. These tools make it easier for entire social media teams to use them since the content creation process is simplified considerably.
Lastly, a content calendar not only keeps organization but also a steady flow of essential content handy, meaning shameless scurrying to meet deadlines is no longer an issue. Additionally, enabling relevant trends, events, and promotions through content boosts overall brand visibility and engagement.
5. Gather and distribute user-generated content
If sales are up and people are satisfied with your service or product, that’s a good sign. What are you thinking of doing next? If you are leaning towards collecting their reviews and ratings of your product, then you are headed in the right direction. User-generated content includes reviews, testimonials, and even ratings in written or video form. UGC is important for creating deep connections and, more importantly, helps in attracting customers.
6. Develop content that is on the current buzz
With TikTok, it feels like every few weeks, a new trend is replacing the old one. Trend integration is the process in which you build content around popular challenges, hashtags, or themes currently on the platform. You can create videos using popular songs on TikTok as well. This method ensures that you tap into the discourse that is already going on among TikTok users.
7. Social media influencer marketing
If you are trying to reach a new audience quickly, then influencer marketing is a great option. You will have to partner up with popular content creators who have a profound following to do it.
From macro to micro-influencers, each influencer can build unique content that highlights your brand’s offerings. Trust in your brand is increased when an influencer’s audience witnesses them endorsing a company they already believe in.
However, conducting influencer research is important to make sure they fit your brand the best. It is always advisable to collaborate with niche influencers from the beauty, fashion, or technology industries because they have already gained authority in those domains.
8. Improve your TikTok videos
Improving the chances of your audience finding your TikTok content is called optimization. This technique refers to including relevant hashtags, using trending audio clips, and editing visuals and titles to be interesting and eye-catching.
Hashtags give your post a chance to get noticed by potential customers. Take advantage of trending hashtags that represent your brand to maximize the exposure of your content. In addition, captivating headlines and text overlays make posts more engaging, particularly when the video is on mute.
9. Employ ads in your TikTok Marketing Plan
Maybe you want to consider spending part of your social media marketing budget on TikTok if you are trying to reach a bigger audience. Like Facebook and Instagram, TikTok ads go for bids, and you pay these bids. You will select your audience, make an entertaining video ad, and promote it according to your daily or lifetime budget.
10. Add live streaming
Like many other platforms, TikTok includes a live video option in its app. Brands should capitalize on live videos because they appear on the For You pages of users who are interested and can swipe up to watch. In addition, viewers can give out virtual gifts such as stickers through live videos, which brands can monetize, which means if your videos become popular, you can create additional income through TikTok Live.
What are the advantages of marketing on TikTok?
What is the rationale for incorporating another social media platform, particularly one with challenges like TikTok? Let’s take a look at three of the main advantages of marketing through TikTok.
People are using TikTok to find products
Users shopping on TikTok is not uncommon. Just a few years ago, the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt went viral. Millions of people posted videos sharing the products that they bought because of TikTok, and to this day, the hashtag has over 7.2 million posts. TikTok captions have the power to capture the audience’s attention, provide context, and help rank higher for searches.
71.2% of TikTok users report that they have gone shopping after seeing an item in their feed, and 58% of users admit to using the platform for shopping inspiration at some point.
You have a higher chance of going viral
Due to TikTok’s algorithm, users have a greater chance of going viral. TikTok shifts the attention from people’s existing social circles and focuses on content discovery. With the For You Page, users are guided towards brand new content, and they no longer have to rely on the people they follow.
Imagine being able to make your products known to a wider audience than on any other social media. TikTok makes it easy for businesses to be found by interested consumers, boosting followers and sales in the long run.
Influencer marketing possibilities are more than enough
With its massive scope, TikTok provides a fresh opportunity for influencer marketing, which means your brand can achieve even greater visibility among the right audience. The platform has many creators, both within and outside your niche, so finding suitable influencers is not difficult at all.
Even micro-influencers are able to achieve considerable reach due to the flexibility of the algorithm, so there’s a better return on investment for influencer budgets, more customers are reached, and strong influencer relationships are built.
Conclusion
It’s apparent that effectiveness on TikTok stems from a combination of creativity, authenticity, and planning, as we conclude our ultimate guide to TikTok marketing. A brand that uses Duets and Stitches along with TikTok Shop will have an endless opportunity to come up with engaging content that will greatly appeal to the target audience. As always, effective hashtag use, staying updated with trends, collaborating with influencers, and a myriad of other options expand visibility.
Lastly, cultivating short-range entertaining videos will win you TikTok. Make sure the videos highlight your brand, the audience’s attention is captured instantly, and you’ll be on the right track. Use TikTok analytics to perfect your techniques and content to boost audience engagement.
TikTok’s introduction of longer videos and improved direct messages requires marketers to be forward-thinking and constantly seek out innovative ideas. Adopting the guide’s recommendations and staying aware of platform changes will equip you to fully utilize TikTok marketing strategies.
Komal is a dynamic and results-driven digital marketing professional with a passion for leveraging innovative strategies to drive business growth. Her expertise spans across social media marketing, content creation, SEO optimization, and data analytics, making her a valuable asset in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
