Marketing on TikTok 101
TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms among teens and young adults. Its unique combination of short-form videos, catchy music, creative effects and easy sharing make it a great platform for creative marketers who are looking to reach new audiences.
In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about marketing on TikTok, from choosing the right content type to creating effective ads. Let’s get right into Marketing on TikTok 101.
Who are you talking to?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand how audience engagement works on the platform. The key is in understanding your target audience: who are they and what do they like? Knowing this information can help you create content that appeals to them and gets them engaging with your posts – which ultimately leads to more conversions. Additionally, you’ll want to consider the native features that TikTok offers such as hashtags, filters and effects – these features can be leveraged in order create more interesting posts that stand out from the crowd.
Research, Research. Research.
The best way to find out this information is by researching the platform—understanding the demographics of users, exploring the types of content that is popular, following existing conversations and trends, as well as looking at how other brands are engaging with their followers.
Source: Statista
Monitor the performance.
On a more practical level, monitoring key performance indicators such as impressions (the number of times a post was seen), video views (clicks), likes/shares/comments (engagement) and conversions (when people take an action after viewing an ad) can help you understand what type of content resonates with your target audience – making it easier to create content that appeals to them in the future!
What should your organic strategy include?
There are typically two components to a solid social media strategy – paid and organic. Organic refers to any content posted on a platform that has no ad spend behind it. Paid, on the other hand, refers to content that is boosted or ad campaigns that rely on an ad budget.
We mention organic strategy first because it is vital that you have content on your page prior to running an ad campaign. If you run ads first, and a user then visits an empty page, it’s not a good look. It can look like spam or that there is little to no effort put in to providing value to your audience.
Organic Strategy 101.
A good business’ organic strategy on TikTok should include posts that offer unique value to the audience, such as:
- Educational videos about your industry, products or services
- How-to tutorials or guides for creating unique content
- Q&A sessions and interviews with experts in your field
- Live streaming events and virtual conferences to connect with viewers
- Behind the scenes tours of your business or office
Be specific to the platform.
Creating content specifically for TikTok can also boost engagement – using popular trends, challenges, soundtracks and other elements to fit in with the platform. Additionally, joining existing conversations (using hashtags) and partnering with like-minded brands can help you grow your reach beyond those already following you.
How do you start with advertising?
Once you have a better understanding of your target audience and have created content that appeals to them, it’s time to start promoting your posts. TikTok offers a variety of advertising options including sponsored ads, promoted hashtag campaigns and influencer marketing.
Tailor your approach.
Each option requires its own approach—for example, if you opt for sponsored ads, you’ll need to create an ad campaign that outlines objectives, goals and budget before submitting it for approval. On the other hand, hashtag campaigns allow brands to tap into existing trends or launch their own hashtag challenge (think #DontRushChallenge).
Bonus tip!
Finally, influencer marketing gives brands access to TikTok personalities at varying levels of popularity – whether you want someone with millions of followers or hundreds of followers is up to you!
How do you leverage influencers?
One of the best ways to get your content seen on TikTok is by leveraging influencers. This can be done through sponsored ad campaigns, paid partnerships, or even organic collaborations with existing fans.
Choose carefully.
When choosing influencers to work with on TikTok, there are a few things to consider. It is important to make sure that their audience aligns with your brand and its message. To do this, you should consider factors such as the influencer’s follower count, interests and niche. Also, you should pay attention to existing engagement levels (likes/shares/comments), location demographics and content style. This, alongside any other considerations that may help you assess their alignment will set you up for success.
Monitor the content creation.
First you have identified a suitable influencer to partner with. Now, you must ensure that the content they create resonates with your target audience and encourages them to take action (e.g. buy a product). Additionally – build relationships, and treat your influencers as more than just another marketing asset. This will help ensure loyalty and more successful partnerships in the future!
How do you measure success?
When it comes to measuring success on TikTok, there are several metrics that should be tracked closely. Impressions (the number of times a post was seen), video views (clicks), likes/shares/comments (engagement) and conversions (when people take an action after viewing an ad). Keeping tabs on these metrics will help determine which strategies are working best. And where improvements may be needed.
Track different metrics for different campaigns.
More specifically, measuring success on your TikTok account can depend on your goals. For example, if you’re looking to increase brand awareness, then impressions may be the most relevant metric.
On the other hand, let’s say your goal is to drive more traffic or sales to a website. Then video views (clicks) and conversions (when people take an action after viewing an ad) may be more useful indicators.
To assess engagement with followers – look at likes/shares/comments. You can also look at any direct messages sent in response to posts or ads. Asking for feedback from viewers can also help you understand so much more. For instance, how they feel about your content and what areas need improvement.
Closely monitor these key performance indicators over time. Make small adjustments as needed. This way, you can ensure that your efforts are focused on achieving the results you want from TikTok!
Final Thoughts
If done well, marketing on TikTok can be hugely beneficial for businesses looking for new ways to reach their customers. Take the time upfront to research your target audience. Then employ innovative strategies such as ads campaigns or influencer partnerships. You can capitalize on this fast growing platform in no time!
That’s it – you’ve officially passed Marketing on TikTok 101.
Joanna Maher
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