MARKETING YOUR BRAND
WITH TIKTOK
This article was written for the marketing blog of 'Content Cucumber,' a company that allows for various businesses to be partnered with a skilled content writer. In this article, I go over the importance of utilizing TikTok in marketing strategies to reach a younger audience and how to get started in doing so.
MARKETING YOUR BRAND WITH TIKTOK
Written by Sofi Lenzi
TikTok is a platform that allows for businesses to reach their target audience without spending lots of money on traditional advertising. If your goal is to increase brand exposure to a younger audience, adding a TikTok platform to your marketing scheme is a great way to reach plenty of people in an authentic and creative way.
As of January 2022, the exponentially growing platform, TikTok, has reached one billion users (Compared to Instagram with roughly one billion users and Facebook with just under three billion). Despite being the newbie in the social media game, TikTok is massively influential amongst its primary audience consisting mainly of Generation Z and Millennials.
Exposure through TikTok
The “For You Page” on TikTok is formulated to appeal to each user's specific demographic and personal interests. This has allowed for businesses to expand their reach, knowing that their content will be exposed to those who are most likely to interact with it.
TikTok has opened doors for small businesses to reach their target audience globally while saving considerable sums of money on advertising. If you create consistent and engaging content, your exposure on TikTok increases. The TikTok algorithm works in favor of users who post quality content steadily and frequently, rather than depending on ‘follower count’ or popularity.
Appealing to Trends
For content to be engaging, it must be relevant. TikTok is an ever evolving environment with constantly changing trends and hot topics. Therefore, it is important for brands to understand what is most pertinent to their target audience, and create content that appeals to the users wants at that moment. I specifically say ‘moment’ because in each moment, new things have gone viral, new trends are spreading, and new ideas are moving the masses.
Opportunities for new content are always available to the brands who keep up with the constantly changing trends of TikTok which are quintessential to participate in to achieve success through the platform.
Put Yourself in the Shoes of Your Target Audience
TikTok is incredibly personalized and niche from one audience to the next. For a social media manager to understand exactly what their target audience wants to see, they must participate in TikTok as an audience member in addition to a content creator.
By taking on the role of an audience member, content creators are able to decipher what trends, hashtags, sounds, and comments they should utilize in their own marketing strategies to successfully expand their reach, exposure, and overall SEO. In doing so, intentional marketing decisions can be made to appeal to the current and relevant hot topics and trends that are present within the target audience.
Trial and Error
If you’re new to the TikTok game, it is a platform that is best understood through trial and error.
Begin by thinking about what your audience truly wants to see. Participate in TikTok as a member of your brand's target audience and see the trends that are likely sweeping their “For You Page’s” and get creative with how you can utilize those trends to market your own product.
For some inspiration, get cozy on the couch and explore the pages of similar brands and see how they’ve complimented their brand message with the trends of TikTok.
The most important thing is to post on-brand content consistently in order to appeal to the algorithm and increase your reach within the range of your target audience. You got this!