Two years ago, Chinese company ByteDance acquired Musical.ly and reintroduced it as Tiktok. Since then, it has become one of the most downloaded app in the world.

Currently, it has over 1 billion users and has been downloaded over 123 million times in the United States alone. The video-sharing app became one of the fastest-growing Social Media platforms out there.

You’re probably thinking that this platform is only for the younger generation. Yes, 60% of its users are part of the Gen Z, BUT a lot of people from different age groups are now venturing into TikTok.

So how does TikTok work?

The idea behind the app is to enable users to create short videos. The possibilities are endless because you can upload any videos you want.

Just like the popular Instagram feature called Instagram Stories, you can also use video filters or effects with TikTok. But the difference is IG Stories will automatically disappear 24 hours after posting. With TikTok, videos that you have posted can be viewed anytime.

That’s why there’s no doubt that brands are starting to join the platform and use it as a marketing tool. Experts even predicted that TikTok will be the next biggest social media platform in 2020.

 

If you’re worried whether TikTok could help your business, you should consider who your target audience first. Are they active on social media? If yes, then using TikTok to reach more potential clients is definitely worth the shot.

Create entertaining content in TikTok

After studying the platform and checking out existing videos, you can see that it’s all about fun and approachable content.

Creating enjoyable videos on TikTok is the least expensive way to market your brand in Social Media. All you need to do is think of a concept that your target audience can relate to and then execute it.

This is what most businesses are doing on the platform.

One of our favorite channels on TikTok that produces engaging content is the Washington Post. Yes, you read that right, the news agency is also using the video-sharing app.

They are making hilarious videos with almost no production cost, just all creativity. It’s one of the best channels on TikTok that we’ve seen so far.

In an interview with CNN, Washington Post’s video producer Dave Jorgenson said that their newsroom is filled with a lot of funny people and he sought to reflect that humor on TikTok within all of the videos that they post every single day.

Another personality that is effectively creating amazing videos is Will Smith. The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” is expanding his ever growing social media presence by joining TikTok.

But unlike other users and aside from being a Hollywood star, he has amazing video editors on the backend creating really unique and mind-bending videos like this one:

Although Will has an advantage when it comes to this kind of platform, it’s still commendable that he’s producing high-quality and entertaining content.

Of course when it comes to your brand, you also need to think about what your customers want to see. Don’t try to develop extremely funny content just to curb the competition if it doesn’t suit your business.

Always aim for high-quality content. But this doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of money on production. You can still create engaging content by just using your smartphone or the existing resources that you have. Just be creative.

Start a hashtag challenge

Just like Twitter and Instagram, hashtags are also an essential part of TikTok. But here, hashtags are used for challenges.

The brand launching a challenge needs to create a video and select a song to accompany the material. Then they will challenge the users to produce their own version with the hashtag.

For example, one hashtag challenge that went viral this year is the #GuacDance by Chipotle.

The Mexican restaurant started the challenge which urged guacamole lovers to show off their dance moves to celebrate National Avocado Day.

Here’s an example of a #GuacDance video:

 

According to TikTok, the campaign was the highest-performing branded challenge in the U.S as it garnered over 250,000 video submissions and 430 million video starts during a six-day run.

Chipotle said it also served the most guacamole on a single day with more than 802,000 sides of guac and using about 420,000 pounds of avocados.

Creating a hashtag challenge like this helps you promote your products or services as it encourages users to reproduce content that will eventually convert into engagement.

Collaborate with influencers

Although TikTok influencer marketing isn’t that huge yet, it’s one of the most effective forms of marketing when you’re using the platform.

Working with these personalities to advertise your brand can help you big time, especially if you’re targeting the younger generation.

In 2018, Guess launched a successful campaign featuring Chriss Kerr Rio and Sharla May of the popular Our Fire (@ourfire) channel and Madison Willow (@madison_willow).

   

The influencers posted videos in which they are transformed wearing Guess apparel. Followers of these famous creators are urged to show off their best Guess denim looks with the hashtag #InMyDenim.

Since its launch, videos with the hashtag already garnered almost 40 million views as of writing.

So if you’re planning to work with TikTok personalities, go for it. Just make sure that you are partnering with the right influencers whose followers match your demographics.

Let’s say you’re selling makeup products, of course you need to collaborate with beauty and fashion influencers. Don’t just get anyone just because they have a lot of followers. Consider what kind of content they are creating, too.

Your partnership with TIkTok creators will also become more successful if you give them the creative freedom. In this way, the partnership will be more authentic.

Advertise on TikTok

If you want to advertise content uniquely with the goal of gaining new audience, TikTok is the way to go.

Brands are entering the TikTok market mainly because it’s uncluttered and there’s a lot of ways to advertise.

Aside from hashtag challenges, they offer four more brand solutions:

• Brand Takeover – A full-screen ad that appears instantly when a user opens the app. It’s either a three-second image or a three to five-second GIF.
• Branded Effects – With these, creators can interact with your brand and use your special filter. It can be incorporated with the hashtag challenge.
• In-Feed Ads – These are ads that are integrated into the users’ “For You” feed or placed at the bottom of organic videos.
• TopView – A new video format that presents your brand when the app opens. It’s like Brand Takeover but content such as In-Feed video can be used.

So if your business is thinking about using TikTok and you’re not quite sure if it’s right for you or maybe your audience isn’t there yet, we highly encourage you to start experimenting with the platform.

Yes, TikTok is relatively new. But if you get in there right now, you will be able to grow your brand quicker and easier. You’ll get more reach and engagement.

The post How To Use TikTok For Your Business In 2020 appeared first on The Good Monster.