With over 800 million monthly active users around the globe, and an average daily view time of 52 minutes, Tiktok is officially the trendiest new platform on the social media scene.

The video-sharing social app allows users to record short clips of 15 seconds maximum, and then edit them with music, filters, stickers, and hashtags. It’s best known as the home of viral dance trends, challenges, and lip-sync videos.

During a chat at the Digital Life Design (DLD) Conference in Munich earlier this year, Snap Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Evan Spiegel, replied to a question on whether TikTok could grow faster and bigger than Instagram:

“I think it’s certainly possible because this talent-based content is often more interesting than status-based content,” he responded.

Is TikTok Just For Kids?

According to SensorTower, TikTok was the most downloaded app in the world for January 2020. In India only, one-third of all smartphone users have downloaded the social network. In a single year, the app has surpassed both the 1 billion and 1.5 billion downloads mark on the App Store and Google Play.

The popularity of TikTok with the younger generation could be explained by the fact that the app targeted under 18s from their beginnings. According to Globalwebindex, 41 percent of TikTok users are aged between 16 and 24, but recently the adult base has been growing.

The number of US adult TikTok unique visitors grew by 5.5 times from October 2017 to March 2019, shifting from 2.6 million 14.3 million.

Marketing Opportunities 

As of 2020, TikTok marketing is taking off and brands everywhere are seizing the opportunity to create engaging campaigns.

American fast-food chain, Chipotle, was one of the first restaurant brands to experiment with a TikTok campaign.

“We wanted to have a conversation with our customers and be a part of their culture and be relevant… When Chipotle launched, it was disruptive to the food industry, and we wanted to make sure we kept that disruptive nature with what we were doing,” said Chipotle CMO, Chris Brandt.

@chipotleThe internet is wild ##oneyearoftiktok♬ #Me at the concert – #someonelikeyou

As well as engaging posts such as the video above, the company has launched several campaigns, including the #ChipotleLidFlip challenge; a way to advertise their Cinco de Mayo promotion, free delivery special. The brand asked TikTok users to show off their abilities to flip the lid onto their bowl without using their hands. In just the first six days of the challenge, the campaign received 104 million views and 110,000 user-generated video submissions.

@daviddobrik##ChipotleLidFlip @chipotle ##ad

♬ Flip – Future

“When you can do something that engages your customers in a way they think is cool, interesting and new, and culturally relevant, people will flock to your brand. At the end of the day, we’re growing sales and transactions and I would say there’s a correlation,” said Brandt.

Soon after the success of the lid flip challenge, the #GuacDance challenge was launched on National Guacamole Day, with the goal being to promote free guacamole online and through its app.

Participants were encouraged to dance alongside Dr. Jean’s ‘Guacamole song.’ In six days, the #GuacDance challenge achieved 250, 000 video submissions, 430 million views, and led to the brand’s most successful guacamole day ever, with 800,000 sides served.

If you are a brand that’s looking to understand the most relevant social media networks to use within your overall strategy, or which social channels can push more sales, please get in touch with our digital team by completing our online contact form.