Marketing on TikTok: A Helpful Guide for Beginners
Since being launched in 2016 by Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok has become the fastest-growing social media app to date. Any experienced marketer can tell you there is huge potential to reach your target audience using this platform. And you’re here now, which means you’re considering marketing on TikTok to grow your business.
But like any beginner, you’re probably wondering…
- Is TikTok really the right platform to use?
- Is my target audience even on TikTok?
- How do I start marketing on TikTok effectively?
The good news is we’re going to answer these questions and more to ensure you have all the information you need. By understanding what TikTok is, who uses it, what benefits it offers, and what it takes to build a following, you can move forward with confidence.
What Is TikTok?
TikTok is a short-form video app that enables users to create, upload, view, and share brief videos. Creators can record videos between 15 seconds and 3 minutes long (or prerecord and upload videos up to 10 minutes long). Plus, they can incorporate music and various filter effects, which may lead to higher levels of engagement.
The beauty of TikTok is that it offers a wide range of content from hundreds of thousands of creators. That variety, combined with the easy-to-consume format, is the recipe for TikTok's success. And it’s also what makes it a promising platform for marketing.
The possibility of creating viral videos is a big reason more and more businesses are getting into marketing on TikTok. But it’s also the fact that TikTok has turned into a search engine. Many users, especially Gen Zs, turn to the video app to find quick answers to queries and responses relevant to their interests.
How Popular Is TikTok?
As mentioned previously, TikTok is the fastest-growing social media app. In case you're a numbers person, here are a few noteworthy stats:
- TikTok earned the distinction of having the most app downloads for a single quarter (315 million downloads, to be exact) in 2020.
- In 2022, TikTok was the second-most downloaded app in the world.
- According to research into TikTok statistics, there are currently 1.4 billion monthly active users on the app. In comparison, Instagram, which was launched in 2010, has roughly 1.35 billion monthly active users.
- A deep dive into social media usage among Android users revealed that people spend an average of about 23 ½ hours per month on TikTok.
Basically, this means TikTok is a gold mine for marketing and social media engagement!
Here’s the thing…
When choosing a social media platform, it's important not to focus just on the number of users. Instead, your primary focus should be on active users. And this is yet another promising aspect of marketing on TikTok. Users are very active when it comes to both watching and uploading their own videos.
The platform exemplifies the tremendous potential for brands and marketers seeking engagement on social media.
Who Uses TikTok?
TikTok started marketing to teenagers and was initially known as the Musical.ly app. Its active target audience is Generation Z (those born in 1996-2010). But while there is an overwhelming number of young people using the platform, its user base has expanded over the last couple of years.
Despite teens being the early adopters of the TikTok app, many content creators on TikTok are Gen-Xers. In a 2021 LinkedIn article, social media consultant Tanya Thompson detailed the extent to which Gen X is into TikTok.
Additionally, millennials and even baby boomers on TikTok are growing in numbers.
This is great news for marketers who have the notion that this platform is just for teenyboppers. While teens still hold the highest demographic on TikTok, it's safe to say that it's likely to shift over the next couple of years.
What else to note about TikTok’s demographics…
Research into global TikTok usage has shown that across all age groups, there’s a higher percentage of women who use the platform. However, among Gen X and baby boomers, the margin is smaller.
Is Marketing on TikTok Worth It?
Given TikTok’s popularity, it makes sense that marketers are exploiting its potential as a marketing channel. But how does it fit into your current marketing strategy? And is it a suitable platform for your brand? Ultimately, is marketing on TikTok worth it?
We've already hinted at some reasons TikTok marketing is a great choice for many businesses, but to sum it up, TikTok is…
- Popular and can help you gain a wider audience reach
- A highly engaging platform with tons of active users
- Promoting creativity and collaboration
- An excellent platform for user-generated content
- An app with the potential to make your marketing campaigns go viral
- Still growing its audience's reach
- A video marketing tool that has proven effective
- An easy way to connect with your audience
If your research reveals that your target audience spends time on TikTok, then it’s well worth jumping on the bandwagon. There’s a lot to be gained from leveraging this platform, and if done right, you can look forward to a good ROI.
What Are the Cons of Marketing on TikTok?
Of course, there are some disadvantages to TikTok marketing. Like with any social media platform, it usually takes a while to gain traction. Although it can be frustrating, the fact is you need to be patient and stick with posting relevant, high-quality videos to see results.
Additionally, there are some specific drawbacks and potential concerns with TikTok:
- The platform’s future is up in the air.
Due to data privacy issues, TikTok has been banned in some places (like India) and on certain devices. For instance, the state of Montana passed a ban on TikTok that will go into effect on January 2024, depending on the outcome of TikTok’s lawsuit. What this means is that the future of TikTok is uncertain.
- Running an ad campaign can be expensive.
Given that it takes time to grow a following through organic content, it makes sense to make use of paid advertising for greater visibility. Unfortunately, running an ad campaign on TikTok can be just as expensive as other options. Plus, taking over a channel, partnering with influencers, and doing a hashtag challenge may be outside your budget.
- You need to put significant effort into videos.
Not every video you post on TikTok should be a full-scale production. In fact, creating informal, unscripted videos can help your brand appear more authentic. But even then, you need to put effort into your videos and have a strategy in place. You need to consider things like the background, the music, the captions, the hashtags, and the content you share. For many businesses, providing a valuable, engaging experience in every post can be challenging.
How to Do Marketing on TikTok the Right Way
If you’re ready to start marketing on TikTok, you may be tempted to post videos right away. But we’d advise you to wait for a beat. By understanding how to approach TikTok marketing the right way, you can set yourself up for success.
With that said, here are a few best practices to follow:
- Utilize TikTok business resources.
TikTok for Business offers invaluable support for brands wanting to leverage the platform. It’s filled with guides, courses, and more resources to help you get the most out of TikTok. As you get started, it’s worth checking out everything available.
- Look at successful companies.
If you want to succeed on TikTok, turn your attention to the brands killing it on the platform. You could learn a lot from them even if they’re not in your industry!
For instance, Duolingo features its owl mascot in videos, creating entertaining content for followers. And Chipotle has become a case study on how to mix informative and comedic content to keep followers engaged.
@duolingo when she pays zero attention to me 😍
♬ original sound – rnbloverss
- Follow app guidelines.
TikTok is no different from any other social media app in that you have to follow specific guidelines. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the rules to avoid having to remake a video that’s not compliant. So, make sure to read up on video length, dimensions, captions, and more.
(Tip: You can get a rundown by checking out our social media cheat sheet.)
5 TikTok Marketing Tips to Help Grow Your Business’s Presence
Obviously, the ultimate goal when marketing on TikTok is to grow your social media presence and get more business. So, let's talk about some ways to help you accomplish that.
To grow followers, try these tips…
- Participate in Social Media Challenges
The mannequin challenge, the ice bucket challenge, the plank challenge…
Do any of these ring a bell?
Social media users love a good challenge. And TikTok users are no different.
Social media users are always coming up with fun and exciting new challenges. Participating in these challenges gives your brand the potential to go viral and get exposure across various platforms. It is a great way for content creators to come together and follow a common theme. These challenges run the gamut—from silly to fun to supporting a good cause.
TikTok hashtag challenges are also a clever marketing strategy.
Remember the #pepsicanbalance challenge? It gained over 7 million views!
When done right, marketing on TikTok can be highly effective for your brand awareness campaign, and participating in social media challenges is one way to do it. Just be sure that the challenge is still relevant and trending at the time of participation.
- Make Short Videos with Trending Hashtags, Sounds & More
Applying trending hashtags, sounds, and even editing styles to videos can be a great way of increasing the number of views your content gets. Plus, it makes your brand more relatable when you add humor and don’t take yourself more seriously. This is something that younger generations like Gen Z favor when choosing a business to spend their money with.
So, how do you use trends to your advantage?
It’s important to relate a trend back to the problem your business is solving. This may not make you sell out or go viral, but it helps relay the message of who and what your company is in the eyes of future buyers. Some market research will give you an idea of what your audience wants so you can give it to them.
Here are some specific tips on trends:
- Sounds
Using trending sounds will get your video out there with the other videos using that sound, making it easier to go viral and have your brand gain exposure. Each sound may have a trending dance move or style of video, so be sure to research that as well.
Keep in mind that business accounts don’t have access to all TikTok sounds. There are ways around this, but you need to be careful, especially when running ads. Many music groups and record companies have been suing companies over the improper use of music. For example, Warner Music sued British cosmetics brand Iconic London in 2022.
- Hashtags
Using popular hashtags on TikTok is a great place to start because it offers insight into what the community wants. Think of it as keyword research when it comes to marketing. Just make sure you choose relevant hashtags that align with your brand and your target audience. Otherwise, you'll look like a fish out of water.
There is a downside to targeting trending hashtags, though—they're incredibly competitive. You need to develop strong and engaging content so more popular TikTok content doesn't overshadow yours. Jump on the trends quickly, and you’ll likely find success.
- Editing Styles
Certain editing styles or “templates” can be trending and aid in your video exposure. Apps like CapCut make it easy to create a video using a trending editing template and sound. Just look for the “Capcut” sticker above the video’s caption to use the template!
@viral.solutions Marketers, we are manifesting this moment for you 🙏🏼✨ #digitalmarketers #workinsocial #marketersoftiktok #corporatetok #agencytok #luckysyndrome ♬ Cupid – Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) – Sped Up Version – regex & bexter & Vraox
- Collaborate with Influencers
One of the best TikTok marketing tactics is to connect with influencers. Yes, influencer marketing works on this platform too! And depending on the products you want to promote, this could be the marketing breakthrough you're looking for.
You can ask the TikTok influencer to create a video that features your product or shows their audience how to use your product. That's how you gain leverage from the millions of followers that the top influencers already have on this platform.
Keep in mind that partnering with influencers does require an investment. And the more popular they are, the higher their fee will likely be.
- Do Live TikTok Videos
Just like Facebook and Instagram, you can also go live on TikTok. It's a brilliant idea for brands to incorporate variety into their content.
For brand and content creators, this is your chance to engage with your audience in real time.
Create live videos on TikTok to announce exciting news about your brand or to launch a new product. There's a level of exclusivity that people enjoy when they are among the first to find out about something, and this strategy gives it to them. Doing live videos is also a great way to create longer videos since a typical video in TikTok is only 15 seconds long.
You can learn more about going live on TikTok here.
- Create Engaging Tutorial Videos
Tutorial videos are highly popular, not just on TikTok but across all social media platforms. When done well, they are informational, engaging, and suitable for all types of products or brands.
You can create makeup tutorials for beauty brands, share recipes if you're a food brand, or demonstrate how to fix something if you sell tools.
There are endless possibilities with using the tutorial format on TikTok, and you can make it fun and engaging by putting some personality into it. Tutorials are a great way to entertain your audience while also educating them and offering them something of value.
Final Thoughts
Marketers love to use TikTok because it is a flourishing hub of creativity and collaboration. And brands can exploit this creative platform to engage their audience.
In short, you can capitalize on TikTok's popularity to gain more followers and make your brand go viral.
But remember that marketing on TikTok is only as effective as your ability to create winning content for your platform. So, use these tips as an opportunity to create branded videos that are creative and highly engaging.
- Participate in social media challenges.
- Make videos on trending hashtags, sounds, and editing styles.
- Collaborate with influencers.
- Do Live TikTok videos.
- Create tutorial videos.
TikTok is proof that short-form video content is the beginning of a new era in digital marketing. If your audience is on this platform, you must establish a presence. Otherwise, you risk missing out.
At Viral Solutions we are committed to seeing YOU succeed. It is our goal to grow your business with proven digital marketing strategies that will help your business for the long haul.
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