What is Tik Tok? And How do I use it for marketing?

It’s appeared completely out of the blue and skyrocketed in popularity, but in 2020, marketers and businesses can no longer ignore its allure. If you haven’t already downloaded it, maybe it’s time to think about it. 

Now before you shake your head and dismiss me, think about it. If your target demographic is the younger generation and those who are tech-savvy, then this is the new place where they’re all hanging out. So if you want to speak to them, this is where you’ll find them. 

Thinking about adding Tik Tok to your marketing repertoire?  

So, what is Tik Tok?

Remember Vine? Tik Tok is essentially exactly the same, it’s a new social media platform specifically for short videos. A lot of its users have migrated over from Musical.ly and use Tik Tok to upload videos of themselves lip-syncing and dancing along to music videos. Those out there with more technical skills and enthusiasm will create and upload unique pieces of content, each more creative than the last. Those that use it in this way have become the influencers of Tik Tok.

Videos on Tik Tok can be up to 15 seconds long. But it is possible to connect multiple videos together that add up to a maximum of 60 in length. And if you record a video outside the app and upload it in, it can also be longer. Users also have the option of doing live streams, and there’s plenty of tools and filters in the app that you can use to up your game.

It’s safe to say that Tik Tok has come completely out of the blue. And if the download stats are anything to go by, it’s certainly become a firm favourite.

Ok, how can I use it as a business?

If you’re thinking about utilising Tik Tok for marketing, there are three potential paths for you to take…

1. Create a new channel for your brand and upload videos that are relevant. Remember, you can’t be boring, bland or sales-y, these videos are a short snapshot of your business so make them count

2. Reach out to relevant influencers to open up your potential reach

3. Pay to advertise using the platform’s new campaign options. However, we’d recommend not dipping your toe into this just yet, it’s still a new and emerging social media format so wait until it’s more established

What kind of things can I do on there?

Like we said before, you need to stand out on Tik Tok. People, especially millennials, don’t like to be advertised to, so it’s important that advertising is the last thing on your mind. Just reaching out and making contact with your followers should be your ultimate goal. Entertaining and informing.

Here’s a few ideas…

• Don’t over edit your videos. Primped and polished ads are a real turn-off, people will be more attracted to raw and real videos of people using your brand in their everyday lives
• Make training sessions come to life by streaming them live
• Hope onto Tik Tok and hashtag challenges. Get all the staff involved for a fun peek behind the scenes
• If you work in retail and have a bricks-and-mortar store, sped-up try-on videos of your latest collections are a great shout
• Do you sell products that require assembly? User-friendly videos that show your top sellers being put together step-by-step will go down very well
• Hand your account over to a different department every week for a takeover challenge

The main takeaway from this blog post should be to keep things loose and relaxed when it comes to Tik Tok. It’s not a place to sell sell sell, but rather a new way to connect with audiences in a fun and engaging way. Just have a bit of fun with it!

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