The future of social media is recommendation. Otherwise, it’s a pay-to-play game, and even ads to boost content can come off as unauthentic. With platforms like TikTok driven by user preference more than ever, your social strategy has to be equally targeted towards people who don’t know who you are just as it is for people who do.
Think of TikTok as a tool for a specific need; it’s great to have when a job calls for it. No digital marketing strategy should only have one tool in its toolbox though, especially when we’ve seen platforms fall apart, profiles get hacked, and users move from one platform to another for seemingly no reason at all. But let me tell you why TikTok is a smart choice to include in your social media marketing plan for any brand.
First and foremost, if you’re spending money on video creation for other social media platforms, it’s a no-brainer to transform that video into a TikTok. The average watch time for TikTok exceeds both Facebook AND YouTube. And, as stated in the upfront, customers are more likely to trust mobile video platforms and feel better after spending excessive time on TikTok as opposed to other social platforms. People are more likely to understand your message on TikTok, with 96% of people watching FB and IG with the sound off, but more than 75% of users are watching TikTok with the sound on.
Just like Youtube, TikTok has the same ultimate goals—community and consistency. Users turn to TikTok to have conversations and to be a part of the conversation. Some people have recently had to combat loneliness due to isolation during the pandemic. The comment section of a TikTok video shows just how much users are craving that human connection they’ve missed out on in the last couple of years. Some reply with their thoughts, a joke, and often they’ll tag their friends. Even people who don’t know each other will have conversations. There’s a lot of community that happens in the comments.
The second goal is consistency. Whether it’s your content niche, your posting schedule, or your hashtag strategy, if you’re on TikTok, then you must have some sort of consistency. Research top hashtags pertaining to the topic of your video with this useful tool and DON’T use trending hashtags unless it’s relevant to your content. Find and repeat content formulas that work for you and your audience. Try some of these key content themes:
- Recipes and roadmaps
- Best/worst (insert whatever) ever
- The one thing you need to know about…
- Duets/stitches
- Stories
- That one time when…
- Replies/reactions
- Transformations
- Quotable shares
Take time after posting to see if the video sparked meaningful conversations within the comments. With user-driven platforms, it is important for content to generate interactions to increase the number of people seeing your video. You want users to feel compelled to share to get your message out there. Brands like Duolingo, the San Diego Zoo, and the Empire State Building, among others, have taken the lead on TikTok; don’t let your brand get left behind. After all, you don’t want to get to a job and realize that you’re missing the tool that you need. Contact us to see how TikTok and other user-driven platforms can fit into your digital marketing strategy.