Why Working with Tiktokers is Important in 2021
Growth of the Platform
Created in China in 2016, the company behind Tik Tok quickly took possession of its competition: musical.ly, a popular app among a young generation of users. However, the platform rapidly developed into something much bigger, attracting users of all ages. Certain brands then saw a huge opportunity for digital marketing on the new platform. In 2021, Tik Tok still seems relatively new for some, but brands have successfully been launching campaigns for over a year. Here are some reasons why you should consider investing some time on this platform and why you should be on the lookout for “TikTokers”.
The first thing to understand about the launch of the platform is that musical.ly members got transferred directly to Tik Tok. Thus, the platform already started with an impressive number of users and didn’t have to start from scratch. This is interesting because the two platforms have users with similar interests, so this transfer was not an issue, knowing that the musical.ly users would probably want to stick around on the new platform.
Interesting facts:
– 2nd Most Popular Free Apps Download in 2019
– Highest Social Media Engagement Rates Per Post
– 800 Million Active Users Worldwide
– 113 Million Downloads in February 2020 Alone- probably due to COVID
Organic Reach Possibilities vs Other Established Platforms
Its design is built differently than Facebook or Instagram. You do not have to follow anyone to see content. In contrast to other social media platforms, Tik Tok has two homepages: The “For You” feed and the “Following” feed. Following allows you to see the posts created by those who you follow, similar to what we are used to. The #Foryou homepage is more diverse and more utilized by many. It suggests popular content and accounts on a feed similar to Instagram. It then becomes possible (and easy!) to endlessly scroll down and see as much content as you want without following a single page. This makes it easier for users to land on your page and enjoy creative videos or even see your product placement in an organic way. Hashtags remain a popular way to identify your posts and the best way to find content of a particular theme. Tik Toks can be as short as 15 seconds up to one minute of video content. Its impressive sound library contains music, voice overs and much more. The organic reach possibilities are greater on Tik Tok because of the “For You” feed, something that does not exist on other established platforms.
Not Just For Kids Anymore
Tik Tok allows you to create and watch short videos showcasing different personalities filming themselves while they lip-sync, perform funny sketches or try different challenges. That being said there are many other uses for Tik Tok such as product reviews, demonstrating fashion trends, cooking how-to’s and workout videos. It is especially interesting to see its users create content from home during these unprecedented times. People of all ages are successfully creating content of all kinds. You do not have to be an influencer to go viral and this can be explained by the concept of the #foryou page where you can find yourself scrolling for hours on end. Many influencers are starting their Tik Tok pages because the platform offers many easy, creative ways to produce content. Musical.ly arguably attracted a younger generation, but Tik Tok definitely shows a lot of potential for brands to reach their audience in a more entertaining way.
The Most Talked About Brands on Tik Tok
There are many brands who have successfully ran Tik Tok campaigns and who have gained an impressive following afterwards.
Chipotle has been sharing on-brand content while using most or all of the features offered on Tik Tok. It was one of the first food brands to gain popularity on the platform.
Sport networks such as the NBA and NFL seem to have made Tik Tok a priority recently, sharing highlight videos and various comedy sketches. You will also find a large number of athletes hoping on the trend and participating in workout videos and creating content to trendy songs.
The Washington Post has showcased incredible creativity by using comedy and satire while actively posting on the platform.
Sephora is another great example when it comes to product reviews and how-tos. The brand has successfully created content to attract consumers in trying their products.
Apple music has also been promoting their various products and services with short catchy videos including interviews and podcasts with different artists. Lip sync videos have done very well in terms of musical content.
Calvin Klein has had a huge surge in Tik Tok content, developing brand awareness on the platform.
What Chipotle, NBA and NFL, The Washington Post, Sephora, Apple Music and Calvin Klein have been doing in common is showing that you can create content anywhere and anytime. “Fast content” is relevant right now and you don’t need much editing to make something that will work. The aesthetic feed is no longer, it is all about showing how creating you can get and do it before others.
Why Exactly does Tik Tok Work?
The big question is why does this particular form of social media work? The answer is simple. As foreign as it might seem to some, Tik Tok is pretty simple and offers a world of possibilities when it comes to content creation. There is little room for error for many reasons: if viewers don’t like what they see, they will simply scroll down and move on to the next.The concept of the “For You” page is designed in a way that the continuous rolling feed, similar to Twitter, will allow for anyone and everyone to see your content. Brand awareness has become much easier with this fact alone. It will however still remain crucial to use the proper hashtags: omitting to use the right one can lead to your videos getting lost in the ocean of content getting produced.
In 2021, it’s important to think out of the box and create content that is fun and entertains your audience. Creating compelling stories will attract your audience to remember your brand. Tik Tok is a platform that will allow you to create brand awareness faster than ever before. In other words, a 15 second video has become the new elevator pitch: viewers want to feel entertained and inspired within that time frame. Step out of your comfort zone and start creating!
