About a year ago, I got into using the TikTok app. When I first opened it, I found myself inundated with users’ amusing looping movies and weird music montages. It was reminiscent of the looping video site Vine, which was eventually shut down by Twitter a few years earlier.
The more I dug into the app, the more I felt like I was seeing complete anarchy, in the best possible sense. These random videos served no purpose other than to keep me amused and distracted all weekend long.
Around the time when TikTok was about to turn one year old, I came across a news article about how the app’s phenomenal user growth was attracting the attention of major marketers. I couldn’t believe people were actually taking this ridiculous platform seriously.
Many marketers have heard of TikTok, and some may even be aware that the app had more than 1 billion downloads in its first year, but they may still be perplexed after reading about the app or viewing some of the videos on it.
Explain TikTok
ByteDance, a Chinese technology company, developed a social networking app called TikTok that allows users to record, edit, and share short, looping 15- or 60-second films that can include musical overlays, sound effects, and graphic effects.
Video Samples from the Video Sharing App TikTok
Seeing the content of other users can be both informative and interesting if you’re considering joining TikTok for your business. Some examples of the types of posts you might find there are:
Video montages or music videos
The platform regularly features a variety of musical montages and short music videos. Some folks may simply be lip-syncing, but others may come up with interesting interpretations. Here, a player mashes together the video game’s plot and the lyrics of a song that perfectly capture the emotions and actions of the protagonist.
Cuts of Humor
Almost all of the content uploaded to TikTok is made with the sole intention of making the audience laugh. In contrast to the shorter, more straightforward comedic films, you may also come across longer, more thought-out pieces that read like mini-stories. Check out this awesome example of a travelogue featuring a feline protagonist.
Effects-laden video clips
TikTok users make clever use of the app’s augmented reality face filters in this video.
Duets
Whenever someone else posts a musical video, you can respond with your own by using the Duets function. A duplicate of the original post will play alongside your video. Others will get more inventive and use this erstwhile Musical.ly function to add a visual response to their lip-syncing films.
Experimental Video Contests
Hashtag challenges are also commonplace on TikTok. You may participate in the fun by filming yourself doing something out of the ordinary and uploading it to YouTube. An individual engaging in the #ChipotleLidFlipChallenge may be seen here.
Products promoted on TikTok
While TikTok may appear to be nothing more than a collection of random content, the platform’s massive user base and emphasis on video content creates a wealth of options for companies to reach new audiences and spread their messages. Already, businesses like Chipotle and the Washington Post are using it to reach new customers.
However, these companies appear to be concentrating on increasing brand recognition rather than leads or traffic, as TikTok does not allow hyperlinks in posts and has only lately begun to enable advertising.
Successful marketing on TikTok will need marketers to think outside the box. Some industries, like entertainment or publishing, may find it simpler to adapt their work to the format of a TikTok video, while others may require more creative thought on the part of the brand.
TikTok Posting Guide
- Launch the app and select the camera icon on the main screen.
- Explore the many filter and music options by clicking on their corresponding icons.
- Choose a time limit for your video by tapping the corresponding button.
- You can begin recording immediately or space it out.
- You can modify the recording by including text, audio, or sticker overlays.
- To proceed with the post’s configuration, click the Next button.
- Click the cogwheels next to the video caption to change the settings for privacy and comment format.
- Spread the word!
Where Will TikTok Go From Here?
We should expect to see TikTok around for quite some time. Companies such as Facebook have tried to replicate the software, but they haven’t had nearly as much popularity.
Due to its popularity and lack of alternatives, TikTok is an app you should be aware of even if you have no plans to use it just yet.
Try out the TikTok app if you think it could be useful in your approach. Using this method, you may find out what kinds of material people like and don’t like ahead of the competition. Furthermore, because the app is so novel, there are few standards for what constitutes appropriate content to share.
So far, if there’s anything that marketing on TikTok has taught us, it’s that doing something new and being creative is the key to reaching a wider audience and increasing brand recognition.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking about your first TikTok videos:
- Let yourself to be influenced by the alterations in sound and tone.
- You shouldn’t be too serious to enjoy some humour.
- For additional interaction, use hashtags and answer challenges.
- Find original approaches to promoting your firm’s name, products, and services, or even a catchy company anthem.
- You may use videos to show your audience how your production process works.