By: Lindsay, Social Media Content Manager
If you’ve recently discovered a new favorite dance move, baking tip, or beauty hack, chances are you found it on TikTok.
The social media platform has been everywhere (and we mean everywhere) for the last little while but really shot to prominence in 2020 as people searched for new ways to stay connected amid the lockdown. In Canada alone, TikTok tripled its usage among people 18+ during the COVID-19 pandemic (NEED SOURCE FROM REPORT).
But there’s more to TikTok than just viral videos. The platform has emerged as one of the most powerful marketing tools for building relevance among Gen-Z and Millennial demographics. And just like its social media predecessors, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, there is a science to making TikTok work for your brand.
Want to see what we mean? Below are some Sugar-tested tactics for getting the most out of your TikTok marketing strategy:
- Prioritize User Generated Content (UGC): TikTok has grown incredibly popular among beauty and haircare consumers who provide bottomless amounts of UGC on everything from heatless curls to facial contouring. As a marketer, this is a golden opportunity for you to promote your brand! UGC is a proven strategy for engaging consumers who like hearing about products from people who actually use them. TikTok also loves UGC (think: product reviews, challenges, and how-tos) because it encourages engagement on the platform. Bottom line? Get your product(s) into the hands of everyday users who can share them with the world!
- Community Interaction is Key: Proactive and reactive community interaction is necessary to grow your brand’s presence on TikTok. In fact, it values commenting and two-way engagement to such an extent that it’s integrated those engagements into content creation. Bottom line? Brands that stand out in the comments win the hearts and minds of TikTok consumers.
- Authenticity Matters: As a group, TikTok users tend to favour unpolished, relatable, and authentic content over highly curated posts. It makes sense, then, It’s algorithm also prefers more spontaneous and raw videos. Afterall, TikTok wants to keep users on its platform as long as possible, and what better way to do that than by giving them what they want? Authentic influencer content repurposed as a brand ad can provide an effective canvas for less manufactured content. Moreover, authentic influencer posts have the power to stop the scroll because viewers will recognize the face as someone they know and love. Bottom line? Don’t strive for perfection in your TikTok marketing. Authenticity sells.
TikTok burst onto the scene a few years ago and has quickly become one of the world’s most powerful marketing tools. It’s so effective for engaging Gen-Z and Millennial consumers that it can quickly change the trajectory of your promotional strategy…IF you know the correct way to use it.
There is so much to learn about marketing with TikTok that we couldn’t possibly fit it all into one blog. To learn more best-practices and ways to maximize your success on this rising virtual platform, download our 1Milk2Sugars’ TikTok report.