TikTok can be tempting to consider for marketing and business growth. The app’s popularity has soared due to its clever algorithm and irresistibly scrollable design. It has helped countless brands go viral practically overnight. With over a billion active users worldwide, the platform offers an excellent opportunity to reach new audiences obsessed with short videos.
Before you go all in on this strategy, however, you may be considering the recent buzz surrounding TikTok’s future in the U.S.
Lawmakers’ concerns about data privacy and national security have resulted in legislation potentially leading to the platform’s ban. As a marketer, you have to ask yourself — is TikTok still worth weaving into your digital marketing mix? Or could it become a wasted investment if things change suddenly?
The Value of TikTok for Brands
Marketers have continued to see the value TikTok can bring to brands. The following advantages are reasons many businesses consider getting started on the platform.
Engagement and Organic Reach
TikTok is a powerhouse when it comes to engagement. Adult users of the platform spend an average of 55 minutes per day scrolling through short, catchy videos — putting TikTok ahead of YouTube and Facebook. This higher level of engagement is due to the addictive quality of TikTok’s content. Users tend to stick around for longer periods because of the entertainment that creators provide.
Additionally, the platform is searchable, allowing users to discover helpful videos and the latest product trends. With a captive audience like this, marketers have a higher chance for their target audience to see their content. Every minute they spend on the app is a potential touchpoint for their brand.
Moreover, video content makes up 80% of traffic online, proving that people want to consume informative, engaging and easily digestible content and making TikTok even more attractive as a strategy. Therefore, TikTok makes the platform for brands to reach audiences organically, helping them save on large advertising budgets.
Creative Freedom
Another reason to use TikTok is its limitless creativity for brands and individual creators. The platform allows for playful experimentation, allowing brands to craft fun and authentic messages. Small businesses can attract audiences through trending challenges, catchy soundtracks and numerous editing features.
It pushes marketers to think outside the box, whether creating behind-the-scenes glimpses or being themselves in a hilarious duet. It lets you take the seriousness out of content typically created on other platforms and show a sillier side of a brand’s identity. As such, this low-pressure environment allows you to explore and test different tactics to see what works.
Influencer Marketing Potential
TikTok’s influencer marketing is immense, offering brands a direct link to millions of engaged followers through relevant content. Influencers on TikTok are more than trendsetters — they are trusted voices who have mastered connecting with their audience in memorable ways. With a deep understanding of the platform’s culture and trends, they craft content that aligns with a brand’s identity while resonating with their followers.
Partnering with TikTok creators allows you to tap into niche communities that are passionate and loyal. From beauty enthusiasts to fitness buffs, there’s an influencer for every interest. Collaboration can result in organic campaigns, helping you build genuine connections that may increase brand awareness.
The Existing Challenges of TikTok Marketing
Despite TikTok’s advantages for marketers, there are some concerns, especially surrounding the platform’s ban. Recently, the U.S. government passed a bill threatening the platform’s existence due to data privacy. Now, ByteDance — TikTok’s Chinese parent company — has one year from April 23, 2024, to sell the platform to an American company or face a total ban from 170 million users in the U.S.
Another challenge with TikTok’s marketing is content trends. Videos may go viral quickly, but they can become obsolete just as fast. This can make it difficult for brands to keep up with the constant adjustment of strategies. As a result, campaigns can miss the mark, wasting time and resources.
Is TikTok Worth It for Brands?
TikTok’s unrivaled engagement and unique cultural footprint offer substantial marketing opportunities. However, the platform’s uncertain future in the U.S. complicates long-term planning for marketers. With legislation potentially forcing TikTok to divest or shut down, brands must evaluate whether the high engagement and reach are worth the risk of abrupt disruption.
According to the global head of MiQ, Mohammad Chughtai, marketers should continue using TikTok alongside other rising platforms. He suggests brands should keep creating TikTok campaigns but allocate larger budgets to Instagram or Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts to compare performance. Chughtai predicts this period will push other platforms like YouTube to enhance the short video features. Therefore, diversifying your social media platforms for marketing ensures you maintain a strong presence regardless of TikTok’s fate.
Implementing TikTok into Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Brands of all sizes still have an opportunity to grow on one of the hottest social platforms, so here are a few tips to get started with marketing on TikTok:
- Understand your audience: Take time to understand TikTok’s demographic. The platform mostly caters to Gen Z and Millennials, who favor authenticity and creativity. Research the types of content your audience craves and tailor your approach accordingly.
- Leverage TikTok’s features: The platform provides various tools to enhance your content. From trending songs to editing effects, every feature is your chance to add an exciting twist to your videos.
- Engage through hashtags: Participate in or create your own hashtag challenges to engage with the community. For instance, the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has 7.4 billion views for people to explore new, trending items for sale. This could be an opportunity to partner with an influencer to promote your product or service.
- Monitor trends and adapt: Stay updated with the latest trends on TikTok and adjust your content strategy accordingly. Being early in adopting a trend can be a massive advantage in capturing attention.
- Measure and optimize: Use TikTok’s analytics to track your videos’ performance. Analyze metrics like views, engagement and follower growth to understand what works.
Utilizing TikTok for Brand Growth
Although TikTok faces a ban threat, it allows brands to engage large audiences. Use TikTok strategically, but consider diversifying across other platforms. Doing so helps brands expand their reach, ensuring resilience regardless of how the social media winds shift.
