If your business is yet to market itself on TikTok, you are missing a trick.
TikTok is the most downloaded app of all time, hitting over 2 Billion downloads since its launch in September 2016. So, TikTok boasts a big audience. But what else makes it the ideal marketing platform?
Engagement.
TikTok users are active and engaged – the perfect marketing combination. The app has more than one billion monthly active users. It hit that magic number in just five years. It took Facebook and Instagram eight to achieve the same feat.
Users also spend more time on TikTok than other social media platforms. The average session length is 10.85 minutes, which is more than double that of second-place Pinterest (5.06 minutes) and more than three times that of Instagram (2.95 minutes).
All of this adds up to significant sales potential.
In this article, we reveal some of the underrated TikTok marketing tips if you are a newbie and want to evolve into a social media guru.
1. Know more about business account vs. creator account
TikTok accounts can be a little confusing. So let’s get started on TikTok. Let’s get this clear right off the bat.
TikTok business accounts
A professional account that provides access to all of the app’s marketing tools (TikTok Ads, TikTok Analytics, Commercial Music Library, etc.). TikTok for business accounts are aimed at companies and brands that want to use TikTok for marketing purposes. It also allows you to create your own TikTok store.
Pros
- Access to all of TikTok’s marketing suite.
- Use the Business Creative Hub to learn about content creation best practices.
- Open a TikTok e-commerce store.
- Connect your TikTok business account to social media management tools, making planning and publishing across multiple platforms easier.
Cons
- Limited access to the sound library.
- Unable to stitch or duet videos that feature non-commercial audio.
- Stricter restrictions on the TikTok video effects you can use.
TikTok creator accounts
Up until August 2021, there were two types of Creator Accounts – an Individual Creator Account and a Business Creator Account. That is no longer the case. Now, all Creator Accounts are personal accounts. These accounts are for individuals.
That does not mean you cannot monetize the account, though. You can still build your personal brand and use affiliate marketing, account selling, and the TikTok Creator Fund to generate income.
Pros
- Complete access to the audio library.
- You can stitch and duet any videos.
- You can still use TikTok Analytics.
- Join the TikTok Creator Fund.
Cons
- You cannot add a website to your profile straight away. This only becomes possible when you hit 1,000 followers.
- You cannot connect your account to social media management tools.
Generally, deciding between the accounts is pretty simple. If you are a business, go with a Business Account. If you are a creator, choose the Creator Account. However, there are some grey areas.
If in doubt, think carefully about what you need your account for. Will the Business Account’s limited access to the sound library affect your marketing efforts? Can you justify positioning yourself as an individual creator and not a business? Is the TikTok marketing suite an extremely valuable resource for you?
2. Get content ideas from the “For You” page
Having chosen your account, it is time to start building up your online presence and creating engaging content.
Your first stop should be the For You page. This page is automatically populated with TikTok trends. Take your time to study what is on there and what content users seem to appreciate.
Look at which challenges are currently popular and whether there are any viral trends you can make the most of. This is where you will find the ideas that guide and shape your content strategy.
So much of effective TikTok marketing is about what is popular right now. Make sure you do your research.
3. Monitor marketing trends #hashtags
To stay ahead of the game and up to date with emerging trends, you will need a little help. In this respect, the TikTok marketing trends community is one of the most valuable resources available to you. They help each other out by using hashtags to inform users and businesses of the latest trends and next-big-things on TikTok.
Keep an eye out for the #trendalert and #tiktokmarketing hashtags in particular. They are the most popular and helpful marketing tags out there to speed up your demand generation.
Jumping on a trend early is far more effective than arriving late to the party. Today, trends tend to only last 3-5 days before users move on. The earlier you hit that trend, the more exposure you get. By the end of the 3-5 day period, user interest is beginning to wane and more people will simply scroll past your video.
But with Keyhole, you can track any hashtag/keword related to trends/brands/niche. Keyhole will automatically pull top posts with engagement metrics, influencers, sentiment analysis, and much more. With this in hand, you can gauge the potential and popularity of a particular trend and decide if it’s worth the effort or not.
4. Test using TikTok ads
Finally, your business should also make the most of TikTok ads. You will need to test your ads and try different ad types to work out what resonates most with your audience. There are several types of ads to consider:
- In-feed ads: Ads that appear in For You feed.
- TopView ads: Ads that take over the whole screen when you open the app, then turn into in-feed ads.
- Video ads: full-screen video ads that appear in the For You feed.
- Spark ads: Ads where businesses sponsor organic content related to their products.
- Hashtag challenge ads: Ads revolving around six-day challenges that encourage user participation and engagement. TikTok highlights sponsored hashtags in the Discover feed.
- Influencer ads: Ads that utilise influencers’ established reach to publicise products.
One of the big benefits of TikTok ads is the way they drive down Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). One MarketerHire study showed that TikTok can help reduce CAC by around 60%.
That is a pretty phenomenal saving for your business.
If you want to product marketing video ads, make sure you follow these best practices:
- Make your ads feel organic: users prefer content that looks and feels like it belongs on TikTok. Go more informal, playful, and authentic. Cut the corporate logo.
- Encourage engagement: interact with your followers regularly and try to engage them. If they can contribute to the ad content in any way, that is great.
- Test your ads: experiment with different content types, production styles, and ad length. Measure performance and refresh those ads that do not perform as well as you hope.
5. Leveraging the TikTok creator marketplace
The TikTok Creator Marketplace is a platform that connects brands with TikTok influencers to create promotional content. It’s an official platform by TikTok, making it a reliable and secure place for businesses to find influencers who align with their brand values and target audience.
The marketplace is a hub of creativity, filled with a diverse range of influencers from various niches. This diversity ensures that no matter what your business is, you can find an influencer who can effectively promote your products or services to their followers.
Benefits of using the TikTok creator marketplace
The TikTok Creator Marketplace offers several benefits for businesses looking to tap into the potential of TikTok marketing.
- Access to influential creators: The marketplace provides access to a vast pool of influencers with a wide range of followers. These influencers have a significant impact on their followers, making them effective at promoting your business.
- Authentic engagement: TikTok users are known for their high engagement rates. Collaborating with influencers allows businesses to tap into this engagement, resulting in higher visibility and potential customer acquisition.
- Targeted marketing: The marketplace allows you to find influencers based on various factors such as location, age, gender, interests, and more. This ensures that your marketing efforts are targeted towards the right audience, increasing the chances of conversion.
- Performance tracking: The marketplace provides detailed analytics on the performance of your collaborations. This allows you to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and make necessary adjustments.
Choosing an Influencer from the Marketplace
Choosing the right influencer is crucial for the success of your marketing campaign. Here are some more TikTok marketing tips to help you make the right choice:
- Check the Influencer’s engagement rate: An influencer with a high number of followers but low engagement may not be the best choice. Look for influencers with high engagement rates as this indicates a more active and interested audience.
- Align with brand values: Ensure the influencer’s content and persona align with your brand values. This ensures a seamless integration of your promotional content into their feed, making it more appealing to their followers.
- Review past collaborations: Check the influencer’s past collaborations to see how they promote products and engage with their audience. This will give you an idea of how they might handle your promotion. Don’t be afraid to ask the influencer for any TikTok analytics from previous campaigns.
You can also use Keyhole for that. Track any public TikTok profile analytics and monitor their engagement rates, posting tsratget, popular content and more. You can use this for competitive analysis, influencer tracking, and even to monitor your own brand’s performance for a custom period.
The TikTok Creator Marketplace is a powerful tool for businesses looking to expand their reach on TikTok by piggybacking off somebody else’s audience.
By leveraging the platform, you can tap into the app’s highly engaged user base and drive more customers to your products and services. Remember, the key to a successful influencer marketing campaign is choosing the right influencer and creating authentic, engaging content.
Wrapping up
TikTok can be an insanely lucrative marketing channel for savvy entrepreneurs and innovative brands. To ensure maximum ROI on your TikTok ads, follow the five TikTok marketing tips included in this article.
Most importantly, get to know TikTok. The better you understand TikTok content and its users, the more likely you are to create compelling marketing content that viewers love to see.
And if you have trouble tracking your TikTok performance, Keyhole is a must-try. It can help you track your TikTok metrics and measure influencer campaign performance. Start Keyhole’s free trial now!
Author Bio
John Butterworth is an experienced digital marketer who has helped many companies to scale rapidly through a tried-and-tested combination of SEO, CRO, and email automation. John’s career has taken him across specialist roles in China, Vietnam, and The UK. Currently, he works in-house for global video creation platform Viddyoze.
Related Articles
When Is The Best Time To Post On TikTok?
TikTok Analytics Guide 2024: Essential Metrics & Tools To Track
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is TikTok Marketing important?
TikTok presents a one-of-a-kind chance for companies to connect with a large and varied audience. Its algorithm is tailored to boost viral content, which helps brands expand their online visibility. Reaching a younger audience and increasing brand recognition is possible through TikTok.
2. What types of content perform well on TikTok?
Participating in viral challenges and trends is a great way to get more people talking about your brand. Quick tutorials, how-to videos, and other informative content are highly viewed by TikTok users because of their educational value.
3. Is TikTok suitable for every business?
TikTok for business depends on your company’s specific niche and promotional goals. Marketing on TikTok may be quite successful if your target audience is active on the platform. However, it may not be appropriate for firms with a more serious and professional tone, especially those aiming for an older market.
