TikTok is currently the most popular social media platform with more than 200 million downloads in 2020. The app is used by all ages, including celebrities, influencers, publishers, and of course: brands! 

Discover everything you need to know in this ultimate guide to TikTok for brands.

What is TikTok?

TikTok is an app used to record, edit, and share short videos to which you can also add music, sound effects, and visual effects such as filters. The content on the app is varied and you’ll find short videos of lip-syncing, dancing, bits, comedy, cooking, challenges, and more.

Who are the users?

TikTok is largely used by 18 to 24-year olds; they make up 42% of the total user-base. However, its user-base is aging. Users aren’t giving up on the app; instead of outgrowing the app, they grow up along with it. 

Global Web Index studied the reasons why people like TikTok. Users say they are most interested in seeing other people’s creativity and having the chance to be creative themselves.

Some TikTok stats that you need to know in 2021
How does it work?

We’ve written up a short but detailed guide on how exactly the app works. Check out our TikTok 101 article and learn the basics of creating content on the app and how it all works.

Why is TikTok relevant for digital marketing?

Videos are now consumers’ favorite content type, and TikTok gives us a glimpse into the future of social media. Its growing global popularity makes it the ideal playground for digital marketing. 

Whether it’s through an idea, tool, or hashtag challenge, brands can convert users into ambassadors through the power of shared experience on TikTok. The app earns a noteworthy amount of engagement so the money you spend on TikTok marketing will not go to waste. 

TikTok’s unique content discovery process allows users to discover fresh content based on their viewing preferences and habits, helping brands achieve fast growth and maximum visibility.

How can brands market on TikTok?

Here you see an overview of the most common ways. 

  • In-feed videos. These are native videos that appear whilst users explore posted content on the ‘for you’ page. 
  • A brand takeover is a full-screen ad that is displayed when the user first opens Tik Tok. It’s either a three-second image or a three to five-second GIF. You also have Top View which has the same effect, but videos from In-Feed-Video can be used as advertising material. 
  • Brands can also offer their own hashtag challenges. These ads promote branded hashtags to encourage the submission of user-generated content featuring their participation in the challenge. 
  • Branded lenses, TikTok creates 2D, 3D & AR lenses, to radically transform the audience’s environment. 
  • You could also try to promote using a business account. This will help overcome any obstacle for businesses that don’t have employees of the same demographic as their audience. 
Influencer marketing on TikTok

The easiest way is to work with TikTok’s established broadcasters, influencers, which can help you boost the results of your influencer marketing goals, reach a whole new audience, and increase your brand’s cross-platform presence.

The more cost-effective way to market on TikTok is to make use of influencer marketing but you have to avoid coming across as too “sales-y”. This is particularly the case because of TikTok’s youthful demographic. 

The key to success is working with creators whose followers match your target audience. So the best thing you can do is to appeal to the TikTok demographic. 

What to know about influencer marketing on TikTok

Selecting the right creators and influencers for your brand is crucial to reach the right target group and to achieve your goals. Before you start looking, you need to ask yourself two important questions: 

  • Does your target audience use TikTok? 
  • What kind of videos are most likely to attract your target audience?

Always remember, however, relevance is more important than reach. Go for creators and influencers with the most suitable audiences for your goals.

Finding the right influencers for your campaign can be tricky, luckily agencies like Influo are specialized in helping you find the perfect match.

Influo supports TikTok, meaning creators on Influo can connect their TikTok account to the platform, providing you with their insights and data.

It’s therefore easy for you to set up campaigns on TikTok, and expand your influencer marketing efforts onto this new platform.

It’s easy, and the benefits are endless, so set up a TikTok campaign on Influo today!

Tips for working with creators on TikTok

Finding relevant creators to collaborate with is just the start.

If you want your influencer marketing campaign to really take off, you should take the following things into account.

Key metrics & ROI with TikTok influencers

To see if your TikTok influencer campaign was successful, it is crucial to look at the total reach, views, and terms of user-generated content (UGC). UGC is any video created organically by another user after watching a paid piece of content and being motivated by it. 

For example, when you collaborate with a creator, they might launch a video with a soundtrack and a specific hashtag as part of a hashtag challenge. When collaborating with an influencer with 10 million followers, it’s pretty likely that hundreds or thousands of their followers will create a video using that same hashtag and soundtrack.

This UGC will lead to a huge increase in brand awareness and a significant decrease in cost-per-view and cost-per-content, which is a big reason why TikTok Influencer campaigns can be cost-effective yet very successful. 

What to measure?

Brands need to consider all the factors that determine how well influencers perform for a given campaign. This is called the ROI – return on investment. 

We will outline some of the key metrics brands should be aware of when launching a TikTok influencer marketing campaign.  

If you want to maximize your chances of going viral, we suggest using original music and carefully selected hashtags. Setting up a creative idea, such as a challenge, storytelling, or other creative approaches that any user, and not just creator, can replicate or participate in can result in a high number of UGC.

What is the cost of influencer marketing on TikTok?

The exact price depends on the individual’s level of influence: the number of followers and engagement rate.

Thanks to TikTok’s algorithm, the chances of a video going viral are higher than on any other social media platform. We also know that content on TikTok scores one of the highest average engagement rates ever seen on social media.

This means that influencer marketing on TikTok is very cost-effective. If you work together with the relevant influencers, you will be able to have a low cost per engagement (CPE) and a low cost per impression (CPI). 

This is why you should market on TikTok!

Now that you have the basics down and are familiar with the benefits of marketing on TikTok, it’s time to start strategizing.   

Should your brand be on this app?
Well if you want to reach the digital-native crowd, it is definitely worth looking into. While it may feel intimidating to get started, there are so many advantages to marketing on TikTok. Its extraordinarily high engagement and algorithm make it easier to go viral than any other platform. It is safe to say that TikTok is a valuable marketing tool.