While TikTok’s U.S. launch was in August 2018, the video app saw a dramatic increase in users since the start of 2020. In fact, according to Wallaroo, TikTok had over 315 million downloads in Q1 of 2020, which marked the best quarter by any app – ever.
In addition to its staggering growth, the app also has one of the highest engagement rates from users, coming in at 29%, meaning that TikTok is great for brands who are ready to interact with their audience!
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a short-form video sharing app where its users can create and share content. While the majority of videos are around 15 seconds, they may be as long as minute before the video restarts on a loop.
Who is using TikTok?
The social platform is most popular among Gen Z with 41% of its users being between 16 – 24-years-old and 66% of the app’s audience base are under the age of 30. TikTok is also made up of 60% female users.
While the app leans toward young adult creators, other groups such as moms and teachers are also using the platform to connect. And this app is here to stay with over 65 million users in the U.S. alone.
What kind of content is on TikTok?
When you enter the app, you’ll see the homepage which has full-screen vertical videos that you can explore by swiping up or down. This is where people who you follow’s content will appear in addition to content TikTok’s super-secret algorithm will generate based on similar content you’ve interacted with within the app.
Users are creating any – and everything in the video app, but some of the more popular videos you’ll see are short episodes, challenges, dances, behind-the-scenes content, and voice overs. It’s easy to search content within the app as well, as all videos are tagged and categorized by hashtags that a user assigns to their video.
When it comes to creating content, TikTok has an in-app video editor where you can record, edit and upload content directly to your account. It also offers the capability to upload videos that had been previously edited or recorded on your phone, so long as it adheres to the 60-second time limit.
How can my brand utilize TikTok?
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again, brands who utilize social media to promote their products must not be overly “sales-y.” If you want to have a successful social presence on TikTok, it must feel genuine and the content must be unique. That being said, it’s not going to fly to simply repurpose your Instagram or Snapchat story content onto another platform.
Similar to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn, etc. there’s an opportunity to have both organic and paid content within TikTok’s platform.
Do your homework and spend some time browsing through TikTok before taking the leap into creating your own videos. Get some ideas as to what kind of content your audience is going to identify and interact with. Explore trending hashtags by clicking on the “discover” icon and see if you can attach your brand to already trending content, which will help you reach a larger audience organically.
Influencer marketing is another great option to use on TikTok. Team up with TikTok users who already have a large following and have them help promote your brand.
How can TAG help?
As a full-service advertising agency, we have a whole digital team whose jobs are to brainstorm and create original, unique content for your brand! In addition to content ideation and creation, we can also serve as a contact for connecting your brand with prominent influencers in the TikTok community to make sure your messaging is aligned with your brand and reaches your core audience.
Let’s get started on your brand’s TikTok strategy!