Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and they’ve probably got TikTok under there anyway), you’ll know about the power of the social media giant, TikTok. Filled with videos of fun dances, social commentary, and comedy sketches, TikTok is expected to have 1.8 billion users by the end of 2022.
But this popular social media platform isn’t just a place for content creators to share their latest hot take. It’s an excellent place to advertise your product or service. Each one of those 1.8 billion users is a potential customer that you can market to.
The best part? By harnessing the power of content creation, you can create an advert that doesn’t even seem like an advert.
The problem is TikTok users get bored quickly. When there are infinite videos available to watch, why should they waste their precious 30 seconds watching yours instead of skipping to the next one?
You need to make something unique and memorable that engages users long enough to carry on watching and makes them want to buy what you’re selling.
Here’s how.
1. Take advantage of TikTok trends
News travels fast on TikTok. The video-sharing platform is awash with trends, whether it’s a new type of editing, users lip-syncing to a particular audio clip, or attempting a dance routine another user has created to a popular song.
Once a trend catches on, many users will search for the associated song, sound, or dance routine. That’s your chance to shine. Users will have a better chance of finding your ad if you use a popular trend to sell it, and it’s a natural conversation starter, too.
To ride on the back of up-and-coming trends, monitor trending topics and set up your production for speedy turnarounds. TikTok moves so quickly that there’s no point jumping on a trend two weeks late. By that point, the trend (and your campaign) will have lost momentum.
Need a way to keep tabs on trends without being glued to the TikTok app 24/7? Take TrendTok for a spin. TrendTok is an app that uses the power of AI to help you stay on top of what’s on trend and avoid lagging behind the competition.
Source: apps.apple.com
2. Know your audience (and your competitors)
A common mistake marketers make is creating content that would appeal to them. When you’re creating content, ask yourself, ‘would my target audience like this?’ instead of ‘do I like this?’. Base your content on their preferences, not yours.
Almost half of TikTok’s users are between 18-24, so bear in mind that you’re marketing to a younger demographic than platforms such as Facebook, and create accordingly. Gen Z has a notoriously short digital attention span, so if you’re targeting this demographic, keep your content short and sweet.
Competitor research is important, too. Keep tabs on what your competitors are creating and see what works and what doesn’t, based on their engagement.
If you see common themes running throughout your competitors’ content, see how you can adopt them with your own unique take.
3. Keep copy concise
If users wanted to read a short essay on your company’s story, they’d be looking at blogs, not TikTok. On TikTok, time is of the essence, and you only have a matter of seconds to engage your target audience and stop them from swiping to the next video.
The copy you create on TikTok has to work hard. The key to a successful TikTok video is keeping your copy concise and to the point.
If you can say something in three words instead of five, use three.
As the use of video booms across all platforms (think Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts), users are increasingly searching for visual content. Unlike catchy slogans and blog-based marketing, TikTok is a storytelling app. Bring users along for the ride with a video that captures their imagination.
4. Use the Creative Center to your advantage
Source: tiktok.com
Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok isn’t cloak and dagger about its best-performing ads. In fact, you can access them all easily from TikTok’s Creative Center.
The Creative Center breaks down the ads by sector, so you can search for businesses within your industry and see the trends, storylines, and editing styles they’re jumping on.
While looking for inspiration is great, nobody likes a copycat. Make sure you take ideas from other companies and give them your own twist as a way to differentiate your offering.
Source: Tiktok.com
5. Don’t forget your Call To Action
Getting users to watch and enjoy your ad is only half the battle. You then need to convert them into paying customers.
It’s all too easy to pour hours into creating an entertaining video that garners tons of engagement but no actual sales. Focus on directing the video toward your all-important Call to Action, whether you want users to shop for your products or visit your website.
Bear in mind that many TikTok users swipe to the next video before watching one in its entirety, so avoid putting your Call to Action at the very end, or you risk users missing it.
6. Test, test, test
When advertising on TikTok, be prepared to try various approaches. The perfect marketing strategy is one you adapt as you go, so if your initial attempts are unsuccessful, try something different.
Split Test (commonly known as A/B testing) is a tool in TikTok Ads Manager that allows you to test two different versions of your ads. You can see which one performs best and use the results to inform your future marketing decisions.
You can test three variables: targeting, bidding and optimization, and creative.
For example, let’s say you think one creative will perform better than the other. Using TikTok’s Split Test, you can keep the other variables the same and just change the creative, so you’re only testing one element of the ad. You’ll then split your audience into two groups of equal size and show each group only one of the ads to see which performs better.
Not only does A/B testing help you make better marketing decisions, but it also saves you money. No more throwing money at videos that don’t engage users – successful campaigns only from now on.
7. Harness the power of partnerships
Source: tiktok.com
Have you ever been to see a film at the cinema just because your favorite actor was in it? That’s how TikTok creator collaborations work. Users who follow these popular influencers are much more likely to watch an ad for your product if it features one of their favorite faces.
TikTok creators are popular for a reason – they’ve found out what works and what doesn’t and harnessed it in their videos. With many creators boasting millions of followers on the app, having one of these well-known faces in your videos can expose your product to a whole new demographic.
Even better, allow the content creator to come up with a video concept that involves your product. Users will respond better to content that looks like it’s been authentically created by their favorite TikToker.
Not sure where to find content creators with a proven track record? That’s where TikTok’s Creator Marketplace comes in. Here you can find creators that appeal to your target demographic and partner with them to create new content.
8. Converse with consumers
TikTok videos are less wink-wink, nudge-nudge, and more speaking directly to the audience. According to TikTok’s own data, 33% of auction ads with the best VTR break the fourth wall and speak directly to viewers.
The most successful TikToks feel like a conversation with an old friend, so try a dialogue-based approach in your ads for improved performance. It’s also worth liking and responding to comments for better engagement.
9. Be entertaining
TikTok users don’t open the app to be sold to; they visit the app to be entertained.
If you can make your advert looks as little like a traditional advert as possible and more as a video people would genuinely want to watch, you’ve got a better chance of success.
By making videos with engagement at the core, you can create a following that comes back to your videos for their entertainment value while stealthily being sold your product or service.
Unlike traditional types of marketing, TikTok marketing is more playful. Inject humor into your ads to help them stand out from the crowd. Not only are funny videos more likely to keep users engaged, but having a memorable storyline also makes your product more memorable.
The bottom line
The fundamental rule of TikTok is you need to grab your audience’s attention within the first few seconds to avoid the dreaded swipe. The good news is there’s a wealth of tools at your disposal to increase your engagement.
Whether you partner with a well-known creator, take advantage of trends, or gather inspiration from TikTok’s Creative Center, there are tons of ways to ensure your ads not only get seen, but actually, convert users to paying customers.