Social media has a significant place when it comes to branding or marketing in a business. Even more, companies worldwide include various social networks and platforms while planning a marketing strategy. The broader list of alternatives includes social networking services like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, and many more. Among all of the names mentioned above, TikTok is the latest big-name stepping into the conflicting business-minded industry, indeed dominated by Instagram and Facebook.
Now let’s begin from the beginning. The things started from musical.ly, an app which launched in 2014. The application enabled users to record video clips of them performing lip sync. Most commonly, the video ranged between 15-60 seconds. In around two years of launch, the company had secured more than 90 million users. By the end of 2018, ByteDance Ltd., a Chinese tech company, acquired musical.ly and incorporated it with TikTok. Currently, the app has a huge user base. As per the latest reports, TikTok has around 800 million monthly active users across the globe.
A video on TikTok comprises various elements like video clips, music, content, etc. Users can also edit a video and apply filters by using the app. Some people have an understanding that TikTok is just for millennials who wish lip-sync and aim to create senseless karaoke videos. Let me note that’s not the case, that’s not the entire thing the platform has to provide. Indeed, teens worldwide are using TikTok. Also, various brands are opting towards the video-sharing social networking service, including celebs and artists.
Working of TikTok
TikTok uses a machine-learning algorithm to assess the grade of the videos upgraded by its users. Same as that of the procedures used on every other social network and search engine, TikTok does not release particulars. The following are some steps through which TikTok works.
When a user uploads a video, TikTok displays it to a limited range of TikTok users amid popular videos. It uses the strategy so that the user does not get bored with the same types of videos.
Meanwhile, the algorithm estimates how much of the video users are actually watching. It also considers other aspects such as shares, likes, downloads, and comments the video earns over the platform. Apparently, it considers a 1:10 ratio, which means one like for every ten views to activate the algorithm to reveal the video to other people.
Notably, the algorithm starts relying on the speed of the engagement a video gains from users. In other terms, if a video suddenly gains 20% more Likes in one day, the app will automatically show the video to more people consequently.
As of October 2019, TikTok has reported having around 800 million monthly active users. Well, you may find it hard to believe, but TikTok hit 1.5 billion downloads to date. Even more, the video-sharing social networking service has reported of having 20 million monthly active users across the US.
How Are Brands Using TikTok to Promote Their Business?
In this section, we will discuss the role of TikTok in promoting a business or a brand. TikTok is like having fun through visually attractive content. Currently, a wide range of brands are using TikTok as a way for business promotion and branding. The list includes companies like Fenty Beauty, Nike, Apple Music, and many more. Well, the company has not rolled out advertiser alternatives in North America.
Following are some strategies that could assist a brand or service in attracting potential customers:
In-feed Native Ad
TikTok offers In-feed native ads that are similar to that of Instagram stories in full-screen mode. The functionality includes various options like adding web links and inclusion of order now buttons in the ad. Notably, the feature takes the user directly to the intended page. Despite being skippable ads, one can have many alternatives for creating the entire ad. Even more, one can track the usage of an advertisement by impressions, click-through rates, video viewing time, the engagements gained, and a total number of views.
“#” Challenge Ads
This type of advertising refers to using a hashtag, and challenge TikTok users for a particular task. In this kind of advertising, one can display a specific banner ad to the user. After that, the ad will direct the user to a page containing rules and instructions of the presenting challenge. The discover page shows the banner, and it relies on user material.
The feature allows assessment through insights like clicks, number of views, number of user-generated content, trending slot, and user engagement. It is a sponsored marketing tool that aims at a particular group of customers, and there are more likely conversions. Well, some typical TikTok users love accepting a TikTok hashtag challenge. Above all, the hashtag challenges can boost traffic and user engagement with the requirement for minimal costs.
Brand Takeover Ads
Brand takeover ads are relatively rare, but the authentic and purest form of advertising on TikTok. It includes short footages, images, and GIF’s appear to be originators of the landing page of a particular brand. The ads remain category exclusives; thus, only a solitary brand can continue a specific category every day. One can assess the reach using click rates, impressions, and unique scopes.
Notably, brand takeover ads are beneficial because TikTok’s marketing tools are convenient and simple to use. Thus they have a massive effect on branding specific services or products. Brand takeover ads on TikTok cost between $20,000-$200,000.
Influencer Marketing
TikTok is the best platform when it comes to engaging users through influencer marketing. Notably, TikTok has many millennials stars who are unbelievably famous with their followers and fans. In order to promote a product or service through TikTok’s influencer marketing, it is essential to have a genuine connection with influencers here. Many times, brands collaborate with influencers to advertise and promote their other kinds of marketing campaigns over TikTok. Some popular brands, like Universal Pictures, have experimented with the platform’s influencer marketing campaign. It has also used the advertising medium to promote the premiere show of a movie.
UGC or User-Generated Content
In the past few years, UGC has gained massive popularity in the field of online marketing. In a number of ways, it is the extreme aspect of user engagement. UGC is doubtlessly convenient for organizations and non-profits instead of brands. Even more, it is potentially feasible for social advertising of a brand.
Brands on TikTok
Although, there are three key means through which a brand can market over the platform. First of all, brands can build an independent channel and upload concerned videos via the channel. Secondly, they can collaborate with influencers in order to spread content to a wide range of audiences. Lastly, brands can pay to promote or advertise on TikTok. Currently, many brands are following one or the combination of the measures mentioned above for promotion. Some of the brands that have already gained massive success on TikTok are NBA, Chipotle, Guess, The Washington Post, The San Diego Zoo, etc. Let’s have a glance at some of them.
Chipotle
Often referred to as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., is an American restaurant chain having more than 55,000 followers on TikTok. They roll out a range of posts, including memes, music, and other references, to draw your attention towards menu items. For example, #ChipotleLidFlip has gained massive traction. The challenge required participants to tout their potentials to turn the lid onto the bowl without making use of hands. At the time, the company had launched this hashtag challenge to promote its Cinco de Mayo deal – free delivery.
Guess
Guess has only 35,000 fans and an overall three posts. Still, the top-fashion company is one of the best brands using TikTok advertising. It is the first brand to launch a challenge over the platform. Shortly after the launch, TikTok united with Guess for the #InMyDenim challenge. The partnership marks TikTok’s first effort to roll out branded content in the US region on account of the #InMyDenim challenge.
Under the hashtag, they have included the assistance of famous content creators to show off their latest denim wears. This type of challenge directly reveals people wearing clothing, which could attract customers who might find a particular outfit interesting.
Above all, TikTok ads can take users to your company’s website, app store’s, app page, or spread a hashtag challenge on TikTok.
Some Interesting Facts About TikTok
> Users of TikTok are fond of using the service; they spend around 52 minutes every day on the platform.
> A user accesses the TikTok app eight times a day.
> Around 83% of TikTok users have uploaded a video.
> Among overall monthly active users, the platform comprises of 40% male users, and 60% are female users.
> Around 60% of the TikTok users are millennials.
> Currently, TikTok is offering service in around 155 countries across the globe in 75 different languages.
> Reportedly, TikTok ranks second in the list of most downloaded apps across the US.