TikTok is a channel people flock to, and land for a while
TikTok is the fastest growing social media channel in history, with an average growth in the US of 375% year-over-year since 2019. 🤯 Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app with an average session length of nearly 11 minutes, and 90% access it daily.
Are you not entertained?
- 61% of users say videos on TikTok are more unique than on any other platform
- 7 out of 10 users say TikTok ads are enjoyable
- 3 out of 4 people said that TikTok is a place where people can express themselves openly
- Nearly 3 out of every 4 users who felt positive said that they felt inspired, confident, and entertained while using TikTok
- Users also associated the advertising on TikTok with being more authentic, fun, genuine, honest, real and trustworthy compared to other channels
- 88% of TikTokers love discovering new content while using the app, and 52% say they find products from ads on TikTok
TikTok’s Influence
The stats above speak for themselves, but we’ll get into it a little more. Imagine you’re scrolling through your feed, you’re entertained and enjoying the content. There’s a video you enjoy so much that you decide to share it with your friends so they can giggle about it, too. Or, you come across a video where a real person explains something of interest to you, or teaches you how to do something in under 30 seconds, maybe even within 10.
With all this entertainment, you might try to create a similar video yourself (imitation, or your spin on a trend is the name of the game on this app) – #TikTokMadeMeDoIt. With all this learning, you might take action off the app (vote, recycle better, save more water, etc.) – 86% of users say they’re inspired by TikTok to try new things in real life. With a real person showing you how they use a product in 15 seconds, you might go buy that product – #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt – after all, 92% of consumers say they follow a brand or make a purchase after watching a TikTok and 49% of TikTok users said they’ve purchased something after seeing it advertised.
TikTok’s Algorithm
TikTok has two main viewing features, the ‘For You’ page and the ‘Following’ page. The ‘For You’ page (where 99% of people spend their time) shows users a variety of videos based on user interaction, curating the content for the user every day. The algorithm “learns” what to show the user by tracking what accounts are followed and videos interacted with, including the video likes, shares, favorites and completion rates. It also relies heavily on hashtags in order to prioritize user interests. Not only does TikTok have an algorithm to curate your feed, but there are also real humans sorting through content to push trending videos to the top of the feed.
Going Viral on TikTok
The interaction a video receives determines TikTok’s prioritization of the video, not the number of followers the creator has. This is important for brands to remember – as any creator’s video can go viral, whether they have 5 followers or 5,000.
Why You Should Have a Presence on TikTok
Increase your reach with a younger audience: Gen-Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is changing how consumers engage on social media – which means brands are, too. Roughly 43% of TikTok’s global audience is between 18 and 24 years old. With an estimated collective buying power of close to $150 billion, this is an audience brands can’t ignore. If you’re looking for ways to share your brand’s story with a younger audience, TikTok is the place to be.
Try a new way of sharing your brand message, by getting creative: The content on this platform does not look like traditional marketing. All content should look and feel native to the platform. The app has a wide range of filters, effects, text overlays and music of all genres for creators to use. With the app’s easy to use editing tools, you don’t need a background in video editing (or a large budget) to create. If there’s something you need to tell your audience (even if it’s a simple, specific message), do it with a TikTok video. When inspiration strikes, run with it!
Give your brand a personality: This platform gives your brand the chance to have close up consumer interaction, in a not-so-serious way. The content is meant to be lighthearted, entertaining, and inspire engagement with a younger audience. Users aren’t looking to watch objects or products, they’re looking to watch [real] people, so using [real] faces matters. Showing the behind the scenes of your organization (staff members) or operations is a great way for your audience to get to know you on a personal level.
Even if your brand doesn’t necessarily have a product to sell, it does have a message to share. Cause-based content goes a long way with the Gen Z audience, and has a chance to go viral, too. Take Oreo’s #CookieWithACause campaign – where they promised to make a donation to Save the Children when at least 1 million TikTok videos were uploaded with that hashtag. Government accounts like Outagamie County Recycling & Solid Waste can also go viral – with no product and only a message to share – take their video about not recycling holiday lights.
Now that you know a little more about how TikTok works, how people use the app, and why you should consider creating an account for your brand, you can read about what makes a successful TikTok next. Be sure to read 7 Tips to Create A Good TikTok Video!
If you’re looking for help with social media strategy, content creation and leveling up your marketing efforts in general, we’d love to be a part of telling your brand’s story. Reach out to us to have a conversation today!