Digital Marketing on TikTok

As in-person experiences were wiped out by lockdowns and social distancing measures, e-commerce has increasingly morphed with social media to fill the gap of in-person social experiences.

TikTok provides an innovative solution for businesses looking to form connections and interact with their customers. The lighthearted and low-production-value style content that is popular across the app has a real and relatable quality that puts all users on the same level. When businesses create within this style of content, they can show personality in their branding that audiences relate to, therefore blurring the barrier between customer and business. Viewers are also able to like, comment, and even respond to a video with one of their own, opening up endless opportunities for customer engagement.

TikTok has also recently introduced the function to link within profiles and video descriptions, broadening the app’s capabilities for social commerce. 

TikTok uses a highly personalized algorithm to provide each user with an individual “For You” page of content relevant to their interests. Unlike some social media platforms, TikTok favors the distribution and discovery of new material through this algorithm, rather than only showing users the accounts they already follow. Content is also often searched through the audio files used, as dance trends, lip-syncing, and sound-bite-based humor dominates the app’s content. Businesses can use the TikTok algorithm to increase their international brand awareness by engaging with trending songs, sound bites, or viral challenges and hashtags in their videos, increasing their presence across searches and “For You” pages. 

While there are TikTokers of all ages, 60% of the app’s users are Generation Z, ranging in age from 9 to 24. The strong influence of this demographic is apparent in the style of humor, music, discussions, and viral challenges that dominate the app. 

Many brands such as Chipotle, Duolingo, and the NBA have amassed a large and loyal following on TikTok by producing content that is designed to entertain that demographic while remaining true to their brand’s values and interests.

While humor and entertainment-based approaches are popular, they are not the only ways to find success on the app. Many have found dedicated followings from creating educational and informative content relevant to their business, such as Thinx, Discovery, or the Sacramento History Museum.

While there is no doubt that TikTok users are susceptible to certain marketing strategies, and some brands are reaping the rewards of that, only 3% of companies report viewing it as the most effective way to achieve their business goals. 

It is important to keep your target customer base in mind when building your brand. If your company is looking to increase its appeal among generation Z, TikTok is a terrific way to do that. However, if your target audience is above the age of 30, it may be best to not waste resources on the platform when you could focus your social media marketing strategy on sites where your demographic response is better, such as Instagram or Facebook.