With TikTok becoming the new hot social platform, marketers are increasingly seeking to break into the space. Stas Pamintuan, junior SEO executive at Digital Ethos, provides some tips for newbie TikTokers.
Besides being the procrastination tool of choice for many gen Zs, TikTok has had a profound impact on our culture in the modern world – and savvy businesses everywhere are looking to get in on the action and, of course, make money through TikTok marketing.
Digital Ethos on how to excel on TikTok
A lot of the biggest brand moments on the app have been accidental. But don’t worry. Even if you’re not one of those lucky brands that accidentally stumbles into the limelight, you can still build a successful presence on the platform. So, here are some ways you can develop a TikTok marketing strategy to put your brand out there on this journey.
Define your target audience
Ask yourself: who do you hope to reach on TikTok? Before you start creating content, be sure to learn about the demographics and identify those who might be interested in your brand. For example, research other social media platforms and look for overlap on TikTok. But remember not to rule out new or unexpected audiences.
The latest marketing news and insights straight to your inbox.
Get the best of The Drum by choosing from a series of great email briefings, whether that’s daily news, weekly recaps or deep dives into media or creativity.
Sign up
Your current audience may not be on TikTok, but maybe there are subgroups with related or slightly different interests on the platform. Once you’ve defined your target audience, you should research the types of content they like and engage with so you can identify any gaps or ways your content can be relatable to your audience.
Perform an audit of your competitors
Are your competitors on TikTok? If they are, you could be missing out; if they’re not, TikTok could be a way to gain a competitive edge. Whether or not you have competitors on the platform, it’s good to find at least three to five similar brands or organizations to see what they’re up to on the app and how they engage with their audience.
Look at what’s worked and what hasn’t for them, as it’s something you can learn from when you develop your own TikTok marketing strategy. Because it’s a creator-led platform, don’t rule out popular influencers here – there may be some personalities that specialize in your area of ​​expertise that you might want to reach out to some brand promotion.
Set targets that align with your business goals
Of course, you can create content just for fun, but it’s better to have objectives in mind that can be tied to your overall business goals and the direction you want the brand to take. Here are some examples you might want to think about:
Remember, it’s important to back your efforts with rationale. Make sure your goals are measurable and calculated to get the most out of the content you’re putting out to the world. Like most social platforms, TikTok provides analytics for business accounts, so be sure to look at this to drive your decisions. To access this:
Go to your profile page and tap the three horizontal lines in the upper right
Tap Creator Tools, then Analytics
Explore the dashboard and find the metrics you can use to measure your goals
Keep track of your progress
TikTok analytics aren’t just the perfect starting point for your marketing on the platform, but also one of the best ways to gauge whether or not your strategy is working. It’s good to check in at least once a month to see if you’re reaching your goals. Consider A/B testing different kinds of posts to see which is more effective so you can drive the direction of your strategy and understand what your audience prefers to engage with.
TikTok is a space to experiment
There’s no such thing as a formula for going viral on the platform, which is why it’s essential you leave space in your TikTok marketing strategy to be creative, go with the flow and, most importantly, have fun.
If something flops, learn from it and move on to the next experiment. If your brand ends up accidentally trending like Ocean Spray, make the most out of it – be in on the joke. Don’t plan to be taken too seriously on TikTok.
Post regularly
Making a content calendar – and sticking to it – is key to any successful social media strategy. Posting regularly means you are connected to your audience if you’re consistently showing up. It helps your business stay top-of-mind to customers, meaning you are more likely to generate leads and even sales.
When it comes to TikTok marketing, we understand the potential TikTok has to push boundaries and unleash your brand’s creative side. We can help you make waves, so why not get in touch?
,
