Mar.17th.2020

How to use Tik Tok for businesses

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What is Tikt Tok, in short.

Created in 2016, Tik Tok is a Chinese application called Douyin there. It’s a platform full of short videos of just a few seconds, each more creative than the other. On these videos, users dance, playback, sketches or even challenges to entertain the community.

The Tik Tok community is already reaching new heights, with more than one and a half billion downloads and nearly 800 million active users per month. These figures have not stopped growing since the merger with the direct competitor Musical.ly in August 2018 .


What opportunities does Tik Tok offer to companies?

Tik Tok is a real opportunity given that it is still a channel very little used by professionals. Its content is mainly aimed at young people from 16 to 24 years old, but anyone of any age can become an influencer, because only the quality of the content matters there.

Where it differs from "traditional" social networks like Facebook or Instagram is that the tone used is much lighter, more humorous, and therefore it reaches a younger audience.

With its own currency system, Tik Tok offers to buy products without leaving the application with the Challenges Hashtag which are advertising campaigns inviting the publication of videos by users using the promoted products. Everything is done around a hashtag. There is even a purchase tab directly on the application.


Create and configure a professional Tik Tok account

As on most social networks, the first impression is based on the profile and picture. This is why it is essential to spend quality time creating your Tik Tok account, to impress and make users want to follow you.

Download the application on Android or iPhone / Ipad

Once the app is installed, launch the app and choose your prefered account creation method. You will have several simple options, but the quickest way is to create it via Facebook.

Downloads:

Here are some tips to help you, but don't hesitate to get inspired by the hottest companies on the platform to stay on top.

Edit your profile

As mentioned earlier, it's important to optimize your profile to catch the eye of your potential customers. You will have to be clear, impactful and concise because it is the first form of communication that you establish between you and your subscribers.

  • The name: Simple and short, to be easy to remember. Try not to take different ones if you are active on several social networks.
  • The photo: Your logo remains the most effective.
  • Personal information: A kind of small description of your business, you are free to write one. If you have a currency, feel free to register it. Otherwise, nothing forces you to create it but get inspired and find the one that will represent you best.

How to succeed in your Tik Tok strategy?

Create challenges with hashtags

On this network, hashtags are of paramount importance. The caption for the video with the hashtags cannot exceed 140 characters. It should therefore be used sparingly.

These hashtags are used to launch challenges, such as GUESS which was one of the first brand to use this process, with #InMyDenim which encouraged internet users to wear the brand in their videos. During a period of 6 days, Tik Tok users were redirected to the challenge, which allowed to see almost 40 million videos appear with the #InMyDenim.

For a successful challenge, make sure that the difficulty is consistent, and that it gives way to the creativity of Internet users above all.

Collaborate with influencers

This network is centered on the spirit of community, it is marked by a spirit of sharing and good humor. You should therefore not hesitate to ask the help of influencers to increase your visibility. There are three types of partnerships to favor on Tik Tok which are challenges, product placements and special offers promotions.

Try to find influencers of all kinds and sizes by analyzing their community to accept your partnerships and give you a boost on the platform.


Tik Tok Ads

There are several ways to advertise yourself on Tik Tok, with each set of advantages and disadvantages depending on the price you're willing to pay. To get started, visit the Tik Tok Ads page and click Create Ad.

You will have several choices for your advertisements, but the minimum investment will be $ 500.

  • Brand advertising : Similar to Instagram stories in full screen mode and limited to one advertiser per day, these branded ads have redirection buttons to internal or external pages. In addition to being able to view viewing statistics, you will be able to customize these advertisements as you see fit.
  • Hashtags challenge ads : Allows you to highlight your challenges and lasts about 6 days. Convenient for making a rush before a key period for example, but it will be necessary to repeat the operation, see combining it with other forms of advertising if you want to perform in the long term.
  • Native advertising : They also allow you to redirect to your site, but are more discreet and appear either at the bottom of organic Tik Tok videos, or in the stream instead of a normal video. Their average cost is $ 10 CPM, making it a relatively expensive platform compared to Facebook and Instagram, which have an average of $ 5.12 and $ 5.14 CPM respectively.

Key points on Tik Tok

To gain visibility and conversions on Tik Tok, the recipe is somewhat simple for creative people! Give way to your imagination in a simple and entertaining way. Authentic and qualitative content is essential for any company wishing to make themselves known on the platform. But beware, you should not fall into obvious marketing tactics because the young audience does not want to have the impression that we absolutely want to sell them products.

Here are some points to respect in order to build a sustainable strategy:

  • Humor is premium : Again, you have to keep in mind that Tik Tok is not to be taken seriously, at least in terms of the content offered. You have to let go, and above all focus the communication on fresh and effective humor.
  • Dare without limit : If there is a place where you will NOT be judged, Tik Tok is it! Your mission will be to differentiate yourself from the competition, and on a platform like this, daring is the watchword to catch the eye of the greatest number. Keep in mind that this is an application where a lot of young people are active, and where few companies are invested at the moment. You are in some ways the pioneers and it is up to you to create the trends of tomorrow.
  • Be creative : However, daring does not mean doing anything at the risk of looking like nothing. You will have to redouble your creativity by trying to bring your personal touch, and find the recipe that will make your space a unique place to laugh and share.
  • Get your community involved : Another important facet of this strategy is to be in communion with your audience. Try to work on your community, and the bonds you forge with. The spirit of sharing must be at the heart of your priorities, so do not hesitate to highlight the common points that you share.

Tik Tok is a social network based on authenticity and populated by young users, it is an opportunity to become a pioneer company and to promote your products. This application could become a valuable asset in your marketing strategy if you take the right approach. By creating a worthy profile, developing a solid strategy and remembering that it is a medium that is focused on humor and creativity, your creative and regular content can only bring you good things.


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