By now you’ve heard of TikTok, the king of teen apps. With over 1 billion users already, and 1.5 billion by the end of 2022, this video-sharing platform shouldn’t be ignored. What started off as an offshoot of musical.ly, a lip-syncing app, has turned into so much more. Yes, there are plenty of singing and dance challenges, but it has really become a playground for creativity. Now is the time to add it to your content strategy.
Before you jump in, here are some facts and figures about the app.
What generations use TikTok?
All of them. While you may think teens would make up the biggest percentage, it’s actually females 20-29 according to a 2022 report by BusinessofApps.
“What are TikTok’s main demographics? TikTok leans slightly female, although that gap has declined each year as it has gained more users. Its largest age demographic is 20-29-year-olds.”
That’s not the only group that lives there. Every age range can be found watching and creating TikToks. Check out this graph by Statista to get a better picture.
Over half of TikTok users are 30+.
What types of businesses are using TikTok?
Every type you can think of. From teachers to breweries to paddleboard companies to museums, every one of them has a story to tell. If you have a story to tell or something to teach, you have a reason to be on TikTok. You can teach great design like Emily Zugay. You can show off your love for your great lakes. Or, you can follow our marketing tips and office shenanigans. Check them all out and share your favs.
TikTok for Small Businesses
TikTok loves small businesses. This app is all about authenticity so less polished, more real videos usually do better.
While cute animals and travel videos are widely popular, that doesn’t mean they’re right for your brand. You should create videos that fit your brand personality. If you’re a bank, that doesn’t mean it always has to be money-saving tips, it could be a look at different dollar designs over the years or your staff out volunteering. Make it interesting and engaging.
Remember, you don’t have to create videos as soon as you open an account. Take some time to explore the app and understand how it works. If and when you decide to share your own videos, you’ll know the basics and how to use it properly.
Another great thing about TikTok is that you can upload existing videos. That means if you’ve put time and energy into video content for other platforms you can give them new life on this app.
Things to keep in mind
- TikToks can be up to 3 minutes long
- Users with 1K+ followers can share live videos
Buying Ad Space on TikTok
You can also try your hand at buying ad space on TikTok. At the moment, TikTok ads have to be under a minute but Kapwing Resources recommends keeping them to nine to 15 seconds.
You can also sponsor hashtag challenges and get your content rolling that way.
Trending Content: What is a Hashtag Challenge on TikTok?
One of the biggest things on TikTok is hashtag challenges. From dancing to March Madness, connecting your content with a trending theme is a great idea. If you have the time and creative team, use hashtag challenges to inspire new content amongst your planned items. Make sure it stays on brand, though!
For example, a university on TikTok could use the trending hashtag #collegehacks and #collegeacceptance to help their videos be seen.
Evergreen Content: What is Evergreen Content?
While using trends is a great way to get noticed, evergreen content is where you can really garner attention. What is evergreen content? It’s original content that is not trending and is uniquely yours. This type of content helps you stand out and is geared toward a very specific audience.
A good example of evergreen content is sharing videos about how you create your products. It gives people an insider look at the time and energy that goes into your work. It also helps people feel connected with your employees. Here’s an example of some recent work we created for Blacklist Brewing out of Duluth, MN.
TikTok Influencers
There’s already a list of TikTok heavy hitters, but big-time influencers aren’t necessary. You can work with smaller, more affordable people. Their following may be smaller, but maybe it’s more on target. If you’re a locally owned business it’s probably better to have people sharing or appearing in your videos that others recognize and trust versus an unrelatable star. A good place to start is happy clients and employees. Their words will hold the most value.
A good local example of this is the University of Superior’s Hockey Guys account (which has over one million followers) working with local businesses like The Great Lakes Aquarium and Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna.
Wooooow. That’s a lot of info. If you take anything away from this article, make sure it’s the following:
TikTok Tips
- Nab Your Name
Maybe you won’t ever use TikTok, but it doesn’t hurt to claim your brand name. This way, if it becomes an integral part of your marketing strategy, you don’t have to use a name like NorthlandBank023939129. - Ask, “how do I connect with my target audience on this app?”
Every age range is on this app. Take time to find your audience and figure out what they’re looking for. - Think SEO
Google is starting to rank TikToks on the results pages of Google. Therefore, just like a blog post, find the key phrases you want to rank for and build content around that. - Embrace Hashtags
Hashtags are huge on TikTok, especially hashtag challenges. If one works with your content, use it in your post. It will help more people find you. - Tag a Friend
A great way to connect with others is tag them in your videos that they’d be interested in. This method led to one of our TikToks being featured in Super Bowl 2022 CNN ad coverage. - Duet & Stitch
Find cool content on TikTok you want to connect your brand with. Stitch or Duet the content with your own relevant and original content and get more bang for your share. - Have Fun!
At the end of the day, TikTok is about embracing creativity.
We love how TikTok aligns with our Powered by Play mantra. People are so creative! We hope it continues to grow and we get to utilize it in future marketing strategies.
You may feel like you’ve missed the TikTok bandwagon – you haven’t. If you’re interested in using our creative brains to brainstorm some TikTok content, say hello.
