In 2020, TikTok will likely be one of the most popular mobile apps. TikTok has emerged as the new go-to app for sharing short videos of all kinds, from dance tutorials to do-it-yourself projects to comedic sketches. Business Insider reports that TikTok has already surpassed 1.5 billion downloads and is still the most popular social media app available. TikTok, which debuted in 2017, is currently the second most downloaded free app in the App Store, behind only Instagram (ranked #10) and Snapchat (ranked #19). The app has become synonymous with viral dance videos in the minds of many. But TikTok is swiftly rising to become one of the new platforms for businesses to sell themselves.
Users currently have the option of making 3- to 15-second films or splicing together four 15-second clips. In order to increase the number of people who watch your films, you can modify them in numerous ways. More than 2 billion copies of TikTok have been downloaded around the world. TikTok’s search volume increased dramatically in March of 2020, surpassing that of Snapchat for the first time. TikTok has over 800 million monthly active users and has been downloaded over 2 billion times, making it the preferred platform for marketers to interact with their target demographics.
Here are three immediate ways to benefit your company from using TikTok:
- Launch your own channels and fill them with useful videos.
- Hashtags can be used to organise contests and inspire followers to post original material.
- Collaborate with influential people to reach more people with your content.
- Let’s examine these strategies and examine how various companies are using Tiktok to boost their bottom line in the year 2020.
Among the Top Brand Channels
Creating dedicated channels is the platform’s initial use by brands. Brands may connect more closely with their audiences by sharing engaging videos on their accounts. TikTok’s raw and unedited videos can be an effective method to present a different side of the company in a time when consumers are becoming more wary of commercials. Brand channels that these businesses have established include:
Wonderlife
With the goal of connecting with their audience on a more personal level, many brands have launched their own TikTok channels. Yet, Wonderlife (@wonderlife aliexpress) is one company that is taking a different approach. Wonderlife is a shop on AliExpress, a Chinese e-commerce platform owned by the Alibaba Group, that specialises in selling low-priced products that improve people’s daily lives in innovative ways. Their entire stream consists of short films each demonstrating the use of one of their items. They’ve amassed over 3 million TikTok fans, and several of their videos have received over 1 million views.
Hashtags
In addition to their own channels, numerous brands have taken use of hashtags by starting #HashtagChallenges. Participating in such competitions is easy and entertaining, encouraging people to produce original material. To kick off their challenge initiatives, several brands also use influencers. We’ll get into why it’s common for brands to use influencer marketing alongside hashtag challenges now, though. Some companies have run successful hashtag challenge campaigns:
Malaysia McDonald’s
McDonald’s introduced the #BigMacTikTok campaign in Malaysia in 2018 to increase user engagement. Users are tasked with creating their own dancing videos to one of McDonald’s pre-recorded BigMacTikTok music clips and then sharing them using the McDonald’s mobile app. Malaysia McDonald offered incentives to motivate people to take part. Share your video on the McDonald’s app, and you could win a free Big Mac for yourself and your friends (yum). When the challenge was over, McDonald’s awarded cash prizes to the top 10 finishers.
Marketing using Influencers
Finally, just as on every other social media site, numerous brands have partnered with influencers to advertise products or hashtag challenges. Many “superstar” TikTokers have amassed huge fan bases (Charli D’Amelio, with more than 50 million fans, is now the platform’s most popular influencer). Several firms reach new customers thanks to the distinct audience inspired by the material created by these influencers. Some examples of successful TikTok influencer marketing campaigns from major businesses are provided below.
KIND firm
The KIND firm is well-known in the food industry for its numerous popular offerings, including the KIND Bar, KIND Fruit & Nut, and KIND Nuts & Spices. They joined TikTok as well? KIND has launched a hashtag competition, #KINDSimpleCrunchContest, in addition to their official TikTok channel (@kindsnacks). If you search for a specific hashtag on Twitter, @zachking is likely to have a video that ranks well when you click on it. To many, Zachary King (@zachking) is synonymous with his hilarious magic trick videos that have gone viral on platforms like Vine, YouTube, and TikTok. He first found success on Vine and YouTube, and is now rapidly rising to prominence as a TikTok influencer (41.5 million followers as of today). King and KIND teamed up to promote the challenge by making sponsored social media posts tagged with #ad. KIND is broadening the impact of the campaign by teaming up with influential figures like Zach King in an effort to appeal to a younger demographic of consumers.
Closing Remarks
The question now is not if your company will use the TikTok platform, but when. Brands and businesses have better chances of reaching new people on this platform the sooner they start using it for commercial purposes. Contact us today if you need assistance launching your brand on TikTok.