TikTok – Here to Stay, Like It or Not
Like it or not, TikTok is taking over the social media world. We’ll be honest, our team took some time to accept this fact. The emergence of the new platform actually made us feel a little old – probably what our parents felt like when we explained Instagram to them when it first came out.
However, as marketing experts it is our job to understand all platforms of communication. So, we thought we would take this blog post to provide some insights into the benefits of using one of the world’s most downloaded apps – and how to use it.
Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok is much more focused on unique content creation. Creatives, you should be getting excited about this. It finally gives you the chance to truly show the world what makes your brand different from the rest. It might even force you into re-thinking your marketing messages and tailor them to be more authentic.
Downloaded more than 2 billion times globally (outperforming Instagram), users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. So, what do you need to do to get those users attention, and have your video go viral?
· Make sure you have good lightning and are using trending sounds.
· Script your video in a way that it is more likely to be watched until the end.
· Create a video that is more likely to be watched repeatedly.
· Hope for likes and shares – engagement is key.
· Focus on regional videos at first, so it pops up on local users’ for you pages first.
· Keep your videos at maximum 15 seconds in length – 6-7 seconds is even better.
Now that you know what to look out for, host weekly social media content brainstorming sessions within your team to come up with new content, and remember to plan enough time to bring the content to life. Be sure to identify trends (e.g. challenges) and use them in your videos as well. Short and punchy content has proven to be more popular – as have videos that use songs.
TikTok requires a lot more production time and quality than other social media platforms. Think of it like a mini film-making class. Consider adding plot-twists and other tactics to keep users engaged until the end of your video. And remember, users are sick of being sold to on social media – stay away from overproducing and over-promoting your product or service. Instead of selling products, focus on messages, people and places .
TikTok is a great way to monitor hashtags in the travel and tourism industry to keep up with industry trends, as well as see how competitors are marketing themselves.
The #TikTokTravel hashtag had over 6.2 billion views as of December 2019. The high volume of monthly users suggests travel and tourism marketeers should be taking TikTok seriously. Two Six Digital recommends downloading the app and watching videos before creating your own. Get a sense for what is out there, and how your brand can contribute and inspire people to travel – ideally sustainably.
Just remember that 66% of TikTok users are under the age of 30. So, before investing all your time and money into communicating on this video platform, ensure your target audience actually uses the app.
Now is a great time to join and collaborate with TikTok, as you will be facing fewer competitors for advertising space. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to start a new adventure!