Should You Start a TikTok For Your Brand?
TikTok is taking the world by storm – but will it actually benefit you and your business?
What began as a platform for viral dancing and an escape for quarantine boredom has now become a valuable asset. We were somewhat hoping TikTok would fade away and we wouldn’t have to learn its ins and outs… is this a sign that we’re getting old? No matter, it’s now impossible to ignore. More and more clients are asking us:
“As a business, do I need to be on TikTok?”
“Do I need to learn how to dance advertise my business?”
“What is PrisonTok?”
“Should I purchase video equipment to make videos?”
In all seriousness, TikTok can definitely help you reach new audiences and hopefully push sales or leads. It’s also fantastic for lifestyle content and can help to create a fun relationship with your followers. However, creating engaging content takes time and effort. To determine whether or not TikTok is for you, here’s our official “Do I need to be on TikTok” checklist:
This is a great first questions to ask yourself. According to Hootsuite, TikTok is still most popular with teens, with 20-29 year olds falling closely behind. If this isn’t your target audience, other platforms might be a better use of your time and money. If this isn’t the age demographic you’re going after but you still want to try out TikTok, we don’t want to discourage you! There is no harm in trying. However, if you’re running on a tight budget or are already spending your time running your business, you might want to reconsider creating an account.
Like any social media platform, you should factor in the time and effort it will take to create content. Don’t get us wrong – not every TikTok needs to be perfectly planned; in fact, sometimes the best content is completely spontaneous. Even so, you will still have to dedicate a chunk of time each week to create content, edit your videos, engage with your followers and grow your account. If you feel like you’ve got enough on your plate, stick to the social media platforms you know best and that have been proven to work for your business.
Believe it or not, TikTok is a fantastic platform to feature educational videos. Whether you’re demonstrating a new product or giving out some industry advice, this type of content can be really interesting and engaging for your audience. It can also help boost brand trust, since you’re given the chance to prove that you’re an expert in your field.
As an example, user @hungryhistorianandy has amassed a million-user following by trying and explaining the history of old-fashioned foods, like Turkish delights. Or, this simple yet brilliant explanation of the COVID-19 vaccines by Vick Krishna demonstrates exactly how you can easily explain a complicated concept.
Most often, TikToks won’t quite compare to a professionally shot and edited video. However, with all of the editing features in the app, you can create something equally as captivating! The beauty of TikTok is that you’re able to save those videos and cross-promote them on your other social media channels – especially Instagram Reels. All you need is a good phone camera and some nice lighting to start playing around and creating your own videos. Sure, we obviously want the video to be of high quality. But at the end of the day, it’s the content itself that matters most!
A great advantage of TikTok is that you can encourage engagement from your followers. Comments are a simple way; you can like them and reply to them. Another awesome feature are duets. This feature allows users to record their response to your TikTok, with both videos playing side by side. A great content strategy is to ask a question or give your followers a challenge to complete, and then encourage them to “duet your video.” In addition to encouraging engagement, it also widens the reach of your original video to a broader audience. Of course, one thing to keep in mind is that comment sections are typically filled with both positive and negative comments. Try as best as you can not to let them bug you, and continue to do you!
If you’ve seen any viral TikToks in the last year, you already know that some of the best content is fun, comedic or even somewhat outrageous. That means it’s the perfect platform to step back from a stern, professional image and have some fun! It might take you a bit of practice to find the balance between fun and professional. However, your audience will appreciate seeing a more humane or even comedic side to you and your brand. In a world completely littered with advertisements (both obvious and hidden in “organic” content), users like to be reminded that there are real humans behind an account who like to learn and laugh.
@f1 formulino, the real boss of imola 🐱 ##f1 ##formula1 ##imolagp ##cat
♬ original sound - Patman
Alright… have you checked off most or all of the above? Sounds like you’re all set to create an account! Like any social media platform, it will take some trial and error to find the right audience, create the right content and make the algorithm work in your favour. Nervous about getting started? Try making drafts instead or changing the privacy settings so that only you can see your videos. At the end of the day, it will probably require you to step out of your comfort zone, and some plain old practice.
We believe in you, and can’t wait to see your videos! ☺
Give us a share, eh?