Use Trends to Your Advantage

When it comes to TikTok marketing, using trends to your advantage can be the key. By understanding what is popular on the app and capitalizing on those trends, you can engage more users and drive more traffic to your account.

See the screenshot below, showing an example of a creative idea that entices the audience to get more engagement.




Keep an eye on the latest music, fashion, and overall culture trends, and try incorporating those elements into your videos. You may also want to consider targeting specific demographics with your content. The trends can be in any form, such as memes or GIFs.

One can also create a trend related to their brand or product. For example, say that you are an online clothing company.

You can create a trend called "Wearing 10 items in 10 seconds," where people post pictures of themselves wearing ten clothing items from the company's line in 10 seconds.

Join Hands with Influencers

Collaborating with TikTok influencers is a great way to promote your brand. By working with creators with a large following on the app, you can reach a new and engaged audience.

Also, followers trust their endorsement when an influencer promotes a product or brand.




The advantage of working with an influencer is that they can help promote your product authentically. An influencer will likely be excited to work with your brand and be willing to promote it to their followers.

The influencers can create videos of themselves using the product and talking about how great it is. The three main advantages of working with influencers are:

• They have a large following on the app and can reach many people quickly. Use a platform like Tokfluence to find the right influencers. It also offers engagement rates on their posts, demographics, audience location, etc.

• They know how to present even a boring product creatively and engagingly. Don't ask us how they do it; they just know!

• They are credible, and people trust their opinions, making them more likely to buy the recommended products or services.

Don't Hard-sell

Let's get this straight for one and all. TikTok is not built for pushy ads. To be precise, in TikTok's words, "Don't make ads, make TikToks."

This is because the app is primarily used for sharing short videos with friends and family, and users are unlikely to be interested in ads that are too promotional.




Instead, as a brand, you should focus on creating fun and engaging content that showcases the product naturally. This will help to create a connection with potential customers and encourage them to learn more about the product.

Another factor contributing to this point is that the app is geared towards younger users, who are less likely to be swayed by traditional advertising methods. Hence, brands risk alienating potential customers if they come across as too sales-y.

Tip: Infuse your videos with humor and creativity, and you can rest assured that your offerings will get a lot of eyeballs.

Post Frequently

Akin to other contemporary social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, TikTok rewards consistent users in posting new authentic stuff.

Ask any successful TikToker, and they will quickly tell you that consistency contributed to their success.

Studies show that the key to the success of popular and revenue-generating brands is their consistency, as shown in the graph below.




This means uploading videos regularly, ideally at least a few times a day. Remember that people who use the app look for interesting, entertaining content, so make sure your videos are creative and engaging.

Not only will this help keep your account active, but it will also help you stay top of mind with your audience.

If You Face Creative Block To Come Up With New Ideas To Post On TikTok, Do The Following:

• Conduct market research to determine what kind of content is popular among your target audience.

• Look to other platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat, for inspiration. Check out top followed accounts, search trends, or brands that give ideas, as shown in the below screenshot.

• Brainstorm ideas with your team or use online tools to generate content ideas.

• Closely watch other brands for inspiration, and experiment with different content formats to see what works best for them.

• Use social media analytics tools to track the performance of your posts and determine which ones are getting the most engagement.

Use Captions

Captions make the videos more accessible to a wider audience and provide valuable context and information to help viewers better understand the videos. With




Additionally, captioning helps ensure that all viewers can enjoy the videos regardless of their hearing ability.

Studies have shown that captioned videos are more likely to be watched by those who speak English as a second language. Captions can also help you get more views on your videos, making them easier to find and share.

Another surprising reason is that many people prefer to watch videos on TikTok with the sound turned off.

In such cases, captions can help them understand what is happening in the video. A quick Google search will provide many tutorials on muting the sound on this short-form video hosting company.

Tip: Use the auto-captions feature within an app and edit the output to perfect it (Because the feature tends to make mistakes.)

Use Trending Audio and Hashtags

If you have been tracking TikTok since its inception, you will understand the relationship between popular audio and the videos created by the users on this platform.

In the early days, TikTok rose to popularity because of its unique feature that let users lip-sync to popular videos. You get the idea, right?

The use of trending audio for TikTok videos is important because it can help to increase viewership and engagement.

Popular audio lets you capture more people's attention and keep them engaged with your content. It allows users to find trending audio from sounds and hashtags from the search tab, as shown in the below screenshot.




Plus, using trending audio can show that you are keeping up with the latest trends and are interested in creating engaging content. This can be a valuable asset for brands and businesses who want to connect with a younger audience as they can piggyback on others' popularity.

Tip: Bear in mind that if you converted your account to a Business one, you would be allowed only to use the music pieces from the Commercial Music Library.

Experiment is the Key

Businesses can use TikTok to grow their audience by experimenting with different video formats. Some formats that one can experiment with include stop motion, time-lapse, and 360 videos. By experimenting with different formats and features, one can find what works best for them and their audience. The advantage of using TikTok is that it is a platform where users are engaged and willing to watch videos of different kinds.

Some Ideas To Get Started Include:

• Creating short videos that highlight your products or services.

• Using creative filters and effects.

• Using humor to deliver messages.

• Hosting Q&A sessions.

• Sharing behind-the-scenes footage of your business operations.

You can also run contests and giveaways and create sponsored filters and lenses, which can be used to promote a campaign or product. Tip: Use features such as Duet (post a side-by-side video with another one posted by another creator) and Stitch (incorporate others' videos into yours for a few seconds)

Respond to Comments

TikTok rewards engagement. Let that sink in.

The screenshot below shows a football club responding to their TikTok comments.




The FYP (For You Page) in TikTok aims at curating the best videos in front of its users. Hence the algorithm looks for videos that garner engagement from users.

When your video attains success in garnering hundreds of comments, TikTok sees value in it and may decide to push that to the FYP.

Also, the section is a great way to get immediate customer feedback and see what they think of your product or service. You can also use this section to answer any questions customers may have.

TikTok also lets businesses highlight the comment that they think has value. Doing so will encourage your audience to engage with your content regularly.

Tip: As a brand, you can also use other accounts' comments section to drop valuable/witty/creative comments. From Mercedes to McDonald's, everyone does this. As a business, you should be ready to jump on the bandwagon if the content is relevant to you.

Leverage User-generated Content

User-generated content, or UGC, is any form of content that is created by users of a platform rather than the company or organization that owns the platform.

UGC can be anything from text posts to video clips to photos. Brands like Gymshark rely heavily on UGC content on TikTok.

The below screenshot shows a creator sharing a TikTok video wearing Gymshark outfits.




There are a few ways in which businesses can earn UGC on TikTok.

One way is to encourage users to create videos about their experiences using your products or services. You can also run contests, challenges, or giveaways and ask users to create videos about why they want to win the prize.

For example, say that you are a new restaurant in the town offering the spiciest noodles. You can create a hashtag campaign and challenge customers to post videos of eating your noodles with no beverages to cool things down and use the specific hashtag to win a contest.

Repurpose Existing Content

Since TikTok is geared towards short, snappy videos that are less than a minute long, businesses must be creative and concise in their messaging. Also, the app is constantly changing and evolving, so businesses need to be agile and responsive to keep up.

Hence, businesses must continually find new and innovative ways to create videos for TikTok. This is where repurposing old videos comes into the picture. You can edit or remix old footage to create a new, engaging video that will capture users' attention.

There are a few reasons why this is important for a business. First, it can help to save time and money. Because producing new videos can be expensive and time-consuming, using older videos can help to cut down on those costs.

Also, by repurposing your old (read successful) videos, you can hope it may recreate the same magic.

Three Helpful Tools:

• Lumen5 - A tool that converts text to video, as shown in the below screenshot

• Type Studio - An all-in-one online video editing tool

• Repurpose.io - An automation tool that makes repurposing old content a breeze

• Visme - A repurposing tool trusted by IBM, Unilever, and more.

Post Authentic Stuff

There are a lot of discussions these days about the importance of authenticity in marketing. It seems like everyone is looking for ways to cut through the clutter and create connections with their customers that are genuine and meaningful.

TikTok may seem like an unusual place for businesses to focus their efforts. Still, there are reasons aplenty why creating authentic content for this platform can be so valuable.

The below screenshot shows that brands value their product and create videos around it rather than pushing audiences to like it with other factors mentioned.




Studies have shown that audiences are likelier to engage with and share authentic content that feels true to the brand.

When businesses create inauthentic content that doesn't feel represents them well, it can often backfire, resulting in lower engagement rates and fewer followers.

With original footage and creative editing, businesses can produce high-quality content to help them stand out from the crowd on TikTok.

Tip: Partner with a TikTok marketing agency to create an authentic tone and voice for your brand.

Use Hashtag Challenge

Hashtag challenges are a great way to increase engagement on your TikTok account and can also be a fun way to promote your business.

The below screenshot shows an example of a TikTok hashtag challenge.




By creating a hashtag challenge that relates to your business, you can encourage users to participate in the challenge and learn more about your company. Also, hashtags can help you track the success of your campaign and reach a larger audience.

Let's say you are an online makeup brand. One possible approach to developing a hashtag challenge campaign for you involves generating themed challenges around popular trends or events.

For example, you could run a contest around creating the perfect New Year's Eve makeup look or developing Valentine's Day-inspired look.

Being Too Sales-y

This mistake does not just apply to TikTok but any contemporary social media platform. When you're constantly trying to sell your followers on your account, it can be off-putting and result in them losing interest.

Hence, it's also important to avoid being too promotional; instead, focus on creating interesting and engaging content that will interest your followers.

Remember that on TikTok, people look for entertaining and informative content, not just ads.

For example, creating videos for TikTok and ‘Hard selling’ your product/service using subtitles, as shown in the screenshot.



Example: Say that you are a hardware store. One way to post fun and interesting videos is to come up with topics such as how to fix a sink in under 60 seconds or install a dishwasher with only one tool.

Not Being Fun

Many people make the mistake of thinking they need to use serious or professional language to be taken seriously by their followers. However, this is not the case on TikTok. The most successful accounts are those that are creative and enjoyable to follow.

Remember: This is a social media platform where Gen Z hangs out the most, which should be used. Instead of promoting your products or services, try to get creative and engage with your audience.

Post funny videos, ask questions, tease them (in an appropriate way, though), laugh with them, create contests, and reward them.

Take a look at the below sample showing a question that encourages users to engage with the post.




In short, enjoy being on the platform.

The more TikTok-y your content is, the more likely people will share it. Even businesses like Apple are struggling to catch up with popular TikTok accounts' success.

Tip: Closely watch successful brands such as Chipotle and RyanairElf Cosmetics on TikTok and learn from their strategies.

Not Having a Content Plan

One of the biggest mistakes people make in TikTok marketing is not having a content plan. Without a plan, you'll likely just be posting random videos that don't accomplish anything.

Take the time to figure out what kind of content you want to create and what kind of message you want to send. This will help you stay on track and ensure that your videos accomplish something.

As TikTok is a very demanding platform, you must upload videos frequently. Just like you create a content calendar for other social platforms as a sample shown below, create one for TikTok as well.




When you don't have a content plan, it may be hard for you to be active on the platform. Doing so will hurt your reach as the platform tends to reward those who are more active than those who are not.

Before you create a content plan, consider your goals for the platform and what you hope to achieve.

Some Things To Think About Include:

• What type of content do you want to create?

• Who is your target audience?

• What are your key messages?

• What style of videos will you produce?

• How often will you post?

Not Posting on Ideal Timings

This is another mistake newbies make on this platform. Generally speaking, when it comes to social media marketing, timing is everything. You certainly don't want to post videos while your followers sleep.

The same principle applies to TikTok, where posts published at the right time can reach a far wider audience than those published at other times.

Ideal timing for TikTok posts depends on various factors, including the nature of your content, your target audience, and when your followers are most likely to use the app.

Let us put things in perspective. For example, if you're looking to target teenagers, you'll want to post during the evening and on weekends when they're most active on the app.

However, as per the stats, it’s believed that the ideal time to post on TikTok is between 9 AM-11 Am.

Not Spending on TikTok Ads

TikTok is great for organic reach. Great! No doubt about that. But as a business, you should think clinically.

TikTok wants to make money (read loads and loads of money). And how do they do it?

By getting paid for letting businesses run ads on their platform.

There are many reasons why businesses should not be afraid to run ads on TikTok. First, they offer powerful targeting options. Businesses can target their ads to specific demographics, interests, and locations.

Say that you are a new auto repair shop in San Antonio. Ads will let you target various areas within San Antonio. This will ensure that your content reaches the right people. Also, TikTok offers a low Cost Per Click (CPC) compared to its competitors (Facebook, Instagram, etc.).

Tip: If you are new to the social media advertising world, let your ads run for a couple of weeks for the platform to optimize the ads.

Repurposing Inappropriate Videos

One common mistake newbies on TikTok make repurposing inappropriate videos.

For example, you have a professionally shot video of your employees working at the office. The video may work in your favor when you use it to close a deal with a business on a B2B portal.

The below screenshot shows a short anime ad designed for online advertising. But posting the same on TikTok might not entice the audience.




But the same may prove ineffective in TikTok. What you need instead is a creative take on the same. For example, you might need to post a funny video of your employees dancing in the office after they close a deal successfully. Got the idea?

Businesses have bitten the dust in TikTok for sharing not-so-TikToky videos on the platform in the name of repurposing.

One such example is Buzzfeed. The entertainment and news website is undoubtedly a strong contender in the digital media space. But they could not recreate the buzz on the TikTok platform with their existing videos.

Giving up Too Early on Ads

When advertising on TikTok, businesses can often make the mistake of giving up too early. When businesses don't see the results they want (immediately), they assume that the platform doesn't work for them. However, this isn't always the case.

It can take a while to see the results you want from TikTok ads, so it's important to be patient and keep experimenting.

Remember that TikTok is still a relatively new platform, and it may take some time to see significant results from your ads.

Also, it's important to remember that TikTok users differ from other platforms, so you may need to experiment with your ad strategy to find what works best for your business.

Tips

• Try different types of ads as shown in the screenshot, target different audiences, and measure your results closely.

• Always A/B test and let the algorithm optimize the ads.

Using Other Social Media Marketing Tactics in TikTok

It is important to remember that TikTok is a different platform than other social media networks, so tailor your strategy to fit the app. Don't reuse strategies that have worked on other networks and expect them to work on TikTok.

For example, avoid using too much text in your videos. The app is designed for short, visual content, so text-heavy videos, as an example in the below screenshot, will likely not be well-received by users.




Also, marketing tactics that rely too heavily on self-promotion or involve too much advertising may be less effective on TikTok. Another example is using hashtags.

Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by more people on other platforms like Twitter. Twitter shows daily hashtag trends for different regions. But they do not have the same effect on TikTok.

Tip: Use TikTok's native features such as filters, voiceovers, and effects. When checking out these features, try to niche down and explore the subcategories.

TikTok's Native Scheduler

Pricing

About

Many are unaware of TikTok's native scheduler, thanks to the inundation of a sea of premium scheduling tools. Unfortunately, one can access the native scheduler only through a web browser.

One can edit videos, add hashtags, edit cover images, and schedule the post within the scheduler.

Key Features

• Scheduling: Schedule posts ten days in advance

• Convenience: Choose who can watch your videos, comment, etc.

CapCut

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About

CapCut is an online video editor for TikTok that is easy to use and makes editing your videos a breeze.

With its simple drag-and-drop interface, you can easily add text, music, and effects to your videos. This makes it the perfect choice for people who are new to video editing or those who don't have a lot of experience with computers.

You can trim and merge clips and even create slow motion and reverse videos. Plus, there are tons of royalty-free music and sound effects.

Key Features

• Keyframe animation: Decide the direction of zoom movement

• Slow-motion effect: Make slow-motion videos exciting with added effects such as transitions.

• Stabilization: Make your shaky videos pleasing to watch

Seek Socially

Pricing

About

Seek Socially is another platform where you can buy "genuine TikTok followers." The tool boasts that it will not give you bots as followers. They also claim that they have a patented technology to get you more followers.

Upon sign-up, users will be prompted to answer questions for the algorithm to understand your audiences better.

Key Features

• Security: Seek Social has all their servers placed within the USA

• Technology: They use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver results.

TokUpgrade

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About

Another platform to buy followers for your TikTok account(s). The platform will auto-engage with prospective followers who follow accounts similar to yours. This will result in real followers for you, they say.

The catch is that posting content regularly is your task. The tool also auto-follow/unfollows people. It also auto-comments/direct messages profiles of your interest. Although tempting, we suggest you deal with such features with caution.

Key Features

• Account Manager: Access a dedicated account manager for support

• Whitelist/Blacklist: Program TokUpgrade to behave in specific ways with different accounts

Pentos

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About

Pentos can be your go-to tool for measuring your account's growth and engagement. It allows users to track your competitors on TikTok and benchmark you against them.

The platform lets users have a custom data connection and export the TikTok data in different formats such as CSV and Excel.

Key Features

• Song Tracking: Track songs and sounds across TikTok and find their total plays.

• Hashtag Measurement: Track hashtags and find the trends

TokCaptain

Pricing

About

TokCaptain is not your regular TikTok marketing or scheduling tool. It is a place where you can buy "real" TikTok followers. One can also buy likes for their TikTok account on this platform.

The tool claims to market your profile targeting specific audiences to get followers. They also promise to deliver likes and followers immediately after subscribing to their services.

Key Features

• Affordability: TokCaption is one of the cheapest services available for buying TikTok likes and followers.

• Flexibility: One can buy followers depending on their budget (plans available from $5.99 to $99.99)

Vista Social

Pricing

The Pro plan starts at $2 per month (per social profile)

About

Vista Social comes with features including rich analytics and direct video publishing. The best part is that it is the "world's first, fully approved" tool by TikTok. You can also make your creative team collaborate on this platform. The analytics features come in handy to identify the best-performing content. Vista Social is also capable of producing reports that are packed with rich data.

Key Features

• Centralized Calendar: Plan, draft and schedule your TikTok videos from one place

• Unified Inbox: Respond to comments and reviews in one place.