The Social Media Landscape Is Constantly Changing.
If you’ve got kids or have spent any amount on the internet you should at least be aware of TikTok. It’s the latest social media platform to have reached the cultural zeitgeist. Launched in 2016, Tiktok has exploded in popularity over the last four years. TikTok is the 4th most popular social media platform in terms of active users, beating out previous short-form video darling Snapchat.
Owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based company, TikTok is a video sharing social network solely for smartphones. It’s a conglomeration of several different aspects of other networks you’re probably more familiar with; combining the video-focused content of Snapchat, with the use of hashtags and an “Explore” page similar to Instagram or Twitter. This platform has been particularly popular with younger audiences, who are increasingly moving towards expressing themselves visually. Unlike Instagram whose popular content usually has higher production values, TikTok is more about creating “authentic” video content based around trending hashtags, popular music and dance. While you have the option of following specific content creators, your feed is constantly offering videos based on your interests and what’s trending in your area.
If you want to see some of the content being created on the platform, Reddit has a few subreddits devoted to these ranging from the highly entertaining to the downright cringey.
Advertising on TikTok
There are multiple options for advertising on TikTok and their TikTok Ads page is filled with useful case studies and inspiration for your own campaigns from across the globe (though none from Australia).
Depending on your capabilities and resources, you can create infeed ads similar to Instagram, branded “hashtag challenges” that invite users to create content linked to your brand, or even custom filters and graphics available at a specific time and location.
Is it worth it for your business?
We’ve discussed in previous blog posts that not every social media platform is going to work for every brand, and it’s important to have a solid idea of your brand’s identity and whether that aligns with the tone of content people expect to see on TikTok.
If you’re not looking to create regular video content on the platform, constantly checking what the latest hashtag challenge is, or roping your staff into doing embarrassing dances in the office then you’re best sticking to infeed ads.
Tiktok is perfect for brands with youthful energy (especially those in the highly visual niches of beauty, food and fashion). If you’re looking to reach a new audience you should definitely consider adding TikTok to your current social media strategy.
Want to Get Started? Here are our Top 10 TikTokers to follow right now!
