Build Your Brand with TikTok Marketing
With more than 1 billion users worldwide, it’s no wonder TikTok has become prime real estate for brands to build brand awareness.
Though the app is well known for targeting the emerging generations of consumers, studies show that the reach and influence of TikTok is far wider: going beyond Gen Z and millennials to reach and engage older age groups too.
TikTok marketing has become an essential element of creating brand awareness, engaging with brand audiences, and connecting with customers. The key to appealing to a younger demographic is creating authentic content – ads that don’t feel like ads.
Below, we’ll give you a few TikTok basics so you understand what kind of content you’ll be creating. Then, we’ll show you how to create authentic content so you can successfully build your brand with TikTok marketing.
A 15 Second Revolution
What makes TikTok unique, and addictive, is its function as a platform dedicated to short-form videos. Most videos are no longer than 15 seconds (and sometimes as short as 5 seconds!). People manage to use that time to tell stories, teach lessons, and build brands in ways so engaging their videos go viral.
That’s another TikTok-specific bonus: the goal of the app is to create viral content. With TikTok being so new, people are still trying to learn the algorithm and the app itself is hungry for organic, creator-driven engagement. Essentially, your content has a better chance at going viral on TikTok than it does on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Those viral numbers are just the audience you and your brand are looking for. Now, let’s talk about how you convert those viewers into customers with authentic content and TikTok marketing.
5 Smart Tips for Creating Authentic Branded TikTok Content
A Peek Behind the Curtain
When you produce branded content on any social media platform, you should ask yourself why someone should engage with your content. Essentially, what are you – as a brand – giving them – as a viewer?
A great way to get your audience hooked, and to help increase the chance of your content going viral, is to create exclusive behind-the-scenes TikToks. Short videos that show the back end of your brand are a great way to get more intimate with your audience while still building brand awareness.
Introduce the team, show how products are made, where your materials are sourced; the possibilities are endless! Behind the scenes content is enticing because it’s not information that’s just out there.
Capitalize on viewer curiosity by building trust. The more transparent you are with your products, the more you familiarize your audience with your brand. Then, when you create content that asks them to take action – like making a purchase – they’ll feel more certain about the product and will be more likely to follow through.
Class is in Session
In the same vein as our first tip, something else you can give your viewers is information they didn’t already know. Essentially, teach them something!
A great place to start and build your brand is by teaching potential customers about your products. What is it? Why is your product important or essential? What makes your product special? And – perhaps the most important – how do you use it?
Make sure you mix and match branded content with purely informational and entertaining content. If you’re a makeup company that prides itself on sustainably sourced materials, make some videos that talk about sustainability and environmentally-friendly business practices without the makeup angle.
Content that steps away from your brand helps viewers see that you’re not just on TikTok to sell, but you’re there to truly engage with them. The content still falls in line with your brand’s beliefs but works purely to connect with your audience. And that connection is what you’ll eventually leverage when it’s time to convert views into leads.
The Answer is in the Question
Above, we mentioned how TikTok is a platform that pushes viral content. Not only does that mean your videos have a higher chance of going viral, but viral content is all around you when you open the app.
Between hashtag challenges and viral audio, you already have a blueprint for the kind of content you can make. You just have to figure out a way to factor your products into those challenges, audios, and trendy scenarios to build brand awareness.
Plus, you can create your own hashtag challenge and encourage your audience to engage with your brand.
Ride the wave, reach a wider audience, and put your name out there in the process!
Partner with Influencers
As we already know, influencer marketing is a great way to get in touch with your audience. Since influencers have a unique bond with their followers, they are more likely to trust their take on your products and act on their advice.
Remember, find an influencer who has sway in your niche. Let them know what the product is and what purpose it serves, and give them the space and flexibility to engage with it and give an honest – authentic – opinion.
For more tips on influencer marketing, click here.
Go Live
An easy way to stay authentic is by creating content you don’t have the opportunity to touch up. In other words, go live!
TikTok Live is a great way for you to connect with your followers in real time. Talk about your products and answer questions as they come up. Have different members of your team join the takeover so viewers can see who’s behind the company and learn about the parts that make up the whole of your brand.
Keep an eye out for the kinds of comments and questions people leave. If a lot of viewers are confused about elements of your brand or how one of your products works, now you know what kind of content to push!
This also goes both ways: don’t be afraid to ask your audience what they want to see. If you give them what they want, they’ll keep coming back. More engagement means more visibility.
Build Your Brand: Start Marketing on TikTok Today
Research shows that in 2021, 92% of users took action after watching a TikTok.
The impact of this new and growing app is clear, and more and more media directors and teams are using TikTok marketing strategies to build brand awareness and grow their businesses.
So, why shouldn’t you?
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Sway Group is a full-service influencer marketing agency. Whether you’re looking to build brand awareness, increase sales, or find the right influencer to represent your products, we can help! Connect with us today and let’s level up your business together.
