People around you are using TikTok now more than ever, and you start to wonder if your business should be on Tiktok. Although you’ve probably heard people say “TikTok is for Gen-Z, the younger generation... my target audience isn't there."
Should you use Tiktok for your business? Is it for you?
Is it worth it?
Let me break it down for you.
Let’s talk about your target audience: Who is really on TikTok?
TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps right now, with more than 500 million monthly active users. But, who's really using TikTok? And what can we expect from these demographics - are marketers only targeting Generation Z or older generations as well?
Age range by generations:
Gen Z → 10 to 25 year old Millennials → 26 to 41 years old Gen X+ → 42 to 57+ years old
According to TikTok, “Gen X+'s on Trend-driven retail journeys are 1.5x more likely (than other retail journeys) to include TikTok. This proves that you can target people from all generations!
As it turns out, TikTok is popular amongst all generations, indeed I have seen people from all ages loving their time on the app. My own mother is an example of someone in her 50s using it regularly. She will open the app first thing in the morning and fall asleep with it. She says she enjoys the content and she always discovers new accounts that she enjoys.
Essentially, there is not a one-size-fits-all demographic on Tiktok and whether you’re a small business or big corporation, you should consider joining TikTok! Your target audience might be on it.
Are TikTok ads effective and worth the investment?
1 in 3 of TikTok users have bought a product because they saw it on TikTok in the past year.
You know why? Because advertisers don’t make TikTok Ads, they make TikTok videos. The best way to succeed on Tiktok is by creating videos that are native to the platform.
TikTok is a social media app that has been gaining popularity. The app allows you to create short videos of your own up to 3 minutes long, and it's different from any other platform! While Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin focus on both video and image content, Tiktok focuses only on video content. And that’s not it, Tiktok also adds a layer of creativity and authenticity that other platforms don’t have. There’s no doubt about it - using TikTok will give your business access to a whole new audience.
Why use TikTok for your business?
- Tiktok is unique and has a large audience
- To show off your brand creativity and personality!
- To gain exposure and reach a new audience
- Content creation is fun and easy to apply to any industry
- Unsaturated market (for now)
- Easy platform, ads created in minutes
I really think that every brand should try Tiktok Ads, and see if they can find their target audience on the app. You might even find a new audience, but it’s worth a try.
Don’t miss the train!
TikTok Ads offer a unique user experience that allows the user to be more receptive to brand messaging and calls-to-action from businesses of all sizes, therefore driving greater audience engagement.
Tips for getting started
1. Organic + Paid = Always Engaged
“An always-engaged approach is the winning formula for businesses who want to grow their TikTok presence. It helps ensure you're always staying dynamic and connected to our community that's constantly discovering and participating in trends2”
Just like any other social media platform, a paid advertising strategy will never replace an organic presence. What I would recommend is starting out with organic content, playing around with styles, sounds, etc. Then, boost the successful organic content with ads.
Use organic analytics at your advantage: it will help you understand your audience better
2. TikTok Organic Tips:
- Test different hooks, styles, durations, songs, etc. You need to test, test, test!
- Find viral videos using niche keywords - search by "most liked" and "past month” - this gives you an idea on what is trending at the moment
- Once you post a video that has reached a few thousands, ask yourself: How can you replicate the concept to your other videos? What time of the day did you post? Try posting at the same time then.
- Your bio should be as clear as possible: who are you and why should people follow you?
- Go live, even for 20 minutes, this will increase exposure
- Engage with other creators in the same industry, by commenting on their videos
- Use 2-3 big hashtags and 2-3 precise hashtags. I would recommend 5 hashtags max
- Make creative content (trending sounds, trending hooks, etc)
- Be consistent, whether you want to post 1 video a day or 5 videos a day, don’t skip a day (at least for the first 30 days) because it shows the algorithm that you are here to stay and Tiktok can find your niche the more you post!
- Be organised, you can create batch content and record a few videos in one setting
- Add subtitles to your videos (most people use TikTok without any sound, so we want them to keep watching)
3. Useful information for starting on TikTok Ads
TikTok is a super simple and easy-to-use platform for running ads. You can create an account in just minutes, start creating ads immediately without any fuss - and it's really similar to the Facebook Ads Manager!
This feature allows you to see the best ads, and filter by country, industry, and campaign objectives.
The creative centre allows you to check all the trends, ads, and insights to elevate your advertising game!
Are you ready to join the TikTok bandwagon and see how it can help you scale your business? Let’s chat!
Sonia is a Paid Search and Social Specialist. She works with B2C brands within the fashion, beauty and health industries, creating excellent Paid Media strategies to help scale businesses and boost revenue.
Source:
- TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path to Purchase conducted by Material August 2021 (N=13,206)
- TikTok Small Business Marketing on TikTok: The Ultimate How-to Guide