Strategy

Top 10 Lessons From TikTok Every Marketer Has to Learn

Social media advertising has been a roller coaster these days. For many of us, anyways. New apps such as TikTok and Clubhouse appear in our store every day. And in a matter of weeks, their popularity grows substantially. As soon as we think we are on top of the game, something random starts trending. And we realize how clueless we sometimes are. We struggle to figure out what drives this new generation of social media users. As if we have to forget everything we know about marketing, and start all over again. If you know what I’m talking about, this article is definitely for you. It’s no secret that TikTok has inspired new ways of consuming and creating content. The question I am trying to answer here is: How do we use TikTok trends to improve our social media marketing strategy? So, let’s get this party started.

Lesson #1: Don’t EVER Miss A Trending Opportunity.

Social media is all about trends. Some trends simply appear and we cannot explain where they come from. Others come from an event that is shaking up public opinion.

Whatever the nature of the trend, there is always a very small window for you to take advantage of it. Speed is the key factor: be the first, and be original.

As soon as the opportunity happens, you have to jump and get it that very second. Every extra hour you invest to prepare – edit, design, proofread the content – the moment can be over.

What happens if you are late to catch up with the trending? Your post, regardless of the quality, will no longer be relevant. It can even backfire on you.

You know, on holidays such as the 8th of March, everyone around you is talking about the same thing? And you visit your social media networks thinking If I see one more post about Women’s day…

Don’t be that one more post. Timing is everything, and TikTok influencers are on top of their game when it comes to surfing on the waves of new trends.

In prime-time of a trending event, everybody will be looking for content like yours. With the right hashtags, a new audience will come to you.

Lesson #2: Context Is As Important As The Content.

TikTok transcends the geographical, national, and cultural barriers. The community on TikTok, primarily Gen Z, has created its own cultural identity.

The content that trends on TikTok is relatable and resonates with young people everywhere. This is why TikTok’s popularity went through the roof since the Covid quarantine started. Everyone was inside their homes, accountants, and celebrities, dealing with the same challenges.

Don’t distance your brand from your audience. Show your community what you have in common. The good stuff and the bad stuff.

Lesson #3: Challenge Your Community.

A new movement inspired by TikTok is that everyone wants to create. Even shy introverts are under the spotlight on TikTok and they feel empowered to express themselves.

Challenge your audience to respond with user-generated content you will promote. Create a competition, introduce a new hashtag. Inspire your community to have fun while trying out a new line of your products or a new feature you are testing.

Lesson #4: Visual Stories Are The Key.

The key to social media marketing is storytelling. TikTok content creators are using the simple yet effective way to tell a story with a combination of videos and text overlays.

How to create an engaging visual story?

1. Establish a problem.
   At the beginning of every narrative, there has to be a common enemy. This is what grabs the audience’s attention.
2. Present a solution.

Guide your readers/viewers through a step-by-step journey of solving the problem and defeating the enemy.

1. Find the perfect balance between image and text.

Regardless of how you promote your content (blog, social media, advertisement), text and visuals are the common media. Even on TikTok, where everything is about videos, the text is playing a vital role. Create the perfect presentation where visuals and text support each other.

Lesson #5: Have A Constant Dialogue.

Being a TikTok influencer is a full-time job. And I’m not talking about content creation. I’m talking about communication.

To be responsive as a brand is one of the top values your audience will love about you. Social networks operate under the principle that everything is just a click away. And so, you have to be as well.

If your customers don’t hear back from you straight away, your competitor might win them over. Of course, having a dialogue doesn’t only apply to answering questions about your service.

Here is how SEGA used the potential for a dialogue with a follower on Twitter to engage their audience and position itself as a friendly, down-to-earth brand.

Lesson #6: Keep It Steady.

“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently.”

Marie Forleo

Growing your audience, especially via new channels, can be exhausting and unrewarding at first. The most important thing, however, is that you don’t give up.

Take it from TikTok – the odds of your first campaign going viral are slim. But even though it isn’t easy, it is not impossible.

Every platform you use for marketing purposes targets a slightly different audience. This is why you need to take time to learn who they are, when are they engaged, what type of content they respond to.

Checking out social media apps is a powerful habit. Consistent reach out to your target group will guarantee that they will come across your channel and click the follow button.

Lesson #7: Start With A Flexible Mind.

With rapid changes in trends, we’ve come to realize that our methods and strategies might not work as well as they did before.

Perhaps it is time for rebranding. Or emerging on a new platform.

Sticking to the same rigid rules might have a steady ROI, but it can also mean that you are missing out on potential opportunities for a higher boost.

As a marketer, you are naturally driven to explore new territories and try them out.

Listen to your audience. Perhaps you can find inspiration in their comments and proposals.

Lesson #8: Experiment. All The Time.

On TikTok, as well as in marketing on other social media platforms, it is often about Being the first. Don’t be last week’s news.

Sometimes, in order to launch a trend, you need to try something different and out of character.

Social media marketing is a field to experiment and test hundreds of ideas in order to find the one that rocks.

Try launching small-scope campaigns. Use them for A/B testing to see if your ideas get a positive response.

Seize the opportunity for constant growth that social media marketing offers.

Lesson #9: Influencers Are Your Best Friends.

Influencer marketing has changed the game on social media platforms completely.

If the goal of your marketing campaign is to generate leads or conversions: influencers are your new besties.

The audience trusts influencers and will gladly follow their reference and experience your brand firsthand.

Influencers on TikTok are new celebrities. The top 40 of them are young and have over 10 million followers each.

By sponsoring brands on their channels, these teenagers have made a fortune. This means that they too see the collaboration with a brand as a good  B2B business opportunity.

Map out the influencers that attract your audience and approach them with your best offer.

Sometimes they will even offer you a discount if they believe in your brand values.

Influencers are the new hotspot of internet marketing and they aren’t going anywhere. Be the first among your competitors to lock a long-term collaboration with a promising young social media star.

Lesson #10: Don’t Forget To Have Fun In The Process

TikTok experts will tell you that it is all about having fun. And they aren’t wrong.

Marketing is a creative process, and many of us are so caught up in everyday procedures and analytics that we sometimes happen to forget this.

Marketers have the choice to work with the brands they love and want to promote. 

Social media marketing is a large playground to be different and unique. To stand up above your competitors and demonstrate quality, friendliness, innovation, and creativity.

So, stop worrying about the KPIs so much and make some room for playfulness in your everyday working environment.

Being open-minded and trying out novel approaches is not as risky as you think. And it can be more powerful than you can imagine.

Wrapping up

First of all, let’s get one thing straight. These new trends that are showing up on social media did not come from TikTok.

TikTok hashtags are only highlighting the most authentic trends and make them easy to follow.

Once we have moved from analog to digital marketing, a big race and a great game have begun. Now, even social media marketing strategies sometimes feel old-fashioned and last season.

Being fresh and authentic does not depend on the channels you use or the technicalities of your strategy.

It all comes down to the openness, originality, innovation of your brand and your campaigns.

And even on “serious” platforms such as Twitter, you can find ways to be different and fun.