As an eCommerce business, you are probably already making use of other social media platforms, but are you reaching those younger audiences within your marketing strategy? After all, TikTok has become one of the most-used social media channels with 205 million first-time downloads worldwide.
Wondering where to begin with TikTok marketing? We’ve got you covered.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media platform on which users can create and watch short-form videos, mainly used by Gen Z. By using TikTok marketing you will reach younger audiences.
The popular videos on the platform tend to be creative lip-sync videos, dance challenges, and short-form comedy, although there are many more styles. One of the features available on the app includes duetting other TikTok videos with your own, meaning you are putting the old video together with a new one.
Creating a TikTok marketing strategy
There are several ways you could use TikTok in your strategy. The main thing is to stay relevant and authentic. TikTok is a reactive platform which follows trends, and videos relevant to the TikTok users watching will be more likely to spread and go viral due to the algorithm. Your audience will also see inauthenticity a mile away, so make sure you are posting authentic content.
One way of creating a TikTok strategy is to create a TikTok account for your brand and post your own videos. In this case, it’s important that the videos created meet your business objectives and that any TikTok campaigns you make use, or create, trending hashtags.
If you create your own account for your brand to create videos that can find potential customers, you can add your business and billing information to access the TikTok ads manager. This allows you to create ads that reach your target audience through the algorithm.
You can also use the platform to interact with other brands, for example by commenting on other brands’ videos.
Another way to promote your brand on the app is by making use of TikTok influencer marketing. Influencers on TikTok likely know all social media trends that are currently happening off by heart, and will be able to create user-generated content (UGC) effectively with your products.
Some TikTok marketing campaigns we love
Still not sure where to start? Here are a few inspiring examples of brands that use the social media platform effectively.
e.l.f. Cosmetics created a trending hashtag challenge
In 2020, e.l.f. Cosmetics teamed up with Movers+Shakers to be one of the first to try and create their own brand presence on TikTok. Together, they created a hashtag challenge: #eyeslipsface, and created the song “Eyes, Lips, Face” to go with it. In the TikTok, the brand encouraged users to use the hashtag and audio to create their own #eyeslipsface videos.
The original video reached 1 billion views within 6 days of posting and became the first branded TikTok video to reach #1 by organic traffic. More than 5 million videos were created using the hashtag and audio. The sheer success led to not only a full version of the song and a music video to be created and posted on YouTube, but also saw e.l.f. jump up to the 2nd most preferred make-up brand amongst teens.
The company continued to create relevant content during the pandemic. They adjusted their “Eyes, Lips, Face” audio to become “Eyes, Lips, Face, Safe”, with a video of someone taking pandemic-related precautions such as keeping distance with an ‘air kiss’, not touching their own face and washing their hands.
@elfyeah Y’all better lather up �� Keep your eyes, lips, face safe! ������ #eyeslipsface #elfyeah @illwayno @hollafyesixwun ♬ Eyes. Lips. Face. Safe. e.l.f. Cosmetics – elfyeah
Source: @elfyeah on TikTok
Source: @elfyeah on TikTok
Nando’s promoted an outdoor event
Nando’s in the UK also have also joined TikTok. As the world was opening back up, they decided to do an outdoor promotional event, and set up a personalized ‘find your spice’ station where you could take home a Nando’s peri-peri sauce, personalized with your own name on it. This event was promoted on TikTok the day before, with a video showing some of the bottles and the names on them as the station was being set up in London.
@nandosuk �� SE1 9PP. Spot your name on a bottle and take home your own PERi-PERi! �� Tomorrow, 9:00-16:00 #SpiceUpXmas #Southbank #Nandos ♬ sad girlz luv money slowed – xxtristanxo
Source: @nandosuk on TikTok
Gymshark uses TikTok influencers
Gymshark posts videos made by fitness-style influencers on their account, called ambassadors. These ambassadors also post on their own accounts, setting challenges for their audience, such as fitness and dance challenges. These entertaining videos encourage the many users watching to interact with the brand, creating the brand awareness needed to sell their product.
@gymshark Wardrobe goals! ��@Megmaefit #Gymshark #GymTok #GymOutfit ♬ original sound – Gymshark
Source: @gymshark on TikTok
Final thoughts
Making use of social platforms is important for any eCommerce business, but making sure you match the native culture on each platform is also important. It’s crucial to use the platforms that match your brand and customers.
Disclaimer
This blog post is for informational purposes only. Fresh Relevance is not claiming to provide its services to the companies and brand owners referred to in the blog post.
