What about those kids and their Bebo, eh? Wait, MySpace, right? No, Facebook? Er, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram, surely?
For businesses looking to embrace social media as an advertising weapon – as any enterprise should in today’s market – it can be tough to keep up with who’s currently where and on what app. Of course, some of the later names in that timeline above still hold massive marketing relevance to businesses looking to reach certain target demographics, but currently, at least for those looking to connect with a younger audience, there is no bigger target platform than TikTok.
While largely alien to the older end of the Millennial generation and beyond, TikTok’s rather absurd 1.1 billion user base cannot be ignored by any market savvy company in good conscience. To business owners and marketers slightly detached from this Gen-Z behemoth, though, successfully embracing and effectively utilizing the platform might appear a daunting prospect.
With that all said, it’s largely a case of adapt or die when it comes to social media marketing as well as wider business as a whole, and there are five very good reasons to learn the ropes of TikTok marketing sooner rather than later.
Hop on trends and apply them to your market
TikTok is fundamentally a never-ending stream of viral trends passed around the user base and recycled in various forms across millions of accounts. It’s also the biggest source of user-generated content (UGC) out there – which has quickly become the most relatable marketing strategy for businesses looking to appeal to Gen-Z and Millennial crowds who value authenticity above all else.
With this gigantic well of desirable content available to you, it’s relatively easy to take suitable trends and adapt and repurpose them to your market quickly and effectively. That makes your brand relevant, authentic and in touch, all of which are very positive things.
Get relatable to Gen-Z
Speaking of being in touch with your audience, if your brand, like so many others, is absolutely desperate to be “down with the kids” but just isn’t sure how to do it, a good place to start is with TikTok.
Of TikTok’s user base, around 60% are aged between 10-29 years old. That means if you have success with TikTok marketing, you’re primarily enjoying success with a younger, more influential audience.
Widen your audience net
Upwards of a billion active users, available in 154 countries and with 90% of users accessing the app multiple times a day, there’s currently no better way to get your message to a bigger audience more quickly.
While Gen-Z is the primary market for TikTok, it still has strong links to a significant portion of younger Millennials with spending power, too. Thus, if you want to utilise a social platform for effective widespread marketing, it’s hard to think of a better one than TikTok.
Find the right people
TikTok’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to hit each user with personalised, appealing content that looks to keep them on the app for longer. When marketers talk about creating tailored marketing for their audience, they mean finding the right people with the right proposition – often a tough ask through more rudimentary means.
Through TikTok, you can find potential customers who reach your content via their own viewing preferences and tendencies. In a world where personalisation in advertising is the name of the game, that’s a fantastic feature to take advantage of.
Keep up with the competition
Finally, you might not like TikTok, you might not understand TikTok and you might not see its relevance to your industry, but you can guarantee your competition do. If you’re not on there taking advantage of the above benefits to your business, there’s a good chance someone else with a bit more savvy will take those potential customers from you.
If you can’t get your head round it, utilising a business loan to help bring in a social media specialist who knows how to work the app to your needs would be extremely beneficial. If your business target demographic sits anywhere below the Gen-X line, you’ll want to see what potential lies in utilising the app.
TikTok might not be the long-term future of social media marketing, but it certainly is very much the present for many businesses with younger audiences. If your company is yet to get a TikTok account, there’s no time to lose in catching up.
