Have you seen looping video clips in your Instagram or Facebook feed advertising something called TikTok recently? Us, too. Maybe your first question was, “What the heck is this?” followed by “Is this just another fad?” and “Should we be using this to drive marketing results?”
Let’s dig into these questions and evaluate whether your business needs to implement this tool into your social media marketing strategy in the long run.
Q: What is TikTok?
A: It’s an app for creating short-format mobile videos. These videos will look very familiar to Snapchat, Vine, or Instagram Story users, as the tool melds viral, handheld video with advanced features and tools like stickers and augmented reality (AR) filters.
Q: Why should marketers care?
A: TikTok may seem like another fad, but Social Media Today believes it could pose a serious threat to frontrunners like Snapchat and Facebook. The platform clocked in at 80 million downloads in the U.S. alone late last year, and it’s already popular in Asia. Additionally, its Chinese parent company affords TikTok access to 300 million monthly active users—that’s a lot of testing space and financial backup. Not convinced? TikTok is now rolling out ad formats to advertisers.
Q: Should your brand have a TikTok presence?
A: Possibly. If your brand fits one or more of the following descriptions, you might want to start creating content on TikTok (and engaging with influencers your target audience follows, but that’s another blog).
- Brands with a young target audience (41% of TikTok users are 16-24)
- Trendsetting brands who want to be on the cutting edge and/or are willing to experiment with alternative platforms
- Lifestyle brands (Like Instagram, top TikTok hashtags and accounts are related to lifestyle topics)
- Brands with ties to music (Music is big on TikTok, with trending hashtags often relating to music and 43% of users having uploaded a duet video)
But, do B2B social media marketing efforts need to include TikTok? Should you choose TikTok over “traditional” social media platforms?
Q: What if I run a B2B social media marketing effort?
A: Our two cents is … wait a minute. TikTok’s new and hot, but the business-focused audience just isn’t there en masse yet, meaning that your awesome video efforts will fall on non-existent ears. You’ll see real, measurable, actionable results from other efforts such as:
- A LinkedIn strategy using your team’s personal pages to engage with industry topics as real subject matter experts
- A Facebook strategy integrating live video of your team at community events, activating organization audiences and positioning your business as a local influencer
- An Instagram strategy including live story videos that show micro-influencers using your products in real life and offering social proof
Need help with a B2B social media marketing effort that turns impressions into leads? Drop our digital team a line. Want more from Element? Experience our approach to social media first-hand by swinging by our Facebook and LinkedIn pages (they’re open 24/7).
