TikTok is a platform that has skyrocketed in popularity in the past few years. As of 2023, the app has over 1 billion users. To put this into perspective, 20% of all Internet users have a TikTok. Because of this, your business needs to have some sort of TikTok presence, especially if it appeals to the younger generations. This social network can potentially expose your business to millions worldwide as long as you create the perfect viral video.
But how can you do this? Like all apps, TikTok requires some planning and knowledge of how the website works. The dynamic nature of the platform and the ever-evolving trends make it challenging to predict what will capture the users’ attention at any given time. Fortunately, you can increase your TikTok video views with SocialsUp to improve your chances of getting into the algorithm’s recommendations. However, by understanding these aspects and experimenting with different content and marketing strategies, you can increase your chances of creating viral content. Let’s look at ways you can perfect your marketing strategy.
Understanding the TikTok Algorithm
Before you build your marketing strategy, you must learn about the app’s algorithm. Like any social media site, TikTok has an algorithm (see here) that pushes certain content to people’s recommendations. It’s a complex formula that constantly changes, but still retains some of its inner workings.
TikTok’s algorithm, again, like most social media sites, is not fully understood, but we know the basics of it. Let’s explain.
Built to a Person’s Specific Interactions
As a TikTok user interacts with content, the app’s algorithm builds a profile of them and recommends content based on that. When a person follows, comments, likes, shares, favorites, and watches content, this helps the algorithm understand what they want. Also, what ads a user is interested in helps.
In addition, the algorithm learns what a person dislikes when they hide or block certain users, click “Not interested,” and even what content they report.
Another way TikTok builds a profile is by looking at what content they’ve created themselves, provided this user has content on their page.
Videos that a user likes can tell a lot about their preferences. The platform’s algorithm analyzes the video’s content, what hashtags it uses (check out more info on this here), how the captions are written, and other nuances.
Device Settings
While it’s not a significant part of the algorithm, TikTok uses a person’s device settings to build a profile. A person’s preferred language, the country they are based in, and even what device they use all factor in the algorithm. TikTok is not going to flip the recommendation upside-down if you have an Android instead of an iPhone, but it is one small ingredient.
What Isn’t Included?
When it comes to content that the algorithm flatly ignores, this is mainly reserved for duplicated or already viewed content or content that falls under the potentially upsetting category. As a marketer, you should create content that follows the guidelines to the best of your ability.
They Are Equal Opportunity
What many marketers love about TikTok is that it does not ignore smaller accounts. Some social media sites favor only the big accounts, making it challenging to grow as a smaller profile. However, the app’s algorithm also recommends smaller accounts, meaning that TikTok is equal opportunity in that regard.
This is a small overview of the app’s algorithm. Like any other site on this list, this algorithm is consistently changing, meaning you should give yourself a yearly refresher to see if anything has changed.
Your Marketing Strategy: The Beginning
We first begin by figuring out your branding and what audience you wish to target. Let’s first start by looking at how to create the ideal account.
Be Sure to Create a Business Account
TikTok for Business is the avenue you should take whenever creating an account. It gives you all the resources to market content and create the perfect business strategy. In addition, TikTok for Business allows you to market on any budget.
Fill Out Your TikTok Bio
Now that you’ve created your account, you want to put yourself in the shoes of someone who sees your bio for the first time. Will they know what you’re about, and can they decide if your content suits their needs?
Click that edit profile button, and first upload an avatar. Upload a high-res photo of your business logo, and be sure that your logo also has branding that you’re comfortable with. In addition, you can add an animated logo, which is a route you may want to consider.
Create a memorable username, and explain your business in 80 characters or fewer. Have contact information in your bio, and select a category that best fits your business. In addition, you can choose to add if you are or support a nonprofit, and you can add your pronouns. You can also connect your other social media accounts, and you should add your website once you hit 1k followers.
TikTok also allows you to create an auto-messaging system, which is helpful if you want to use your profile for customer service.
Know Your Audience
This is a common sense rule at this point, but you need to know who your audience is. You can research by searching hashtags relevant to your business and seeing who likes these posts.
While your audience can vary from varying walks of life, one commonality is that most of your audience will be youth-based. About 2/3rds of TikTok users are under 40 (source), with the preteen to late teen (10-19) demographic being the highest.
While there are older app users, if your target audience is older people, you may want to use a platform such as Facebook if you to maximize your growth as a business on social media.
SWOT the Competition
No matter how niche the product you offer is, another business is probably offering a similar product. To succeed on TikTok, studying your rivals is a must on this platform. How can you do this? One way is through the SWOT method.
SWOT stands for:
- Strengths. What does your business do well that your competition may not? What are some positive things people are saying about your company?
- Weaknesses. What could your company be doing better? What does your competition do that you don’t?
- Opportunities. Are there untapped markets that you can take advantage of?
- Threats. What is the biggest obstacle to your company? For example, you may sell a product that isn’t future-proof, and knowing when to expand may be ideal.
It’s All About the Trends and Challenges
TikTok is a platform that is famously about the trends. Every week, there’s a new popular song, meme, dance, the list goes on and on. No matter how non-conformist you feel, it would be best to conform to the current trend.
The Discover page gives you insight into what the current trends are. Figuring out how to integrate current trends into your content allows you to reach the youth-based audience.
Another popular activity on TikTok is Challenges. These are interaction-farming trends that ask a user to do a specific task. For example, there are challenges with eating the latest spicy food. This should go without saying but do not try the dangerous challenges, which tend to be activities that can get you in legal trouble or lead to severe injury or even death.
What Content Should You Post?
As a TikTok user, your content should be high-quality and engage your audience. We cannot tell you the magic video to make your audience come to you. However, we can give you several types of content that may benefit your business.
Product Tutorials
If you are selling a specific product, uploading a quick video on how to use it can benefit you. Ideally, your tutorial should be smartly shot, explaining everything quickly. You may have it from the POV of a person using it, or you may film a person using the product.
Industry-Specific Facts
People love to learn something new. Making content with thought-provoking facts about your business can invite new viewers to your videos.
Behind-the-Scenes
These are videos that take a peek behind the curtain. You could make videos showing how a product is made, or show your staff in their daily lives. These videos give transparency and help to humanize yourself, proving that you’re more than a business.
Branded Hashtag Challenges
These are challenges that you create. If you are selling a product, there are many challenges you can encourage your audience to do. An audience not only likes participation, but if your challenge is clever enough, it’s possible to spread throughout the app.
Livestreams and Q&As
Sometimes, you may want to go live. Going live can allow your audience to interact with you in real time. You can combine this with a Q&A, an excellent way for your audience to ask burning questions about their business.
Collaborations
Finally, consider collaborating with influencers or businesses that fit your agenda. Reaching out to someone and asking to do a collab is a great way for everyone to win.
Figure Out the Best Times to Post
TikTok is not an unforgiving app if you don’t post at the correct times; the algorithm recommends content regardless of when it’s published.
However, posting content right now can still get you more eyes. So, what time should you post? It ultimately depends on your audience and can require you to do trial-and-error research. According to research, the best times are Tuesday and Thursday, usually afternoon to evening.
If you figure out the right time but can’t be there to upload during that time, you can use a scheduler app to do the work for you.
Post Content Consistently
TikTok rewards people who post consistently. You don’t need to be on TikTok every hour, but you should post at least three times a week. Doing so will encourage audience retention and prevent TikTok from lessening your reach in the algorithm because you didn’t post enough each week
Use the Right Hashtags
Like most websites, TikTok relies on hashtags to let people discover your content. Since every business is different, there’s no set-in-stone hashtag cocktail, but there are some essential tips.
First, quality over quantity. You’ll want to use five hashtags or fewer. You can use more, but you do risk being flagged as spammy.
Second, your hashtags should be a mixture of viral, trending, and niche-specific tags. Research what the most popular hashtags are, but also use hashtags that have less activity on them. These can help you find your audience by catering to a specific niche and ensuring your content is not lost.
Don’t Forget the Keywords
Your hashtags should integrate common keywords associated with your niche as well. This is where you do keyword research and naturally incorporate them into your captions.
Use Analytics Monthly
Like every social media platform, TikTok has analytics, which you can use to see how your content is performing. This can give you insights into which content works for you and which you may want to abandon. If you’re growing, then great! If you’re not, then how can you improve your analytics?
Always Be in the Loop
TikTok is a platform where you must be in the loop- not just for current trends but also for new additions to the site. If the app has a new way to create content, be an early adopter. Your content may be better favored in the algorithm, helping you to grow your followers.
Know the Rules, But Also Don’t Be Afraid to Break Them
TikTok is a platform where experimentation is rewarded. You should follow trends, but don’t be afraid to create something that may make a trend. You may be surprised by what works for you. This is why we like TikTok; it follows social media rules but also has a few surprises.
Conclusion
TikTok is a platform where your business can thrive if you know what you’re doing. Creating a marketing plan for TikTok follows the same rules you’ve heard repeatedly; know your audience, use the proper hashtags, and create engaging content.
However, TikTok is unique in that there are trends you can follow, or you can be a trend creator yourself. Do not be afraid to experiment with your content, and you may make something that becomes viral.
Last Updated: July 19, 2023
