In the digital age, the power of social media for effective marketing cannot be denied by any brand. Social media gives easy and instant access to consumers across demographics and if used strategically can prove to be a powerful tool. However, one needs to be mindful of the fact that online marketing through content platforms such as TikTok demands that the content is unique and engaging for the viewers.
TikTok: a tool for marketing
Breaking all barriers, the short video platform TikTok is making waves. TikTok has over 200 million users. What makes it so enticing is that it enables its users to showcase their creativity through unique short videos.
Ways in which brands can use TikTok for marketing
So, let us take a look at how a brand can utilize the TikTok platform to promote business. TikTok is the preferred platform for expression, especially among the Gen Z (16-24) audience, given its lowered boundaries for sharing, creating, discovering — all made easy on mobile. Therefore, giving your brand a broad ranging target audience, making TikTok the perfect platform to promote your products. One example of how this can be done is through the various ‘challenges’ that usually go viral on TikTok. For example, last year in May, Honor launched Honor 10 with a 22-day #1MillionAudition campaign in India. Leading video influencers participated in the Honor #1MillionAudition, that saw over 73K users’ participation generating 40k UGC short videos with 640 million views, and 321 million impressions during the campaign.
TikTok recently showcased its vision to Indian brands on harnessing the power of User Generated Content (UGC) in marketing at ad:tech New Delhi earlier this year. TikTok also showcased the evolving landscape of digital advertising and how to leverage first time-internet users joining social media, including insights on the new rules of engagement for Generation ‘Z’ with the brands in India.
Capitalising on this, recently, Pepsi India focused on a TikTok campaign around the anthem Har Ghoont Mein Swag, with a challenge to their followers to share their versions of the hook step via their TikTok profiles. Within 24 hours, Pepsi said that it had 240 million views and over 15,000 user-generated TikTok videos set to the tune of Har Ghoont Mein Swag.
Besides India, other countries too are using the platform to boost marketing activities. Popular denim brand Guess launched the #InMyDenim challenge last year which was targeted at the young adults in the US. When the user accessed TikTok, they were directed to the #InMyDenim challenge. The user was encouraged to post videos of themselves using the hashtag.
Some other brands also provide new music clips on the platform and give a chance to the users to win goodies when they enter the challenge using the hashtag. For instance, in Malaysia, McDonald's hosted a challenge on TikTok which required the participants to shoot and share videos of them dancing to the specific Big Mac on the platform and win cash prizes.
The strategy to make a marketing campaign on TikTok successful is to promote your product through a short music video which is funny and light-hearted. It is important that the quality of the content has the potential to go viral which will ensure more engagement with the users. There are several users on TikTok who have now achieved the coveted influencer status. Brands can also promote their product by collaborating with such influencers. Given that the bottom line of TikTok is all about creativity, talent, sharing and music, we’re also seeing music labels and artists utilise TikTok to promote new releases.
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