If you’re not sure whether it makes sense to take the plunge and invest in Gen Z’s favorite social platform, (and hey, no judgment, that’s what we’re here for) we created a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know before pitching to your CMO. And if you are your CMO, we wrote up everything you need to sound *even* better to all the hot shots in your C-suite. You’re welcome in advance.
Arguably the fastest-growing social platform on the market, TikTok has emerged as a video-centered culture hub for all things visual content. By tapping into our shortened attention spans, TikTok allows users to share and create short-form videos — typically ranging from 15 to 60 seconds — in a way that’s authentic, unique, and easily consumable. Here, creativity and engaging user-generated content thrives, leaving brands with a challenge: how can we stand out on a platform built as an escape from conventional advertising? Don’t worry, we’ll spill all our industry secrets.
Why TikTok?
Perhaps the most unique selling point for leveraging TikTok as a marketing tool is the vast, uncapped potential for reach. Unlike most traditionally-designed social platforms, TikTok makes it easy for users to interact with content geared toward their interests, not just content they follow or choose to subscribe to. Understanding and leveraging this outreach is crucial, as it ignites new opportunities for users to engage with your brand.
Contrary to the standard social norm, TikTok presents an innate opportunity to showcase products natively — with none of that “look at our pretty ad!” energy and more of the subtly of leveraging the value and usability of the products at hand. So why invest in this platform? Is it worth it? To make a very long-winded answer short, the platform’s emphasis on entertainment, authenticity, and real-time interaction aligns seamlessly with the needs of brands that are looking to grow into the ever-evolving digital landscape. But more on that later. Let’s get into it.
FAQs
Due to the nature of the platform, there are multiple opportunities to appeal to users organically in addition to paid — creating more flexibility in terms of budgets. Of course, like anything, more spending power = a greater chance for success.
While TikTok originated as a popular platform amongst younger demos, it has since evolved to become a place for everyone, and age groups have diversified greatly as the medium grows.
Influencer marketing is the present and future of advertising. While risks are always involved (as with anything) with proper research and dedication, it’s highly possible to yield promising results.
Common KPIs we typically measure are engagement rate, follower growth, frequency, and reach.
One of our favorite brands, (and no, we definitely don’t say this about all of our clients) Weber Seasonings, has successfully become an authority on grilling by creating useful and valuable content. Over the last few years implementing our TikTok marketing strategy and content creation, we’ve seen an average of 175.6K video views per post, 10 times higher than the business account average.
Due to the resources at our disposal and our robust team, leveraging an agency is always recommended. Ultimately we believe the sweet spot is finding a synergetic balance with open communication and shared strengths between in-house representatives and our team acting as an extension of the brand.
This is a loaded question, but TikTok recommends brands post between 1-4 videos per day in order to get the most out of the platform. Easier said than done, as the average food & beverage brand posts just 1.13 times per week on TikTok, while alcohol brands post 1.04 times on TikTok per week, according to a study by RivalIQ.
Zooming out to look at both average engagement rate and average number of posts per week by brand accounts of all sizes and industries, that same study showed a strong correlation between a higher posting cadence and success on TikTok, (with accounts >1M followers posting over 4x per week on average).
It’d be easy to suggest posting more than four TikToks per week and calling it a day; but there are other factors at play, (budget obviously being a big one).
The top performing brand TikTok accounts, the ones posting 4x or more per week, are media entities with loads existing, entertaining content to publish, (ie. Netflix, the NBA); By nature, media entities can edit and churn out engaging content on TikTok more efficiently than any CPG brand or restaurant brand ever could.
While 4 or more TikTok posts per week would certainly be ideal, especially for food & beverage brands looking to grow TikTok followers aggressively, we’d recommend targeting a minimum of 2-3 TikToks per week to set yourself apart from the average brand in the category, (posting around once per week on average).
Due to the nature of the platform, there are multiple opportunities to appeal to users organically in addition to paid — creating more flexibility in terms of budgets. Of course, like anything, more spending power = a greater chance for success.
While TikTok originated as a popular platform amongst younger demos, it has since evolved to become a place for everyone, and age groups have diversified greatly as the medium grows. While it might sound crazy, over half of TikTok users in the US are over the age 30, (src. ExplodingTopics).
Influencer marketing is the present and future of advertising. While risks are always involved (as with anything) with proper research and dedication, it’s highly possible to yield promising results.
Common KPIs we typically measure are engagement rate, follower growth, frequency, and reach.
One of our favorite brands, (and no, we definitely don’t say this about all of our clients) Weber Seasonings, has successfully become an authority on grilling by creating useful and valuable content. Over the last few years implementing our TikTok marketing strategy and content creation, we’ve seen an average of 175.6K video views per post, 10 times higher than the business account average.
Due to the resources at our disposal and our robust team, leveraging an agency is always recommended. Ultimately we believe the sweet spot is finding a synergetic balance with open communication and shared strengths between in-house representatives and our team acting as an extension of the brand.
Understanding TikTok
From lip-synching to dances, skits, and everything in between, TikTok presents a unique opportunity for brands: the opportunity to cultivate value through entertainment. The platform uses a proprietary recommendation algorithm called the “For You Page” which presents users with personalized media based on what they’re consuming and engaging with. The first of its kind (but definitely not the last), this tool is debatably what TikTok is known for — but many added features keep users coming back for more.
Music Integration
Sound plays a pivotal role in shaping the TikTok experience. The importance of sound on the platform extends beyond mere background music; it serves as a dynamic element that enhances storytelling, creativity, and user interaction. And with an extensive library of music to choose from, many viral trends and challenges on the platform are directly associated with specific songs or sounds.
Pro tip: never miss out on an opportunity to tap into a viral sound. Though not all are available for commercial use, there are always approved options in TikTok’s library that add yet another searchability element to your content — boosting views and brand awareness in the process.
Tapping into TikTok Communities
Communities on TikTok, such as BookTok, have become vibrant centers of shared interests and creative expression. BookTok, specifically, has emerged as a literary haven where bibliophiles, readers, and authors come together to celebrate the magic of reading. The community has played an influential role in promoting diverse voices and genres, turning lesser-known books into overnight sensations. Communities such as these pose major opportunities for brands looking to form deeper and more meaningful relationships with their consumers. And once you’re in, you’re in.
Pro-tip: appeal to fanbases by offering benefits and perks. Say you’re Weber Seasonings. Offer a discount exclusively for #GrillTok with a code for 15% off your products. Special offers like these will keep your brand relevant and favorable within TikTok communities.
Duet and Stitch Features:
Yet another unique feature is the option to engage with fellow users through features like “Duet” and “Stitch.” Duetting allows users to create content alongside another user’s video, while Stitching enables users to incorporate parts of another user’s video into their own.
An example of leveraging these features for views is the iconic “Susi Stitch” — a viral trend in which creators stitched a recipe blogger’s opening line to a video with a crazy story that’s completely unrelated and comical.
CPG brands on TikTok can take inspiration from a handful of users who have leveraged the Duet feature to grow both their TikTok following and followers across other platforms like Instagram, (up by nine-fold in some cases).
While more specific to upstart music artists, there are multiple examples detailed in a Medium post written by ByteDance’s Product Manager, Parth Sinha, called Examining the Power of the Tik Tok’s Duet Feature.
Looking at case studies in the article regarding three separate artists, there’s a clear takeaway for how to grow followers on TikTok as a CPG brand or Restaurant brand:
What happens when your Duet post gains popularity on TikTok?
Both the original publisher and subsequent account posting the Duet see unprecedented cross-platform engagement — in some cases, growing TikTok followers by 2x-9x, (src. Examining the Power of Tik Tok’s Duet Feature)
Duets going viral on TikTok is certainly the exception, not the norm — however, given their potential upside for both your social follower count and the opportunity to drive real business results, they’re worth incorporating into any test & learn approach.
Pro-tip: Utilize these tools to engage with your fan’s content in a dynamic and creative way, fostering a sense of community and connection.
Live Streaming
Live streaming has become a cornerstone of the TikTok experience by allowing users with a certain number of followers to go live and interact with their audience in real time. The importance of live streaming on TikTok lies in its ability to break down the traditional barriers between content creators and viewers, creating an interactive and dynamic platform.
Pro-tip: Embrace the community-oriented nature of TikTok by going live and hosting Q&A sessions, live challenges, and collaborative events. Not only is this a great way to connect with your audience, but it also offers what we call a “fourth wall break” — a trending marketing technique used to showcase authenticity and humanity.
Creating Compelling Content
Though curating a TikTok marketing strategy takes time and dedication, there are a few simple ways to elevate your content. And once you’ve gotten into a rhythm, interacting with your fans and getting on a consistent posting schedule will help to retain your new-found audience.
When creating visuals, the key is always to test what’s working and what’s not. Lucky for you, we’ve been doing exactly that for years — and with numerous a/b tests, data analyzing, and insider tips from TikTok itself, we’ve managed to demystify the platform.
Pro-tip: With an ever-changing platform, what’s popular one week may already be on its way out by the time you start adopting.
While some trends can stick around for weeks or even months, the average TikTok trend lasts just five to seven days, (src. InVideo.io).
Working with an agency with a team already in place to scour TikTok for trending sounds, challenges or actions allows your brand to stay in the know without you having to spend (even more) hours on TikTok every day.
Creating Demos and How-To’s
Overproduced and branded content doesn’t always result in success on TikTok. Meanwhile, Influencer and UGC (user-generated content) style content increasingly performs well due to the approachable and genuine feel. Recipe videos, product demos, and how-to’s are just a few ways to prove value and engage with your audience.
Pro-tip: Content doesn’t always have to be high-production value — grab your phone, invest in a tripod, and film a short video in your kitchen. If you work for a CPG brand, demonstrate a fun foodie hack with your product or showcase a new way to use it.
@jose.elcook 15 cooking tips to help you be a better home cook! #kitchen #cookingtips #kitchenhacks ♬ Both of Us - Idealism
Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails:
To stand out from the crowd and create a cohesive look and feel across your page, craft compelling thumbnails that make users want to click on your video. Use clear, vibrant images that represent the essence of your content.
Pro-tip: Your thumbnail can be a still from the video itself or you can even create a branded image that is uploadable to your video.
Writing Engaging Captions:
Write catchy captions that encourage viewers to interact with your content. At Blue Bear Creative, our team of copywriters write unique and engaging captions that support the visual and keep the audience hooked.
Pro-tip: Pose questions or use call-to-action phrases to prompt comments and shares.
Identifying Your Target Audience:
Our strategists work to define your individualized audience segment, leveraging the demographics, geographics, and psychographics of users you aim to reach. Once you understand these useful consumer insights, getting involved with TikTok communities that resonate with your audience becomes easier and more natural — resulting in a more authentic relationship.
Pro-tip: Tapping into market research and consumer insights is crucial for developing your audience segments. Reach out internally to see what data you have at your disposal before constructing your target audience on TikTok.
“The days of segmenting your audience simply by age, gender and location are gone. Especially on a platform like TikTok, where user feeds are uniquely tailored to each individual’s content consumption habits, watering down your social creative to broaden appeal will likely have the opposite effect – perpetuating a negative feedback loop: content strikes a chord with fewer people, reducing average view times, signaling to TikTok that the content isn’t engaging, resulting in lower organic distribution and impressions.” -Ali Shick, Strategist at Blue Bear Creative.
Reach out internally to see what data you have at your disposal before constructing your target audience on TikTok.
Leveraging Influencer Marketing:
Influencer, UGC-style content and TikTok go hand-in-hand. We highly recommend working with influencers (both micro and macro) to establish trust and garner more visibility to wider demographics. It’s important to work with popular creators who align with your brand’s voice to bring valuable audiences to your page. Extensive research is essential when collaborating with influencers, as you never want to be associated with a creator who reflects poorly on the brand. Remember, your marketing represents your brand.
Pro-tip: When vetting influencers, pay close attention to engagement as opposed to strictly follower count. How do they interact with their audience? How valuable is their content? Do your audiences align or intersect? Asking the right questions will ensure a more seamless partnership.
In 2023, TikTok macro-influencers in the US, (accounts with over 1M followers) achieved an average engagement rate on TikTok of 12.69%, (src. Statista). On the basis of follower count, TikTok micro-influencers, (accounts between 5,000 and 10,000 followers), had the highest average of all account sizes at an astonishing TikTok engagement rate of 76.23%, (src. Statista).
Use those numbers as baselines when evaluating influencers you’re considering partnerships with.
@noodlescompany We get this a lot @Keith Habersberger @The Try Guys ♬ Eat with Keith Cheese Pour - Noodles & Company
Utilizing Hashtags and Challenges:
Hashtags and challenges present another searchability opportunity to help with reach and engagement. If it feels natural, we highly recommend playing into trends where it makes sense for the brand. There is, however, a fine line between playing into virality and being corporate cringe (that’s where our expertise comes in).
Pro-tip: Cultivate a balance between popular hashtags (#fyp, #viral, etc.) and more niche options (#grillingideas, #BBQmeals, etc) to diversify reach. And don’t forget to leverage the platform’s search optimization by adding keywords to captions your target consumer is already looking for.
Measuring Success and Analytics:
As a TikTok marketing agency, we measure and track the success of campaigns with the following KPIs:
- Engagement Rate – Of the total number of people that see the content, how many are liking it or interacting in some way?
- Follower Growth – Are we reaching people in a way that compels them to join our community or urges them to learn more about the brand?
- Frequency – Are we showing up on our user’s feeds repeatedly? We can create an emotional connection that will give our brand a leg up over competitor brands when they are making a purchasing decision.
- Reach – How many users are we getting our brand messaging in front of? While we don’t want to look at this metric in an isolated way, we can pair it with other metrics to determine how much of an impact our reach is making.
Organic vs. Paid on TikTok
Paid Marketing
Depending on the campaign objective, TikTok’s Ads Manager interface provides a plethora of organized metrics and analytics tools that can help detail the performance of campaigns, ad sets, and individual ads.
Broad and basic metrics include impressions, users reached, CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions), frequency, and average video watch time. In addition, you’ll have access to detailed traffic and conversion data such as link clicks, click-through rates, and conversions, which help to assess content performance.
There are several engagement metrics specific to paid including paid likes, profile visits, comments, etc. You can easily identify what ad, ad set, or campaign is leading the most user attention to your page by accessing these indicators. Customizations and filter reports are also available and depend on campaign objectives, relevant metrics, and ad settings.
As TikTok continues to grow as a major player in the social landscape, the importance of its paid marketing options lies in its ability to connect brands with a vast and diverse user base, ultimately driving brand awareness, customer engagement, and business success.
Organic
While Organic features are slightly more limited, TikTok does offer several metrics and analytics tools to help users and businesses gauge their performance. Profile metrics include number of followers, total video views, and profile views. On an individual post level, you have access to views, likes, comments, shares, and saves. Creators can also oversee demographic insights including where their audience is from, when they are most active on the app, and more.
TikTok’s organic marketing options are of paramount importance for businesses aiming to establish an authentic and lasting presence on the platform. Unlike paid options, organic marketing relies on genuine user engagement and the creation of compelling content that resonates with the community.
Conclusion
Since the evolution of TikTok, we’ve successfully navigated the trials and tribulations to understand this somewhat elusive platform. And while we hope this handy-dandy guide is enough to convince you, we’ll let the numbers and data talk. Because, hey, we’re inquisitors, too, and we know how important it is to ask the tough questions before you’re ready to invest in something new (or relatively new, anyway).
So if you’re ready to explore building a TikTok marketing strategy, look to the social nerds at Blue Bear Creative — drop us a line!
