How Companies are Using TikTok to Market their Business

TikTok has quickly become a major social media platform for 2020. And no, it has nothing to do with Kei$a’s song from a few years ago. This video-based social app has been pretty popular for about a year and is most commonly used by young adults (ages 12-25). The app is used to create and post creative and trendy videos which are intended to appear on the “for you page,” which is where popular videos appear for people to view, like, and comment.

Several brands have been skeptical of getting on TikTok to market because it is still a new social platform. But now is a great time to try out TikTok because it is growing in popularity and a unique way for companies to reach people in a new way.

TikTok is viewed less as a serious app and more lighthearted and fun. People really enjoy the creative personalities on TikTok, so it is a great platform to showcase the voice of your company or the lighter side of the organization.

There are new trends almost every week on TikTok. Recreating these trends in your own unique way is a great way to reach more people by getting views and likes. Soundbites and hashtags are features that help promote your video onto the “for you page” of viewers.

Some companies have been successful in trying out TikTok. Chipotle has over 55,000 fans on TikTok because of their use of funny and creative videos. Challenges are also a way companies get views on this social platform. Chipotle even created their own challenge which became one of the highest-performing branded challenges on the app.

@chipotleImagine actually saving your bowl for later ##putafingerdown ##chipotle ##fyp? original sound – chipotle

Bringing creativity to more informational posts can help your brand spread awareness on topics that are dryer as well. Many brands have used short narratives or challenges for topics that are more serious or tough to make light of.

It is key to be creative on TikTok but also make sure it isn’t completely off-brand for your organization.

HubSpot discussed that as it may be challenging to go viral on the app, it is still a great way to reach younger viewers. TikTok is still very new, which allows organizations to be a lot more flexible experimenting with what works for them.

Starting your organization on TikTok will allow your company to get ahead of competitors in navigating the app and learning how to best showcase your brand.

From looking at some brands that have already done well on TikTok, HubSpot shared a few marketing and strategy tips to use on the app, including:

• Showcase a different, more creative side of your brand
• Embrace a more personal tone or behind-the-scenes approach
• Don’t be afraid to experiment
• Engage with your audience by utilizing challenges, duets, likes, comments, and shares

Here are two examples of how companies are using TikTok to market their business in a creative way:

@washingtonpostTo help combat coronavirus, don’t shake hands. ##CoronavirusHandshake ##ElbowBump ##ParentTrap? original sound – sherrihillofficial

@sandiegozooSay hi to Otis, the 4,100 lb. floaty river pup. ##sandiegozoo? Cute Doggies Only – kadin.foote

If TikTok is not quite your thing, still check out the app to view other branded videos, as they can potentially help come up with new content for your current social media platforms or show what other companies are doing to keep up with current trends.

One company that is helping others market on TikTok is InfluenceGrid. This tool helps businesses identify influencers on TikTok. Try it out!

Check out HubSpot’s TikTok how-to guide to learn more about how to use the newly popular social media platform.