Is it time to TikTok?
We’ve been down this road before when a new social media channel crops up and we all tentatively hold back from using it, just in case it faces the same demise as the likes of Vine, Bebo, MySpace etc. Anyone handling social media is likely to be time deprived as it is, but to dedicate time into setting up a new channel and adapting content for it is a big commitment, especially when there’s no guarantee of success.
TikTok first came on the scene in 2018/2019 and saw a flurry of users adopt it by the time 2020 came around. But what exactly is TikTok and is it worth your investment?
what exactly is it?
TikTok is a video-based app that allows you to craft and share short videos that prominently include music in the background. The videos are mostly made up of viral dances, lip syncing and random talk-to-cameras. Above all else, TikTok is (and it loathes us to say this), all about entertaining. There’s no obvious “selling”. There’s nothing being asked of the audience. It’s simply about engaging with entertaining video content.
This comes with a bit of a caveat. Whilst there is some entertaining content to be found, you do still have to sift through a lot of rubbish to find the good stuff. We have particularly enjoyed the dog content (particularly when dogs are lip syncing), ridiculous dance routines and inside views of celebrity homes (don’t judge us for it).
Most importantly, TikTok is a channel working best for individuals There are some brands making cut through on it but mainly in the beauty, fashion or fitness worlds.
who is TikTok for?
When TikTok first emerged on the social media scene, it was very much considered a “youth” channel - predominantly under 24s. Since the Coronavirus crisis, more time spent at home, increased boredom levels and a necessity to be entertained, TikTok has had a bit of a shift. We’re now seeing many people 30+ take on the channel (and adopt hashtags like #tiktokover30, which has had over 106.9m views and videos using the #over30 have had over 1.3bn - you read that right). Similarly, videos related to #parentsoftiktok now crop up in abundance. It’s safe to say this is now a channel for just about anybody.
In terms of who has been most successful when uploading content, we’ve seen viral videos emerge from the likes of healthcare professionals, builders, warehouse teams, gym enthusiasts, celebrities and even supermarket staff. Influencers have also naturally taken on the channel, converting followers from their other platforms to TikTok.
who to follow on TikTok
We’ve started our own TikTok channel (though don’t get excited, no viral dance attempts or witty content just yet) and suggest checking us out @thedoers to see who we’re following. You’ll find many of your favourite influencers are now making their way to TikTok but particularly those in the fashion, beauty and fitness worlds.
Here are some of our particular favourites:
@rosie_ramsey - Rosie Ramsey - comedian, performer, influencer, mum and wife never fails to put a smile on our faces with her highly relatable humour.
@tiredandtested - Sophie Lilley - vlogger, comedian and all round excellent content creator. Whether you’re a parent or not, we defy anyone not to find her witty songs, parenting banter and lip syncing specials entertaining.
Brands setting a good example for content:
@gymshark
@nike
@asos
@sephora
@cocacola
@crocs
@superdrug
We’ll avoid listing our favourite dog accounts as it’s safe to say, you’d be sat here all day reading this if we did!
how to get started with TikTok
Download the app (obviously) and sign up
Have a browse through the discovery page to get a feel for the content on there
Start engaging - the more you hit heart on the videos you like, the more your discovery feed becomes tailored to you
Try your own content - tap the camera icon and film away. You’ve got a ton of features and filters to play around with too! You can keep your content private until you’re ready to share it
Use hashtags - look at the hashtags that are doing well on the channel and use them where relevant on your content to gain visibility
Try a TikTok challenge - a viral dance/lip sync for example
should my brand or business be on TikTok?
To establish whether or not TikTok is the right channel for your business to create content, ask yourself the following questions:
Is it the right audience for me?
Have you got the right person to create content?
Why are you wanting to try it? Remember that right now TikTok is predominantly boosting brand awareness alone with little to no measurement tools. Are you ok with that?
Have you got budget for influencer partnerships? Your best TikTok content will be partnered. Make sure you’ve got the funding aside upfront
What will my audience gain from it? What ‘how-to guides’ can you develop for the channel? Will it be educational or entertaining?
With no clear call to actions available on the channel, it’s safe to say that TikTok won’t be for everyone, but it is growing rapidly and we do always encourage brands to try things as early adopters as the results later on could pay serious dividends.
