Tonight, I’ma fight, ‘Til we see the sunlight Tick-tock on the clock, But the party don’t stop, no
That was the first time ‘TikTok’ entered our lives over a decade ago. Fast forward 9 years, the app Tik Tok became the most downloaded app of all time and is a worldwide sensation. A quick scroll through Instagram, Whatsapp, or any platform, and we see an avalanche of Tik Tok videos. Some funny, some weird, some edgy, all but entertaining. TikTok merged with Music.ly in 2018 to grow the video content creation community exponentially. About 50% of the TikTok user base is aged under the age of 34. It’s not just millennials who are hooked to this app, boomers are in too, which brings us to the million-dollar question.
Why is TikTok gaining so much of popularity?
There are 800 million active TikTok users and is expected to hit the billion by the end of the decade. So, why is TikTok one of the most popular platforms out there?
Growth spurt of talent
The Engineer who wanted to be a guitarist, the scientist who had the hidden acting talent, the dancer who never got their big break. It was about time that things changed. If Pheobe Buffay had central perk, they had TikTok. The one platform where they could show the world their true potential.
Ease of use
Creating a video with soundtracks and filters was a Herculean task that was meant only for the pros. Not to mention the cumbersome sharing associated. TikTok made it easy for anyone to create a video by choosing an available template or recording one on their own, all with just a click.
Umpteen articles are overflowing in the search engine results page on how to get virality out of TikTok videos. There are influencers and ‘TikTok Stars’ with millions of followers. A single video is all it takes for overnight fame. That’s in it for the gen pop and video creators. What about brands and companies?
Huge, diverse audience base to target
TikTok is a global app with users from all demographics. This makes it one of the best medium to reach out and engage. The 800 million users are every available in case you decide to string up a marketing strategy for your product/service.
Location-specific content
Even though Tik Tok is a global app, it offers immense localization abilities which makes it easy for businesses to target regional content. For local businesses, this comes as a boon for quick visibility & opportunities.
And finally, TikTok Ads
TikTok has now launched its own advertising wing, the TikTok Ads where businesses can run their campaigns just like they do on any other social platform. Since it’s new, not many people have ventured out making it one of the brightest opportunities for marketing mavericks.
The new age Marketing: TikTok Ads
TikTok ads are similar to YouTube ads and typically lasts over 15 seconds. While users scroll through the app, these ads can be viewed and then skipped. The payment is calculated based on the impressions. You can advertise on TikTok for the following.
Native Ads
Native ads are video advertisements shown to the user as they scroll. These are typically less than 15 seconds. They are shown for a set time and then are skippable.
Brand Takeover
These are fullscreen advertisements that appear right when a user opens the TikTok app. These ads have a backlink added which redirects the user back the website of the business. Thus, it is a direct opportunity to land potential leads right onto your domain.
Hashtag challenges
Similar to #trending on Twitter, the hashtag challenges are a great way to encourage users to generate content based on your brand challenge and spread visibility either the organic way or via sponsored ads. Keep in mind, TikTok thrives on challenges and virality. It might just be the boost your business needed.
Branded Filters & lenses
Filters. Snapchat, Instagram, you name it, they all have it. Create a branded funky filter and get users to use it and create content. Once the chain begins, you know what happens rest.
What about the cost?
TikTok advertisements can be handled with either daily or lifetime payments which can be reverted anytime you wish. The minimum budget is $500 at a campaign level while for ad groups, the amount is $50. Besides, you can also bid for ads like you do for Adwords.
The clock’s ticking
An average user spends around an hour n TikTok a day. This combined with the competitive leverage makes TikTok ads one of the best strategic takeouts for brand visibility & lead opportunities. Make the most out of it while the Sun shines. While TikTok ads are just gaining momentum, be the early bird who not only catches the worm but makes a clean sweep and then tasty soup.
