Introduction
As media and consumer behavior have evolved, the marketing and digital industries have had to adapt. Now that we are in the age of information overload, people have become skeptical of traditional advertising and have turned to influencers. Influencer marketing is a type of marketing where businesses collaborate with influential individuals (aka influencers) who have a following that matches their key demographic and brand mission to promote their products or services.
This form of advertising has risen in popularity because it taps into the trust and authority influencers have built and therefore comes across as more authentic and trustworthy to consumers. Over the past few years, TikTok- a social media platform built on the idea of “Real People, Real Videos” centered around user-created short-form videos has become the leading platform for brands to launch influencer marketing campaigns and directly engage with their target audiences.
Since so many brands have launched successful influencer campaigns on the platform, TikTok has been able to analyze 300+ of their top Creator Marketplace videos to create the ultimate guide for developing a good influencer marketing strategy and campaign.
The SocialLadder creator management platform is built on the idea that building authentic relationships and activating real people is the most effective way for brands to market. This is why we built a TikTok integration into our platform so brands can create custom challenges for their creators, influencers, and ambassadors to track and manage branded content on the platform. To help brands ideate the best influencer marketing strategies and content challenges we have identified and summarized key takeaways from their latest guide released on April 19, 2023.
Why Brands Need to Advertise on TikTok & Key Statistics
64% of TikTok users buy a product after watching creator advertising and 3 in 4 people say that the messages in TikTok videos are believable. This is because the platform is the epicenter of fun, engaging, bite-sized content that people seek to escape from their real life. As a result, people have turned to TikTok for research and inspiration for new ideas, with 15% of product discoveries happening through the platform.
Ex: BeatBox Beverages Activating ambassadors drive to 7Eleven
The 4 Key Tips for Advertising on TikTok
Ditch the Script
Now that consumers prioritize authenticity in content, the best-performing content is created when influencers use their own, natural voice to deliver a message. Overly scripted content turns off audiences because it lacks genuineness.
To create engaging content that converts brands need to embrace TikTok’s DIY culture and work with influencers who are knowledgeable about the field and product they’re trying to promote. Consumers are attracted to informative content that doesn’t come across as overly sales-oriented. Saying calls to action such as “link in my bio” can take away from the authenticity of a video. Writing them underneath in the comments is much more effective.
Find a Natural Hook
Great storytelling is the core of compelling content that drives conversions. When brands create an influencer marketing strategy it is crucial for them to ensure they are naturally integrated into a video. Viewers will find the ad naturally more entertaining. According to the latest data, viewers spend 26% more time watching ads with a high entertainment value.
Ultimately, it’s important to collaborate with influencers who naturally align with a brand, allowing them to drive the message in their own way. Allowing the influencer to use their content style and incorporate a brand where it fits best in their video creates an organic story that viewers can believe. As a result, brands should be mindful of how they incorporate TikTok content in their overall influencer strategies.
Brands need to conduct research and identify popular trends, challenges, and memes on the platform so that they can authentically communicate with their audience. Brands should also aim to create content that is relevant and useful to TikTok users, such as tutorials, life hacks, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of a brand’s products or services.
Another important aspect of finding a natural hook on TikTok is to use relevant hashtags and sounds. By using hashtags that are popular within the TikTok community, brands can increase their chances of appearing on users’ “For You” pages and reaching a wider audience. Similarly, by using popular sounds and music, brands can tap into existing trends and create content that feels current and relevant.
EX: A DripDrop Ambassador Showcasing How the Product Fits in their Day
Use Trends Strategically
Although TikTok is the hotbed for creating new trends and virality, doesn’t mean a brand should participate in every single popular trend at a given moment. When brands create their influencer marketing strategy, they need to remember authenticity is king over anything else.
It is important for brands to actively monitor, identify and participate in popular trends, but they also need to put their unique spin when participating in a TikTok trend to stand out from the crowd and create a distinctive brand identity. It’s equally just as important for a brand to only participate in trends that feel authentic to them. 78% of users agree that the best brands on TikTok dabble in creating content that ranges across a variety of topics not just including trends. Also working with an influencer to use a popular trend that they’ve never used before in a new campaign can ring hollow.
Pick the right community
Community and authenticity go hand-in-hand. Speaking to the right niches and subcultures that feel relevant to your brand gives you a built-in audience to work with. TikTok has become one the most powerful platforms for brands to directly communicate with their consumers because “70% of their users say they feel part of a community on TikTok.”
This is why brands need to stay up-to-date with emerging new communities and understand the different segments of TikTok to create the best influencer marketing By doing so, brands can create content that speaks directly to their target audience and feels authentic and relevant to their interests.
When creating their influencer marketing strategy, brands should aim to create content that feels like a conversation with their target audience, rather than a one-way advertisement. This means taking the time to understand their audience’s needs and desires and creating content that speaks to them. One of the best ways for brands to do this is to ask influencers they partner with to leverage memes and lingo where possible. When brands reference inside jokes and community-specific slang, it becomes clear to their audience they are actively involved and building trust.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as consumer behavior and media change, brands have to adapt their influencer marketing strategies to keep up. The rise of TikTok has created brands the opportunity to leverage authentic content that speaks directly to their target audience in their influencer marketing strategies. By understanding their audience’s needs and desires, brands can create content that feels like a conversation with their target audience, rather than a one-way advertisement.