While the CoCo team wouldn’t say no to a Y2K-esque rendition of Britney’s early moves, we’re not sold on the idea of this being utilised as a B2B marketing tactic. Or are we? TikTok is quickly becoming the world’s most utilised social media platform, with over 1 billion active users worldwide.
Originally known for acting out dance routines and lip-syncing, the channels clever algorithm is nurturing its fan base and shaping social media as we know it. So, what exactly makes TikTok so popular? And why should businesses consider this a tactic in their marketing strategy?
What is TikTok?
It’s corn! 🌽
@schmoyoho intro song for any meal/snack with corn 🌽 – from iconic interview on @doingthings ♬ It’s Corn – Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
It’s obviously not corn. In fact, what has corn got to do with anything?! Well, if you’re a seasoned TikToker, you’ll know that its trending sounds influence current trends like no channel ever has before. For those who haven’t yet been drawn into TikTok’s addictive platform, it’s a video-sharing social media app. TikTok enables its users to create super short video clips that can be focused on just about anything. From recipe ideas to travel vlogs and everything in between, the creative outlet TikTok provides is limitless. While it might seem bizarre for a business operating in the B2B market to consider TikTok as its next big social channel, hundreds of companies are already utilising this with some impressive results. So, what are the benefits of using TikTok in the B2B market?
Employer branding
There’s no denying that attracting and attaining new team members has become a minefield in the post pandemic world. Over in TikTok land, there’s a multitude of businesses using their channel to showcase their company culture and entice new recruits. This example from Virgin Atlantic racked up an impressive 178,000 views and 11,000 likes within just 24 hours of posting.
@virginatlantic Looking for your next adventure? We have some exciting news ✈️👠 #virginatlantic #cabincrew #hiring #travel ♬ Side To Side – BARBIE 💝
Humanise your business
We’re all familiar with the age-old term ‘people buy from people’. TikTok presents a unique opportunity for your business to experiment with its approach. With unlimited creative licence available and the outright bizarre going viral from time to time, it’s a great platform to share content that humanises your brand image. Adobe has found success on TikTok by utilising user-generated content (UGC) through its #MakeItHappen campaign. By using real user stories, they’re speaking directly to their target market. Better yet, the example below yielded 1.6 million (yes, million) views!
@adobe It’s all about girl power in this episode of Make It Happen as @Georgie Yiannoullou creates a welcome video for a dream motion graphics design fest. #AdobeTok #motiondesign #adobestock ♬ original sound – Adobe
Educate your audience
Do you have an educational message to share? Perhaps you want your existing customer base to adopt a better understanding of your product. Or maybe you have information to share widely and quickly. TikTok can help you to do all of the above. TikTok’s FYP (for you page) shows users relevant content based on its algorithm rather than posts from creators they already follow. This means you have the potential to tap into an audience in the millions! A variety of brands are harnessing this to educate their audience. Take Canva, for example. The following post resulted in 1.3 million views and thousands of likes. That’s a lot of people who now know how to make a video on Canva…
@canva See how Alexis, from travel start-up @elsewhere.io , bring their video ideas to life #DesignedWithCanva #Canva ♬ original sound – Canva
…Sounds good right? But how can you get started?
Understand trending sounds
TikTok hasn’t only revolutionised social media; it’s altered the music industry (for better or for worse? We’ll let you decide!). TikTok’s trending sounds can include trending music, quotes, and voiceovers. Our earlier ‘corn’ example went viral across the platform, with many creators using the sounds to position their own content. Why? Who knows! Some sounds just hit the right mark. By getting creative with trending sounds, you have the opportunity to put your brand in the spotlight. Check out how digital bank Monzo used the ‘it’s corn’ sound:
@monzo I mean look at this thing 🌽 #corntok #monzo #plushie #itscorn ♬ It’s Corn – Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
Keep it simple
Something that sets TikTok aside from other platforms is that it hasn’t yet developed into a myriad of advertisements. While there are certainly ads present, it doesn’t have the same ‘shove it down your neck’ feeling as other platforms (Instagram, we’re looking at you!). You might describe the content on show as ‘rustic’. No DSLR cameras. Few microphones. Just you, your smartphone, and a willingness to experiment on the platform. Creating TikTok’s should be simplistic and focused on understanding how to harness current trends rather than an emphasis on a polished production. Try, test and then try again TikTok has a fast churn. What’s on a user’s FYP today will be long gone by tomorrow. Don’t panic if you don’t get a viral hit the first, second or the hundredth time around. It’s important to have an experimental mindset when creating content. The best advice we could give you is to download the app and get scrolling – it’ll offer you endless inspiration. Want to get started with TikTok for your business but don’t know where to begin? Say hello, and we promise we won’t make you do a silly dance (maybe)…
