Do you already have a TikTok account? If you have to answer no to this question, we encourage you to set up an account today. As a business, the opportunities on this platform are growing by the day and you shouldn’t miss the dance! 

Why invest in TikTok? 

TikTok is hot

TikTok is a fairly new platform but is seeing a spectactular growth rate compared to its competitors Youtube and Instagram with figures of up to +170% growth year-on-year in Belgium. (source: statista belgium). Today, the app has users in more than 150 countries and now belongs to the club of 3 billion downloads alongside Whatsapp, Facebook and Instagram! Besides the huge downloads, we also see 1 billion monthly active users, indicating a vibrant and dynamic platform. 

Another misconception we want to correct here anyway is that TIkTok is only for young people. By 2021, 36% of total TikTok users were already between 35 and 54 years old. (source: hubspot: brands on TikTok) 

Video is king

It’s been a while since you get the communication advice everywhere to share more video. And that’s right, because on a lot of social media channels, video engagement is becoming increasingly important. Video content will dominate 80% of the social media landscape by 2024. (source: social sprout 2022 index). More and more platforms are shifting their focus to video content and, more specifically, short videos of up to 20 seconds that grab your attention within three seconds.  Don’t want to fall behind this enduring trend? Then you’d better also be active on the video channel of the moment.

It may not seem like it, but TikTok is a low-threshold platform.

TikTok is the place to be for video, but besides that, you don’t have to be a master in after effects to post fun videos on TikTok. It takes some time to feel comfortable making your first videos, but compared to content for professional campaigns, you can start yourself exploring the features.  You choose your music, record your video, pimp it with a filter or effect and it’s ready to post. More than that, TikTok users just love unpolished, straightforward videos.

See below the type of content customers like to see on their social media today: product highlighting remains main focus, but we also see that your audience wants to see real customers & authentic content. This is where TikTok can provide an answer.  

(source: social sprout 2022 index)

Lots of data = lots of insights

So what sets TikTok apart? Short ‘playful’ videos? Yes, but the difference – and interesting for business – is in the algorithm. TikTok is absolutely mobile-first and uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to show exactly what users want to see. This allows you to generate and analyse a lot of data about your target audience, and optimise your output and strategy.

At TikTok, the focus is explicitly on engagement. To fill your For You page with custom content that captivates you, the algorithm relies on your engagement. And for creators, this is of course super interesting. Because it allows you to gather a lot of likes and comments very, very quickly. Does your video score top? Then there really is a chance that you will go viral! Because the number of followers is not linked to that.

7 Opportunities for your business 

1. You can show a different side of your business on TikTok. This is the go-to platform to show your creativity and humour. You can share personal and authentic content here with your customers and share behind-the-scenes content that is authentic and highly appreciated by the new generations today. 
2. TikTok used to be a fun medium with dances and challenges. Today, tutorials, videos with tips & tricks and ‘hacks’ on various topics are trending. And that’s an open invitation to include content marketing, advertising or influencer marketing via TikTok in your communication plan. 
3. Following this, you have more room to experiment. Whereas on LinkedIn it is better not to set up too many tests around certain types of content, on TikTok it is permissible to push the limits of this creativity and let the data speak for what your target audience wants to see from you as a company. 
4. Also noticed that your instagram feed and facebook posts are eliciting less and less engagement? At TikTok, you can revive engagement by launching challenges, which in turn can ensure audience growth. 
5. Another opportunity and ultimately one of the most important goals for your business is to showcase your products, tutorials and demonstrations, which contain a direct link to your website and thus bring a new target audience and traffic to your website. Gen Z has already shown that they view TikTok as the inspiration platform to look for the latest trends. 
6. TikTok is the platform, where you can easily connect content creators to your business and speak to their audience using your products, bringing your business into the spotlight of a new target audience in an authentic way . 
7. Last but not least, TikTok also offers the opportunity to advertise, allowing you to use your campaigns to reach even more of your goals and drive visitors to your website. Here also lies a first mover advantage for your company, as there are fewer competitors here (today), who invest in advertisement.  Tiktok recommends Brands to first start with your organic activity, before launching paid campaigns. 

And as with so many things in marketing, we conclude with the ultimate tip: Test and adapt! As a business, it is important to experiment. Look for the trends yourself by following inspirational brands and see if you can apply certain trends for your business. 

Any more questions around TikTok or the opportunities for your brand? Contact The Dot Society. 

Still need to be convinced? Read our previous article on the rise of TikTok.