TikTok, is taking the social world by storm. If you haven’t heard of it yet, TikTok is a video-sharing social networking service where users have the opportunity to create a variety of short videos from various genres like comedy, dance, and education that can range from 15 to 60 seconds long.

TikTok was first released in September of 2016 as Music.ly and then was re-named and revised to become the platform we know today. Since then, it has become the fastest growing social media app and in 2018 was the most downloaded photo and video app in the Apple Store, globally. It now has over 689 million monthly active users and the U.S. being the most popular country where it has been downloaded 2 billion times in the App Store and Google Play.  Of their audience, 60% are women and 40% are men with the main age group between age 16 and 24. 

How to Create Content on TikTok

If you have never used the app before there are some basics we should cover. First, you’ll want to set up an account, this is pretty easy and completely free to create. Once you have an account, navigating the application can be sort of overwhelming at first. Basically, the app is divided into two main feeds - one that is creators (or fellow users) you follow, and the other is called the “For You Page”. 

The “For You” side is filled with hours and hours of entertainment, tips, and information catered to your specific interests. The more you interact with certain content, TikTok will begin to learn and serve you similar content. 

When creating a video you have a couple of options. You can either select a sound or music to be the base of your video, you can do a voiceover, or you can just speak, like other video-recording apps. Similar to Snapchat and Instagram, TikTok offers an array of different filters and effects you can use in your videos. Once you get the hang of making your own content, TikTok also offers the ability to “duet” other creators' videos and react to their content. 

How Can My Brand Use TikTok? 

TikTok has tremendous value in this digital marketing age as it is relatively easy to create, share, and view content. Creating videos is quick and easy with the amazing potential to reach millions of people. There are a number of great ways you can use TikTok as an impactful tool for your brand.

• Be Planful: Planning out great content means staying authentic to your brand and it will help users feel more connected. Staying up on current trends is also crucial. Certain sounds, music, dances, or comedy trends may become popular, and trying to incorporate those into your content can be helpful in helping your videos go viral. Going viral means your video on TikTok will get more traction and attention via more views, likes, and shares. 
• #UseHashtags: It’s still unclear how this algorithm works exactly, but using different popular or trending tags in your caption like #fyp or #foryou to help get you noticed and increase views. Content on TikTok is discovered through hashtags which provide users the opportunity to follow that specific content and encourage viewers to watch hours upon hours of similar content.

• Brand Takeovers: These ads appear at the top of a user’s for you page before they can view any other content. These can be linkable to your main page and must be category exclusive. Only one ad can show for that category per day. 
• Native Ads: These are advertisements that play in between various user content. They can be anywhere between 9 to 15 seconds long. However, users can skip or scroll through these ads which makes them slightly less effective.
• Sponsored Hashtags: Hashtags are big on TikTok. A hashtag challenge on TikTok is when a new challenge is shown on the discover page and millions of users can participate. Your brand can actually sponsor one of these hashtag challenges and earn a custom-designed banner across the homepage. Viewers can then click on this banner and be brought to videos that your business or brand created that demonstrate and or explain the challenge. 
• Branded Lenses: Your business can design a filter or lens directly correlating with your brand. Any and all users can select your lens when choosing a filter for their video and use it for up to 10 days. It is automatically listed in the top 10 trending list as well as coming in 2D and 3D.
  
  

• Hello, Authenticity: Unlike other platforms like Youtube or Instagram where heavy editing and camera work are used, TikTok offers the ability to be more raw and open. This provides a more authentic and meaningful experience to the viewer and helps them to feel more connected to the creator. 
• Don’t Sell: TikTok users are generally pretty savvy; they know when they are being marketed to. So, it’s important to pick the right influencers and share the right messages. Creating partnerships that are equally beneficial and make the most sense for your brand will generate the best results business and consumer-wise. 
• Know Your Audience: When looking at the main demographic on TikTok, 70% of teens are more to trust influencers than traditional celebrities. Looking at consumers in general, 49% of all consumers depend on influencer recommendations. That’s a trust you should be taking advantage of for your brand. 
  
  

TikTok is a powerful marketing tool when used correctly. Continuing to pay attention to trends and posting consistent content on the app can help you increase your overall views, likes, and shares. TikTok is a great avenue to authentically showcase your products or services if that’s where current and potential customers of your business are spending time. It provides an easy and effective way to use video marketing. TikTok is your chance to stay ahead of the social media marketing curve. As the popularity of TikTok continues to grow, it’s time you get your brand involved.