How has TikTok changed marketing?

TikTok has become a significant player in social media, offering a range of features and capabilities that have enabled it to surpass other platforms in terms of engagement.

Brands that are taking advantage of TikTok's tools, editing features, ad formats, and e-commerce capabilities are seeing great success in terms of reach and purchase facilitation. As of November 2021, 84% of the top 50 brands ranked in Gartner’s latest Social Media Benchmarks Digital IQ had a TikTok profile.

Despite this, many high-performing brands are either not investing enough in their TikTok pages or ignoring the platform altogether. Digital marketing leaders should take note of this and consider how they can leverage TikTok to maximise their reach and facilitate a purchase.

Brands are losing opportunities to connect with target audience if they don’t use TikTok

Those who ignore TikTok are missing out on the opportunity to reach key audiences. Marketers should pay attention to the platform's large, highly engaged user base. TikTok is investing in more advanced commercial features, such as the Ads Manager and Promote goal-oriented features.

Brands can use a variety of ad formats and influencer partnerships on TikTok to drive a specific action from a well-defined audience. Digital marketers should evaluate the expansion and audience of TikTok, its business features, and the competitive environment to initiate educated conversations about the advantages of investing in the marketing division and the rest of the C-suite.

Brands are losing out on monetisation opportunities if they aren’t on TikTok

TikTok's growing focus on social commerce presents a potential monetisation opportunity for digital marketing professionals. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has over 6.8 billion views, and viral videos have significantly boosted sales.

For instance, one beauty brand experienced a 600% surge in daily sales after its watermelon products went viral on the app. To capitalise on the success of viral products, TikTok has implemented in-app e-commerce features such as an in-app store and link in bio, allowing customers a smooth buying experience.

Marketers should keep an eye on TikTok's commerce capabilities and assess how they fit in with their main marketing objectives. Additionally, they should stay up to date with any legal issues and be open with users about their handling of personal data, as privacy is an increasingly important issue.

Brands who don’t use TikTok miss out on engaging more prospects

Brands that leverage TikTok and other social media platforms throughout the customer journey can gain an advantage over their competitors. By focusing on word of mouth, engaging prospects, and driving meaningful engagement with customers, these brands can increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and brand advocacy. To maximise the value of social media, brands should consider the context of consumer needs and understand why customers use social channels, not just which channels they use.

Social media provides a platform to cultivate loyalty and spread the word about your brand. In today's interconnected world, active promotion is essential for successful marketing. With TikTok, digital marketers can increase the reach of their branded content by optimising video views.

When used correctly, TikTok can direct traffic to brand websites, social media accounts, or the landing page of a campaign. Catchy songs and hashtags are essential to make organic and paid videos more engaging, and Hashtags are beneficial for targeting niche audiences and measuring campaign visibility.