Talk to any Millennial or Gen-Z about social media and phone use, and you’ll likely hear the word “TikTok” come up at least once. The video social media app has become all the rage over the past year and has completely dominated the social sphere. With viral trends extending even outside the app, it’s no doubt that TikTok has influence, especially in regards to advertising. TikTok is the future, so don’t get stuck in the past.
Taking advantage of the huge audience on TikTok is vital for businesses and brands in today’s online environment. With the app growing in popularity, it’s important to get started with advertising on TikTok now.
Creating video TikTok ads can boost sales, increase following, increase website traffic, and can help you reach your target audience. While it may take some trial and error, advertising on TikTok can be simple. As you get started with TikTok marketing, there are a few things you need to know that can help you make effective use of the app and reach your target audience.
What Is TikTok?
If this is the first time you’ve heard the words “TikTok” and “advertising” used in the same sentence, you’re not alone. Some of you may be wondering what TikTok even is. So, before we jump into how to use it, let’s first dive into what the app does.
TikTok is a social media app where users create videos and content between 15 seconds and 1 minute. The videos often follow certain trends and are layered with viral sounds or narration. What started as the app “Musical.ly” evolved into one of the 5 most popular social media apps with just under 700 million TikTok users. TikTok is home to dancing, recipes, daily vlogs, opinion pieces, skits, sports, and so much more. Virtually anything you’re looking for can be found on the app.
While the app is targeted towards younger audiences, there is still room for businesses, brands, and even a Gen-X or Boomer to have a platform.
The “For You Page”
The TikTok app is also home to the “For You Page” (aka #FYP) which is similar to Instagram and Twitter’s discover page or news feed. This feed is the first thing that’s seen when TikTok users open the app. The ForYouPage differs from other social media apps because it doesn’t necessarily show you content from people you follow. This is what is so unique about TikTok and why it has drawn so many users to the platform. The idea that you could go “viral” on TikTok is not an unrealistic dream and social media fame is not so far away.
While followers are an important component of the app, what’s more important is the seemingly random videos that appear on your FYP. However, the creators of the app recently released the factors that go into putting together FYP feeds. Some of these smart optimization factors include:
- User Interactions
- Video Information
- Device and Account Settings
All of these factors create unique feeds that users can mindlessly scroll through.
TikTok Advertising: How To
Now that you understand what TikTok is, let’s dive into how to use it to advertise your business or brand, especially if your business attracts younger audiences. TikTok is a great route to take to grow your business and boost your online presence. After your reference TikTok Advertising Best Practices and before you start advertising on TikTok, there are a few key things you need to know in order to make effective TikTok ads that reach your target demographic.
3 Different Uses For TikTok
Advertising on TikTok doesn’t have to be hard. Like other social networks, there are different uses and learning curves that advertisers should know about when they get started on TikTok. TikTok offers a variety of avenues that businesses can take to advertise on the platform. If you’re a business or brand and you want to grow your online presence, there are 3 main ways that you can effectively use TikTok to reach a broader audience.
1. Create a TikTok Account For Your Business/Brand
One of the easiest things you can do on TikTok is to create your own business account. Not only will this help other TikTok users recognize your business and help you gain a following, but you can also advertise different products, services, or events by creating TikTok videos. Because these would be regular videos from a TikTok user, they would act as organic ads that show up naturally on a user’s FYP. This is more natural than using a paid in-feed video ad and is extremely budget-friendly.
2. Work With Hired Influencers
Another effective use of TikTok is hiring influencers to advertise your brand for you. This method of influencer marketing is similar to Instagram in that you would hire content creators to create TikTok ads that talk about your business. There are a variety of influencers on TikTok and it’s important to find one that suits your brand image. For example, you won’t necessarily want a beauty influencer advertising your accounting services. Find someone that meshes well with your brand and see how they can help you grow your business.
This option is like a happy medium between organic content creation and paid in-feed ads when you advertise on TikTok. Influencer marketing has been on the rise lately, and it’s important for businesses to take advantage of the advertising power that influencers have on social media.
3. Advertise On TikTok With Paid Ads
Once again, you have a lot of creative freedom when it comes to TikTok, so try out formats with multiple ads and see what works best for your business. TikTok’s users are used to quick, jam-packed videos, so you will want to get your message across fast when advertising on TikTok.
TikTok Advertising: 4 Steps
Figuring out how you want to use your TikTok account is an important step, but we aren’t done yet. If you’re ready to jump into advertising on TikTok, there are some steps you can follow to get you set up.
1. Set Up a TikTok Ads Account For Your Business
When you decide to start advertising on TikTok, the first step is to create an ads account on the TikTok ads platform. You can set up an account on the landing page and get approved. When you have your ad account set up, you can start to advertise on TikTok and experiment with creative elements.
2. Craft Your First Ad Campaign
Once you have set up your ad account, you can craft your first TikTok ad campaign. When you are on the TikTok ads dashboard, there will be a campaign tab that has a “create” option. Once you have chosen your ad objective, you can determine your budget and begin creating. TikTok also offers a smart video soundtrack option that can help your video perform better with viral or trending sounds.
Different Ad Types
When you go to create a new ad, you will want to decide what kind of ad type you’d like to create for TikTok. Here are three different ad types that can get you started as you start to advertise on TikTok.
- Hashtag Challenge – hashtag challenges are an essential component of TikTok and play a huge role in viral trends and sounds. Using relevant hashtags to your advantage and keeping up with hashtag challenges can help you creatively increase your brand awareness.
- In Feed Ads – these are natural video ads that show up on a user’s FYP. They are a basic step in TikTok advertising and can help get your message across without feeling like a regular ad.
- Brand Takeover – another video option is a brand takeover ad. These videos appear right as a user opens the app and often include clickable hashtags or links that will take the users to a landing page on your website.
3. Create Your TikTok Ad Group & Determine Placements/Audience
The next step in setting up your ad is to create your ad groups and your ad group level. TikTok offers a video creation kit that has templates and inspiration for you to work with. This is an easy method that you can follow, especially when following Tiktok’s ad creative guidelines.
Then you can determine the specific audience and placement for your ad group. This option allows you to choose a custom audience that you want to reach when you advertise on TikTok. Remember to evaluate your ads and see how they are performing. You may want to run multiple different ads with a variety of placements to see what works.
4. Monitor Your TikTok Ad Spend & Videos
When you have released your ads, you will want to monitor your budget and see how your ads are performing. This evaluation is an important step because it can help you determine which ad group, types, sounds, and placements are working for your business. When you see that something isn’t working, it is best to make changes and see how that affects your ad.
How Merged Media Can Help
TikTok marketing isn’t always easy. That’s why Merged Media is here to help you meet your advertising goals and brainstorm content ideas that can help boost your online presence. With a team of trusted industry professionals and years of experience, Merged can help you take your social media marketing to the next level.
Our Services
We offer a variety of marketing services that include Web Hosting and Design, Search Engine Optimization, Photography, Email Marketing, and PPC services. All of these things can help you reach your target audience, whether it be on TikTok or other social media apps.
At Merged, creativity is key. We are always willing to look outside the box to find a solution that suits your business needs. We can’t wait to hear from you!
