Why Brands Should be on TikTok
By: Andrea Alessandrini, Social Media Coordinator at Foodie Tribe
At this point, we’ve all heard of TikTok, the viral social media platform that allows you to post videos up to 3 minutes long. While the platform has been up and running for a few years, it really became a “thing” in 2020 when people were stuck at home during the pandemic. Now, it’s 2022, and the number of people on the app is only increasing, with upwards of a billion monthly active users. One of the many reasons why TikTok is so successful is because there is such a variety of people active on it. There are fashion lovers, health gurus, pet lovers, teachers, doctors, foodies like us, and more!
So why should your brand be on TikTok? The real question is, “Why aren’t you already on TikTok?!” In all seriousness, TikTok should be considered a priority social media platform for brands, especially food + beverage brands, and here are five reasons why:
1. Organic growth - Organic growth is something that can be faster attained through TikTok than any other platform right now. Anyone on the app, brands included, has an opportunity to go viral, and the more you post, the bigger the opportunity you have. The uniqueness and creativity behind each video make organic growth possible. Just look at creators and influencers - who thanks to TikTok have doubled and tripled their overall social audience, and they’re not just “TikTokers,” but legitimate full-time content creators.
2. Brand Awareness - Brand awareness is one of the essential concepts brands should focus on, whether they are a big brand or a small one. Increasing brand awareness is ALWAYS a good thing, and TikTok is one way to achieve this. As we mentioned, there are a lot of people on this app… over a billion to be specific, and these people likely go on TikTok multiple times a day. The more a brand posts, the more eyes are on each video. The more eyes on each post, the more brand awareness a brand gets. Posting frequently is a cornerstone tactic for TikTok success!
3. Target Audience Expansion - Every brand has a specific audience they try to target, and what better way to expand your audience than to join an app full of users of different ages, personalities, and interests. (Let’s dispel the rumors: TikTok’s audience is way more than just kids and young adults now!) You can target your audience by focusing on what people like, or what’s trending, on the app. For example, if a trend matches your brand’s identity, go for it; make a video! According to TikTok, “it’s important to stop thinking about “who” your audience is and to start thinking about “what” interests them.”
4. Authenticity - Authenticity is critical for any brand, and if you think of every social platform, there is some fort of edit you make before posting. A study performed by Neilsen shows that both creativity and authenticity on TikTok drive a positive experience for brands. With TikTok, there is more of a sense of realness and authenticity, less filtering and curating for perfection. Establishing your brand's authentic side and relating to people on the app is important, and doing so will increase brand awareness, engagement, and the number of people in your target audience. Take Duolingo’s TikTok strategy for example, which showcases daily life at the brand’s offices and even features different employees.
5. Build a Community - At this point of the blog post, you should be convinced to join TikTok, but if you’re not confident yet, let’s continue to our last point. As mentioned, the potential audience on TikTok is huge, but despite the large number of users, there is a sense of community. When you download the app, you select your interests and more or less get placed in different communities according to your interests. We say “more or less” because you can still see videos that may not be a part of your interests. However, as you use the app, TikTok will start to know what you like watching according to what your likes are and how many times you view specific types of videos. A community is what brands should search for. A community is what you want your brand to be a part of because these are the followers that are loyal and become customers. There is some sort of beauty that comes from people posting what they want, when they want, and how they want it.
All in all, TikTok is here to stay, and we’re confident it’s a great social media platform to be on because of the many benefits a brand can leverage. Us foodies at Foodie Tribe have some exciting news coming this year… perhaps it has to do with TikTok? Stay tuned!
If you’re looking to incorporate TikTok into your marketing strategy, but aren’t sure where to start, come talk to us! We help food + beverage brands every day find their audience on social and define their digital marketing strategies, TikTok included.