TikTok has taken the social media world by storm. The short-form video-sharing platform’s popularity has exploded in recent years, keeping users hooked through a powerful algorithm that makes each user’s experience unique.
Given the success of the app, it will come as no surprise to learn that TikTok has become an essential tool for brands and digital marketers. We’re seeing more and more businesses collaborating with TikTok’s biggest creators and influencers. This can be an incredibly effective strategy that can give marketers an edge over the competition. However, it needs to be approached correctly to see the best results. We’ve put together a guide to TikTok influencer marketing. Read on to check it out.
Why use TikTok?
As far as social media platforms go, TikTok is relatively new. However, it quickly established itself as one of the industry’s major players, and the channel continues to go from strength to strength.
As of 2022, the app had been downloaded 672 million times. The app currently has 1.9 billion users, with this figure expected to jump to 2.3 billion by 2027. The US, Indonesia, and Brazil have the most users, indicating the incredible scope and reach the app has.
TikTok influencers are massively influential, with follower counts in the tens and even hundreds of millions. As a digital marketer, these figures are impossible to ignore, and we’re seeing an increasing number of partnerships and collaborations between brands and TikTok influencers.
TikTok Creator Marketplace
Well aware of the potential for brand collaboration, TikTok established the Creator Marketplace in 2019. This is a dedicated platform that is designed to connect businesses with influencers and creators, streamlining the partnership process.
Brands can browse through lists of TikTok creators, with detailed metrics on follower counts, views, and reach. After creating a campaign, businesses can access more detailed data through the Creator Marketplace API, allowing for real-time campaign performance analysis.
However, it’s not as simple as just choosing an influencer to work with and watching your sales skyrocket. It’s an extremely competitive market, which means that a TikTok influencer marketing campaign needs to be planned in detail to see success.
Choose the right influencer
One of the most critical factors that can determine the success of a TikTok influencer marketing campaign is the particular influencer you decide to work with. Each influencer will attract different audiences and demographic groups, so when choosing to work with an influencer you must first confirm that their audience matches the profile of your chosen customer.
Influencers are trusted by members of their community. If you can partner with an influencer who speaks to consumers within your industry, you will have access to a passionate and knowledgeable customer base.
Pay attention to trends
TikTok trends are constantly shifting and evolving. As a digital marketer, paying attention to these trends is essential, communicate with your influencer partner to discuss how best to take advantage of what is currently popular on the platform.
According to research conducted by TikTok, 77% of users prefer brands that demonstrate a knowledge of and willingness to participate in current trends. However, this doesn’t mean you should reference as many trends as possible. Choose ones that relate to your business or industry for maximum effect.
Natural content is key
As a business owner, it can be easy to want full creative control over all your public campaigns. While ensuring your messaging is appropriate and on-brand is important, having too much say over what your influencer partner says and does can have a negative effect.
TikTok users value authenticity and realism. They want to feel a real connection to creators and influencers on the platform and often form emotional attachments to their favourite TikTok stars. If your influencer content feels too scripted or too different from the content an influencer normally posts, this can drive away viewers and make the content feel too artificial and forced.
Rather than giving an influencer a script that they have to follow verbatim, work collaboratively to create a strategy whereby your brand messaging can be delivered effectively while retaining the natural charm and charisma that will appeal to viewers.
Conclusion
TikTok has become one of the most valuable tools for modern digital marketers. Working with influencers can give your business access to potentially huge customer bases and can help raise awareness of your brand.
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