The newest uncharted landscape for social media marketing is TikTok.
TikTok, the app used to make 15-second videos, is becoming the next target for the marketing world.
Here’s how you can be a part of it.
Why TikTok?
Unlike other social media sites, like Twitter and Snapchat, TikTok has yet to be overrun by ads and is a prime spot to get more attention with less competition. Because of the format of the platform, TikTok offers creative ways to engage with customers.
On TikTok, you can take advantage of the audio and video features the site offers to create eye-catching ads that make its users want to know more about your product.
The app has been used by big names like Grubhub, Apple, Fenty Beauty, and Nike, who have recognized the potential of TikTok marketing.
With the network’s notoriously young user base, this is a great way to appeal to people younger than 30. Even if your target demographic isn’t teenagers and young adults, learning about TikTok can still be a good investment. Social media apps tend to start off with a large majority of younger users and then expand to older demographics.
Things To Consider
Because the app has a limited number of advertisers, publishing ads can be a bit pricey. You can spend anywhere from $500 to $300,000. But even with a limited budget, you can still make the most of the platform.
Another consideration would be the standing executive order that will effectively ban TikTok in the US if a US company does not buy it out. However, if Microsoft, the current frontrunner to broker a deal, takes over the US operations of the app, it can expand the size of the marketing pool significantly.
How To Start
To begin, you need to make a TikTok Ad account. This process may be longer than you’d expect. Because this feature is in beta mode, you must enter your information online and wait for someone from TikTok’s management team to set up your account.
This can take up to 48 hours to complete. Once it’s set up, you will be contacted and ready to begin your campaign.
Next, you specify your goals. Do you want to increase traffic, conversions, or app installations?
What’s your budget? You can choose between a total or daily budget, but both must be at least $500.
Next, you pick who you’d like to see your ads by choosing the different target demographics. It even gives you the option to market on related video apps, like BuzzVideo.
The account lets you set the time of day your ads will be displayed, how you want to spread out your budget, and how you want to optimize your campaign. You have three options for optimization goals.
The first goal you can choose is optimizing for the greatest conversion. This means your product will be shown to people who are most likely to buy it, thus increasing your conversion rate. You can even use a smart optimization feature that changes your bid throughout the day to get the highest conversion rate.
The second optimization goal is to increase the number of clicks. With this, you will pay every time someone clicks on your ad, or the cost per click (CPC).
The third goal is optimizing for the greatest impression. This one requires paying for every thousandth impression, or cost per mile (CPM).
Then, there are the ad campaign types. One option is the brand takeover. TikTok will choose one brand a day to promote, and your ad will pop up as soon as the user opens the app.
Another is in-feed advertising. These ads are seen in the user's video feed with regular content creators.
Last is the hashtag challenge. These are fun ways to get users to interact with your brand. For about six days, you can sponsor a hashtag, and TikTok users can create videos based on it.
Do’s And Don’ts
When it comes to video creation, TikTok has you covered. The network gives you access to easy-to-use templates and more than 300 royalty-free background tracks.
When choosing images, remember that they will be enlarged on a viewer’s device, so make sure they are clear. Don’t ask too much. Your call to action should be direct and straightforward.
Essential information should be in the center view, not the ad description. Also, be mindful that the ad description only allows for 80 characters. Most importantly, experiment with your approach and pay attention to what works.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a successful ad campaign.