3 Reasons Why TikTok Is Going to Be the Next Big Thing For Your Business

Like there isn’t enough social media apps out there to watch cat videos and Drake memes, TikTok, a short-form mobile video sharing app, is steadily joining the ranks of these social media giants: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest and Snapchat. With its rapid growth in users, TikTok is making a lot of noise across the internet and it’s getting pretty hard to ignore. 

As a social media marketer, TikTok has come up in almost every one of my conversations. What do you think of the app? Should I be on it? What’s so great about it? Why is it so popular?

Personally, I love the app. For research purposes, I downloaded it, started a whatevers account i.e. me putting my cooking videos up with Hip Hop music in the background, and experimenting with the editing tools. I was in a deep blackhole in the app for one week straight and found it to be fun, informative and strangely addicting… I get it now. 

Whether you are a brand, blogger, or creative, TikTok is going to be the next big thing for your business. Before I jump to the “why,” I’ll start with a brief history of the rise of TikTok. 

A Brief TikTok History

Remember Musical.ly, the lip syncing app? Beijing’s number one app Bytedance bought Musical.ly, merged and relaunched it as TikTok in 2016. In 3 short years, TikTok surpassed 1 billion in monthly installs, beating out Facebook (estimated 711 million installs in 2019) and Instagram (estimated 444 million installs). According to this eMarketer report, the app reportedly has 600-800 million active users world-wide.

This also means there’s a lot of opportunities to get more eyes on your brand. Especially if you’re looking for brand longevity, adding TikTok to your content strategy could be the right move. 

Connect with the Next Big Consumer Group

There’s a reason why Facebook is the leading platform for e-commerce brands. It’s because millennials and gen x (who have purchasing power), and baby boomers (who have even more purchasing power) live on that social media platform. 

According to GlobalWebIndex, the primary age demographic on TikTok is 16-24. Although it’s not a demographic with huge purchasing power right now,  it’s a great way to create more brand awareness with audiences who will be the next big consumer group. 

Additionally, TikTok sets the stage for the next generation of how they consume media and content. If you plan on staying in the marketing game for the long-term, it’s best to see what resonates with them. Starting now on TikTok will allow you to grow with your audience and give you a better idea of future trends.

It’s Easier to Get Noticed

With Instagram’s never-ending algorithm updates, it gets harder and harder to get noticed. With a new app like TikTok, it seems to be a lot easier. 

My first test video I posted, I got 1 like. The next time I posted a test video I received 83 likes from random people. Mind you, I only have 2 followers right now. 

There are many theories of what the algorithm is. One of my favorite theories is from @kingkhieu where it’s based on the order of importance: rewatch rate, completion rate, shares, comments, and likes. 

I suggest continuing to use best practices when creating content on social media: find your niche, deliver authentic content, post consistently, create engaging copy, and use the right hashtags--which seem to be the main driver of people to get to your page on TikTok. 

Collaborate with a New Pool of Influencers 

Like YouTube or Instagram, TikTok has its budding set of influencers across different content verticals such as comedy, beauty, fashion, fitness, sports, and more. Because the platform is so new, there is a high chance you can find a creator that resonates with your brand and is willing to work with your requests and budgets. 

The most important thing is to take this opportunity to build relationships. A good start would be researching the influencers (or anyone really) you can see collaborating with. Maybe there’s a smaller influencer who promises a lot of growth in the future. That’s who you want to find. Make a list, and then start reaching out. Who knows, you could find the next Lil’ Nas X. 

In Conclusion

Who knows, TikTok could suffer the same demise as Vine, but regardless, the creators that got popular on Vine were able to grow a loyal and engaged audience that followed them to other platforms. All in all, joining TikTok will give you good insight on the future trends for content and advertising, which will give you an edge in the long run. As we know, the internet is ever-evolving and ever-changing. Now is a good time to jump right in and swim with the currents. 

You can find me on TikTok @jennyvalles_