Whether you’re a devoted TikTok fanatic or a cynical outsider, it’s obvious to see that the social media platform has Covid-19 to thank for their insane growth in recent years.
Anyone who had TikTok at that time knows that there were some interesting trends that came about as a result of everyone’s boredom. Whipped Coffee, The Renegade and Pancake Cereal, just some of the trends that take us right back to the pandemic. It’s not all trends, dances and viral songs though – Tiktok has seen positive effects among many small businesses and brands.
After it’s launch in China, TikTok, the international version, had a release date in September 2017 following the acquisition of a video-sharing startup, Musical.ly, users were in the millions. It was thanks to the pandemic locking the world down that the platform saw the highest number of app downloads in the first 3 months of 2020. People turned to social media trends to keep them busy at home and to stay connected with their friends, family and the outside world. 315 million people worldwide that is! Making TikTok the number one most downloaded app worldwide…Looks like those skeptical haters finally gave in.
Brands on Tik Tok
Brands that already have a strong presence on TikTok are currently reaping the rewards. These days, brands can’t afford to miss out on the exciting opportunities TikTok has to offer. However, it’s not too late to get started and, if you haven’t already, you should strongly consider adding it to your social media portfolio. Once you get to know the app and understand what you can do with it, you’ll find that it’s hugely useful for brand building.
It’s so much easier to go viral on TikTok than it is on other platforms. Get featured on the “For You” page and this means you could have 100s of 1000s, even millions of people viewing your videos without having any followers. The “For You” page displays a collection of videos from pages that are similar to ones a user already follows, this is a great way to increase brand awareness.
Paid Ads on TikTok
TikTok also has paid ads available for brands. When TikTok displays ads, they are dynamic, full-screen displays. Allowing for great user experience and increased engagement. A call to action will appear towards the end of the ad, directing the audience to download your app, visit your site, or explore your online store. The opportunities for your brand are endless! There are a variety of different ad formats available, depending on your brand’s goals and budget, but the big question is: how much?
A brand takeover ad is shown to your target audience as soon as they open the app, featuring a clickable link. This highly desirable, visible format stays live for one day. However, at $50,000 per day for 5 million impressions guaranteed, this option is a little steep for many brands.
Other, in-feed ads are priced at $10 per CPM (cost per 1000 views). Keeping in mind they require a minimum spend of $500 per campaign. This is to keep TikTok ads away from seeming “cheap”, and giving it more of a premium feel. You can also create a TikTok viral hashtag challenge, at a flat fee of $150,000 for six days.
At face value, TikTok may appear like it’s being used just for fun and games. After all, it’s the go-to app for teens trying to go viral. But when brands venture onto this new social media platform, and correctly, they can reap the rewards.