TikTok for Business: A New Tool for the Public Relations and Marketing Industries
In the world of marketing and PR, recognizing trends and being familiar with social media platforms is crucial. This enables us to run campaigns, build our brand, and market our products in fresh and creative ways. Take TikTok, for example—it’s currently all the rage. Once known primarily as a “dancing” platform, TikTok has now become a promising platform for businesses. TikTok’s popularity has proven to help brands gain greater brand awareness.
One brand that has begun implementing a marketing strategy through TikTok is Garudafood with its “Coklat Dilan” product. In this campaign, they created the #SampaikanRindu concept with #CoklatDilan, where consumers can express their longing for their significant other, friends, or family by sending them Coklat Dilan. The winner who created the most engaging content received an iPhone 11 as a prize.
Additionally, the financial institution Bank OCBC NISP has also ventured onto the TikTok platform with the #Save20 challenge campaign to reach its target audience of young people. The concept of this campaign is that by saving Rp20,000 every day, consumers can choose to receive cash, a trip around the world, diamonds, or gold simply by using a filter from OCBC NISP.
On an international scale, Guess leveraged TikTok to boost brand awareness through the #InMyDenim campaign to showcase its jeans and denim products. The campaign’s concept centers on showcasing Outfit of the Day (OOTD) styles and the confidence people exude when wearing Guess denim. Set to the background track “I’m A Mess” by Bebe Rexha, the #InMyDenim campaign video begins with a person looking “shabby,” who then transforms into a more confident and stylish individual while wearing Guess denim.
A screenshot of the #InMyDenim challenge campaign on TikTok (photo: TikTok for Business)
TikTok for Business
TikTok’s growth has shaken up social media industry trends. According to Hootsuite’s “Social Media Trends 2020” report, TikTok was the most-downloaded app in Q1 2019. Today, TikTok has over 800 million active users who spend 46 minutes a day watching videos on the platform.
In light of TikTok’s continuing growth, the platform officially launched TikTok for Business for marketers in June 2020. The launch of this platform aims to connect brands with consumers through creative content. With the slogan “Don’t make ads, make TikToks,” TikTok encourages brands to be creative in marketing their products or campaigns. Not just ordinary ads, but original content in the form of creative TikTok videos.
Read more: Don’t Make Ads, Make TikToks
TikTok for Business offers many ways for brands to tell their stories in unique and creative ways. Through various types of audio-based videos—such as effects, voice-overs, reactions, and more—the platform also provides original opportunities for marketers to create content that becomes part of the TikTok community. Users can engage with and be inspired by campaigns created on TikTok, prompting them to create their own versions. Through this approach, brands can experience the real impact of their campaigns.
Gen Z and Generation Alpha are TikTok’s primary target audiences. Through its algorithm and the dedicated “For You Page,” users discover content that aligns with their interests. According to an article by Later, “TikTok’s biggest dance trends are now an integral part of popular culture—and for musicians, securing a viral trend on the platform is enough to send their song downloads soaring.”
It’s not just dance—TikTok’s content trends now span a wide range of topics, such as fashion, beauty, sports, gadget hacks, lip-syncing, comedy, and travel. Users can also find educational tips ranging from Microsoft Word hacks and building an online business to job-hunting advice. TikTok has also launched an AR Branded Effect called “Brand Scan.” Brands can use this feature to connect with users through engaging augmented reality effects.
