TikTok is a fairly new social media channel with an exponentially growing user base. The platform is creating a buzz around the world and gaining a lot of attention from brands and marketers.
If you have a brand to promote or a product to sell, now is the time to start using TikTok marketing for your business. It is currently the most popular social media app and the platform isn’t saturated with marketers and brands.
With a solid marketing strategy, your efforts on the platform can be very rewarding. TikTok is unlike any other social media network – you’ll hear this often. If not done correctly, your marketing efforts and your dreams could soon crumble into dust.
You’ll find a ton of content on how to use the platform, tips to grow your brand on TikTok, etc. on the internet. Today, we shall discuss the five TikTok marketing mistakes that you need to avoid.
1. Promoting to the wrong target audience
Peer pressure is something we all have experienced. It is a common phenomenon during our school and college days. Do not fall into the trap again and pursue a course because others are doing.
Yes, TikTok is revolutionizing social media and its user base is growing by leaps and bounds. Popularity is no reason to use TikTok marketing, particularly, when your target audience makes up just a small percentage of the TikTok user base.
By now, most businesses and marketers are aware that nearly 50 per cent of the users are Millennials and Gen Z. Interestingly, the 16 to 24 age group dominates the video-sharing platform. They are only keen on products and services that suit their age group.
If your product caters to the needs of a demography that is the smallest on the platform, then your time and money are wasted. Before you leap into the young world of TikTok, you need to find out whether the social media platform is right for your brand or not.
Putting ourselves in the shoes of the readers, we agree that no audience is too small. Plus, TikTok is a growing platform with millions of new users from various demographic groups joining every week.
So, don’t be swept away by the current marketing trend and sell your product to a group that is never going to buy. Your TikTok marketing strategy, content, effort, and budget must be in tune with the size of the target audience on the platform.
While most hashtags generate millions of videos, topics not related to the young audience engage relatively fewer TikTokers and lesser views on videos made on those topics.
2. Using unoriginal content on TikTok
Brands don’t need a large budget and a professional production team to create videos for TikTok. The video-sharing platform is loads of fun, creative, and relaxed. Most videos on the platform are shot using smartphones and uploaded with minimal editing.
TikTok is quite lenient on video quality and the type of content uploaded. The platform and its users value original and authentic content – these seem to be the most cherished unspoken rule among the users. So, copied content that’s not made for the platform is frowned upon.
With so many stock video sites available, you might be tempted to use videos created by others as your own. Your target audience, on the social media platform, wants to see your original brand personality and the lighter and quirky side of your team.
On TikTok, even big corporations and international organizations drop their serious business attitude to adopt a relaxed and casual approach. Each user brings a unique flavour to the table. So, it is okay if you aren’t funny. But using unoriginal content is a cardinal sin, which is to be avoided at all costs.
A video of the top 10 worst TikTok marketing videos.
3. Banking on a pushy sales pitch
The ultimate goal of every brand is to sell its product, directly or indirectly. There are no exceptions to this statement.
Everybody likes to buy, but no one wants to be sold to. Also, nobody wants to see a pushy sales pitch either. This sentiment is true not just in the case of TikTok, but in all social media platforms.
Users visit TikTok to relax and unwind and avoid cumbersome ads that plague other social media channels. Bombarding them with pushy sales messages will not impress the users. Eventually, they’ll avoid your videos completely and take their business elsewhere.
The TikTok platform comes with nearly a billion users. Its large user base makes it an ideal place for any business to market its product or service. Neither the platform nor its users, mind the brands promoting their products.
TikTok comes with its own self-serve ad platform that allows brands to select ad objectives, chose budgets, and upload video content. What’s required of you is the use of subtle ways to promote the brand.
To promote your brand on TikTok, follow the three Es: engage, entertain, and encourage others to create content. For example, creating a fun video with your product, then starting a hashtag challenge and asking TikTok users to produce similar content.
Here is an example of how to create an ad on TikTok without making it look pushy.
Beauty Influencer Abby Roberts promoting mascara:
@abbyrartistry##ad lashes through the decades! using @fentybeauty ##fullfrontalmascara, available now at Sephora & FentyBeauty.com!! ##lengthsyoullgo ##fentyfamily♬ Something For Your M.I.N.D. – Superorganism
4. Not using user-generated content and influencer marketing
TikTok thrives on user-generated content. It is simple and easy to use.
On the platform, users communicate with videos. Making short looping videos with special effects and music overlays is the only way to communicate.
TikTok is unlike any other social media platform. Most of the features for promoting brands only came into effect recently. For a long, brands had to rely on user-generated content and influencer marketing to advertise their products.
Brands and users have a mutualistic relationship on the platform. To put it plainly, it is a win-win situation for both parties. UGC frees the brands from the burden of constantly creating new videos to connect and engage with their audience.
Also, user-generated content is the ideal marketing strategy to drive brand awareness organically. The TikTokers – the creators of fun and entertaining videos – win more followers from the exposure brands give them.
Every user on TikTok is a micro-influencer. But, working with an established influencer with a sizable following has many benefits for brands.
First, consumers fed up with traditional marketing messages find influencer-generated creative content a refreshing change. Second, brands do not have to build up a large follower base to spread their message.
TikTok Influencer David Dobrik in the #ChipotleLidFlip Challenge
@daviddobrik##ChipotleLidFlip @chipotle ##ad♬ Flip – Future
5. Creating boring videos
Many a time, we’ve seen TikTok users giggling and laughing while watching videos on the app. TikTok has developed a reputation for serving fun and entertaining content to its users. Social media users suffering from fatigue find the amusing and cheerful TikTok environment relaxing.
You might already have a successful social media presence on other networks. But, for TikTok, you must unlearn the marketing tactics and plan your videos for the platform from scratch. TikTok is all about curing boredom. Your videos must attract viewers to your brand, not put them to sleep.
There are several ways to become famous on TikTok. Not one of them involves creating boring video content. Put on your creative hat and get down to work. Even if your video isn’t funny, make it amusing and engaging. You could also add music and special effects to make the videos entertaining.
Boring and uninspiring TikTok marketing video from a Buzzfeed employee: What were they thinking?
@buzzfeedWEIGH IN! This year, for New Years, are we calling it NYE 2019 or NYE 2020???? ##everwonder ##newyearseve ##2020 ##SyrupTurnUp help us♬ original sound – buzzfeed
Top TikTok mistakes to avoid in your marketing strategy
Here are some of the top TikTok mistakes to avoid today:
- Promoting to the wrong target audience.
- Using unoriginal content on TikTok.
- Banking on a pushy sales pitch.
- Not using user-generated content and influencer marketing.
- Creating boring videos.
Both TikTok and its biggest user base are young. As the platform grows and the preferences of its user base change, you might have to adapt and change social media marketing tactics to keep relating to your target audience.
Some level of experimentation with TikTok’s marketing strategy is a given. But, avoid these five TikTok marketing mistakes to avert a crash even before takeoff.
Cristian Stanciu is a freelance video editor, owner, and post-production coordinator of Veedyou Media – a company offering video editing services to videographers, marketing agencies, video production studios, or brands all over the globe. I can catch up with him on LinkedIn.
