TikTok – How to use the video platform as a marketing tool

TikTok Marketing: What It Could Mean for Your Business

With over 1 billion active users, TikTok is becoming one of the most powerful marketing tools in the business toolbox. Research indicates that 90% of TikTok users open the app multiple times a day, viewing more than 1 billion videos over the course of a year. That means that putting content on TikTok could provide your business with significant visibility and give your brand a boost this year.

If you’re thinking about getting started on one of the world’s hottest social media apps, here are some tips and pointers to help inform your strategy.

What Is TikTok and Why You May Want to Use It

A recent report revealed there are 5.16 billion internet users in the world today. With such a vast audience, it’s essential to understand where internet users spend their time, particularly when it comes to social media marketing.

Heavy hitters like Facebook and YouTube continue to garner the biggest waves of social media traffic, but TikTok’s growth is undeniable. Since 2018, the number of TikTok users has skyrocketed from 133 million to nearly 1.5 billion by the end of 2022. There are over 138 million active users in the U.S. alone, the largest audience of any country.

Aside from rapid growth, user demographics are another thing that sets TikTok apart from other social media channels. According to research, the majority of TikTok’s audience is comprised of younger consumers:

•  32.5% of audience: Individuals aged 20-29
•  16.4% of audience: Individuals aged 30-39
•  13.9% of audience: Individuals aged 40-49

And here is another important point: 40% of TikTok users don’t have a Facebook profile, and 63% aren’t on Twitter. By skipping out on TikTok marketing, you may be missing valuable connections with younger members of your target audience.

Advantages of TikTok Marketing

Because TikTok marketing can help you reach new audiences, businesses have the opportunity to gain new traction from their efforts:

1. Increase Brand Awareness: The platform allows businesses to create engaging videos that capture the attention of viewers, boosting the visibility of your brand.
2. Drive Traffic to Websites: Brands can use the platform to get people to comment, like, and share their content, which can lead to more website visits.
3. Enhance Customer Communication: The platform allows businesses to communicate with their customers in a fun, engaging way, creating more opportunities to strengthen relationships.

Despite the advantages and the inherent opportunity provided by TikTok marketing, businesses should not rush into creating and posting videos. Instead, take some time to consider how you will approach this new medium and the types of results you expect to achieve.

Tips for Getting Started on TikTok and Realizing Success

Before getting started on TikTok, take some time to consider your audience. If you aren’t targeting younger demographics, will a TikTok presence really benefit your strategy?

Next, think of how you will present your brand. TikTok is well known for informative content presented in fun or dramatic ways. How will you adapt your current brand style and guidelines to create consumable content on TikTok?

Once you’re certain that TikTok aligns with your overall goals, be sure you have the resource capacity to make the most of your efforts. Gaining and growing an audience requires regular posting, so be certain you have the people power to create and post content. Monitoring the channel for new trends as well as your own outcomes is also critical to success.

FNBO launched a TikTok channel last year to engage with younger audiences and promote financial wellness. While our presence is unique in this space, our focus on providing value to our customers and followers has proven successful.

One video highlighted a week in the life of FNBO employee, Kaelin Schilling, as she manages FNBO’s collegiate and athletic sponsorships. To date, the video has racked up over 83,000 views.

Other trending content includes our video showing the FNBO tower lit up with a message of joy. Spreading cheer across our community has earned over 106,000 views. We’ve also shared recipes, financial tips and fun holiday content, all focused on connecting with the members of the communities we serve.

Because we have aligned our content with the needs and interests of our target audience, we’ve been able to generate outstanding results. To realize similar success, just remember that

your best efforts will require consistency and a willingness to adapt to new trends and consumer preferences.

However, mastering the art of TikTok is well worth the effort. A recent survey indicates that 72% of businesses that used TikTok marketing say that organic content is extremely valuable to their marketing efforts.