Why TikTok Isn't Just for Teens
By: Lily Germain | Senior Campaign Executive
It’s a pool for brands and media for storytelling ideas
Ah, TikTok. Since emerging in 2016, it has gained popularity by the day, becoming the most popular app of them all. It was the most downloaded social media app, globally, in 2020. If you’ve left your teenage years behind you, you might feel that TikTok is unchartered territory for you but think again....
TikTok: the basics
When it was originally launched, TikTok took off in South East Asia, before trickling into the rest of the world. Within the first year, the app had 100 million active users and up to 1 billion views every day 🤯
It’s home to quick, short-form video challenges for performers, engaging dances, funny lip-syncs, to name a few. The platform has clever algorithms that work to tailor content to the individual user, so they (should) only see videos they’re interested in.
TikTok is massively popular with younger audiences, in particular Gen Z, who take up 60% of the platform’s users. The other 40% of TikTok’s audience are 25+ years, with 7.1% of this part of the audience being over 50 years old. The database is certainly aging up.
The app surpassed 2 billion downloads in 2020, so it’s no surprise oldergenerations, media and brands alike are becoming interested in getting their foot in the door.
A smart move to TikTok for brands
Brands taking the plunge and making a TikTok account could be seen as a slight sign of office procrastination, but the reasons behind it are far from it because…
Reach: The reach potential on TikTok is unmatched, hashtags on TikTok can reach billions of views, and if you were savvy enough to jump on a current trend there is no saying how many people you could reach
Brand Lift: TikTok has been proven to increase brand lift in customers for brands performing on TikTok. Innocent Drinks have a staggering engagement rate of 50.26%
Interest: That clever algorithm we mentioned earlier? Well, that will put audiences in front of brands content that fits with their interests, which could mean new customers
Creativity: Ever had a really good, arguably whacky idea at work but aren’t sure where to use it (or the brand building marketing team think it’s too much of a risk to pitch as a PR story) well TikTok is probably the place to test it out
McDonald’s go McDOalds
While not all businesses are using their colleagues to spend their time doing lip-syncs, they’re tapping into TikTok trends, using creator’s content, and cross platform sharing to stay relevant.
Big named brands use social media apps as their crutches for audience engagement, with TikTok being one of them.
Enter a McDonald’s example.
They recently hit the headlines for increased engagement after tapping into the world of TikTok. Emily Zugay went viral overnight after posting satirical videos showing her rebrand logos for huge brands. The editing is low-production but it’s hilarious and engaging.
McDonald’s being the good sport they are, changed their logo on all their social channels to Emily’s mock-up.
They shared the content on their other social platforms, and it instantly became their most liked ever profile picture on Facebook.
‘But Facebook isn’t TikTok’ I hear you cry. Well, no it isn’t. Brands utilising these viral trends is not a bad way to head for wider audience engagement.
Ever heard of feta pasta?
With TikTok being so popular, the content – and the creators – are so largely discussed it has become a welcome friend of us in digital PR. Brands can instantly boost their engagement just by using current TikTok trends.
A video by Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen earlier this year showed viewers how to create a baked feta and tomato pasta dish took the world by storm.
Feta cheese sales soared in Finland after the viral video, and the recipe was picked up by famous chefs and foodies alike.
It is part of our job as a digital PR agency to keep up with trends on how people are consuming content, and what better platform to pull these trends from, than one that has over 1 billion monthly active users?
A pot of editorial gold for journos
It’s not only brands that are using TikTok to profit on rich storytelling, but journalists are having a pop too when it comes to finding entertaining stories to write about.
And it’s not just the little guys, journalists from all sorts of national and lifestyle media are using TikTok trends/hashtags to give their stories weight.
If you’ve heard of Gabby Petito, you would be surprised if I told you the TikTok hashtag #GabbyPetito was the basis for a BBC News article, after it received over 1.3 Billion views.
They’re using case studies from TikTok, trialing Beauty Hacks and reviewing them, testing out recipes and writing them up, as well as using user insight to tackle some wider topical issues.
The rise of TikTok has given journalists a new world of information to write about, and the content appeals to a younger audience, one that may not typically be that into press releases (until they start talking about whipped coffee, of course)…
Essentially, the platform is a winner for everyone involved – brands, media and readers. TikTok is only getting bigger, so it’s time to start getting involved. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do any of the dances (unless you want to, obviously).
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