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In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to get engagement on TikTok and how to increase TikTok performances.
Alina Midori Hernàndez
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It’s taken the social media world by storm, and now TikTok is on its way to becoming the most popular video service in the US. Research shows that in 2022, the popular app overtook Netflix to become the number two platform for video streaming among users under 35. YouTube remains number one for now, but for how long?
Thanks to TikTok’s rapid growth, marketers worldwide have adapted their strategies to carve out a space for their brands on this fast-paced, constantly changing platform. But as TikTok trends come and go in a flash, engaging users is one of the main challenges all companies face.
In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to get engagement on TikTok and how to increase TikTok performances. We’ll reveal some TikTok best practices to level up your social media strategy and provide examples from some highly engaging brands and accounts on TikTok to give you the inspiration to get started.
TikTok is a social media platform where users upload and interact with short video content. The app was launched to a global audience in 2017 and is currently free.
With its rapid rise in 2020 amidst the pandemic, TikTok set the record for the most downloaded app in a quarter, at 35 million installs. Today, TikTok has more than one billion users worldwide and has become an important channel for marketers and content creators.
TikTok content consists of short-form videos with sounds, filters, and music that enable users to tell a story. Videos on TikTok can be as short as 3 seconds, which doesn’t mean they’re less effective.
This example of a TikTok video from the NBA is only six seconds long and has over half a million views and more than 500 shares. The reason? It delivers a concise but cute clip of Atlanta Hawk’s player, Trae Young, greeting a young fan – combining sports, celebrity, and human connection.
Source: TikTok / NBA
The TikTok community often praises brands posting creative, entertaining videos like hashtag challenges. According to TikTok, 68% of users find advertising content on the platform unique or different from any other platform and are 1.5x more likely to buy something on TikTok.
TikTok is also the social platform with the highest engagement, which makes it a great place for brands to build authentic connections with potential customers that go beyond sales.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider TikTok in your marketing mix:
Let’s explore some of the top TikTok tactics available to marketers and learn how to boost your engagement and brand strategy.
Working with influencers is one of the best ways to increase engagement and promote your products to new audiences on TikTok.
Influencer marketing is particularly effective for generating word-of-mouth as it comes across like a friend recommending a brand or product rather than advertising.
According to Matter Communications, 61% of consumers trust recommendations from friends or influencers, while 38% are likely to trust recommendations from a brand’s social media.
69% of TikTok users are between 13 and 24 years old, making TikTok a perfect fit for brands targeting a younger demographic. However, it’s crucial to collaborate with influencers who match your brand voice.
For example, TikTok influencer and beauty guru Jasmine Chiswell has collaborated with popular beauty brand Too Faced, sharing candid, cheerful content that aligns with the brand.
Source: TikTok / Too Faced
TikTok ads are similar to other paid social media ads in terms of format; however, paid TikTok ads can be more expensive.
Brands are upping their game with TikTok ads to expand their reach and bring their marketing strategy to a whole new level. Here are some reasons why brands should consider investing in these ads:
Source: HubSpot
TikTok brand takeovers are the most expensive type of advertising. These ads appear when a user opens the TikTok app, and they will only see one brand takeover per day.
These are in-feed ads that appear first when a user opens the app. TikTok guarantees that your content is the first to appear in a user's feed after three seconds. These ads support up to 60 seconds of video.
Source: TikTok for Business
n-feed ads are the most straightforward form of TikTok ads. These are sound-on, vertical videos that can be enhanced with interactive add-ons.
A benefit of in-feed ads is that they visually mimic regular content and appear more organic.
Source: TikTok for Business
Branded hashtags are a way to invite the TikTok community to participate in a trend created by your brand.
Branded hashtag challenges are useful for leveraging user-generated content (UGC) and reaching a wide audience as they appear on TikTok’s Discover page.
The downside of these ads is that they are costly. Running branded hashtags can cost a flat fee of $150,000 for six days, plus additional expenses to promote the challenge on other channels. However, these paid hashtags work wonders for brands that want to reach a diverse audience.
Take Kim Kardashian’s brand Skims, for example. The hashtag #skimsdress refers to a lounge dress claimed to be flattering for all body types, and it generated 330 million views on TikTok.
Source: TikTok
You can also create a custom TikTok filter to further engage users. These effects are sponsored and often include a brand’s logo or visual assets to fit a specific campaign.
TikTok branded effects are also expensive and can cost up to $100,000 per effect. To create one, you must log in and download the Effect House platform, which belongs to TikTok.
Source: Effect House
Source: TikTok for Business
Almost every piece of content has the potential to go viral, but not all TikTok videos can make it. So how can you increase your chances of virality on this popular platform? Create content with the TikTok algorithm in mind.
The algorithm is more likely to curate and show content which contains:
As a marketer, the easiest way to become a TikTok expert is to become an active user first. This way, you’ll learn what works, how the algorithm curates content for specific profiles, and the pace of the platform.
TikTok is a powerful marketing tool, and once you understand the platform and are able to recognize trends, you’ll be on your way to producing fresh content that’s also engaging for your audience.
You can also use TikTok for offline marketing purposes, like adding a Tiktok video on a digital display. By adding a social media QR code with the video, you can get more traction for your campaign.
TikTok considers views, comments, downloads, and saves when measuring engagement. Knowing your engagement rate will give you an idea of how your TikTok content is doing and what to produce in the future.
Here are some ideas for how to increase your engagement.
Replying to comments is essential, but answering with a video takes it further. Creating a new TikTok video responding to your audience makes users feel valued and more engaged.
Since 2021, the Q&A feature allows creators to reply to any questions. The more you answer, the more questions you get, so take your time to reply to as many as possible.
When pursuing TikTok engagement, more is more. The ideal posting frequency for TikTok is one to three times a day, although some creators post up to 10 times daily.
Posting more increases your chances of appearing on a user’s For You page. When users engage with that content, they are more likely to engage again in the future.
If you want to increase your posting frequency, TikTok templates can help you save time and maintain consistent content production.
Source: Envato Elements
Connecting with content creators is a simple yet effective way to boost engagement. Reach out to users who align with your content or share your brand values. Engage with their content, leave comments, and respond to their videos to leave a mark outside your own account.
Engaging with regular users is an excellent way to keep the conversation going. Popular soda brand Mountain Dew does this with every video they post.
Source: TikTok / Mountain Dew
Sharing compelling content doesn't automatically mean that users will follow through and engage with your brand.
To give them a push, include calls-to-action in your posts, videos, or captions. These work as an additional message to encourage people to follow you, visit you website, comment, like, or share.
Staying ahead of the curve is a great way to increase engagement, so ensure you monitor what’s trending as often as possible.
Emerging TikTok trends and formats present a solid opportunity to improve your content strategy. Remember to include hashtags in your captions and use trending sound effects to boost your content’s discoverability.
TikTok Analytics will serve as a compass to navigate your content strategy. It can provide you with information about demographics, location, and your content's performance.
Brands can also benefit from Iconosquare TikTok Analytics, which reveals a lifespan graph for each post. This will help you make informed decisions for optimizing your content and keep growing your engagement rates.
Can you calculate your engagement on TikTok? Absolutely. You can either calculate it manually using a formula involving likes, comments, shares, and followers, or you can use an online tool like Iconosquare.
This platform automatically calculates your engagement rate and shows data relating to your TikTok profile and its content. It will show your average engagement rate on views and other analytics for comprehensive insights or individual videos.
Source: Iconosquare Support
TikTok is an ever-evolving platform that presents a huge opportunity to grow your brand or business. Consider trying out new formats, trends, and topics and creating on-brand content to expand your engagement.
Alina is a journalist-turned-content producer who works at Envato. She’s passionate about copywriting and content writing, but she also enjoys poetry and reading nonfiction.
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