Wake up in the morning feeling’ like P Diddy.

Oh wait. Wrong TikTok.

After much research (and many dance routines learned), I like to consider myself the resident TikToker here at LEAP Amp. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Wait you’re not talking about the Kesha song?” or “Wow. I feel old,” not to worry, I’m here to bring you up to speed.

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Users can create short videos, add music, then edit the entire piece within the platform. Similar to other social platforms you upload your video to your page for your followers to see.

While it’s made up of a variety of features used on different platforms, TikTok differentiates itself by being solely video-based. You can search sounds to use and lip sync to and add filters to your video. For engagement, along with commenting on videos, users are encouraged to create “response” videos either copying the trend or creating a “duet” which is where the user adds themselves alongside the original user. Similar to other social media platforms, users can also use hashtags to make your videos searchable and get in on the trends.

And then there is the For You page. This is the meat and potatoes of the platform. It’s similar to the Instagram Discover page – the content is curated based on your history, past video views and likes on the platform. Being featured on the “For You” page as a creator allows you to get more likes and followers to interact with your content.

As a Marketer Why Would You Want to Advertise on TikTok?

Sixty-six percent of users on TikTok are under the of 30. They are more engaged on this platform than I’ve ever seen. Once a hashtag challenge starts or a trend goes viral, it spreads like wildfire across the platform. As a brand, this can be marketing gold.

Jimmy Fallon’s #tumbleweedchallenge challenged users to upload videos of themselves to drop to the ground and roll like a tumbleweed. This led to over 8,000 submissions and more than 10.4M engagements.

Image from Mando Made

A brand might not have the following of Jimmy Fallon (yet,) but on TikTok, that doesn’t mean you are out of luck. You can start a trend or follow a trend using the #hashtag and appear on the For You page. If you’re on the nose with your content, you can receive millions of views and build that following.

Influencers

If creating content isn’t up your alley, there are massive influencers on TikTok to follow. One in three consumers trust an influencers opinion more than what a brand says. With that in mind, TikTok could be a great way for a brand to create affinity and loyalty toward their product.

TikTok might not be the platform for everyone and every product. Time will tell once paid advertising plays more of a role in the platform. But if you have a product that fits a Gen Z audience and the capacity to be creative, then I highly recommend.