Being a Social Media Agency, and working with various clients across various industries it’s our job to make sure that we know that is what when it comes to the Social Media landscape.
Social Media consumption has changed quite a bit during the COVID19 crisis. We have seen a rise in people’s use of TikTok, more Facebook Lives and people being online for a longer period of time.
TikTok has had all my attention in the last few weeks, and it’s been interesting and enlightening to throw myself into this new platform to try to understand how it all works.
This is what I have learned thus far.
The TikTok Algorithm has not been made widely available like other social media platforms but it is important to note that just like on Facebook or Instagram there are factors that will impact how your content performs. It is a social network after all. It is important to take note of the hashtags that you use, the best time to post, and most importantly the challenges and music that go with those challenges.
Find your niche. With over 1.5 billion downloads of the TikTok app and 800 million active users, there is a niche for everyone (just like Instagram or Facebook). The niches that have interested me so far are interior decor transformations, digital marketing tips, animals, and trending challenges.
TikTok is more about the actual content than the aesthetic. A lot of the content that goes viral on TikTok is shot in someone’s bedroom, basement, and on the fly (even if they have been trying to nail those dance moves for 4 days). You wouldn’t post a picture that didn’t fit your brand’s Instagram aesthetic, but on TikTok, it’s the thing to do. So stop curating your life for the ‘gram, and start shooting on the fly with TikTok.
You don’t need to have lots of followers on TikTok to have your content seen. The power of TikTok is that you have can zero followers, post one video, and get a million views. How? The For you Page or #FYP (in TikTok language). Unlike Instagram where you scroll through posts or watch stories of people you follow, TikTok is the opposite. The main page of TikTok is the For You Page, and it’s where you will be shown content that is themed to what you have been watching or are interested in, people you follow, trending videos, and videos from people in your country.
TikTok Videos can be up to 1min long, I have found that 10 – 15-minute videos are the best please (anything longers feels long, considering how short TikTok clips are in general)
Keep your captions short, sharp, and to the point. Unlike Instagram, you aren’t telling the world about your day here. Try to make them funny too, it helps.
One of the best things I have found on TikTok is the secret Analytics Tab. To get analytics on your account, you need to switch to a Pro Account. Here is how you do it:
Go to your profile settings
Tap the “Manage my account” option
Select “Switch to Pro account”
Select a featured category for you account
The last step is to enter your cellphone number and enter the code you receive.
Once that is all done, go back to your settings and you will now see that analytics is available as an option.
So with all that, I hope you download TikTok and give it a try.
Give us a shout if you need help with your TikTok, and how your brand should (or shouldn’t) be using it.