Imagine this: You’ve been transported back to 2020. (My apologies for bringing you back so soon.) Like the rest of the world, you are in lockdown. You’re spending yet another night at home, and your plans might include sinking into your couch and eating homemade banana bread. Chances are high that you will also mindlessly scroll through posts on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
These platforms are all probably familiar to you. You might even consider yourself to be an expert social media user. If that’s the case, let’s take a second to test your social media knowledge.
Which platform is more popular in 2020: TikTok or Instagram?
Captain Gizmo reports that TikTok had over 100,000 more users than Instagram at the beginning of 2020. Are you surprised? I know I was. TikTok is the third most popular social media platform, coming after Facebook and WeChat.
You may already know that TikTok is the place to show off dance moves or prank your partner. Vox describes that TikTok is also known for offering a place in which “users film videos of themselves lip-syncing or acting out comedy sketches, up to 15 seconds long, and can choose from a database of songs, effects, or sound bites. Collaboration is a major incentive — you can do a ‘duet’ with someone by replying to their video, which creates a split-screen diptych, thus feeding into an endless chain of reactions.”
Within minutes of downloading the app, most users understand why it’s become so popular. It’s fun to use. But how are businesses using TikTok?
Should every business include TikTok in their social media strategy?
That answer likely comes down to the business’s target demographics.
Wallaroo estimates that TikTok has 1.1 billion active monthly users. Moreover, TechCrunch states that:
A new study on kids’ app usage and habits indicates a major threat to YouTube’s dominance, as kids now split their time between Google’s online video platform and other apps, like TikTok, Netflix and mobile games like Roblox. Kids ages four to 15 now spend an average of 85 minutes per day watching YouTube videos, compared with 80 minutes per day spent on TikTok.
And TikTok is not only used by young children and teens. According to HubSpot, 18- 24-year-olds make up 42% of TikTok users. 16% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34. 8% are 35-44.
If your target audience is in these age groups, you may want to dive in and at least consider how you can use the platform to get in front of your customers. If you need inspiration, here are three very different brands that have gone viral on TikTok.
Chipotle
The Washington Post
University of Florida
While Chipotle, the Washington Post, and the University of Florida each take different approaches when generating content, each brand’s TikTok presence is authentic, entertaining, and engaging. For these brands, TikTok helps foster or deepen the connection between the customer and the company. Audiences can see the personalities behind the curtain while also finding encouragement to participate in unique branded hashtag challenges.
Not sure where to go from here?
Lavender Nguyen’s list of best practices for TikTok success includes finding your niche, using hashtags intentionally, and paying attention to trends. Exploring the channel will help you do all three. Find brands that are doing innovative, exciting things in this space. See how your competitors are using the platform. More importantly, look at your audiences and think about what they might want to see and how they can play a role in your TikTok strategy.
So, are you a social media expert? If so, what has worked for you on TikTok?