The Ultimate Guide to TikTok Marketing for Viral Business Success
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Benefits of Being on TikTok
- Fast and Exponential Growth
- Gateway to Other Social Media Profiles
- Liberating and Lighthearted Platform
- How TikTok Works
- Setting Up Your Profile
- Navigating the App
- Creating a TikTok Video
- How to Make Your Content Go Viral on TikTok
- Telling a Compelling Story
- Providing Value to Your Audience
- Using Trending Sounds
- Hooking Your Audience
- Finding Your Niche and Sticking With It
- Closing the App After Posting
- Creating Standalone Videos
- Watching Out for Shadow Bans
- Conclusion
The Ultimate Guide to TikTok Marketing
Introduction
TikTok, the rapidly growing social media platform, is set to dominate the marketing landscape in 2021. With relatively little competition and accessible to everyone, TikTok has become the ultimate way to grow an audience and promote your business in an authentic and engaging way. In this article, we will explore the benefits of being on TikTok and provide you with tips and strategies to make your content go viral.
The Benefits of Being on TikTok
TikTok offers several benefits that make it a great platform for businesses and individuals alike. Firstly, TikTok provides an opportunity for fast and exponential growth. With a massive user base and the potential to reach a large audience, growing your following on TikTok is easier than on any other social media platform. Whether you aim to become an influencer, industry expert, or promote your business, TikTok is the perfect place to start.
Secondly, TikTok allows you to link out to your other social media profiles. If you're looking to grow on Instagram or YouTube, TikTok can serve as the perfect gateway to reach a wider audience and expand your reach. This expanded reach will ultimately lead to more sales, making TikTok an ideal platform for e-commerce businesses and service providers.
Another benefit of TikTok is its liberating and lighthearted nature. Unlike platforms like Instagram, TikTok users come expecting to see content that isn't overly produced. This means you can quickly and easily create videos that aren't perfect and still find success. TikTok is a fun and feel-good platform where people come to be educated, inspired, or entertained, which creates a relaxed and pressure-free environment for content creators.
How TikTok Works
To make the most of TikTok, it's crucial to understand how the app works. Setting up your profile is the first step. You can create an account using your email, phone number, or a third-party platform like Facebook. It's important to include a bio that sums up who you are as a business and link out to your website for interested viewers to learn more about your products or services.
Once your profile is set up, you can start navigating the app. TikTok has two main feeds: the "For You" feed and the "Following" feed. The For You feed is where the algorithm shows you a stream of videos it thinks you'll like, similar to Instagram's explore page. The Following feed, on the other hand, shows videos from people you choose to follow. You can engage with videos by liking, commenting, and sharing. Pay attention to the spinning record icon, which represents the song being played in a video. This can help you identify trending songs and understand if a certain track is going viral.
Creating a TikTok video is easy and fun. Simply tap the plus sign at the bottom of the screen to start recording. You can either add a song to your video to sync it with the music or record without a musical track and add the music later. TikTok offers a variety of AR effects to enhance your videos, and using these effects can even increase your exposure. The timer feature allows you to film videos without having to hold the record button, giving you the freedom to get creative with your content.
How to Make Your Content Go Viral on TikTok
Now that you understand how TikTok works, let's dive into the strategies that will help your content go viral. The first tip is to tell a compelling story. Start your video with a problem, provide clear steps about your journey, and end with a solution. By engaging viewers with a unique or inspiring story, you'll not only grow your TikTok audience but also gain loyal followers who are emotionally invested in your brand's backstory.
Providing value to your audience is crucial for long-term success on TikTok. While trends can be fun, viewers are ultimately looking to be entertained, inspired, or informed. Ask yourself what the viewer gains from watching your video, whether it's laughter, knowledge, or a new skill. Lead with providing value first and then promote your brand subtly, ensuring the focus remains on delivering valuable content.
Using trending sounds is another key strategy to get discovered on TikTok. Explore the TikTok viral playlist to find popular tracks and incorporate them into your videos. Trending sounds increase the chances of your videos being featured on the For You page, where you'll gain the most followers. When using a viral sound, you can lower the volume of the song and raise the volume of your voice to ensure viewers can hear your message while still getting discovered for the viral sound you're using.
Hooking your audience is essential to keep them engaged throughout your video. Ask a question right at the beginning and use the rest of your video to answer it. Viewers naturally want to see things through to completion, so capitalizing on their curiosity will incentivize them to watch till the end. Additionally, make your videos fast-paced with quick jump cuts, flashing text, and dynamic visuals to further hook your audience.
Finding your niche and sticking with it is a pivotal factor for success on TikTok. Most successful TikTokers create and recycle content within a specific niche, presenting it in different ways to maintain engagement. This approach not only reduces your workload but also allows you to build a loyal audience aligned with your brand. Experiment to find the type of content that resonates with your target audience, and once you find your winning formula, create content based on that niche while adding variations to keep it fresh.
After posting a TikTok video, close the app to increase your chances of going viral. Some theories suggest that TikTok sends notifications to entice you to reopen the app, and resisting the temptation can result in added exposure for your videos. While there's no official confirmation from TikTok about shadow banning, some creators have reported experiencing sudden drops in engagement. To avoid potential shadow bans, be mindful of your actions on the app, such as replying to every single comment or liking excessive videos, as these behaviors might be considered spam. If you do encounter a shadow ban, continue creating content and wait for it to be lifted.
Conclusion
TikTok offers immense potential for businesses and individuals to reach a large audience and make their content go viral. By understanding how TikTok works, leveraging the platform's unique features, and implementing the strategies shared in this article, you'll be on your way to growing your TikTok audience, attracting potential customers, and standing out in the crowded social media landscape. Embrace the opportunity TikTok presents, provide value to your audience, and watch your brand soar to new heights.
As with any marketing platform, staying up-to-date with TikTok trends and adapting your strategies accordingly is essential for long-term success. Remember, going viral on TikTok doesn't require a rocket scientist but rather a drive to experiment and take advantage of the platform's features. Start creating compelling content that resonates with your audience, and the TikTok community will reward you with increased exposure and engagement.
