TikTok has made an impressive impact in a short amount of time. The social media site is expected to reach over 900 million global users in 2024. That’s one in ten people using the app.

With any new platform comes a new set of skills for digital marketers to master. From creating unique assets to understanding a fresh audience, there’s plenty to learn. We’ve put together expert tips so your brand can thrive on TikTok.

Here’s how to perfect TikTok marketing, so you can do it right.

First things first

Before diving straight into the ins and outs of TikTok marketing, it's important to really think about whether this platform is right for you. Many marketing teams might assume they should have a presence on TikTok due to its impressive success and large influence on pop culture, but it’s not for everyone.

Begin by answering the following questions to see if your brand should be paying attention to the TikTok hype.

Is your audience on TikTok?

While TikTok is largely dominated by Gen Z, a huge percentage of older generations are also getting involved. Here’s the distribution of TikTok users by age in the US:

  • 10-19: 25%
  • 20-29: 22.4%
  • 30-39: 21.7%
  • 40-49: 20.3%
  • 50+: 11%

So, whether you’re looking to target millennials or baby boomers, there’s bound to be an opportunity on TikTok. However, this doesn’t mean your specific target audience is active on the site.

Pro Tip

Do some research with your current target market to see how they use TikTok. How often are they on it? What kind of things do they watch? Have they ever made a purchase via the app?

By answering these questions, you’ll better understand how to approach your TikTok marketing.

Can you make an impact?

More than 1 billion videos get viewed each day on TikTok. That’s a lot of content. You’ll need to find a way to break through the clutter and truly grab people’s attention.

TikTok users are fickle – it’s so easy to keep scrolling. So you’ll need to find your niche. What stands you out from the crowd? How can you make an impact?

TikTok marketing doesn’t need to be difficult or long, but you do need to know what you’re doing. And if your team has the skills to make it work, you’re bound to make an impact.

Do you have the capacity?

Many marketing teams are tight on time, resources, and money. This can be especially true for smaller businesses or thinly spread marketing teams. That said, when done right, TikTok marketing can skyrocket your results.

After exploring whether you believe your brand can make an impact on TikTok, it’s time to discover if you have time to do TikTok marketing right. And it’s not an easy feat.

Experts recommend that users post multiple times a day on TikTok, like many influencers do. If you’re looking to grow your organic platform, posting 1-3 times a day is ideal. So, it’s important to discuss how many hours per week you can dedicate to TikTok marketing.

An all-in-one social media management tool is an easy way to save time and money when it comes to TikTok marketing. These tools make it much easier to analyze which content performs better and why.

How to get started on TikTok

Think you've got what it takes? Here's how to get started on TikTok.

Become an avid TikTok user

The best way to understand TikTok users is to become one. By immersing yourself in the TikTok sphere, you’ll better understand how the algorithm works, which ads resonate with you, and the feel of the content on the platform.

A lot of brands fall into the trap of thinking they know what’s trending based on second-hand research – such as reading blogs like this one – rather than actually using the app first-hand. And there’s a real difference. Knowing from the source what your audience is looking for is the only way to stay on the pulse of TikTok’s ever-changing algorithm.

By encouraging your team to use TikTok, you can be sure you’ll create top-quality, timely TikTok content for your brand.

TikTok trends are the lifeblood of the app. But unfortunately, they change daily. Managers need to understand the fast-paced nature of the app.

Make sure to give your team full reign with what they post on your brand’s account. Often, management teams can be slow to approve content for their TikTok account, which in turn makes the content less and less effective. Instead, trust your social media managers to do a great job.

It’s worth noting that TikTok trends are weird. They develop into sounds and filters far removed from their origin, which is what makes TikTok so great – it’s like a massive inside joke. And you might not believe that the content your team is producing is going to work, but that’s how some of the biggest brands on the app found success; by being weird.

Change your sales pitch

TikTok users are savvy. It’s super easy for a user to scroll through to the next video on their homepage, so you need to change your usual sales pitch to adjust to this new audience. And just like on other social apps, they don’t want to be sold to. They want to laugh, learn something new, and connect with other users.

Outward selling doesn’t work on TikTok. Instead, focus on brand awareness and play the long game. Try to do what gets views on your videos, so you can gain a loyal following. Through this, you’ll gain indirect sales. More views will lead to more followers, which will lead to more sales in the long run.

Trial and error

Doing TikTok marketing half-heartedly will lead to half-hearted results. And you won’t go viral overnight. Instead, we recommend giving your brand 3 months to trial a TikTok marketing strategy. Provide enough resources to this area of your team, and regularly analyze what’s working and what isn’t.

The more you post, the more likely you are to see traction on TikTok. Try a bit of everything and see what works. Plus, not everything has to be polished, and sometimes the best results come from the content you spend the least amount of time on.

The brands doing it right

TikTok is jam-packed with brands who have seen success on the platform. Here’s a quick inspo list for you to explore and learn from.

Duolingo

Perhaps the first brand to crack TikTok marketing, Duolingo knows what it’s doing. Their marketing team have found the balance between humor and sales. Duolingo’s TikTok videos get millions of views each, and they’ve gathered well over 100m likes total.

RyanAir

Irish airline RyanAir found a TikTok marketing method that stood out from others. The team’s content is distinguishable, innovative, and fitting for the social media platform. They’ve gained a loyal following on TikTok and a name for themselves outside of their typical European market.

Pleasing

Nail polish brand Pleasing took a different approach to the norm. They don’t feature humans on their TikTok page, simply working with trending sounds and memes to create funny, relevant content. The brand has even garnered attention through mystery, with many followers conspiring as to who’s running the brand account.