If you have a phone and are somewhere between the ages 13-35, then you definitely know TikTok. The video-sharing app is a recent one to see an explosion in downloads, becoming one of the most downloaded apps in recent years.
Did you know TikTok has over 800 million downloads!
TikTok’s success is solely owned to its marketing. Though it has made headlines over safety concerns, and a short-lived ban from the High Court of Madras, the app is still popular amongst the gen-next. TikTok had over 1.1 billion downloads as of March 2019.
43% of TikTok users are from India.
What is TikTok? Let’s take a look.
TikTok is a video sharing app where it encourages users to upload short videos. You can lip-sync to famous lyrics, songs and movie dialogues. Users also enthusiastically upload original content on the platform.
TikTok videos are typically 15 seconds although one can also upload 60-second videos too. The platform sees a variety of content being uploaded regularly. These range from cooking recipes, songs, fashion videos, beauty videos and even skateboarding videos. Everyone is out here to demonstrate their skills and talents to a vast audience. It is mind-boggling to see the way in which content is consumed on this platform.
How does TikTok work and what are TikTok ads for businesses?
The usage is pretty direct and user-friendly. Users can simply go to the app’s Discover page and click on the videos they like to see based on their interests. They can also search for their favourite genres using hashtags too. They are allowed to subscribe to their favourite channels too. With so much potential on the platform, the app obviously opened up its space for advertisers. Now the natural question is how to run ads on TikTok?
Let’s take a deeper look at what TikTok ads for businesses are.
How can brands use the platform?
TikTok can be used in these ways by brands majorly.
- Similar to any social media platform, TikTok users and brands can create their own channel to upload personalized videos.
- Influencer marketing is a huge part of TikTok and brands can make use of this.
- Brands can pay to advertise on TikTok.
Many brands are now trying to do all of the above if not for a combination of any two.
One interesting point to note is that the creators are always looking for hashtag challenges. What’s a hashtag challenge, you ask? It is a challenge or a short stint that can be uploaded by various participants across the globe, making it go viral. It is a way of coming together as a community and having a fun time.
One noticeable challenge would be the #tumbleweedchallenge by the late-night show host Jimmy Fallon. Users were challenged to videotape themselves dropping to the ground and rolling like a tumbleweed. This garnered over 10.4 million engagements and over 8000 submissions!
Brands can use this to get leverage as it encourages user-generated content.
What are the ways in which brands can leverage TikTok?
Although in the beta stage of testing, brands can use TikTok to advertise. There are 4 ways in which brands can use TikTok:
1. Brand Takeovers:
TThese are ads that appear when users open the app. These ads are in the face and bring them to the attention of the user. This is limited to one advertiser per day. Popular food delivery service, Grubhub recently tried this to run a mobile app install ad.
2. Native Video Ads:
These are targeted ads that are specifically placed in a video.
The ads will help direct the audience to your website or apps.
3. Video Challenges:
Ads that encourage content creators to participate in a hashtag for promotions.
These give advertisers a great opportunity to garner engagement on the platform.
4. Branded Filters and Lenses:
These are brand specific filters similar to the ones you see on Snapchat and Instagram. Earlier this year, just in time for the Super Bowl, TikTok had released AR Super of the NFL players. Many other brands can get in on the action and garner engagement with the help of brand-specific filters and lenses.
TikTok is currently testing ads in Europe and the US.
Biddable Ads on TikTok:
Like all other social media platforms, TikTok also has biddable ads on its platform. Biddable ads are a form of manual ads where a marketer or an ads executive can create and run the ads manually. In April this year, TikTok launched a ‘managed service platform’, setting foot into the biddable ads world. The only ad feature available today is the standard in-feed video ad. In-feed video ads are short clips that are allowed for different types of platforms. In-feed ads follow the below action models:
- CPC (cost per click)
- CPV (cost per 6 seconds view)
- CPM (cost per thousand impression)
TikTok allows a marketer to choose age, gender, location, interests and behaviours for targeting. One can also create CRMs or custom audience lists.
We hope all your questions about TikTok ads for businesses or how can a brand advertise on TikTok have been answered. If you’ve got any more questions or would like to know more about ANYTHING digital, we suggest you tap on the blue button below. Who knows what other surprises we have for you!
