Find Out How These Short Videos Are Creating Massive Growth For Brands
Too many businesses are not taking advantage of the power of TikTok. After all, why would they want one more social media platform to worry about? For one, TikTok is the most downloaded app in the app store. The fact that some businesses avoid it makes it even more beneficial for those who hop on board. Some of the benefits that your business can see when you start using TikTok include:
Exponentially fast growth
Although TikTok is the most downloaded app, currently sitting at over 2.6 billion downloads, it is still somewhat of a “new kid on the block.” This means that, compared to more well-established apps, it is relatively easier for brands to “go viral” with their videos. TikTok gives more exposure to users who post content regularly. Keeping your business page regularly updated means your content will be more likely to reach a larger audience.
Promoting other social media platforms
TikTok videos often translate well to other social media platforms. You might notice a lot of these kinds of videos when scrolling through other platforms, like Facebook and Instagram. This is because TikTok videos are more than just entertainment; they are a great opportunity to grow your social media presence as a whole.
Ability to create informal content
Certain platforms like Instagram can feel intimidating for a brand just getting started on social media because much of the content is overly produced. TikTok walks to the beat of a different drum. If you scroll through TikTok, you’ll notice that a majority of the content is friendly and informal, and even the business-oriented content can be delivered the same way.
We recommend using your TikTok page to highlight the unique abilities of your business in fun and engaging ways. For example, you can give your viewers insight into the day-to-day at your business to help them establish a deeper connection with you. Believe it or not, TikTok is not all dances and funny prank videos. Users also turn to TikTok for helpful instructions or practical tips to solve problems in their lives. Think about the way you would display your clients’ most common questions in a video format and use your knowledge as your time to shine.
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Types Of TikTok Ads
In addition to creating your own organic content that represents your business, the platform also offers a range of advertising opportunities. Different forms of TikTok ads can generate different audience sizes. Unsurprisingly, they come with different costs. It is important to be familiar with these sponsored ads and what they can do for your business before you choose the best one for you. If you are going to go this route, rather than posting organically, the minimum amount that you spend is $500.
While TikTok ads are certainly an investment, the ROI can be quite high if you execute your campaign strategically. In technical terms, TikTok advertising costs $0.50 per “mile.” A “mile” refers to 1000 views and $0.02 cents per click, and this metric is also referred to as CPM. Check out the various kinds of ads you can get from these investments below. You might be surprised at all the options available for brands like yours.
In-feed ads
In-feed ads are the standard ad format of TikTok, and are likely what comes to mind when you first think of a TikTok ad. In-feed ads allow you to target a specific audience on their “For You Page.” The “For You Page” on TikTok features a stream of videos that the TikTok algorithm decides a particular user would like based on their activity. In-feed ads appear on this page and feature a call-to-action (CTA) that you can use to drive traffic to an external landing page.
Below is an example of an in-feed ad from the personal care brand Dermalogica that reads, “Flip. Squeeze. Foam. Rinse. Glow.” The video is around 15 seconds in length and aims to catch the attention of the users as they are scrolling through the feed. Currently, in-feed ads will cost $10/impression, with a minimum of 500 impressions prepaid.
Brand takeover
If you are looking to appear in front of your target audience in a major way, a brand takeover might be your best bet. A brand takeover is a full-screen ad that is displayed when a user opens the app. Typically, it is a three-second image or a three to five-second GIF. The ad is usually linked to a landing page or a Hashtag Challenge. As you might imagine, these ads are quite prevalent. In fact, they guarantee 5 million impressions, but those views come at a cost.
TikTok brand takeovers will cost about $50,000 per day. This sounds like a hefty price tag compared to other forms of social media advertising, but it is actually much less than an average TV advertisement. For example, to run a 30-second commercial on a national network, your business would pay around $100,000 on average.
One prime example of a successful brand takeover is the one you see above from the cosmetic brand TooFaced. With this sleek but striking display of their latest product, the brand was able to garner 7.6 million impressions, 2.54 million of those being unique impressions, in a single day. These kinds of ads are great options for larger businesses that have more flexibility in their marketing budget. The good news for smaller businesses is that social media advertising gives brands the opportunity to reach large audiences for a small cost or no cost at all.
Top-View ads
Top-View ads capture users' attention by appearing at the top of the For You feed when you first open the app. These types of ads tend to be longer and offer a more focused experience for the viewer because they are not drowned out by other videos. If you think this sounds similar to brand takeover ads, you are correct. The difference is that branded takeover ads appear as soon as the user opens the app, and Top-View ads are the first in-feed post after three seconds. Plus, Top-View ads are TikTok’s longest video ad format, while brand takeover ads are only a few seconds long.
Top-View ads can last up to 60 seconds, and for that reason, the cost is a bit higher, currently sitting at $65,000 per day. Below is an example of a Top-View ad from the candle company Homesick. The ad goes through various zodiac signs and shows the candles that the company makes for each. This is an effective example of consumer targeting because this type of content is being shown to users who are already interested in astrology. While the services your business offers might not be written in the stars, your target consumers’ interests are certainly written in the algorithm, and Top-View ads will help you take full advantage of that.
Branded hashtag challenge (HTC)
TikTok’s Branded Hashtag Challenge (HTC) is so powerful because it plays on the users’ desire to express themselves on social media. The HTC is one of the ways TikTok is changing the marketing world and making room for new business models to get involved. Hashtag challenges allow businesses to reach their audience in an organic way by paying attention to the trends they are following and hopping on board.
In order for your HTC to live up to its full potential, you will need to get a bit creative and think about the kinds of videos your target audience would share on their own pages. Any page can create a hashtag challenge with the hopes of going viral, but businesses can also sponsor their videos to increase the chances of getting them in front of the right eyes.
A prime example of a successful HTC was Amazon’s #PajamaJam that the company released last holiday season. The rules of the challenge were simple. They encouraged Amazon shoppers to post a video of themselves dancing in their PJs using #PajamaJam in the caption for a chance to win one of 20 $250 gift cards. In total, the campaign garnered 6.2 billion views, and gained attention from some major TikTok influencers like Amelie Zilber, who currently has 7.3 million followers on the platform (see below). You can imagine the potential this level of viewership has for client conversions and overall brand awareness.
HTCs and influencer marketing on TikTok often go hand-in-hand, but that is not always the case. Just like with any other social media platform, your business is welcome to work with influencers whose audiences are similar to that of your own. You could ask them to start a hashtag challenge, or you could simply ask them to vouch for your products or services. The cost for this type of collaboration will depend on the individual influencer and the scale of their reach. Every influencer will determine their own prices, but you can find out these numbers as well as their typical engagement metrics by contacting their team.
Branded effects
For this particular ad opportunity, TikTok took some notes from Snapchat and Instagram filters. You can use a branded effect to display your business name in a fun, striking way. TikTok’s branded effects can include stickers, special effects, and filters like branded lenses. The cost for these effects starts at $10 CPM, or per 1000 impressions. Typically, branded effects will end up costing between $50,000-$120,000, depending on the duration you choose.
Branded effects will appear on the first page of the effects panel and can stay there for up to three days. After that point, they will no longer be found on the effects panel, but can still be searched for and used. This type of user-generated content helps users and potential clients to feel included in your brand’s mission and to get excited about it. See an example of a branded effect from Coca-Cola below.
TikTok marketing represents the future of digital media, and we want to help make sure that your business stays ahead of the curve. If you want some guidance with your digital marketing strategy, reach out to the marketing team at Scorpion.
