TikTok is one of the biggest social media platforms on the internet, with millions of monthly active users. There are countless stories of people earning hundreds of thousands of dollars on TikTok videos alone. Companies have also been discovered through TikTok and made millions – achieving massive brand awareness and conversions in the process. Peachy BBs, CeeCee’s Closet NYC, Poppin Candy—we could go on and on!
So if you want your business to flourish, it’s worth giving TikTok a shot. Just keep in mind that leveraging TikTok for marketing is different from other types of digital marketing. What matters in regular SEO doesn’t matter as much in TikTok marketing strategies, and vice versa.
This article gives you a quick rundown of TikTok algorithms and how to leverage them to grow your business.
Table of Contents
How Does TikTok Rank Content?
TikTok ranks content based on three main factors: user interactions, video information, and device/account settings.
- User interactions: The more comments, likes, shares, views, and favorites a video has, the more likely TikTok will recommend it to new audiences. This is where creating engaging videos with high engagement rates is key.
- Video information: TikTok’s algorithm heavily depends on video information to recommend content to users. This includes hashtags, captions, sound effects, music, and relevant keywords. Using trending hashtags and participating in hashtag challenges can significantly boost your visibility.
- Devices and account settings: Users receive content recommendations according to their language preference, the country they live in, and the type of device they’re using. Understanding your target demographic is crucial for tailoring your content.
TikTok Strategies to Skyrocket Your Visibility
Here are some TikTok marketing strategies that you should follow to optimize your posts:
Follow Trends
TikTok thrives on trends. They may come and go on a bi-weekly basis, but when they’re hot, they perform extremely well in the algorithm.
Jump on TikTok trends and use popular elements that make a video go viral, whether it be an audio, filter, or filming/editing style. Duets are a great way to engage with trending content and reach a wider audience.
However, be selective about the trend you choose. If you post about medical-related content, you probably wouldn’t want to participate in dance trends—simply because your audience doesn’t care about dance trends.
Use TikTok’s built-in Audience Insights to identify who is watching your videos and make TikTok content that you believe will resonate most with your target audience.
This is pretty much a no-brainer.
TikTok’s search engine optimizer isn’t as advanced or comprehensive as Google’s SEO. It doesn’t utilize internal linking, XML sitemaps, and other technical factors to rank videos. Instead, it mostly relies on keywords, hashtags, and video information.
Properly title your videos and include relevant popular hashtags so people can discover your content. A handful of hashtags should suffice—don’t overload the description with too many as it can appear spammy.
Add the main keywords in the title and long-tail keywords in the description, caption, and subheading. Also, be sure to say the keywords out loud or at the very least add an on-screen text to make it more memorable and effective.
TikTok loves shareable content. The more people share and favorite your videos, the more they’ll recommend them to other people. Encourage user-generated content (UGC) by creating engaging content that inspires users to participate.
Educational videos and tutorials are a great way to encourage people to share and favorite content to refer to later. Narrative-focused content also works well because people love stories, especially if they have a good takeaway/ending.
Find out what your audience is most interested in or what they’re looking for and create content that caters to it.
Collaborate with Influencers
Influencer marketing can be incredibly powerful on TikTok. Partnering with relevant TikTok influencers can expose your brand to a wider audience and build credibility. Consider influencer collaborations that feel authentic and align with your brand identity.
Run TikTok Ads
While organic reach is important, TikTok ads, such as in-feed ads, can help you reach a much larger audience and target specific demographics.
Leverage the “For You” Page
The “For You” page (FYP) is the heart of TikTok. Creating high-quality video content that aligns with TikTok trends increases your chances of landing on the FYP and reaching a massive audience.
Embrace Different Content Formats
Experiment with different formats, such as short-form videos, live streams, and hashtag challenges, to keep your content fresh and engaging.
By implementing these strategies and consistently analyzing your TikTok analytics, you can harness the power of TikTok to boost your brand’s presence, reach potential customers, and achieve your marketing goals.
Conclusion
TikTok has rapidly evolved into a powerful marketing platform, offering businesses unparalleled opportunities to enhance brand visibility and connect with a vast and engaged audience. By understanding the nuances of TikTok’s algorithm and implementing the strategies outlined in this article, you can effectively leverage the platform to achieve your marketing objectives.
Remember to prioritize high-quality content creation, embrace trends, and actively engage with your audience. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different content formats and collaborate with influencers to expand your reach. Continuously analyze your performance metrics and adapt your strategies accordingly to maximize your impact on TikTok.
With dedication and a strategic approach, TikTok can become an invaluable asset in your digital marketing arsenal, driving brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, business growth.
