TikTok Tips for Brands

    TikTok has quickly become one of the most powerful platforms for marketing today. With over a billion monthly active users and an algorithm built around content discovery, it offers brands a unique chance to reach massive audiences — especially younger ones. As a college freshman studying marketing, I’ve been learning how platforms like TikTok are reshaping the way brands connect with people. Chapter 11 of Essentials of Social Media Marketing is where it breaks down specifically how brands can effectively utilize TikTok. The bottom line? TikTok success lies in genuine, innovative content — not in conventional advertisements.
    TikTok has its own culture as well, and users are not hesitant to swipe away content that feels fake or overly promotional. To succeed, brands need to take a read on what's trending, how folks engage with content and what feels native to the platform.
    For example, language learning app Duolingo has garnered millions of views by leaning into the quirky humor of TikTok. The brand uses its mascot, the Duolingo owl, to create funny and slightly unexpected videos that belong in trends but are still on brand. It's the type of content that doesn't feel forced and is playful, so it works.
    One of the worst things brands do on TikTok is to treat it like a traditional ad platform. TikTok videos that resemble and feel like the rest of the content on the platform — so-called native-style content — perform much better. Those videos are often short, shot vertically and include trending sounds or TikTok's internal editing tools.
    Brands like Chipotle and the NBA are greatutilizers of this aesthetic, sharing rapid behind-the-scenes clips, fan submissions and creative twists on trending themes. The goal is to make something that would appear like an average user would post — just with a little more strategy behind it.
    Trends are one of TikTok's strongest suits. Whether it's a dance challenge, a sound bite or a hashtag, jumping on a trend can make a brand stand out. However, simply copying what all the others are doing won't cut it. The best brands take trends and make them their own.
    This could be done by using a trend to show a product in a funny or unexpected way, or by including a brand mascot or team member to make the post stand out. If it fits the brand's voice and feels genuine, it can boost engagement and reach.
    TikTok videos may be short, but the best ones still tell a story. Whether it's a before-and-after transformation, a day-in-the-life vlog or a simple narrative with a beginning, middle and end, storytelling matters.
    Effective videos start with a hook in the first few seconds, which is crucial to keep viewers watching. And because TikTok's algorithm prefers videos that people watch all the way through, storytelling can increase visibility.
    TikTok is not just about posting videos — it's also about building community. Brands that engage with comments, stitch or duet with others and request user participation see more engagement.
    A way of engaging users is branded hashtag challenges. These encourage individuals to create their own content around a theme, which propagates brand awareness while making users feel like they are part of something bigger.
    Success on TikTok doesn't happen overnight, and it isn't a science. Brands need to keep experimenting with different types of content, see how they perform with TikTok's analytics tools and adjust based on what is performing best.
    Engagement metrics like watch time, likes, shares and comments are especially important. If a video is doing well in engagement terms, the TikTok algorithm is more likely to push it out to more users' For You pages.
    At its core, TikTok is a platform built on creativity and authenticity. Brands that understand its culture and use it to tell great stories are more likely to build real connections with their audience. As a new player in the marketing space, it's exciting to see how short-form video content can have such an impact — and how even the most playful platforms can have serious results.

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