TikTok has quickly become a popular social media platform, with over one billion active users worldwide, it is the go-to app for 30.25% of the world’s internet users. By now, we all know – or at least have an idea of – how TikTok works: its main feature is to allow users to create and share short-form videos, being the source of a lot of viral content which often will get re-shared on other platforms.
Of course, given the high traffic and impact that TikTok has, businesses have had to adapt to a new way of sharing content. While TikTok is effective at initiating sales in unsuspecting consumers (you can see the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt for reference) and making people feel more connected to brands (73% of TikTok users felt more connected to brands they discovered on TikTok than on other social media platforms), we have to consider that normal advertising might not perform as well on this platform: at times, the best strategy to generate engagement is to embrace current trends and challenges.
Why is Viral TikTok Content Effective?
One of the characteristics of viral content is that it can reach millions of users in a matter of hours. TikTok algorithm favors content that is engaging and shareable, which means that videos that gain traction quickly will be pushed out to a larger audience. These videos often feature creative or humorous content that resonates with the app’s audience who engages with and share content they find entertaining.
What Should I Consider Before Getting into TikTok?
The first question you should ask yourself is WHO your audience is.
While you can find all age groups on TikTok, most users are under 35.
Another thing to consider is the location of your audience. TikTok, being a global platform, might share your content with people outside of your geographical area. TikTok ads manager allows you to do location-based segmentation; however, the content of your page – particularly anything that gets to go viral – will be shown outside of your targeted area.
How to Create Viral TikTok Content
Creating a viral TikTok requires creativity, planning, and luck. While you never know what will be a hit, here are some tips that can help you find that engagement you are looking for:
- Embrace Trends: While we would love to be the next Maxwell the Cat, TikTok is all about following the latest trends and challenges. By participating in popular challenges and using trending hashtags, your chances of going viral will increase.
- Keep it Short and Sweet: TikTok allows videos of up to 10 minutes; however, we recommend keeping your videos between 24-34 seconds in length. Focus on one key message or idea, make sure it’s easy to understand and remember, and of course, entertaining.
- Use Music: Using popular or trending songs will help create videos that feel fresh and relevant to the audience.
- Be Authentic: Don’t force yourself or over-script your ideas. Aim to create content that feels genuine and honest and avoid overly promotional content. Showcase your brand’s personality and values.
- Collaborate with Other Creators: Looking for partnerships can help increase your brand’s reach and credibility. Think about it as if you were building SEO authority – having someone backing you up can get you far
Viral TikToks can be an amazing tool for engagement and brand awareness; however, we should not forget that our Social Media Presence should be a mix of different platforms and should reflect consistently who we are as a business.
