As we move into the year 2022, TikTok has altered the landscape of advertising and brand development. Worldwide, content creators are turning to social media to spread the word about their latest releases and engage with their audiences. TikTok is a no-brainer for businesses of all kinds to use to kick sales into high gear, as the app has over 1 billion monthly active users and 3 billion downloads worldwide.
However, the challenge for businesses is figuring out how to “hack” the TikTok algorithm. How can businesses stand out in a sea of content creators and hashtags?
When it comes to the platform’s algorithm, the company prefers to keep things mysterious. They claim it’s an advanced content recommendation system that tailors recommendations to each individual user.
The For You page is a personalised homepage tailored specifically to you
It’s simple to find content and creators you love on TikTok because “when you open TikTok and land in your For You feed, you’re presented with a stream of videos curated to your interests,” the company writes. A recommendation engine drives this feed to provide each user with information that will most likely appeal to them.
Do you find this to be a lot of data? Nope. However, it does provide some insight into why and how B2B and B2C brands can benefit from TikTok.
In order to level the playing field for businesses in their pursuit of their ideal customers, they can all point their marketing efforts at the same place: the For You page (and vice versa). Gaining more followers can help you interact with people who are already interested in your brand, but it won’t have any bearing on how your content is discovered. Those with a small business and an interest in using TikTok to spread their message organically will be pleased to hear this.
At Zen Media, we’ve compiled a list of the top five ways to beat the TikTok system:
- Make sure your writing is both compelling and brief.
- Think of a hashtag campaign you can launch.
- Explore subgroups to locate your ideal customer base.
- Explore new options and developments within the app.
- Examine your data carefully.
Now is the time to become prominent on the About You page of your intended audience. Let’s get down to business, then.
Successful content on TikTok is attention-grabbing, succinct, and genuine
The first piece of advice may seem like common sense, but it’s actually one of the most crucial when attempting to crack the TikTok algorithm. Your content shouldn’t look or read like a PPC ad, but rather like your brand is telling its story to a group of friends. Keep it interesting, short, and genuine.
Build a solid hashtag strategy to increase your TikTok exposure
Learning how to successfully use hashtags is crucial for beating the TikTok algorithm. Using these hashtags effectively will allow you to reach the specific subsets of your desired audience.
Don’t limit your options based on your company’s size, sector, geographic location, or clientele make-up. Pose the following types of queries:
- I’m trying to figure out what kind of weekend activities my potential clients enjoy.
- Where do my products fit in different social circles?
- Which bands, restaurants, designers, and authors do my potential customers like?
- How can I adapt my services to the prevailing fashions?
Finding your niche
If you can be more specific in your responses, that would be great. This is a cornerstone of niche marketing that helps products stand out from the crowd and strengthen connections with their target audiences (for more about niche marketing, read our blog post about it).
Find out what other hashtags are being used in your niche once you’ve answered these questions. Assume you’re a member of a rock band looking to increase your online fan base. Try a subgenre like #poppunkmusic or #alternativeband if applicable instead of the over-950-million-viewed #rockmusic. Use #vanswarpedtour or #skaterlife if you want to reach young skaters who are nostalgic for the early 2000s scene. Finding and connecting with your ideal customers will be facilitated by your ability to more fully embrace the lifestyles of your personas.
Play around with the various in-app features and fads that TikTok has to offer
TikTok users have a blast tinkering with the app’s various editing tools and creative filters. These are accessible by brands by tapping the “Create” button in the screen’s bottom-center and then choosing the “effects menu” in the bottom-left.
The more time you spend using TikTok’s effects, the more the algorithm appreciates it. Try implementing these features here instead of looking elsewhere for them in your video software.
Engaging with the current TikTok craze is also a smart move for your company’s image. There is always something new that you can take advantage of and apply to your particular industry, whether it’s a viral audio clip or a philanthropic challenge. Participating in a trend requires using a popular sound and/or the proper hashtags, which will then include your video on the page dedicated to that hashtag.
Review your TikTok analytics and be flexible in your approach
It’s common knowledge that social media sites frequently alter their algorithmic structures. Since TikTok is constantly developing, there is no silver bullet for advertising on the platform. For this reason, it is crucial that you regularly review your TikTok statistics.
This can only be done with a TikTok Pro account, but anyone with a free account can upgrade to Pro by going to their account settings. Businesses and content producers from all industries are encouraged to make the switch and gain access to previously unavailable data and insights. This section of TikTok can help you hone your tactics, from demographic data to the average viewing times of your followers.