There’s a reason social media management is now an entire career path. As the adoption of social media has grown in recent years, more and more companies are understanding its importance to their sales and marketing efforts. As much as social media can unlock exciting potential for your company, done poorly, it can damage your brand reputation. So, before you create a new account on every trendy new platform (ahem, TikTok), pause and consider, “why?” Here are three questions you should ask yourself if you’re considering creating a brand presence on TikTok.
1. Who is your target customer?
TikTok has attracted multigenerational American users. But, as with most new platforms, the site is still dominated by Gen Z and millennial early adopters. With TikTok’s most recent, contentious spotlights in the news, it’s no wonder why some older users have opted to stay away. So what does this mean for you? Well, if your target customers fall outside the ages of 16 to 24, establishing yourself on TikTok may not be the smartest or best use of your team’s limited time. On the flip side, for brands whose main source of revenue comes from customers in this range, TikTok could very well be an important platform in which to invest time and resources.
2. How much bandwidth does your team have?
In order to succeed on TikTok, you’ll need to create a plan and content specific to the platform. While other social media outlets blur the line between advertising and personal content, overt sales attempts on TikTok won’t go over well with its users. So, it’s worth considering, do you have the time and resources to devote to taking on a unique, new platform? Can your team handle the addition, or will you need to find an additional person to manage your brand on TikTok? Remember, success means more than posting on the platform. Interaction with other users is also critical to growing and maintaining a loyal following.
3. What is your brand personality?
Brands from the Washington Post to Chipotle have mastered TikTok. While many different kinds of companies can succeed on the platform, it’s important to be able to produce the right kind of content. Because of TikTok’s algorithm, under-produced, organic content does better than perfectly polished videos do. So before you take the leap and establish your brand on the platform, consider—is relaxed, trendy, casual content right for our brand image? If this kind of content feels at odds with your brand personality, TikTok may not be the platform for you.
Opportunities to tell your story on new media platforms abound. Discerning where and how to spend your time will be vital to making the biggest impact for your brand. TikTok may be a valuable source of connection with your target customers, especially if you’re aiming to reach younger generations. Before you join, be sure to spend some time understanding what works (and what doesn’t) in the TikTok space.
