Should you be using TikTok Ads?

Searching for a way to level up your paid advertising strategy? Want to grow your business and reach new audiences? TikTok advertising is taking the world by storm, helping brands reach content-hungry demographics.

Surpassing 1 billion users in September 2021, TikTok is the platform you should be using to strengthen brand awareness, increase your audience, and positively impact your brand’s overall business performance. That being said, TikTok can be the perfect platform for your brand depending on a number of factors. In this post, you’ll find key elements identifying if your brand is the right fit for TikTok. 

Based on the vertical, is TikTok the right platform for you?

 

Prior to leveraging TikTok as a paid advertising platform, first identify if your brand is allowed to advertise on TikTok. While there are several verticals accepted on TikTok ads, several verticals cannot advertise on TikTok due to the platform’s strong Industry Entry policy. Examples of verticals that are a great fit for TikTok include, but are not limited to, E-commerce, Clothing & Accessories, Food & Beverage, Personal Care, and Makeup & Beauty. Meanwhile, brands that don’t work or are prohibited on TikTok include Energy, Home Furnishings, Alcohol, Cannabis, and more.

It is strongly advised that, before putting valuable time and dollars into pushing TikTok ads, you identify if your brand aligns with TikTok’s policies. If unidentified, your TikTok paid ads presence could not only be rejected, but also banned from the TikTok platform.

Consider your target audience and product

 

With 140M users in the US, TikTok users spend an average of 85+ minutes daily in the TikTok app and open the TikTok app at an average of 19x per day. While this audience is sizable and is fans of TikTok’s immersive, engaging experience, the majority of TikTok users are between the ages of 18-24 years old, followed by the ages of 24-34 years old. With that information, ask yourself “is my product the right fit for TikTok?” and “will I reach the best audience for my brand on TikTok?”

If a brand’s target audience demographic is, for example, 50+ years old, TikTok is not the place to invest your dollars. Similarly, if your brand’s product is geared towards an older age demographic, TikTok may not be the best place to invest in your brand. Alternatively, TikTok is the platform to be on if your brand caters to a younger audience demographic. With 47% of TikTok users not on Instagram, 44% of TikTok users not on Facebook, and 69% of TikTok users not on Twitter, brands can reach audiences exclusive to the TikTok space.

Creative is the most important aspect of TikTok

 

Tailored to the platform’s unique characteristics, creative should lean heavily into authenticity, aligning with the native TikTok experience. Veer away from overproduced creative that looks like it was shot on a hi-definition camera and lean into creative that looks like you shot it on your iPhone that very second! If your brand needs to play a heavy hand in creative and is opposed to leveraging creative that is UGC, then TikTok may not be the right fit for you.

Organic presence strengthens credibility

 

An established organic presence on TikTok not only strengthens brand credibility, but also aids in building a brand’s community. An organic presence is nearly necessary to play an integral role in a brand’s overall performance on TikTok. When a brand’s organic profile is curated and utilizes creative that is in-line with TikTok best practices, credibility and trust are strengthened and brand awareness sees strong upticks in performance. 

An important detail to note is that a TikTok organic presence and paid advertising strategy complement one another. When a brand has a strong organic presence, Spark ads (a.k.a. boosted posts), can be leveraged, which, when stemming from a brand’s organic TikTok profile, a user clicks on the handle and is brought to the brand’s feed, driving increases in followers, profile visits, likes, and more. 

Now that you’re strapped with knowledge and can identify if your brand is the perfect fit for TikTok, your ideal marketing approach is a click away. Leverage the power of TikTok marketing today with our digital marketing services.