Generation Z and TikTok

The rise of TikTok has drastically changed how people consume entertainment on social media platforms. by eClear

As reported by eMarketer, American adults who use TikTok spend an average of 38 minutes daily on the app. This surpasses the time spent on other popular social networks such as Twitter (35 minutes), Facebook (31 minutes), Snapchat (30 minutes) and Instagram (29 minutes).

Brands have long understood this and have added TikTok to their marketing mix. And the love appears to be mutual, according to Blake Chandlee, President Global Business Solutions at TikTok, who spoke out accordingly: “Brands play an important role in the TikTok experience, and our community is extremely enthusiastic and loves to engage with their favourite brands. We help businesses of all sizes develop the right strategies and solutions for their branding and marketing that they can’t find anywhere else.”

eMarketer reports that while 24.8% of TikTok users are motivated to purchase using the app, only 15.0% do so. Moreover, Facebook has a clear lead in this area: 67.7% of users are encouraged to make a purchase and 74.2% make direct purchases on the platform. Although TikTok users are highly engaged and spend much time on the app, it has yet to attract as many buyers. However, the company is working to improve the overall experience for both users and brands/advertisers this year.

Keep entertainment a priority

With a platform like TikTok, where content is paramount, it is important always to remember that users are using this app as entertainment. This must always remain in focus in all planning.

Effective strategies for a content-centred approach

If you want to engage the audience, you have to focus on content. But what are the most effective practices to achieve this and ensure that the content-driven approach leads to success? Here are some points to consider.

Avoiding excessive advertising: TikTok has found that videos that are not directly related to a product but are integrated into the content in a natural, non-promotional way work reliably.

Humour! — TikTok users respond to cheerful, cheeky, playful content.
Use audio – TikTok has found that many viral videos on the platform use audio clips, whether original sounds, trending sounds or popular songs.
Creative scope for content creators – These often have a good sense of presenting products entertainingly and naturally.
Educational and entertaining remain “edutainment” – lifehacks, tips, and tricks are regularly among the most viewed videos on TikTok.
Choose products carefully – the content-oriented approach may lead to a viral “smash hit”.