Embrace the Short-form App to Grow Your Audience and Engagement

We’re highlighting the benefits of expanding your content to TikTok: one of the most popular trends in short-form content, targeting primarily Gen Z users. As individuals globally are encouraged to stay home due to COVID-19, the already popular app has seen a massive surge in users. In fact, in March 2020 there were more than 115 million downloads worldwide. 

This article is part of a multi-platform strategy series detailing the benefits for content owners – from the singular creator to an established brand – of developing a content strategy that has multi-platform success in mind. As you continue on in this article, consider: 

1. How can you make your content strategy diverse enough to be successful on TikTok?
   
2. Are you considering different formats for the same piece of content that cater to TikTok’s user base?
   
3. And finally, can expanding your content to TikTok truly drive success for your content strategy? 

As of June 2019, mobile TikTok users in the U.S spent an average of 357.39 minutes per month on the platform, second only to Facebook among social platforms, according to Statista.

TikTok is a phenomenon, to say the least. To say the most, many are calling it the souped up version of Vine. However you slice it, plenty of influencers and creators are jumping aboard the addictive short-form video app. And the race to accumulate followers has been well documented by the media, with 15-year-old Charli D’Amelio recently achieving the top spot. TikTok stars have even been clubbing together in mansions, such as the Hype House, to provide a continuous stream of entertainment for their viewers. And let’s not forget Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty TikTok house designed to showcase “the next wave of content creators”.

How Does TikTok Translate to a Multi-Platform Strategy?

A large number of celebrities have been joining the craze and are experiencing significant levels of engagement. For the release of his new single, Drake enlisted Instagram and YouTube stars to collaborate on a dance that would go viral on the short-form platform. 

Additionally, Jennifer Lopez recently shared the same video on both Twitter and TikTok. Despite having 45 million Twitter followers and 7.8 million TikTok followers, the video achieved over 70 million views on TikTok compared to 2 million on Twitter. This example is worth keeping in mind for all types of content owners, as it demonstrates the difference between following and views. Having an engaged, active audience that is smaller can be more valuable than a much larger audience that is inactive.

It also further validates the move towards more micro-influencer focused marketing for brands seeking to achieve higher engagement levels rather than awareness alone. 

Overall, TikTok stars often reshare their videos to other channels, such as YouTube or Instagram. This is a strong multi-platform strategy, as it widens their exposure and makes space for another fanbase to access their content.  

Brands and Media Companies Using TikTok

TikTok is evolving fast – especially where brands and media companies are concerned. It’s even doing its best to keep business companies up to date.

Recently, it was reported that TikTok briefs media companies with reports detailing emerging trends before they make waves on the platform. 

TikTok is smart to do this. The gesture also suggests that it’s on board with helping advertisers and media companies tap into the platform’s fast-paced trends and predominantly Gen Z audience.

As a whole, the opportunity for brands and media companies to leverage TikTok’s user base is paying off. The NFL recently partnered with the app to promote content through hashtag challenges, behind-the-scenes footage and memes, in order to target younger demographics. Wimbledon and the NBA have both worked with TikTok to promote their games as well and the NBA is a good example of incorporating it as part of a wider multi-platform strategy. This is because their TikTok account is used to show a different, lighter side of the brand. They achieve this through primarily sharing game highlights mixed with music montages, while their Instagram account is more focused on basketball games and highlights. 

What Does This All Mean for Content Owners?

TikTok is where many new video trends are taking off. Creators and brands alike should head here to gain some clout with the platform’s highly engaged and young user base, using short-form videos for laughs or impressive eyebrow raises.

Worried you might be too old? Just ask 42 year old Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, Tom Brady, who joined TikTok and posted this video that immediately went viral across all major social media platforms. His addition to the TikTok user base came at the heels of the NFL’s partnership with the social media app – turning eyes to TikTok, to the football star, and to the NFL brand. That’s just smart content strategy. 

If you need a kickstart on your TikTok strategy, BBTV has got you covered! Connect with our team to build your content strategy and maximize your potential on TikTok.

Like what you’ve read so far? Our next article will jump into the benefits of long-form formats with IGTV and Facebook Watch!

Struggling to retain audience engagement during COVID-19? Read our blog.