With more than 500 million active monthly users, TikTok has evolved from a quirky video creating and sharing app to a social media giant. And if you know the platform only for its dance challenges or lip-synching videos, it is time to understand its power to grow your vinyl fencing business.
This article will discuss how you can use TikTok as a marketing tool and offer tips for doing it the right way.
Organizations that have grown through TikTok
Many companies are finding that TikTok allows them to connect with customers — including a newer, younger customer base — in fun, engaging ways.
The companies that are harnessing TikTok to its full extent range from restaurants to beauty brands and from health organizations to airlines. Let’s look at a few examples of businesses that have used TikTok to attract more customer engagement.
Chipotle. This restaurant chain launched its “GuacDance Challenge in 2019” which encouraged folks to show off avocado-themed dance moves. Over a six-day run, there were 250,000 video submissions and 430 million video starts. The result? The chain’s best-ever guacamole sales on National Avocado Day.
Ryanair. This low-fare airline created some social media excitement during the pandemic with its funny videos. Filmed from the point of view of the cabin crew, the engaging videos racked up a 1.2 million following.
Duolingo. This language app used its large green mascot to reach out to a new audience with amazing results. The entertaining content attracted 1.4 million followers.
World Health Organization. In an effort to reach more young people with health information and to debunk false information, the World Health Organization (WHO) created a TikTok channel early on in the pandemic. In addition to creating videos, WHO uses its channel to answer live health-related questions from followers.
How to Launch a TikTok Business Account
Here are the steps for opening a TikTok account for your fencing business:
1. Download and open the TikTok app.
2. Create a new personal account if you don’t already have one. (You can use your email address or your Google, Twitter, or Facebook account.)
3. Add a profile picture and bio and include links to your other social media accounts.
4. Tap Manage Account and choose the category that best describes your business account. Include your company logo and a brief description of your business. Add your business website and email address to your profile. Ideally, you should be using the same images, colors, and descriptions across your social media accounts.
5. Develop a strategy. Now that you have your account established, it is time to consider your content carefully. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the existing content on the platform. Check out the videos on the “For You” page, noting elements they have in common. Open the “Discover” page to see the top trending hashtags and videos. Be sure to check out what your competitors are posting.
6. Find ways to take part in trending content. Part of what makes marketing on TikTok manageable is that you do not always have to reinvent the wheel. You can find your own spin on what others are doing. Here are a few ideas:
If you see a trend in morning routines, you can showcase you or your team first thing in the morning.
Ask a team member’s child or grandchild to teach everyone the latest hashtag dance or take part in a hashtag challenge. A challenge is when a video post encourages users to film themselves doing a specific action or dance.
Ask participants to film themselves doing the challenge and hashtag the challenge name in their captions. People who view the challenge or participate in it themselves can interact with your brand when they see your post.
Does your company have a mascot? Do you have a pet or kids that visits your showroom? Two magic ingredients to Tik Tom content are kids and animals.
7. Add your own spin. As you gain more experience with the platform, you will gain more confidence and get more creative. Remember: this app is not about being formal. Low-key, down-to-earth, and humorous content that connects with your customer base is what you should aim for. Do not be afraid to show off your new fence colors or to showcase how easy it is to clean a vinyl fence with a short tutorial.
8. Team up with others. Some of the most successful TikTok users collaborate with others. Is there an influencer with whom you can partner for videos? Influencers have their own fan base on the app and can help you reach many more people.
Another idea is for your fencing company to sponsor a hashtag challenge that a local non-profit is doing. You get the satisfaction of helping your community and the added boost of a custom banner across the “Discover” page.
Tips For Getting The Most Out of TikTok
Keep your videos short and snappy. The ideal TikTok video is only 10 to 15 seconds in length.
Experiment with filters and special effects. TikTok viewers expect them, so have some fun adding them to your videos.
Use music. Most TikTok videos have a song or some type of sound effect as the background.
Film multiple shots. Try new angles to make your video livelier and more interesting.
Add trending hashtags. Be sure to use relevant hashtags so users will see your video when they search for that hashtag.
Incorporate plenty of humor. In a world that is filled with heavy news and subject matter, TikTok is a place where people can go for lighter content.
Cross-promote your TikTok content. Include links to your TikTok account on your website and other social media pages.
Statistics Do Not Lie
Are you still on the fence about using TikTok for your business? Perhaps some current statistics will convince you.
TikTok has about 130 million active users each month in the U.S. Long a favorite of young people, TikTok’s user base is trending upward in age.
March 2022 data reveals the following age data in the USA:
Age 19 and under — 32.5 percent
20 to 29 — 29.5 percent
30 to 39 — 16.4 percent
40 to 49 — 13.9 percent
50 and up — 7.1 percent.
About 60 percent of users are female, and about 40 percent are male. The average user opens the app eight times a day and spends about 52 minutes per day on it.
If you are looking for a way to reach out to younger customers for your fencing products, maybe it is time to give TikTok a try.