From beginning as a platform for dancing and lip syncing, TikTok has come a long way to becoming a colossal social media giant. Formerly known as Musical.ly, this app now boasts a billion monthly active users.
However, despite its popularity, there are still many misconceptions about the platform that can hold back brands from making the most of it.
Debunking Misconceptions
In this article, we’ll debunk some of the most common misconceptions about TikTok for brands.
You can’t go viral on TikTok with small followers
One of the biggest misconceptions about TikTok is that you need a large following to go viral on the platform. While having a large following can help you reach more people, it’s not the only factor determining whether a video will go viral or not.
TikTok is designed to show users content based on their interests, not the number of followers a creator has. So, a well-made video with high engagement can go viral regardless of your following size. In fact, smaller brands and content creators can often have a greater impact on TikTok than larger brands with millions of followers simply because they tend to create content that resonates with their target audience.
Take advantage of the For You Page (FYP) by creating fun, creative, visually appealing and easy-to-understand content to increase the chances of your videos landing in your target audience’s FYP.
Short-form videos are not good marketing tools
Another common misconception that brands have about TikTok is that users are less engaged with shorter videos. This theory stemmed from the fact that brands can only fit so much in a short video, so you aren’t able to deliver your messages within a short amount of time. However, this is far from the truth, as the demand for short-form videos continues to be on the rise.
Studies have shown that the human attention span has decreased over the years due to the rise of technology and our increasing reliance on digital devices. As a result, shorter videos are actually better suited to capturing users’ attention and keeping them engaged.
For brands, this means that creating short videos for TikTok can be an effective way to reach and engage with a large audience. In fact, some of the most successful TikTok campaigns have been built around quick, visually striking videos designed to grab users’ attention and leave a lasting impression.
TikTok is just a fad, no need to adapt
While some may think that TikTok is just a fad, the platform has already proven itself to be a major player in the social media world, with a growing user base and significant influence over popular culture. Brands that refuse to embrace TikTok might risk missing out on a large, engaged audience and limiting their growth potential.
While it can be tempting to stick to what’s familiar and comfortable, it’s important to remember that taking risks and embracing change can lead to new opportunities for growth and success. However, while it’s true that social media platforms can come and go, you should remember that it’s not the platform that makes a brand successful, but rather the content and the connection with the audience.
Posting several times a day is the way to go
It is true that TikTok requires brands to regularly post on the platform to boost their visibility, but a brand doesn’t need to post several times a day to be successful. Instead, they should focus on developing high-quality and engaging content and let TikTok’s algorithm do the rest.
While it’s essential to maintain consistency with your posting schedule, compromising quality for quantity would do more harm than good for your brand. Shorter videos with trending music and visually appealing effects can create quality content.
In that regard, you might wonder, how many posts can I upload a day? TikTok’s algorithm tends to reward accounts that post frequently, but posting more than three videos a day is too much.
You have to post at the same time everyday
Although posting at the right time can help increase your reach, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for the one best post timing on TikTok. The most important factor to consider regarding post timing is to think about when your target audience is most likely to be using the app and engaging with content.
Experiment with posting at different times and analyzing the performance of your posts to determine the best posting schedule.
Deleting posts with low engagement
People often think if a post doesn’t receive high engagement right away, it’s not worth keeping – this is completely wrong. While it can be tempting to remove posts that don’t perform well, deleting them could actually harm your account’s overall performance.
Deleting posts can disrupt the overall consistency and aesthetic of your account, which could turn off potential followers. Instead of deleting posts with low engagement, brands can consider resharing them at a later time or repurposing the content in a different format. This can give the content a second chance to perform well and reach a new audience.
With TikTok’s impressive engagement rates, significant potential for growth and influential algorithms can significantly enhance your digital marketing strategy. However, acting quickly and dismissing the misconceptions mentioned above are crucial to capitalizing on what TikTok offers.
