Brands killing it on TikTok.

Brands are using many marketing strategies on TikTok, with most relying on influencer marketing and hashtag challenges. Here are some examples of brands that understand TikTok marketing.

Chipotle

This popular Mexican restaurant chain has over 55,000 fans on TikTok. They publish a variety of posts that use music, memes, and other references to highlight menu items. Here are two examples:

@chipotleThey say he’s still unsure to this day ##chipotle ##fyp ##comedy♬ original sound – chipotle

This is a funny way to work a well-known song into a video that creatively shows off menu items.

@chipotleThe internet is wild ##oneyearoftiktok♬ #Me at the concert – #someonelikeyou

Not only was the video fitting for the meme-friendly app, but it also sparked a viral #GuacDance Challenge. In just a week, it became the highest-performing branded challenge on TikTok to date.
As part of the challenge, people posted videos of themselves dancing with avocados. 

The Washington Post

The Washington Post was one of TikTok’s earliest brand adopters. Those who haven’t seen their videos, might be anticipating investigative or serious content. But in reality, The Washington Post operates differently on TikTok.

Surprisingly, the newspaper actually uses its account to post comedic behind-the-scenes videos and skits about the newsroom, no wonder it´s nickname on TikTok is We are a newspaper. These videos fit in perfectly with the platform because they’re funny, musical, and embrace some of TikTok’s weirdest special effects.

Here’s one great example of social distancing during COVID-19 days (please watch the last Quarantine TikToks).  

@washingtonpostSome useful definitions ##coronavirus ##newspaper♬ Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope (Cantina Band) – The Original Movies Orchestra

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization uses it too in these crazy COVID-19 days to create conscious content through interesting TikToks using the platform to bring news, knowledge and to spread some challenges. 

@whoJoin the WHO ##SafeHands challenge and show us how you practice ##handhygiene to be safe from ##coronavirus. Let’s fight ##COVID19 together!♬ original sound – who

Regarding paid advertising, here are some TikTok ads:

Biddable Ads

This works through dynamic bids for advertising space. Its configuration is manual since programmatic advertising is not yet possible on TikTok. These are video ads that are shown in the main feed of the social network, available to CPC, CPM, and CPV. However, the possibilities of segmentation are not yet very advanced: it allows geographic (not very precise) and demographic segmentation by age and gender, but the segmentation by interests and behavior is still pending. What it does offer is the possibility of creating personalized audiences, with black or white lists. Improvements are expected to come soon. As for the investment, there is no minimum for the ads on TikTok, but it is logical to think that it must be enough for the ad to have a scope that really has an optimal result.

Brand Takeover

This is an advertisement that appears at the moment the user accesses the app. It consists of a static image that shows a message and allows the user to be redirected to an external or internal site. The visibility is great, but the disadvantages are not lacking: it is limited to one advertiser per day, it can be annoying and intrusive for users and its format is far from native in TikTok, so it does not have the strength of the content typical of the social network.

Branded Lenses

It is an ad format that offers augmented reality filters similar to those that already integrate networks such as Snapchat or Instagram, which makes the content more attractive and encourages user participation. Well used resources, this format can be a very advantageous option for brands to get their messages across in a language that is typical of the best accepted functionalities among the youngest target.

Hashtag Challenge (advertising version on TikTok)

With the same approach that we explained at the beginning, the Hashtag Challenge is reinforced by the possibility of injecting a budget that confers visibility and promotes participation. The objective is to ensure that users become active agents and generate content associated with that challenge or campaign, a natural tendency and, therefore, can take advantage of the viral phenomenon. An example of this format is found in the Donettes campaign, #DonettesMatchChallenge.

With a representation of 35% of the population, centennials are increasingly influencing consumption and the economy. its assumed digital dependence, its high degree of identification with its social networks or its influence on domestic consumption given its ability to locate information and reviews.

Multiple sources indicate that TikTok invests heavily in Snapchat, so with this, it shows us that it not only wants to expand its target by adding users of all ages but also that it wants to rob the public of the competition.

Advertising on TikTok suitable for centennials:

Centennials spend an average of 2.40 hours a day connected to their phones, but more than 60% have adblockers installed. In addition, as digital natives that they are, they demand full usability and reject outright those applications or websites that make navigation difficult. In addition, its omnipresence digital facilitates having very complete profiles or IDs in order to be able to carry out very precise segmentations.

Thus, mobile, native and content advertising, located on social networks and hyper-segmented according to interests, seems to be part of the formula for success. The other? Understand what they want, what moves them, how they communicate with each other and how the fact that they are now in charge of creating the content affects the whole. In this sense, advertising on TikTok could be one of the best ways today to impact Generation Z

Some Tiktokers to follow:

1- Hoddy

He was previously known on TikTok under the username Hoddygaming. Toda, he has recently achieved 1 million followers on the platform. He’s also served as the director of a non-profit organization called U Matter.

@hoddyIt be like that sometimes 🤷🏼‍♂️🔥 ##hodsquad ##tiktokteacher ##foryou ##ButterGlossPop ##funny ##vibes ##dance (READ BIO)♬ original sound – m1cahware

2- Charli D’Amelio

The one and only @charlidamelio a 38.3 M followers micro dancer. 

@charlidamelioit’s late late♬ dźwięk oryginalny – uwu_kajak

3- Jesse Richards (Deep Faker) 

Face changer and name taker Jesse Richards AKA @deepfaker putting Steve Carell’s face on Charli D’Amelio, bringing together two of Gen Z’s favorite people. It is not fair he has only 42.6K followers. 

@deepfakerMichael Scott’s face on @charlidamelio’s body. ##CoolRanchDance ##charli♬ original sound – deepfaker

4- JiffPom

Nobody said all the members of our list have to be human. So it’s only fitting that we throw the internet’s favorite Pomeranian into it. JiffPom is a tiny cute dog who happens to hold two Guinness world records for his speed on two of his four little legs. 

@jiffpom♬ She Gon Go – Trill Ryan

As it claims on Creator Marketplace, TikTok empowers everyone to be a creator directly from their smartphones, and is committed to building a community by encouraging users to share their passion and creative expression through their videos.