TikTok for Business: A Case for Video Marketing

With the explosion in the social media landscape, came a suite of services making their debut. From Facebook and Instagram to Snapchat and Twitter, prominent social media networks evolved from a space to connect with long-lost friends to one where businesses cultivate an engaging presence for their target consumers. Today, there are over 4.62 billion active users on social media platforms worldwide, according to Hootsuite, and of all these social sharing platforms, there is one game player that has recently become a cultural phenomenon – TikTok.

Launched in 2018, TikTok is now the world’s fastest-growing app. Allowing users to create short clips up to 60 seconds long, it remains at the forefront when it comes to hilarious memes, viral videos, and an outlet for creators to experiment with new styles of content. Accompanied by some insane algorithms that automatically push specific videos to target users, it is undoubtedly one of the best spaces to go viral. But how can businesses use TikTok to promote their brand?

Case Study: Gymshark

In less than a decade, Gymshark, a popular e-commerce fitness and apparel business, became a billion-dollar empire. How? By focusing on customer needs, being visionaries, and building an influencer community. The latter is where Gymshark’s TikTok genius shines through. Although the brand’s active community engagement and influencer marketing strategies are apparent across multiple social media channels, its bold move to fill the market gap in the TikTok cyberspace sets it apart from other market leaders. Steering clear of overly salesy content, Gymshark’s TikTok account is dominated by content on workout advice, challenges, and motivational encouragement – a lot of which are products of their partnership with fitness influencers. This move not only fostered a community atmosphere but was also the key to Gymshark gaining close to 2 million TikTok followers in just 6 months.

So, what does this mean for brands and businesses in Malaysia that want to make their mark in the TikTok community?

The Power of Influencer & Video Marketing in Malaysia

In Malaysia, there are approximately 4 million TikTok users, and the social media penetration rate stands at 69%. This means that the likelihood of active users converting to paying customers is high. Since it has been established that high-quality photography can improve conversion rates, imagine the success a TikTok video strategy can have. 

Research by Leaderonomics, a human resource consulting agency in Malaysia, shows that videos shorter than 90 seconds have an average retention rate of 59%. In addition, when viewers enjoy a video ad, their purchase intent increases by 97% and brand association by 139%. 51% of marketing professionals worldwide even state that video is the type of content with the best ROI. Pair this with the success experienced by Gymshark and Perfect Diary by having influencers promote their products, growing your business internationally will be a breeze.

How to Promote Your Business on TikTok?

Whether a small business or a large one, TikTok has several powerful features that guarantee exposure of your brand’s campaign to other social and international communities. Making things more streamlined for businesses, TikTok introduced TikTok for Business in mid-2020. Under this umbrella, marketers can find solutions such as In-Feed Videos, Brand Takeovers, Hashtag Challenges, and even a new AR effect called “Brand Scan” – all of which will help businesses in Malaysia connect and grow with the TikTok community. With the launch of this new advertising solution, how can you promote your business on TikTok?

1. Use the TikTok Self-Serve Advertising Tools

There is no need to stress about how to use TikTok for Business since all the new creative tools and performance features were designed with small businesses in mind. The TikTok Ads Manager is designed for quick setup, allowing businesses to adjust their spending flexibly. It is also integrated with intelligent targeting capabilities, ensuring that your brand is discovered by new audiences. Moreover, creative tools like the aforementioned Hashtag Challenges can be used to drive high engagement. 

2. Find the Right Influencer to Garner Attention

Even when on a tight budget, you’ll be able to find a micro influencer for your campaign. By partnering with an influencer, your brand will gain free access to hundreds of their followers who are already engaged. Once your business manages to impress these influential individuals with a huge following, it is only a matter of time before your brand’s name is on the lips of everyone. 

3. Have a Strategy and Be Consistent

Gymshark posts an average of 40 videos per month – and they’re not slowing down any time soon. This makes consistency the key to any TikTok marketing strategy. However, it is pivotal to recognise that your followers on Instagram and TikTok might not engage with a piece of content the same way. Therefore, be sure to align your content with the interests of your TikTok followers and give them what they want while being original. 

As businesses shift to leverage omnichannel retail, organic social media marketing is the go-to method to increase brand awareness, generate leads, develop a relationship with customers and learn from competitors. Similarly, TikTok isn’t just a platform to partake in the Cardi B #upchallenge. Leveraging the sense of community ingrained in the space and trends that customers are engaged with, businesses can find success by having a TikTok marketing strategy.