A third of Channel Island marketing professionals are using TikTok: Are you?

Our recent Orchard Insights survey of Channel Island marketing professionals shows that 32% of small and medium-sized businesses in the region are now using TikTok in their strategy.

It is predicted that 15 million people in the UK alone will have downloaded TikTok within the next two years.  Once known as a Generation Z hangout, TikTok has firmly established itself as a challenger to the larger platforms. It is a powerful platform for driving engagement.

Communicating to the notoriously difficult-to-market-to generational group Gen – Z, is becoming more important as they gain a stronger foothold in the economy. Marketing to younger generations doesn’t have to be difficult,– just meet them where they are, play by their rules, and have some fun whilst doing it.

With the average user spending 95 minutes a day on TikTok, the attraction is simple. Younger consumers want to be both entertained and educated, with creative, imaginative, and digestible content. We are noticing a growing genre of educational subject matter, from finance tips, cooking tutorials and viral challenges that is clocking up the views.

Native content that leans on peer-to-peer communication, and sharing, rather than the traditional advertising in the one-to-many fashion is favoured on this platform. You also have complete autonomy about where your ads will be displayed, allowing you to target specific consumers and even schedule them to go out at a particular time.

TikTok allows you to try a plethora of advertisement strategies: TopView Ads, In-Feed Ads, Brand Takeover Ads, Branded Effects and Branded Hashtag Challenges. Each one contributes to a different purpose and will have a different outcome based on the type of campaign you’re running, allowing you to advertise in a way that doesn’t feel contrived or ingenuine.

With more advanced video editing capabilities than other platforms such as Instagram, TikTok offers a greater opportunity to showcase your business’s personality and let your creativity run wild, through the use of stickers, an extensive music library, trending sound effects and more.

TikTok content should always reflect three key attributes:

1. Authenticity: content that promotes real people is relatable and favoured by Tik Tok’s algorithm.

2. Unique branding: users are hungry for creative and original content that stands out.

3. Inclusivity: promoting diversity and an empowering community message.

Although you can supercharge your content through a combination of organic posts and paid campaigns on most social media platforms, TikTok also offers a unique bonus- the potential to partner with ‘creators’ to ensure your brand is noticed.

The thirst for more variety and frequent content is growing, and we know that generating tons of content to keep up with user demands, can sometimes seem a daunting task. At Orchard, we take away any stress, and manage your channels to ensure your business stands out amongst competitors, builds those key relationships with your audience, and reacts to current trends.