TikTok Video | The Complete Growth Guide For Old People
Check out this in-depth guide on everything you need to know about TikTok video success for your business.
What Is A TikTok Video?
A TikTok video is a vertical video that spans from 15 seconds to 60 seconds. TikTok is a video only platform, very similar to InstagramTV (IGTV).
Despite popular belief, there is no real pressure to have perfectly polished videos on TikTok. In fact, videos with low production quality have gone viral very often. That said, videos won’t get traction unless they have a creative idea behind it.
So what kind of TikTok videos are most people producing?
Montages, comedic shorts, lip syncing and dances are the most popular type of content on TikTok.
TikTok transitioned from the music based social media app called Musial.ly which is why the majority of the content is music related.
However, the platform has gained worldwide popularity, and the content is expanding way beyond that.
Because it’s gained popularity as the hottest new platform, it’s got a lot of people asking “Is this yet another platform I need to be on?”
Let’s take a look at that in detail, so you can become an expert on it the subject, and more easily can decide if it’s right for you.
Is TikTok Necessary For Your Brand?
As an expert in video content for social, I believe that you need to post videos where your audience hangs out.
So, it really comes down to your current target demographic. Are they on TikTok, and what videos would they find interesting?
If your demographic is middle age or older, it’s safe to have TikTok lower on the list of priorities for now, because Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter own much more of their attention.
That said, more and more of the middle age demographic is slowly onboarding TikTok to their list, and many trendsetters are already on the platform putting out content for their audience.
Fun fact: Middle aged moms are popping up all over TikTok. Nobody saw that coming!
Heck, even the Washington Post has a thriving channel.
When considering Tik Tok video, the first step I’d suggest is getting some analytics on your ideal demographic’s behaviour on social media. That will help you know if it’s a good idea to start considering TikTok videos as part of your video promotion strategy.
Brand New Opportunities
The great thing about TikTok video is it creates new opportunities you may not have had before.
The first is an opportunity to engage with younger demographics (who will become full blown humans at some point), and build long lasting relationships with them.
It’s also a great opportunity to connect with influencers to create collaborations and gain access to new audiences!
Another step is to research you niche on TikTok, and see if there are any relevant videos for them that are already on the platform. If you see a lot, then that’s a signal to bump it up a bit higher in your video marketing plans.
What Are The Benefits Of A TikTok video?
High Activity
People on TikTok become addicted to it quickly. Studies show that users open the app 8 times per day, and browse for approximately 5 minutes each time they open it.
That’s quite a lot!
This means that if you are producing TikTok videos, you’re more likely to get seen, heard, liked, followed, shared – you know the drill.
Brand Recognition
If your channel does well and grows quickly, you can get considered for TikTok verification.
This means you become an official brand favourite of TikTok, and that helps you build a huge subscriber base.
I’ll warn you in advance, it’s definitely not a simple process, but if you produce consistent content and engage with others, you will increase your chances quite a bit.
TikTok Ads
Like all other social media platforms, TikTok lets you run ads.
One of the great benefits with TikTok ads is that they have a much lower competition than Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook.
That’s likely to change in future, but for now the grass is pretty green! So if you’re into running video ads, definitely consider TikTok video in your ad spend.
The requirements for a TikTok video are very specific. If you’re planning to film your own, here are the specs you’ll need to follow.
Vertical Orientation: Make sure your video is filmed in 9:16 aspect ratio. This can easily be accomplished by filming on your smartphone in vertical mode.
You can hold it up yourself, or attach it to a tripod which makes it easy to move around.
If you’re using a video camera, you can always turn your camera sideways as well. Most video editing programs can accommodate editing raw video filmed vertically.
Length: 60 seconds is the maximum length on the platform. You may want to make your videos shorter than that so you can more easily produce consistent content. But sometimes a concept requires more time, in which case you’ll need that whole minute.
You can also post multiple videos to make a longer story and link them together, similar to Instagram’s carousel feature.
Audio: Because TikTok transitioned from Musical.ly which was a lip-syncing app, sound and music are necessary factors in a TikTok video. If you’re narrating, make sure you have a good microphone to capture audio. Otherwise, pick a great upbeat song.
Story: As always, make sure the first stage of producing your video starts with planning, and a creative idea. Afterall, this platform thrives on creativity and personality.
TikTok Video for Product Brands
If you’ve got a product to sell, you can get a lot of traction with a TikTok video.
The long term strategy is about creating consistent compelling posts, but the ROI will come from using an app to create outbound clickthrough links to your products.
With this in place, your audience can click the link at the top of your profile, and it will lead them to a page where they can purchase your product.
There are three main platforms you can use to lead your audience to a sales page:
In this example, @mamadoctorjones uses her channel (and outbound links) to drive traffic to her online store.
Here are some more well known product brands making TikTok videos to engage their audience!
Oreo
@theoreoofficialanyway so… @theofficialchipsahoy #OREO #chipsahoy #twoprettybestfriends♬ um chile anyways so – klaine🥺🥰
Crocs
@crocsAn automatic level up when the #StrapBack is engaged. @lani.baker @afterpayusa♬ original sound – Crocs
Ben And Jerrys
@benandjerrysAmericone *Dreamy* #benandjerrys #icecream #foryoupage #fyp♬ original sound – benandjerrys
TikTok for Corporate Brands
If you want to produce a corporate video, one of the biggest challenges I see is making things too safe and professional, and not innovative enough to engage viewers.
Many corporations have compliance standards they need to work within which can make innovative video production challenging.
The key to TikTok lies in simplicity, and being personal.
Educating with tips, and genuine face to camera talk can keep you within compliance, and still give you a presence on the platform.
A simple explainer video with text added can be enough to go viral, as long as your content is original. So spend most of your time on a unique or witty concept, and keep your production simple.
TikTok For Charities
Creating a video for charities and foundations is an art in itself.
There are many charities and nonprofits getting on TikTok, which should provide some reference for you to get inspiration.
One of the benefits of being on TikTok is that you can add a feature called “Donation stickers”.
These are clickable icons that can be embedded into your TikTok video!
When clicked, the stickers take the user to a donation page. Getting new donors has never been so…TikToky.
Today’s youth are a lot more conscious of charities and social justice.
There’s a huge opportunity here for your nonprofits to build more youth engagement for your brand, which can eventually lead to a massive boost in donations as those kids grow older (and accumulate that birthday money).
British Red Cross, 383,000 followers, 6.3 million likes:
@britishredcrossHelp teams save lives in Beirut. #fyp #beirut #letstalkaboutit♬ original sound – We are humanitarians
I hope this provides some more familiarity with Tiktok, and helps you decide if it’s the right time for you to get involved.
Like I mentioned before, it’s best to look at it as an opportunity, instead of a threat. That way it’s something you can have a lot of fun with.
By Anthony Madani
