ok is a B2B marketing tool that marketers should consider //

TikTok’s rise has been nothing but revolutionary. The platform’s launch in 2016 has seen it grow exponentially and now boasts more than one billion active users every month. Marketers are exploring TikTok’s diverse user base to find ways to reach their target audience.

According to Reuters’ State of Marketing 2023 Report, 53% of marketers expect TikTok will deliver the greatest growth in 2023. The Metaverse (15%) and LinkedIn (9%), other platforms (6%) and Instagram (6%) were close behind. Facebook was 2%. The report didn’t mention Twitter despite the fact that there are 368,000,000 monthly active users worldwide and it being under new management.

TikTok is well-known because of its viral videos (remember , the longboarder who sipped cranberry juice while lip-synching with Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”? (), creator marketing activations, and ad campaigns. Every other week, they release new functionality to their advertisers and users.

Let’s look at why B2B marketers might want to reconsider TikTok as an option.

1. TikTok is an engine for storytelling

For many years, video content has been the most popular media worldwide. TikTok capitalizes on this trend to allow marketers and brands tell their stories and grab consumers’ attention.

Video content creation is not a new concept. This has been done for many years. Data shows that marketers spent more on video content creation by 2022. This tells me that video production quality is going to be a key focus.

Video content can humanize brands. It also stimulates multiple senses simultaneously, which is crucial for buyers to retain information. Video content that tells a story effectively can keep customers engaged and entertained, while also providing valuable brand messaging.

TikTok, a mobile-first video platform, has many advantages over other networks. This is why legacy platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have difficulty attracting younger audiences.

2. TikTok makes it easy to find content

Google has held the consumer and buyer mindshare in content discovery for years. It has become a common verb in our vocabulary. While many still use Google to access the internet, younger generations are moving towards TikTok.

Google is aware of this. A Google executive went on record last year, citing an internal Google report that showed 40% of young people use TikTok to find a lunch spot. Curious, I asked my daughter about TikTok use. She said the exact same thing.

TikTok is aware of this and has added functionality to facilitate content discovery. They increased the length of video descriptions from 300 characters to 2,200 characters last summer. Google often shows TikTok videos in search results. It will be interesting to see how Google indexes TikTok videos as the competition between these companies increases.

Deeper: TikTok has set the rules for social media

3. TikTok is not just for young people

B2B marketers often believe that TikTok is only for young people. Although this may have been true a few decades ago, it is no longer true today.

The Gen Z audience and younger generations account for 60% of TikTok’s users in the U.S. 16% of TikTok users are older than 30 to 39 years, 13.9% between 40 and 49 years old, and 7.1% are over 50.

The older millennials in their twenties and thirties are often promoted to manager and director roles, leading teams. Many of them are responsible for purchasing decisions in large enterprises. The 2015 Google Report showed that almost half of all B2B buyers were millennials. This was eight years ago. This number has undoubtedly increased.

4. TikTok is ready for B2B

When you log in to TikTok, the For You Page (FYP) is what you will see first. It is possible to see a funny video or a makeup tutorial, a dance routine, sanitizing tip, or recipe.

It will change as you use it, just like all feeds and algorithms. Your profile can be optimized with relevant keywords, and you can engage with other technology brands to make your feed more relevant.

The platform already supports technology and B2B content. For example, a quick search in TikTok for the #DigitalTransformation hashtag yielded 14.5M views, #InfoSec with 138M views and #WomenInTech with 572M views. The platform is proving to be a success for B2B brands such as Adobe and Sage.

B2B and tech brands have the opportunity to incorporate TikTok in their long-term digital marketing and branding strategies.

5. Brands enjoy creative freedom

Social media was a small community in the early days. Advertisers weren’t used to stalk users on social media. Influencers and creators were not real. People with similar interests spoke to one another about the things that matter.

Although the idea of a community is still valid today, many apps such as TikTok or Instagram are media platforms. Brands have the freedom to create campaigns, activate creators, and place ads across the network as they wish.

TikTok’s brand marketing platform is renowned for its creativity. There are no strict guidelines or rules for creating ads or launching campaigns on TikTok, unlike other social media platforms.

The platform allows you to be creative when creating videos and running ads. This gives you the freedom to explore and discover what works best for you business. There is no 20% rule for text on images. You know what I mean if you purchase media on Facebook.

tracking ROI and measuring campaign performance gives you creative freedom. TikTok’s analytics platform gives deep insight into user engagement, ad performances and many other factors. Marketers can now measure and optimize campaigns instantly.

TikTok is also a pioneer in innovation, constantly releasing new features to advertisers. They recently added 4 new options to the Promote advertising tool. Advertisers can now quickly and easily boost content in the stream to:

• Increase your TikTok page visits
• Receive more messages from your potential customers
• Encourage other creators to create content.
• You can target your audience by their location.

TikTok is not to be missed

24% marketers stated that strengthening brand identity is a top priority in 2023. Next, they want to increase brand awareness (19%), and brand interaction on social media (6%)

This could be a chance for many to spend more money on creative advertising through the platforms they are most comfortable with. LinkedIn might be the right platform for you if your company is a B2B one. Maybe you are a consumer brand and still find value on Instagram or Facebook.

You should think outside of the box. TikTok can help you reach new audiences, increase awareness and strengthen your brand’s identity. You may be amazed at the results.

TikTok has a significantly greater influence on buying behaviour than other social media channels. 15% are willing to act after seeing an advertisement on TikTok. 49% of users also say that TikTok is a great way to discover new things.

What are you waiting?

5 Reasons Why Marketers Should Consider TikTok For B2B appeared originally on MarTech.