One thing with TikTok is that to win on the platform, one must be able to adapt and meld with its distinct culture. Aligning with the various content trends that come and go dictates the success of individual creators and brands. By now, everyone is aware that TikTok clips just have their vibe – understanding this is the key to expanding on-platform reach and resonance.
For brands that want to make it on TikTok, research and immersion are two critical actions that are complementary to each other. Alternatively, collaboration is another option worth exploring and is even encouraged by the platform, seeing as how it is currently one of the major elements that drive engagement within the app. Connecting with established creators and utilizing their platform knowledge to help maximize your brand appeal and messaging.
Prime Partnerships
TikTok has released a new study that highlights the value of on-platform collaborations. Taking from a sample of 2,800 brands that are currently seeing success with their TikTok efforts, the platform gleaned new insights into how creator partnerships have helped improve the effectiveness of brand campaigns. All the grimy details are available in the full report, so let’s instead go over a couple of key points.
First, TikTok had discovered that ads created for TikTok through creator partnerships have higher recall and longer views. Based on the study, repurposed content performed the worst, while campaigns specifically crafted for TikTok, along with campaigns created through partnership with established creators saw way more response.
As mentioned earlier, TikTok ads born off creator partnerships also enjoy longer view times, with six-second views increasing by 91% as opposed to non-creator partnerships. This just goes to show how much emphasis TikTok puts on being able to catch in-app trends and align your marketing efforts with evolving user behaviors. In a nutshell – if it looks and feels more ‘TikTok’, then it’s likely to see a stronger response.
The same is also reflected in the platform’s consumer response data, showing that ads made in collaboration with creators see higher engagement rates as compared to other formats. Creator campaigns seem to ride off of the back of community-driven consumption, and given TikTok’s various cultural nuances and high community participation rates, it’s no surprise if campaigns such as these would drive stronger brand recognition and engagement.
TikTok’s research, interestingly enough, also found that beauty ads, specifically those that show product use and incorporate comedic elements, “drive a significant uplift in watching the ad to the end”. These are but some of the keynotes that highlight the value of collaborating on TikTok, with the platform also benefiting from facilitating such initiatives. Alternatively, its Creator Marketplace works to provide another way for creators to directly generate revenue, which would ideally keep them posting on TikTok.
The Wrap
While TikTok might have its business agenda with promoting such partnerships, the numbers don’t lie, and TikTok’s current prominence is certainly evident enough to be able to speak for itself. Regardless of whether you’re new or are a veteran on the platform, one thing is clear – creating native-looking TikToks that feature strong platform-based elements drives better results. Who knows, TikTok’s monetization system is still evolving, meaning that even more opportunities await as it nears maturity.
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