Alrighty, team. It\u2019s time to sell out on TikTok. Literally: let\u2019s use TikTok marketing to boost sales for your brand. TikTok ads have the potential to reach over 945 million users aged 18+<\/a>, and, in general, TikTok is one of the best social media channels out there for businesses to reach millennial and Gen Z investors<\/a>.<\/p>\n So, what exactly does digital marketing on TikTok look like?<\/p>\n TikTok marketing varies widely from brand to brand and from industry to industry. A leisurely scroll through the app will yield standard advertisements, like this creator partnership with Shopper\u2019s Drug Mart\u2026<\/p>\n #ad<\/a> I stopped by @Shoppers Drug Mart this week to grab a few of my favourites after hearing that their Top Picks Event was back! Shoppers Drug Mart has been my one-stop shop for all my everyday needs when restocking my favourite essentials. Featuring more than 100 products, the Top Picks Event offers something for everyone in-store or online! Don\u2019t walk, but run over to Shoppers Drug Mart to stock up on the Top Picks products, now until September 8! @shoppersdrugmart #ShoppersTopPicks<\/a> #sponsored<\/a><\/p>\n \u266c original sound \u2013 Lily Yange<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u2026as well as the just-for-fun, can\u2019t-believe-it\u2019s-marketing TikToks, like this one from an assisted living facility.<\/p>\n In this blog post, you\u2019ll find an intro to TikTok for businesses, advice for building an excellent TikTok marketing strategy, examples from social media-savvy brands and a list of tools to add to your TikTok belt.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to market on TikTok.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFree 30-Day Trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n TikTok marketing is the practice of using TikTok to promote a brand, product or service. It can include different tactics, like influencer marketing, TikTok advertising and creating viral organic content.<\/p>\n TikTok marketing can help businesses:<\/p>\n TikTok influencer marketing involves businesses partnering with creators to promote their brand. Companies will connect with influencers and agree upon a business arrangement in which payment (or goods or services of value) is exchanged for content. For example, a kitchen brand might pay a foodie influencer to post a TikTok promoting their blender.<\/p>\n Influencer marketing can be more subtle, too, like this product placement in this creator\u2019s video.<\/p>\n Influencer marketing is everywhere\u2014Bretman Rock is promoting hair products<\/a> and Emily Mariko is promoting her own tote bags<\/a>. But don\u2019t be fooled: finding the perfect match for your brand is tricky, and it\u2019s important to do all the research you can<\/a> before committing to a creator.<\/p>\n While the influencer marketing world can be a bit like the wild west (there\u2019s no real rules beyond marking content as sponsored<\/a>), affiliate marketing<\/a> is an official, platform-sanctioned marketing strategy for businesses.<\/p>\n First: what is affiliate marketing? In affiliate marketing, creators promote products and then earn commission off of sales. You\u2019ve seen it before: when an influencer says something like \u201cUse the code Alyssa20 to get 20% off these shoes,\u201d that\u2019s affiliate marketing. The brand can tell how many sales the influencer made by looking at how many times the coupon code was used, and that influencer is compensated accordingly.<\/p>\n TikTok\u2019s affiliate marketing can help connect you with creators and will keep track of all of the sales made for you\u2014in fact, the platform will even pay the creator for you.<\/p>\n TikTok offers three different affiliate marketing options:<\/p>\n Want to learn more about affiliate marketing? Here\u2019s four tips to get you started<\/a>.<\/p>\n First thing\u2019s first: to do any marketing on TikTok, you\u2019ll need a TikTok Business account<\/a> (don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s free).<\/p>\n Tiktok business accounts include features like an email button, access to the business creative hub<\/a> and commercial music library<\/a>, options to add calls to action<\/a>, auto-replies for DMs and more.<\/p>\n If you already have a personal TikTok account, it\u2019s easy (and again, free) to switch it to a business account.<\/p>\n First, go to your profile and tap the menu button\u2014that\u2019s the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.<\/p>\n Then, hit Settings and privacy.<\/strong><\/p>\n From there, select Account<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Next, tap Switch to Business Account<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Ta-da! Welcome to your shiny new TikTok business account. When you first switch, the social media platform will take you through some of the features of a business account to help get you started.<\/p>\n Now that you have a business account, it\u2019s time to get down to\u2026 well, you know.<\/p>\n Yes, it\u2019s part of the work, we swear!<\/p>\n Spending some time getting sucked in by TikTok videos (beginners, start here<\/a>) is essential to understanding the platform. You can\u2019t create engaging content for TikTok if you aren\u2019t up-to-date on what\u2019s engaging.<\/p>\n Explore the different features available on the TikTok app, and note what challenges, editing styles and sounds are trending.<\/p>\n Read up on the TikTok algorithm, too. Understanding how TikTok ranks and displays videos in the For You tab can inform your content, hashtag and engagement strategy.<\/p>\n Get the full lowdown on how the algorithm works here<\/a>. You can also brush up on all things TikTok by taking courses in the TikTok Business Learning Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a question to ask before you get in too deep: is your audience even on TikTok? Since the app has over a billion global active users<\/a>, the answer is probably yes (unless you\u2019re eyeing business in India, because that country has banned the app since 2020<\/a>). Still, it\u2019s important to research your target audience to make sure that TikTok is right for you.<\/p>\n Before you start creating content, learn about TikTok demographics<\/a> and identify those who might be interested in following you<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tiktok has a rep for being popular with teens, but the platform\u2019s user stats<\/a> may surprise you: about 32% of TikTok\u2019s global active users<\/a> are between the ages of 25 and 34. But it is true that TikTok\u2019s younger users are loyalists \u2014 76% of American social media users between the ages of 18 and 24 use the app. In fact, one Google exec even admitted that 40% of GenZers are more likely to use TikTok than Google<\/a> when looking for a place to go for lunch.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve zeroed in on a potential audience, research what types of content they like and engage with. Then start to brainstorm content ideas for your brand.<\/p>\n Not everything\u2019s a competition\u2026 but marketing on TikTok sure is. Are your competitors on TikTok? If they are, you could be missing out on the action. If they aren\u2019t, TikTok may be a way to gain a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n Whether or not your competitors are on the platform, find at least three to five similar brands or organizations and see what they\u2019re up to. If it\u2019s helpful, use the S.W.O.T. framework<\/a> to identify each competitor\u2019s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.<\/p>\n Because TikTok is a creator-led platform, don\u2019t rule out including influencers in this exercise. Find personalities that specialize in your area of expertise.<\/p>\n Learn more in our complete guide to running a competitive analysis on social media (free template included)<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can create TikToks just for fun, but it\u2019s better to have goals in mind that can be tied to your overall business objectives.<\/p>\n Whether you plan to reach a new audience, improve brand image, promote awareness for a product or develop stronger customer relationships through engagement, it\u2019s important to back your efforts with a rationale.<\/p>\n Consider using the S.M.A.R.T. goal framework<\/a> to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.<\/p>\n Like most social platforms, TikTok provides analytics for Business accounts.<\/p>\n To access your TikTok analytics, go to your profile and select the menu button (the three horizontal lines in the top right).<\/p>\n Then, select Creator Tools<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A snapshot of your analytics will open automatically. To see a more in-depth review of your metrics, select View all<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Unsure how to interpret the numbers? Read our complete guide to TikTok Analytics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Quality over quantity, of course\u2026 but on TikTok, quantity also matters. TikTok recommends posting one to four times per day<\/a>. We can hear your sigh of defeat from here\u2014don\u2019t stress. For most social media managers, TikTok\u2019s recommendation just isn\u2019t reasonable: start with 3 to 5 videos per week.<\/p>\n Making a content calendar\u2014and sticking to it\u2014is key to a successful social media strategy. Your TikTok content calendar will look similar to a real-life calendar, but instead of \u201cDinner with Dad\u201d and \u201cDog\u2019s Half-Birthday\u201d you\u2019ll plan things like \u201cGo Live\u201d or \u201cPost Sale Announcement.\u201d There\u2019s plenty of tools out there to get you started (we\u2019ve created a free social media calendar template<\/a>).<\/p>\n TikTok\u2019s algorithm<\/a> prioritizes newer content, so it\u2019s always best to post your TikToks when the majority of your audience is using the app. That magic time varies across industries, of course, but based on Hootsuite\u2019s experiments, the best overall time to post<\/a> is Thursdays at 7:00PM.<\/p>\n You do you, though\u2014here\u2019s a video that will help you find the best time to post for your specific audience.<\/p>\n\n
![](\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Inpost-CTA-Planner.png.webp\"\/)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Social Media Tool\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is TikTok marketing?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
What is TikTok influencer marketing?<\/h3>\n
What is TikTok affiliate marketing?<\/h3>\n
\n
How to get started with TikTok marketing<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"switch](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/TikTok-marketing_how-to-switch-from-personal-to-business-account1-1-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"Account](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/TikTok-marketing_how-to-switch-from-personal-to-business-account2-1-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"Switch](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/TikTok-marketing_how-to-switch-from-personal-to-business-account3-1-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nHow to create a TikTok marketing strategy<\/span><\/h2>\n
Get to know the platform<\/h3>\n
Research your audience<\/h3>\n
Perform a competitive audit<\/h3>\n
Set goals that align with your business objectives<\/h3>\n
![\"SMART](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Smart-goals-1-1-620x620.png?resize=620%2C620&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"Creator](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/TikTok-marketing_how-to-view-analytics1-1-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"Creator](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/TikTok-marketing_how-to-view-analytics2-1-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nPost regularly<\/h3>\n
Schedule your posts for maximum views<\/h3>\n