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3 Reasons to Advertise on TikTok in 2023
/ Thoughtspace - Blogs, Channels and Tactics, Paid Social
November 30, 2022
3 Reasons Why You Should Advertise on TikTok in 2023
TikTok took the social media world by storm in 2019. But it wasn’t just a boredom-induced pandemic era trend. And it’s no longer just an entertainment site for kids. The platform is evolving, and even more so, the way people use it is changing.
TikTok is rapidly becoming both a search engine and shopping tool. We are also seeing a much broader demographic adopting the platform as it becomes mainstream. These shifts present new opportunities for brands to show up in the space and create revenue-driving results.
So – if you don’t advertise on TikTok yet, here are three reasons why you should be in 2023:
#1 TikTok is Gen-Z’s Google
TikTok is increasingly being used as a search engine over Google. In fact, an astonishing 40% of Gen-Z uses TikTok as a visual search engine. TikTok is excellent at keeping users in the app, so the progression to becoming a search engine is only natural. Users can find what they are looking for quickly, and the results tend to be more authentic and useful. Leaning into this trend, TikTok expanded the description field from 300 to 2,000 characters. “The added room for your descriptions will enhance (…), with more opportunities for keyword matching, in order to showcase more relevant, local content”, according to Andrew Hutchinson of Social Media Today.
Another feature the social media platform is exploring is linking keywords from user comments to search results for greater relevancy. An easy way for brands to leverage TikTok keyword crawling is to use sites like Answer the Public for keyword research. This site generates lists of the most commonly asked questions around keywords you type in. You can use then use insights those to optimize your video descriptions for your TikTok ads.
Looking beyond the longer descriptions and keywords, TikTok videos themselves help users find information in an easy-to-understand format without excessive ads or other clutter. Studies show that people engage more and retain information better when watching videos versus reading text alone. One user featured in the New York Times describes how she can quickly find what she is looking for by watching a couple of TikToks, whereas her parents may have to scroll through multiple pages of Google results.
#2 TikTok Usership Continues to Grow
After a banner year of growth aided by the pandemic in 2020, TikTok continues to grow and engage users. In 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded mobile app in the world – beating out Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp. Not only is it gaining more users, but existing users are also spending more time on the app. In 2019, users spent an average of 7 hours a month on TikTok. By 2021, that number grew three times over to 25 hours per month.
In the United States, TikTok is the second most popular app for people under age 35. The large number of Gen-Z and Millennial users have long made TikTok seem like a “young person’s app.” However, in the first half of 2022, people over age 30 made up over 37% of TikTok users, and this number is only growing. With the increasingly wide range of user demographics, TikTok advertising should be considered for nearly every brand.
#3 E-Commerce on TikTok is Just Getting Started
There is no time like the present to join the world of e-commerce on TikTok. This is especially true when you consider how #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt sold out countless products through over 21 billion video views. According to TikTok data, 92% of global users take action after watching a video on the platform. Plus, “TikTok users are 1.5x more likely to immediately go out and buy something they discovered on the platform.” So make sure your business is the one they buy from!
TikTok offers several commerce solutions for brands to try out. The Shopping Partner Integration allows sellers to create product catalogs which buyers can browse and purchase products from in the platform. There is also a shopping direct integration where “creators and merchants run an e-commerce business directly on TikTok.” Other TikTok e-commerce options include:
- Product Links: Make organic videos shoppable with a link driving users to a checkout page of the featured product.
- LIVE Shopping: Show off products in real-time during a TikTok Live and highlight the path to purchase.
- Dynamic Showcase Ads: Tap into your audience’s interests based on their TikTok activity with dynamically generated video ads.
- Collection Ads: Create a carousel of product cards for your In-Feed Ads featuring your top items. When a user taps, they’ll be brought to a more expansive shopping gallery to browse.
Taking the leap to advertise on TikTok may feel intimidating, but today is always the best day to start understanding the platform and its users. With continuing shifts in video views and online shopping, those who aren’t willing to adapt and be authentic on the platform will be left behind.
Ready to advertise on TikTok now? Check out our top 6 tips for successful TikTok campaigns!
1 TikTok internal data, Global, March 2022.
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