3 Ways to up your TikTok game in Q3

Sahail Ashraf posted on 14 July 2022

TikTok is becoming competitive. If you’re not seeing results yet (and this was meant to be your year) try the 3 tips in this post.

The year is already half way through and we find ourselves looking back at all of the good work we have done so far. And if you’re like most other brands, TikTok is probably taking up a lot of your time. 

It’s a fast-moving thing. And on top of that, brands are getting better at it, so if you’re not on TikTok and you need to be, you may well find there is a stronger amount of competition. You need to up your game, but how?

We’ve put together 3 simple rules you need to live by with your TikTok in the third quarter of this year. Focus on these 3 areas and you should find that, by September, your TikTok game is at superstar level.

Creator power

The good news about TikTok is that it does not rely on the fame of the account to bring about engagement. A simple video that is created by someone who hasn’t even been on TikTok before can, arguably, go viral. It’s possible.

That is because the TikTok algorithm is one that focuses on the individual impact of each video. If a video is going to go viral it will go viral. Basically, if your content performs well, then it will be rated highly by the algorithm and therefore pushed out into feeds more.

This means that the fresher and the more relaxed the content, the more chance it has to go viral. Why? Because content that isn’t struggling to be like anything else is generally seen as better content by viewers. It will stand out more than content that is trying to mimic established, successful accounts. So the more creative your team is, the better.

Make this creativity flourish by ensuring that your team is given a few pointers when asked to make content, and then leave them to it. TikTok is about creativity, not a scripted attempt to be like everyone else. A hot video becomes hot on its own merits.

There is a flip side to this of course. If a video does well, it may not have an impact on the account. Because videos go viral due to their individual impact, high viewing numbers don’t necessarily translate into high follower counts. The lesson here is to focus on creativity all the time. Do your own thing and, over time, if you’ve worked hard, you’ll see results. 

So the first tip is all about making sure that you are not stifling originality and creativity in your TikTok content. There really is no point.

Forget ads

This is straight from the source.

‘Don’t Make Ads. Make TikToks’ is about embracing the authenticity, creativity and joy of the TikTok community. It’s about discovery and being discovered. For brands that take this approach, the attention of audiences is there for the taking. Kantar ranked TikTok #1 globally for ad equity—meaning consumer attitudes toward marketing on TikTok are more positive than any of our peers. In the US, Nielsen showed our branded content to be the most genuine and entertaining. That’s why it’s our mission to make sure brands always have the solutions and tools they need to make Tik Tok, not ads.

The statement above shows how TikTok genuinely encourages brands to focus on the spirit of TikTok. It goes back to that creativity thing, but more specifically asks brands to concentrate on making TikToks rather than anything that has a brand feel to it.

For example, there has been a lot of talk about authenticity recently. Here, TikTok asks for content that isn’t polished, but is instead raw and fun, just like you would expect from anyone who grabbed their camera for a few minutes. If brands can pull that off, they will see success on the platform.

Essentially, the further you can get from a direct brand message in your TikToks, the better. Focus on telling stories, creating fun moments, and worry about the impact later. 

Play nice with others

Let’s face it, most brands don’t have the kind of budgets that Apple, Google and other behemoths do. So they cannot spend millions on incredibly original and expensive TikTok campaigns.

The solution? Team up with Influencers. Teaming up with Influencers and Creators on TikTok doesn’t mean that your account will blow up (remember what we said about the individual nature of the algorithmic decisions) but it does mean that your brand can be tagged in the work of Creators who have huge accounts.

Of course, create an account and work hard on it, but the power of one tag from an influential creator can’t be ignored. This quarter, make it a part of your strategy to explore Creator partnerships.

Put the 3 ideas above in place as part of your strategy for Q3 this year. Persist and remain consistent, and you should see results on TikTok.

Are you a social media marketer? Great. Try Locowise for some of the most powerful data and metrics that you can act upon. We also have new TikTok reporting that makes navigating that space a lot easier. Give it a test drive now.