It’s no secret that you can attract the attention of millions overnight on the short-form video-sharing service, TikTok. In fact, the platform amasses 1 billion monthly active users worldwide and is surpassing other popular video-sharing platforms, like Instagram and Snapchat. Luckily for those of us looking to go viral, short-form video is in its gold rush, and there’s no slowing down the 50 million US users flocking to the site daily.
The TikTok algorithm presents a unique opportunity to brands looking to market to a larger audience. Not only does the TikTok algorithm boost accounts with low followings, but it also costs almost nothing to create the impromptu, relatable content that TikTok users are most likely to engage with and enjoy.
You may be asking yourself, “How do I go viral on TikTok?”
Well, TikTok virality is a science. If you follow a series of formulas, you’ll find the key that unlocks the door to overnight TikTok success.
We’ll walk you through a series of five TikTok video formulas that are guaranteed to get your brand attention on the app. If you play all your cards right, you’ll be sure to catch that viral TikTok bug in no time!
But first, let’s talk about a fundamental TikTok feature you should know about before getting started.
TikTok Basic: For You Page (FYP)
After you set up a TikTok account, you’ll be brought to the home page of the app– an endless scrolling display called the “For You Page” or “FYP.” This page is where you can consume a wide variety of content and identify trending video formats.
You can also find trending music and sounds when you click the record icon in the middle of the control console. From there, you can click “Add sound” at the top of the screen and scroll through trending sounds and music under the “Discover” page. Add those sounds to your favorites playlist by clicking the bookmark icon for easy access.
Now that we’ve gone over the FYP basics let’s dive right into those video formulas.
1. Keep it short and sweet!
TikTok is the most popular social media app out there in 2022. It’s also an incredible tool for anyone who wants to make money from their creativity and share it with others! The best part about TikTok? You can always work smarter, not harder. Well-performing TikTok trends spread like wildfire on the app. So, once you identify the already trending content on the app, you’ll get a head start tapping into that viral market.
The first format that has consistently shown growth potential is quite simple. The TikTok algorithm favors short-form video (fifteen seconds or less). Remember that it is vital to hook your audience in the first three seconds or risk losing interest. So film a short clip of yourself via the app with a trending sound in the background. Then, slap a short text blurb on the screen, and you’re good to go! Bonus points if you lip-sync!
It seems too simple to be true, right?
Here’s a great example from @nidiaries on TikTok:
Replicate a similar video style, and you’ll be rolling in TikTok likes in no time.
2. Show off what’s behind the scenes
Another massively popular TikTok video format is showcasing behind-the-scenes content. Yep, you heard me right. It’s time to take a break from business as usual and give your audience a sneak peek of your behind-the-scenes operations! Not only does this quench your average TikTok user’s curiosity for unique and exclusive content, but it also humanizes your brand by uplifting the real people running your business.
Millennials and Gen Z, ages 19-29, make up 35% of TikTok users worldwide. These users thrive off of relatable content, and what’s more relatable to other millennials and Gen Zers than a 20-something social media account manager?
If you have a social media manager who can participate in day-in-the-life videos or other popular trends on TikTok, they can help promote your brand and engage with a new audience.
Use your social media manager to your brand’s advantage. The attention will follow!
3. Influencer Collabs
If you’re noticing that no matter how hard you try to follow trends, your TikTok likes are still falling flat, then it might be time to take a step back and have a social media expert take over. Who could that possibly be? An influencer, of course!
Influencers own the social media landscape in 2022. With their charisma and charm, hoards of netizens will tune in daily to keep up with their favorite TikTok celebrities.
Luckily, you don’t need to figure out how to compete with them for views or likes. Instead, you can collaborate and use their influence in your favor.
Influencer marketing is an authentic way to advertise your brand in 2022. Traditional advertisements can sometimes come off as contrived or artificial to TikTok users. But, influencers have already created a real connection with their audience and can recommend a product the same way an old friend can.
You don’t necessarily have to break the bank to work with an influencer. If you want to work with an influencer but can’t afford the price tag, consider reaching out to micro-influencers. Micro-influencers are much smaller creators but still have the ability to target a niche audience.
When it comes to product promotion, influencer collaborations are all the rage these days. By pairing up with popular TikTok users, brands can reach a wider audience and generate some serious buzz. Influencers often promote products through sponsored posts, product testing, outfit of the day posts, or “get ready with me” videos. When done right, influencer collaborations can help build trust between a brand and its customers, ultimately leading to more sales and brand awareness.
4. Duet or stitch a viral video
Duets and stitches are great tools to work smarter, not harder, on TikTok. They’re easy to use and work on an interactive interface that TikTok users love.
Duets are a tool that allows users to add their own video to a different TikTok in split-screen format. Many users use this tool to provide side-by-side reactions or commentary.
Stitches, on the other hand, allow users to merge up to five seconds of video into their own TikTok. This way, the videos are seamlessly connected. Like duets, users tend to respond to questions posed in the previous video or present some form of commentary.
Since duets and stitches give direct credit to the creators of the original videos, these tools can connect audience members of the OG video creators to your content and brand. Isn’t that a fun way to connect with a new audience?
Let’s talk about how to duet another video. First, tap the arrow button under the likes and comments. Then, pinpoint the last row of icons in black and white and click “Duet.” From there, you can adjust any filming options, tap the red button at the bottom of the screen, and record your video!
But, what about stitches? The process is similar. Tap the arrow button, scroll down, and click “Stitch” right next to “Duet.” Select up to five seconds of video, and then start recording your stitch.
Brands can use duets or stitches as an opportunity to plug their product or reveal a life hack.
Your best chance at succeeding with this strategy is to identify a relevant issue that your product or hack can solve and present it via stitch or duet alongside an already trending video.
Try a duet or stitch out, and you will surely attract a new audience!
5. Purchase ad space the old-fashioned way
While influencer marketing is becoming increasingly popular to reach a new audience or gain TikTok followers, the tried and tested method of purchasing ad space can still work well on the platform.
As a brand, you can purchase ad space and place your ad in the FYP of your target demographic.
First, let’s break down how you set up an account to purchase ad space on TikTok:
- Create an account through TikTok’s ad manager.
- Fill in the billing information.
- Select a “business” or “individual” account.
- Enter e-mail and password information.
- Click sign-up.
Once you have an account, there are five different ad formats you can choose from:
- In-Feed Video: This ad blends with your target users’ FYP. Users can scroll past this ad like a regular video in their feed, so you want to make sure it POPS and gets their attention!
- TikTok Brand Takeover: Brand Takeovers involve plastering an ad over the entire screen of a TikTok user’s interface. After a few seconds, it turns into an In-Feed ad. Brand Takeovers allow you to get your message across in an insanely entertaining way. If you’re looking to spread brand awareness at a massive scale, this strategy is the one for you.
- TopView: TopView ads are similar to Brand Takeovers, but instead of taking over the entire screen, they are the first in-feed post the user sees when they open the app. This form of ad is wildly attention-grabbing, so make sure your ad has some great content to go along with it.
- TikTok Branded Hashtag: Instead of just producing stagnant TikTok ads, brands can now create their own TikTok Branded Hashtag and promote user-generated content (UGC). This is great for getting your target audience involved in the marketing fun! Your brand can create a challenge and encourage users to participate in a dance or trend. Once they do so, not only will your brand get crazy attention but also all those who upload new UGC under your specific tag will have more visibility than ever, thanks mainly to its promotion on the platform.
- Branded Effects: Branded Effects are one of the most unique and fun ways your brand can advertise your product. You can develop an effect, filter, or sticker through Branded Effects and completely immerse your audience in the advertisement. You can even incorporate it into your Branded Hashtag challenge and encourage your audience to show off their creativity.
When TikTok approves your account, then you can set up a campaign:
- Under the Campaigns option, click “Create.”
- Fill in basic information about the campaign name and budget.
- Identify your choice of ad placement and target audience.
- Create your ad by uploading a video or image(s).
- Publish!
Again, purchasing ad space is a great strategy to get your product in front of as many people as possible and increase brand awareness at a massive scale.
Conclusion
If you want to jump on the TikTok bandwagon and start seeing some serious results, try using one of these five video formulas. Not only are they entertaining and engaging, but they’re also a great way to connect with customers in a new way. And if you’re looking for even more ways to create videos that go viral, make sure to check out our blog post on the basics of creating trending TikToks. With over 1 billion active users, TikTok is a platform you can’t afford to ignore. There’s no time to lose. Start marketing your killer content today!