TikTok Insights: Why Every Social Media Marketing Strategy Should Include Short-Form Video

In the 4 years since TikTok launched, the platform has accumulated over a billion users. That’s half of what Instagram has in just a third of the time. It’s getting bigger, too. According to TikTok Insights, 81% of Millennials plan to use it the same amount or more in the future. Meta has been smart not to ignore these figures, shifting its focus from photo-sharing to short-form video. As platforms battle it out for consumer attention, brands have never been able to reach a wider audience. Here are three reasons why your social media marketing strategy should include video content.

Seeing Is Believing

In the past, Instagram has been criticised for peddling an unrealistic reality to its users by shining a light on particular celebrities and influencers, and their over-filtered content. We’re now aware of just how detrimental this can be to our mental health, with those most at risk being the 70% of teens that use social media daily. Though the truth is certainly more difficult to hide in video content, and TikTok knows it. Its slogan, “Real people. Real Videos.” reflects its commitment to inspiring creativity among all of its users –  not just the super famous ones! This honesty has been instrumental in building a more trusting community, with the figure below suggesting that many now consider the platform’s creator content as ‘seeing it to believe it’.

Lifting The Veil

These days, it’s not enough to just have an online presence. Almost a third of TikTok users say they’re looking for brands to show their real side. People want to learn more about where it all comes from to find out if the brand’s values align with their own. Videos show, images tell. In an interactive world, a perfectly edited photo isn’t going to have the same impact as a behind the scenes feature. 45% of TikTokers feel more connected to brands that teach them something new or give them information about themselves. ‘Giving back’ to your customers is as easy as being honest with them, and entertaining as you do it. It’s important to remember that first and foremost, people go there to have fun. 

Over half the world now uses social media, with the average person spending around 2.5 hours online every day. While we’re certainly not advising you to hedge all your bets on TikTok, it would be a mistake to ignore the shift to short-form video completely. If you want to find out more about how TikTok marketing can impact your social media strategy, get in touch.