Is TikTok the Next Trend for Digital Marketing?

TikTok is a social media platform that puts video first, a similar format to Vine. Videos are 15 seconds long and often feature short skits, lip singing, tutorials or a range of cringy videos. Formerly known as Musical.ly, it is estimated that over 500 million people use TikTok, meaning the network is larger than Twitter and Pinterest.

With such a large user base, TikTok is growing as a marketing platform-especially for brands that market to young people such as summer camps. 41% of the total user base is young people ages 16-24. Essentially there are two choices for marketing on TikTok: influencer marketing or original content creation. Perhaps one of the most successful instances of influencer marketing on TikTok came from Guess’ #InMyDenim fashion takeover of TikTok. Guess used a few key influencers to flaunt their denim in creative manners and many chose to use platform-specific memes. 

While Guess executed a total platform takeover, most influencer marketing is more low key. See these TikTok influencers tote beauty brands and workout gear:

For content on TikTok to have marketing value, it needs to go viral. This is where influencer marketing comes into play. There is no ad platform for TikTok, so the only way to get your brand in front of people on the app is for it to appear as viral content. Thankfully, influencers with massive following make that easier. Another option is to create original content. 

Most viral videos on TikTok include music, dance, or reference a meme through short skits. The content on TikTok is fun and lighthearted, much like the environment of a camp. Chances are, there are more than a few campers active on TikTok, which means you already have an entry point for content. After all, who is more knowledgeable about digital trends than young people creating and contributing to them? Camp is an incredibly fun and goofy place with beautiful views and traditions. Share them with the world and connect with your campers where they are-on TikTok!

TikTok content creators have to be knowledgeable of trends, active on the app and skilled at weaving branding into the content. Owen Conflenti (@conflenti) is a Houston anchorman for KPRC2 News Today with a sizeable 364.3k fans on TikTok. Conflenti makes comedic videos that bring the TikTok community into his world of news.

There is already a space for marketing things like makeup and cooking, but camps have yet to capitalize on the potential of this massive platform. They could take the same approach as Conflenti and highlight features of camp through engaging videos that ultimately make viewers feel more connected to the camp. Original content creation will require creativity, silliness and probably a few errors before getting the formula just right. Meanwhile, influencer marketing means finding just the right person to digitally represent your brand. Read our blog post about working with influencers and utilizing them to drive registration.

TikTok may seem like a surprisingly successful app for how little recognition it has outside of its user-base. However, this makes it a perfect place to carve out space and establish your brand! It’s evolved from a karaoke app to a self-expression app driven by creativity and community. Reach out if you think you have what it takes to be a trailblazing camp on TikTok!