Are you ready to take your TikTok game to the next level? TikTok is not just a platform for young people or mind-less scrolling for entertainment; it's a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes to reach and engage with potential customers. Don’t worry, we’re not going to leave you hanging. In this blog post, we’re going to share data-driven insights and best practices to help you optimize your TikTok strategy and reach those growth goals.
1. QUALITY
Before we even get into the nitty-gritty details one thing you need to understand and be ready to commit to is creating high-quality content- this is non-negotiable and is crucial if you want to find success on TikTok. High-resolution videos have an average 5.4% lift in impressions on TikTok, (that’s straight from the mouth of TikTok). You don't want blurry, grainy videos to be what people associate with your brand, and if what pops up looks like it’s low-grade people are going to swipe up before you even get a chance to hook them. We strongly encourage you to shoot high-resolution videos to showcase your vehicles, products, or services in the best light. Whether you’re a driver, a supplier, a producer, or an influencer you need to put your best foot forward when it comes to quality on this platform.
2. TRENDING SOUNDS
If you’ve spent any amount of time on the clock app you’ve likely picked up on how some audio choices perform better than others but one thing we can’t debate about is that adding audio to your videos is a must-have on TikTok. The app itself claims that more than 93% of top-performing videos contain audio of some sort and those are odds we’re willing to bet the bank on. As members of the automotive industry, there are numerous ways you can leverage music tracks or voiceovers to showcase the features and benefits of what you’re offering. For example, you can add a voiceover that highlights unique features while showcasing a driver on the track or you pick a trending sound (TikTok will show what those are) and show the fun side of your brand. CapCuT is also a great way to build suspense and cut to a high-energy clip at an event.
3. SIZE MATTERS
To put it bluntly, shorter is better on TikTok. However, the duration of your videos needs to make sense. Clipping the end to sound unfinished because you’re focus is on 30 seconds instead of delivering a clear message won’t help you get ahead in the same way that rambling for 3 minutes won’t do you any favors. Keep your message short and sweet, deliver it clearly, and don’t try to fit a LinkedIn post into your on-screen text. The last thing anyone wants- especially in the automotive industry, is to see cool cars and shots blocked by a novel on the screen. Quick Tips and short clips are kings on TikTok
4. FULL-SCREEN OR BUST
if you’re a fan of shooting horizontally- stop it. Utilizing the full 9:16 aspect ratio sees a 60.5% lift in impressions compared to videos that fit poorly on the screen. You may be looking to share your knowledge, products, or benefits of your services but first and foremost you’re delivering an experience and your competition on TikTok is not even necessarily industry related. The app is known for creating accurate personalized experiences for each individual user so you’re not just competing with similar brands, you’re competing with whatever video is directly above or below yours, so if it stands out for all the wrong reasons your views are going to tank faster than your upload speed and TikTok will stop pushing it completely. Video orientation alone can make or break your content.
5. CAPTION IT
Captions and closed captioning are other ways to make your content more engaging and accessible on TikTok. Adding captions or text on the screen can help users with hearing impairments clearly understand what you’re sharing, and can help emphasize the features and benefits of your message or display a CTA. Videos that contain captions or added text be it a CTA, joke, fact, etc., have a 55.7% lift in impressions compared to videos that don't add anything additional on screen.
6. PRODUCT PLACEMENT
Let’s face it, we’re talking about how to make TikTok work for your business so at some point we’ll need to address the fact that TikTokers don’t like to be boldly sold. What does that mean exactly? It means if you post a video saying “Buy this thing, for this reason, at this price, at this place” it likely won’t perform nearly as well as if you showed what it is, then made a video using the product. Ads that look like ads perform as well… ads. Ads that look like regularly scheduled content have longer view times and finish rates, though consumers are continuously getting better at spotting the fake stuff. At the end of the day, you want to wear, share, use, unbox, and showcase what you sell without saying that you sell it. Really, the possibilities are endless and the only limit is your imagination on this one just keep in mind that product placement should be prominent in view but subtle in context.
7. BE COOL
Seriously- relax the reigns. TikTok is a chance to show your human side. It’s common knowledge that people flock to the app to take a break from the day-to-day, and don’t want to be bombarded with serious…anything. Show the bloopers, have fun, make mistakes, poke fun at yourselves- show that you’re people who make cool shit and sometimes screw it up. You sell wheels that are indestructible, get your staff to try and bang up a set. Do you sell roll cages? Chuck it around with heavy equipment, you printed an entire line of t-shirts with a spelling error- tell them about it. Mix it up, but don’t treat TikTok like a show house, it’s a fun house and you’re going to be asked to leave if you bring down the vibes.
TIME IS TICKING.
In conclusion, TikTok is a powerful tool for businesses in the automotive marketing industry to reach and engage with potential customers in varying demographics. By following these data-driven insights and best practices, you can optimize your TikTok strategy and are more likely to achieve your business goals. So, start creating engaging content today and take your automotive marketing strategy to the next level or if you’ve read through all this and it sounds like too much work, we know a team.