Companies that have succeeded on TikTok, how did they do it?

by Moises Hamui July 18, 2023

TikTok is one of the most popular and profitable social networks at the moment, with more than 1 billion monthly active users and a very high organic reach. In addition, TikTok has a very diverse demographic profile, with users of all ages, genders and interests.

These features make TikTok a very attractive and profitable platform for companies, which can take advantage of it to promote their products or services, interact with their audience and generate sales.

However, not all companies know how to use TikTok effectively, as it is a very different social network from traditional ones, with its own style, tone and type of content.

Tiktok Ads: How to advertise on TikTok

What benefits does TikTok offer to businesses?

TikTok offers a number of benefits for companies that want to have a presence on this social network, among which we can highlight the following:

Reach a young, diverse, global audience . TikTok has users in over 150 countries and in over 75 languages . In addition, 60% of its users are under 30 years old , which represents great potential to reach a young, dynamic and affluent audience.
Increase visibility and brand awareness . TikTok has an algorithm that recommends the most relevant videos for each user, regardless of the number of followers or likes the creator has. This means that any video can go viral and reach millions of people, which is a great opportunity to raise awareness of your brand and generate interest in your products or services.
Create creative, authentic, and viral content. TikTok is a platform that fosters creativity, originality, and fun. Users prefer to watch videos that entertain, inform, or inspire them, and that aren’t overly commercial or boring. That’s why businesses need to create content that fits the style and tone of the platform, and that offers value to their audience.
Encouragecustomer engagement and loyalty . TikTok is a highly interactive and collaborative social network, where users can comment, share, react or participate in other users' videos. This allows companies to generate engagement and loyalty with their customers, as well as receive feedback and opinions about their products or services.
Boost traffic and conversions . TikTok also allows businesses to direct their users to other platforms or channels where they can perform more specific actions, such as visiting their website, purchasing their product or hiring their service . To do this, companies can use tools such as external links, QR codes or ads.

What types of content work best on TikTok for businesses?

TikTok is a platform where content is king. Videos posted on this social network have a maximum duration of 60 seconds, which forces companies to be concise, clear and creative.

In addition, videos must be accompanied by elements such as hashtags , sounds, effects or texts, which help improve their performance and visibility.

The types of content that work best on TikTok for businesses are:

Educational or informative content : This type of content consists of showing how a product or service is used or made, solving doubts or problems, giving advice or tips, etc. This type of content helps demonstrate the value and usefulness of your product or service, as well as educating and providing knowledge to your audience. For example, the company [Chipotle] uses this type of content to show how to prepare their dishes, how to take advantage of their offers, or how to participate in their challenges.

Entertaining or funny content : This type of content consists of humor, parodies, challenges, dances, etc. This type of content helps generate sympathy and empathy with your audience, as well as creating a positive and fun environment. For example, the company [Elf Cosmetics] uses this type of content to make jokes, parodies or dances with their products, using viral sounds and effects.

Inspirational or emotional content : This type of content consists of telling stories, sharing values, showing testimonials, etc. This type of content helps to generate an emotional connection with your audience, as well as to transmit your mission and vision as a company. For example, the company [Nike] uses this type of content to tell stories of overcoming, motivation or solidarity, using striking images and messages.

Interactive or collaborative content : This type of content consists of inviting users to participate, taking surveys, questions, raffles, etc. This type of content helps generate engagement and loyalty with your audience, as well as creating an active and participatory community. For example, the company [Guess] uses this type of content to do surveys, questions or raffles with its products, using hashtags or interactive effects.

How to become famous on TikTok

What strategies have companies that have succeeded on TikTok followed?

Companies that have succeeded on TikTok have followed a series of strategies that have allowed them to stand out and differentiate themselves on this platform, among which we can highlight the following:

Adapting to the style and tone of the platform : The companies that have succeeded on TikTok have known how to adapt to the style and tone of this social network, which is characterized by being natural, friendly, original and creative. These companies have avoided being too formal, commercial or boring, and have opted to be more human, fun and authentic.

Following and leveraging trends : Companies that have been successful on TikTok have been able to follow and leverage trends that emerge on this platform, such as the most popular hashtags, sounds, effects or challenges of the moment. These companies have used these trends to adapt them to their niche or sector, and to create relevant and viral content.

Collaborating with influencers or creators : Companies that have been successful on TikTok have been able to collaborate with influencers or creators who have influence and credibility in their niche or sector. These companies have worked with these people to create joint content, to promote their products or services, or to reach new audiences.

Using TikTok's tools and solutions : Companies that have succeeded on TikTok have been able to use the tools and solutions offered by this platform to create and promote their content. These companies have used options such as duets, brand effects, native ads or sponsored challenges.

What are some of TikTok’s business success stories that we can highlight?

Below, we are going to show some success stories of companies that have managed to succeed on TikTok, using the strategies we have mentioned above:

Gymshark

It is a sportswear brand that has gained more than 5 million followers on TikTok. Its content is based on showcasing its products, its values and its community, using humor, music and challenges. In addition, it has collaborated with influencers and creators such as @charlidamelio or @zachking.

Netflix

It is a streaming platform that has gained more than 14 million followers on TikTok. Its content is based on showing scenes, trailers and curiosities from its series and films, using humor, emotion and trends. In addition, it has created campaigns and hashtags such as #WhatsYourPower or #StrangerThingsDay.

Lidl

It is a supermarket chain that has gained more than 1 million followers on TikTok. Its content is based on showcasing its products, offers and employees, using humour, information and interaction. In addition, it has created campaigns and hashtags such as #LidlChallenge or #LidlFan.

Some examples of videos that Lidl has published on TikTok are:

A video showing how to make a homemade pizza with ingredients from Lidl, using the sound of “Pizza Time” from Spider-Man 2.
A video where he makes a parody of the song “WAP” by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, changing the lyrics to “Lidl, Lidl, Lidl”.
A video inviting followers to take part in the #LidlChallenge, which involves shopping at Lidl on a limited budget and showing what they have bought.
A video featuring the testimony of a Lidl employee who tells what it is like to work at the company, using the “I am” effect.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi: I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses, I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.

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