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In today’s digital age, influencer marketing has become a powerful strategy for businesses to increase brand awareness, build trust among their audience, and generate more sales. With over 100,000 TikTok influencers in the United States alone, there is a vast pool of influencers available to work with and promote your brand. In this article, we will explore how TikTok influencer marketing can be integrated into your overall digital marketing strategy.
What is TikTok Influencer Marketing?
TikTok influencer marketing involves partnering with influencers to promote your products or services on the TikTok platform. Unlike traditional marketing strategies where brands create and share their own content, influencer marketing relies on influencers to create and share content that introduces your brand to their audience. This allows for a wider reach and increased brand exposure.
Why Use TikTok Influencer Marketing?
Incorporating influencer marketing into your TikTok strategy can yield several benefits for your brand. Here are three reasons why you should consider TikTok influencer marketing:
1. Improve Brand Engagement on TikTok
Influencers have highly engaged audiences that tend to interact more with their content compared to brand accounts. When an influencer talks about your product or service, their followers are likely to engage in conversations about it in the comments section. This can lead to increased brand awareness and interaction with your brand’s content, ultimately resulting in more sales.
2. Increase Sales
Influencer marketing serves as social proof, showing potential customers that others are using and enjoying your products. This creates a sense of trust and increases the likelihood of people being interested in your brand. TikTok’s integrated shopping feature, TikTok Shop, makes it easy for influencers to direct their followers to purchase your products. In addition, the popular meme #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has created an expectation among TikTok users to be influenced by the content they see, making them more likely to make a purchase.
3. Boost Your Brand’s Authenticity on TikTok
Brand authenticity plays a crucial role in building customer loyalty and retention. The influencers you partner with and the content they create around your brand can enhance your brand’s authenticity. It is important to choose influencers whose messaging aligns with your brand mission to ensure a genuine representation of your brand.
How to Find the Right TikTok Influencers for Your Brand
Finding the right influencers is key to the success of your TikTok influencer marketing campaign. Here are some strategies to help you discover the right TikTok influencers for your brand:
1. Determine Your Niche
Identify the niche or industry your business belongs to. On TikTok, it is also important to determine your subculture. Subcultures have their own hashtags and niche content, such as #BookTok for book lovers or #FoodTok for recipe creators. By exploring these subcultures and hashtags, you can find influencers who align with your brand and have a relevant audience.
2. Search for Specific Topics Using Keywords
TikTok’s search feature allows you to search for specific topics or keywords related to your brand. By inputting relevant keywords, you can discover videos, users, sounds, TikTok Shops, live videos, places, and hashtags associated with those keywords. This can help you find new influencers who are creating content related to your industry.
3. Review Trending Hashtags
TikTok hashtags are a great way to discover trends and find influencers who are hopping on those trends. Pay attention to the hashtags that are popular and recurring on your For You page, TikTok’s main feed. You can also explore the trending topics in the Search section of the app or use the TikTok Ads Creative Center to find the top trending hashtags in your area or globally.
4. Use an Influencer Marketing Tool
Influencer marketing tools can be invaluable in finding, reaching out to, and collaborating with influencers. Platforms like Tagger by Sprout Social, Upfluence, and Collabstr are designed to help brands identify the best influencers for their campaigns. These tools often offer additional features such as campaign management, payment processing, and performance tracking.
5. Check Out Influencers Your Competitors Are Partnering With
Take a look at the influencers your competitors are working with. Search for your competitors’ brand name on TikTok and review the videos that appear in the search results. While you may not want to work with the exact same influencers, this can give you an idea of the type of influencers that align well with your industry.
6. Work with an Agency
Consider partnering with a TikTok influencer marketing agency. These agencies have expertise in finding and collaborating with influencers, and they can handle the entire process for you. They can help you find the best influencers, negotiate contracts, create content, and provide campaign reports.
Examples of Brands Using TikTok Influencer Marketing
To illustrate the effectiveness of TikTok influencer marketing, here are a few real-life examples of brands that have successfully utilized this strategy:
1. Aerie
Aerie, a clothing brand focusing on undergarments, loungewear, and activewear, partnered with influencer Gemma Adby to create a video showcasing the ease of putting on one of their bras with just one hand. This video was shared on both Aerie’s TikTok page and Gemma Adby’s profile, reaching a wider audience and increasing brand engagement.
2. Supergoop
Skincare brand Supergoop collaborated with an influencer to create a video demonstrating the use of their product during a daily skincare routine. This video was initially posted on the influencer’s profile and later shared on Supergoop’s website, leveraging user-generated content to showcase the authenticity of the brand.
3. BEHR
Paint company BEHR collaborated with TikTok influencer Laura Whaley to create skits that showcased different personalities in a corporate office setting. In one of the skits, the characters discuss a BEHR sweepstakes, seamlessly integrating the brand’s message into Laura’s regular content. This example demonstrates how influencer content can align with the influencer’s existing content, making it more authentic and engaging.
4. Lulus
Online clothing company Lulus worked with TikTok influencer Madison Humphrey to create a humorous video related to going out. The video showcased Lulus’ dresses and other formal wear, fitting perfectly with the influencer’s content style. This video was also turned into an ad to reach a wider audience on the platform.
5. Pair Eyewear
Glasses company Pair Eyewear extensively uses TikTok influencer marketing to promote its innovative magnetic glasses. Influencers like Dad Chats create entertaining organic content that aligns with Pair Eyewear’s messaging. Additionally, Pair Eyewear turns these influencer videos into ads to reach a larger audience and drive sales.
Conclusion
TikTok influencer marketing is a powerful strategy for increasing brand awareness, improving engagement, and driving sales. By finding the right influencers who align with your brand’s mission and target audience, you can leverage their existing following to amplify your brand’s message. Whether you choose to use influencer marketing tools, work with an agency, or conduct your own research, finding the right TikTok influencers for your brand is essential for a successful campaign. Start exploring the world of TikTok influencer marketing and unlock the potential of this popular social media platform for your business.
