Depending on just who you ask—TikTok, is either the best thing since sliced bread. Or an app that was created with a hidden agenda to covertly keep us all distracted while it diminishes our attention spans.
Say what you want about TikTok—but one thing I’m sure most would agree on—is that the social media platform is an absolute attention magnet. Especially when it comes to Gen Z.
According to a survey by Morning Consult, 68% of Gen Z respondents say they use TikTok. And with over 1 billion videos now being viewed daily on the free platform—as a product marketer—TikTok is an ideal place to showcase your products.
When it comes to social media marketing—each platform requires its own plan of attack. And in order to maximize your potential to sell products to consumers on the short-form video platform known as TikTok—do the following five things.
1. Capture attention through story
Story—a very engaging story—demands the undivided attention of everyone that comes across it. Think about it, how many times have you heard a friend, classmate, co-worker, or even a stranger in a store—tell a good story about something—which caused you to listen closely to see just how it would end?
Well, that same captivating effect also causes consumers to give their full attention to TikTok videos that feature a product within a story.
These days, great storytelling is by far a brand’s best weapon to cut through the noise distracting their target audience. With "storytime" videos now being the most-watched types of TikTok videos by Gen Z—it is imperative that videos showcasing your products on TikTok involve elements of storytelling in order to capture the attention of any audience. Especially Gen Z.
2. Make your videos “sticky”
Each week—either one of your friends or a family member probably sends you at least one text message containing a video they want you to check out. And being the great person that you are—you eventually view those videos so that you could either make an insightful reply—or simply reply to their message with an appropriate emoji.
Well, the reason why people feel so compelled to send videos for others to check out in the first place—is because those videos usually contain the “stickiness factor.”
In his best-selling book, The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell, describes the stickiness factor as, “The quality that compels people to pay close, sustained attention to a product, concept, or idea.”
Products that go on to become viral hits all have a high-level of stickiness attached to them.
To give your products the best chance to be seen by as many people as possible on TikTok—be sure to add elements of stickiness to them. A few ways to do that are to:
Make videos featuring your products that are controversial or take a contrary point-of-view.
Make “Fun Fact” or “Did You Know?” videos that reveal insider information about your products and its industry.
Create sweepstakes videos that allows viewers a chance to win prizes for their purchase of your products.
Add elements of comedy to your products TikTok videos that'll make people laugh.
Those are just a few of the many ways to make sticky videos for your products. The thing to keep in mind when creating a sticky video—is that the objective for the video is that it’ll be so cool, so entertaining, or so informative—viewers will feel compelled to engage and share it with their friends.
3. Use music to motivate people to purchase
When was the last time you went to a gym to work out and didn’t see any of your fellow gym-goers with their headphones on? Music is so powerful—it helps make a tough workout seem like a walk in the park. As the late, great Bob Marley said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
The sound of music is so powerful—many retail stores use it to influence shoppers to stick around their store and purchase products (which works great, by the way).
Perhaps the best thing about music—is the way it connects people to one another. It also connects people to products—that’s if the products featuring the music resonate with its audience in advertisements. Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, put it best, “Creativity is just connecting things.”
To connect consumers to your products by way of TikTok videos—feature culturally-relevant songs in your videos that’ll resonate with your target audience. Then, make a logical connection in the video between the song and your product—which will often lead to consumers having more of an affinity for your product.
4. Be a good tutor
It’s no coincidence that many of the products that have gone on to become huge hits on TikTok—just so happen to be cosmetic products and household appliances. The reason why—is that both of those types of products often require some kind of tutorial in order for customers to truly get the most out of them.
Think of fun ways in which you could provide tutorial TikTok videos for your brand’s products that show viewers just how great your products are and the best ways to properly use them.
If you think your products are too boring to require a fun tutorial—think of one of my favorite quotes from author and legendary advertising executive, the late David Ogilvy, “If you think the product too dull, I have news for you: there are no dull products, only dull writers.”
5. Show a transformation
What’s something that great films like: Rocky, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Wizard Of Oz, Batman, and heck, even Bad Santa all have in common? The main character in each of those films faced a problem, had an epiphanic moment, and somehow became a better person because of it.
In other words, they had a transformation after experiencing a certain chain of events.
Consumers don't see themselves as characters. But they do see themselves as heroes—of their life's story. And what they're searching for is: The Mickey to their Rocky. The Clarence to their George. The Alfred to their Batman. Or, the Thurman to their Willie. If you're unfamiliar with those movie characters—they’re looking for a product that’ll assist in changing their lives for the better.
To position your product as their trusty assistant—highlight customer pain points in your TikTok videos. Then, show how your products will help solve those problems and just how their lives will become better after experiencing your products. One way to do that is by showing how the lives of others have already become better (testimonials) thanks to your brand.
Just be sure to include a call to action at the end of your transformational video (hey, sometimes—even Batman needed to see the bat signal to know when it was time to take action).