Just a few years ago, TikTok was perceived by many businesses to be an “experimental platform,” a potential avenue for marketing if you had a cushy budget and/or a decidedly younger audience. However, in 2021 after TikTok’s spectacular rise in popularity during the COVID pandemic, many media buyers now regard TikTok as a staple social platform, and more advertising dollars are streaming into the app.
In January 2021, TikTik officially surpassed Facebook in the number of hours spent on the platform per user each month. Time spent on TikTok is rising at a staggering 325% year-over-year rate, and its spped of growth outpaces other popular apps including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. In fact, TikTok is expected to reach 1.2 billion monthly active users this year.
With all the bustling interest and activity surrounding TikTok in combination with new possibilities and enhancements for e-commerce on the app, businesses who don’t start investing in TikTok marketing now run the risk of getting left behind as consumer demand shifts.
The Rise of TikTok This Past Year 
As of December 2020, the TikTok app has been downloaded over 2.6 billion times globally. The app is truly an international sensation with availability in over 150 countries and hundreds of millions of users in both India and China. It is also growing in popularity in the U.S. – as of August 2020, TikTok announced they had 100 million active users in the United States.
TikTok is especially popular with the younger demographic, ages 13 to 40. However, the user-base is now starting to age up. Statistics show that U.S. users by age group now fall in to the following categories with the older demographic rising: 10-19 – 32.5%, 20-29 – 29.5%, 30-39 – 16.4%, 40-49 – 13.9%, 50+ – 7.1%.
Confidence in the app is also growing, especially now that the potential sale to Oracle-Walmart has been shelved while the app’s powerful presence in the U.S. can no longer be ignored. As Chief Social Officer / Partner of Mekanism, Brendan Gahan describes, “Brands have shifted from viewing [TikTok] as that fun/experimental platform to one of the big players.”
Most importantly for businesses, TikTok is investing in expanding its e-commerce capabilities, with a suite of new digital shopping tools. One of the most significant investments is the platform’s new global partnership with Shopify. With new TikTok ad tools, businesses will be able to create content that will showcase their offerings as in-feed video ads that match the video experience users expect on TikTok.
Brand Marketing Strategies Specific to TikTok 
TikTok is all about fun, engaging short videos, and the brands that do best on the platform make sure to follow the latest TikTok trends. For example, you want to create videos that are visually engaging, with clear descriptions and smart use of TikTok effects.
You may even want to create your own music, like this successful campaign from ELF cosmetics which features what has come to be popular as the first original song commissioned for a TikTok marketing campaign – this campaign has already achieved over 7 billion views!
Businesses should also pay attention to Hashtag Challenges on TikTok, which encourage users to interact and share by recreating activities, dance moves, or songs – this can be one way your content can go viral. You might also want to partner with influencers, such as the rising stars on TikTok like Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio. Also, make sure you have a solid understanding of the TikTok algorithm so you know how the platform ranks and displays its video content.
Are interested in building an effective TikTok strategy for your business in 2021? If so, our digital marketing experts here at JXT Group can help. You can find out more by giving our team a call at 718-690-7302. Or, you can submit our online contact form and we’ll be in touch soon!
