as long as advertising has existed, humans have hated it.
we’ve all rolled our eyes and waited impatiently for the skip option to pop up on the pre youtube video ad. i had an aunt who, when watching any form of tv, had a zero tolerance policy for ads, and would mute them when they came on in between shows. i remember as a little kid, looking at billboards or print ads in magazines and wondering – what’s the point of doing that? just because they show me something doesn’t mean I’m gonna buy it!
humans hate being told what to wear, eat, do….. and above all the feeling of being marketed to. to be analyzed and tracked in the way that marketing and advertising necessitates feels unnatural and a little sinister. it’s a vaguely Orwellian invasion of privacy.
before the beginning of the digital era, marketing and advertising were completely different beasts. from the advent of the print press following the industrial revolution, to the pre digital era where mass marketing campaigns created in lavish advertising agencies sat at the forefront of cultural consciousness (think Just Do It and Got Milk?). successful campaigns were ones that were so captivating you could forget that they were ads, and seamlessly integrated their effects into the cultural and media landscape.
then came a completely new era of platforms – the rise of the internet, social media and most critically, the influencer. distinctly separate from celebrities, the influencer is relatable, trustworthy, and most importantly within our reach. we feel like we know these people, and consuming their content doesn’t feel too different from having a conversation with a friend. we feel an intimate connection with our influencers, and so when they recommend their top 5 products from Sephora, it doesn’t feel like an ad, but instead like we’re being let in exclusive advice from a source we trust.
no platform is currently better positioned to facilitate the effectiveness of influencer marketing than TikTok. 42% of U.S marketers in 2021 turned to the young app for influencer marketing, citing its engagement features as a key factor in promoting user generated content. TikTok ads are seen by users as more creative, inspiring and engaging than other competing platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and from my personal experience with TikTok, it’s not hard to see why.
Zarnaz Arlio, CMO of leading customer experience platform Emplifi, explains that the power of TikTok in marketing comes down to its equalizing power. TikTok’s unique discovery algorithm means that every piece of content has an equal chance at going viral on TikTok’s ‘For You Page’, regardless of initial popularity or number of followers.
this levels the playing field for marketers who want advertising content to attain maximum reach and engagement. brands are able to reach new and wider segments because TikTok prioritizes videos from creators users have never seen before, unlike Instagram and Facebook, which organize content according to who users follow and interact with.
scrolling through your TikTok ‘For You Page’, you’ll find an in-feed ad generally every 5-8 videos. these are labelled ‘sponsored’ in relatively small lettering in the bottom left corner of the video, blending branded content seamlessly with the rest of the feed.
brands are increasingly using humorous viral ‘sounds’ in advertising, which include popular remixes, snippets of dialogue from movies and TV shows, and even memes to promote their products. i often find myself consuming these with as much enthusiasm as i would a regular TikTok, until I realise 15 seconds in that i’m actually chuckling at *gasp* an AD!
i would argue the core of Instagram is aesthetics, but the core of TikTok is trends and virality- dances, challenges, the use of viral ‘sounds’ to generate memes and more. advertising that mimics this type of content reads way more authentic than a carefully curated sponsored Instagram post or story.
influencers on the platform are well placed to create content that promotes a brand or product without seeming at all like an ad. one of my favourite types of videos to watch are product ‘hauls’ – essentially a compilation of products that the influencer in question has been gifted from a particular brand.
Australian TikTok star Sophia Begg (@sophadophaa), regularly posts these as well as ‘try-ons’ of clothes from partner brands such as Tiger Mist, Beginning Boutique and Jaded London. i’m being influenced really well – the craziest part is I’m being advertised to and i like it! i, and millions of others, willingly seek out these types of videos as a form of entertainment. it’s a great way to see what’s on offer from a brand, so much more personal than just browsing a website – and of course i feel like I’m getting a real, authentic product recommendation from a trusted friend.
TikTok’s seemingly unique ability to convert users to purchase by generating brand awareness and creating meaningful customer connections is backed up by a wealth of statistics. #TikTokMadeMeBuy it has become a cultural phenomenon, 56% of users have positive towards a brand after learning about it on TikTok and 49% of TikTok users report that learning about a product on the platform has led them to make a purchase.
while TikTok is relatively new as a platform in social media and influencer marketing, it is fast becoming one of the most critical places to advertise, particularly in reaching a younger consumer market. i’d say to all marketers, business owners and even those who are looking to create a personal brand on social media for themselves- TikTok is the place to do it.
cait's brain 