Even if you perceive TikTok as a silly Gen Z platform, the reality is — it’s headed for a much broader audience. TikTok is now the world’s fastest-growing social media platform, with explosive growth during the pandemic.
Your sleep industry business can really benefit by becoming an early adopter of this very popular platform.
TikTok started as a channel to showcase funny short videos, but businesses are finding that serious health messages can also be packaged for TikTok.
The platform is evolving; in the early days, TikTok videos were limited to 15 seconds — but that has been expanded to 10 minutes. These videos can be as creative and educational as you want; music and special effects can be added. Sleep companies should coordinate graphics with their brand identity.
Sleep companies can use TikTok marketing to grow their social media presence with well-written and designed content. They can also work with influencers to promote products to new audiences — as well as advertising on TikTok’s platform.
As the business community is just beginning to use TikTok’s platform, you will have little competition establishing your brand. A few TikTok marketing strategies:
Grow your brand’s TikTok presence – If you’re a small sleep-focused business, creating interesting TikTok content is a great strategy. Make sure you understand the platform’s users and create content that will resonate with your audience.
Research content trends – For content ideas, the easiest way is to start on the TikTok app itself. The Discovery page shows trending content and hashtags — which are a critical component of TikTok.
When you start typing in a keyword in the search bar, TikTok automatically suggests related hashtags based on what you wrote. If you make a video based on a trending hashtag, the TikTok algorithm ensures there is a chance users will discover your content.
In developing topic ideas, think about your target audience’s problems — or relevant topics that interest them. If sleep apnea is your focus, a TikTok video can educate your audience about snoring. Do a little keyword research to help you develop more TikTok videos.
The process is similar to developing blog ideas; focus on what people want to see. You might even ask them what sleep topics interest them, what sleep problems they have.
Participate in a TikTok Challenge – TikTok followers love to see people who are bold and participate in a TikTok challenge — like a hashtag challenge. Challenges are a great way to promote your brand, as hashtags can be discovered by new audiences.
Use the right hashtags – To ensure your content is discovered, use TikTok search engine optimization (SEO). Hashtags are the easiest way to do this. To find the best hashtags, simply type relevant keywords (like sleep apnea) into the search field — and TikTok will suggest several related hashtags.
You can use multiple hashtags on each video. However, the video’s caption is limited to 100 characters. Two to three hashtags are optimal, so you can still include a description of your video.
User-Generated Content – While it’s best to create original content, you can also benefit from existing content on TikTok that’s relevant to your products/service. Simply search #sleepapnea on TikTok, and find relevant videos.
You can create a branded hashtag and encourage your followers to use it, and repost the best content from the hashtag often. Your followers will appreciate it.
Collaborate With TikTok Influencers – 86% of marketers have used influencer marketing to raise brand awareness or generate sales, another option for your sleep-focused company.
TikTok influencer marketing has become a dynamic option, with top content creators making millions of dollars from ad revenue and endorsement deals.
TikTok has developed its own influencer marketing platform called the Creator Marketplace, where brands can create marketing campaigns, access influencer metrics, and connect with TikTok’s top influencers.
TikTok influencers can generate brand awareness or sales by:
- Talking about your sleep product in a video
- Linking your sleep product or website in your video’s description
- Posting about your sleep product in your video’s description
If you find an influencer you think would be a good fit, send them a message to let them know you’re interested in working with them.
Advertise on TikTok – Advertising on TikTok is a great way to market your business. When you set up your video ad campaign, you’ll usually be able to reach your target audience within 24 hours.
TikTok Best Practices
If you’re interested in establishing a presence on the social media platform, take note of the following TikTok marketing practices. Create a detailed bio so people can learn about your sleep-focused business. A bio is also an excellent way to include links to your website and social profiles and a call to action.
Post frequently – Like other social platforms, there are recommended times for posting on TikTok to get the best results. But remember, the practices that work for one business may not work for yours.
Start by posting three to five times a week at different times to see what works best. Then, review your engagement stats at the end of the week and adjust accordingly. Consider creating a content calendar to help you plan content.
Check Analytics – A TikTok Pro account gives you access to analytics to see details on your demographic. Determine the best times to post, and know what type of content resonates with your TikTok followers.
Need help with TikTok and other social media?
Creating authentic content, participating in challenges, and taking advantage of influencer marketing and TikTok ads are just some of the ways to use the platform to increase sales and create brand awareness.
Somnowell Marketing has a dedicated team of writers, designers, SEO specialists, and other social media experts who can guide you — and create exactly the content your sleep industry business needs on social media. If it’s time to seriously utilise social media like TikTok in your marketing, give us a call. Let’s talk, and help you take the next steps.
