How can you use TikTok to engage Gen Z customers?

TikTok is more than just a platform for viral dances, lip-syncs and challenges. It's also a powerful tool for brand development, especially if you want to reach and engage Gen Z customers. Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012, is the largest and most diverse cohort of consumers, with an estimated spending power of $143 billion in the US alone. They are also digital natives, savvy, socially conscious and highly influential. In this article, you'll learn how to use TikTok to connect with Gen Z customers and build a loyal community around your brand.

1 Understand your audience

To use TikTok for brand development, it is essential to understand your target audience, including their preferences, pain points, values and aspirations. Gen Z customers have unique characteristics that can help you tailor your content and messaging. They are more likely to support brands that align with their social causes and personal identities. Additionally, they are more interested in authentic content than polished ones, more influenced by peer recommendations than traditional advertising, and more responsive to interactive experiences than passive ones. Consequently, it is important to create content that resonates with them, such as entertaining content, user-generated content, online reviews, engaging experiences and personalized experiences.

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Adhishree Murdia

Vice President, Marketing - OTT - India & Global Markets I Media & Entertainment Leader I Brand Strategy & Planning I Digital & Social Media I Revenue Maximization & Brand Solutions I Events & IP Creator
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In my view, Tik Tok consumers have a sense of belonging to the platform and brands. In a real life brand example, I would look at the Harley Davidson community.. The way the consumers love the authenticity of the brand and cling on to the feeling of 'oneness'. That's how the GEN- Z perceives Tik Tok.. Looks forward to authenticity, real pictures and videos and not Reel like effects.

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2 Create a unique and consistent brand identity

Creating a unique and consistent brand identity on TikTok is essential for successful brand development. This identity should be distinctive, memorable, and relevant to your audience and niche. It should also be consistent across your profile, videos, hashtags, captions, and comments. To create a strong brand identity on TikTok, choose a catchy and descriptive username that represents your brand name or slogan. Additionally, use a high-quality and recognizable profile picture that matches your logo or theme. Write a clear and compelling bio that summarizes your brand mission, vision, and value proposition. Additionally, use a custom or trending sound that suits your brand tone and style. Finally, use a branded hashtag or create your own to encourage user-generated content and increase visibility.

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3 Produce original and creative content

Using TikTok for brand development requires producing original and creative content that showcases your brand story, products, services, values and culture. Your content should be both relevant and entertaining to your audience and niche. To ensure the content is varied, fresh and optimized for the TikTok algorithm, experiment with different formats, such as tutorials, behind-the-scenes, testimonials, challenges, memes, live streams and collaborations. Take advantage of TikTok's native features such as filters, stickers, effects, transitions and text overlays to enhance your videos. Additionally, adhere to the best practices for video length, quality, orientation and aspect ratio. Use catchy titles, keywords, hashtags and calls to action to attract and retain viewers. Finally, post regularly and frequently at peak times of your audience.

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Ricardo Heinze

Marketing Head @ MLG | LinkedIn Top Voice | Marketing & Leadership Content Creator | Top 200 LATAM LinkedIn Content Creator by Favikon
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Los contenidos que funcionan bien en TikTok suelen ser aquellos que permiten a los usuarios participar, como los retos virales o los hashtags temáticos, que invitan a la interacción y la recreación. Es importante también mantener una voz auténtica y mostrar los aspectos humanos de tu marca, lo que puede incluir mostrar el proceso detrás de tus productos o la vida cotidiana en la oficina, para crear una conexión genuina. Además, al ser una plataforma basada en el entretenimiento, es clave que el contenido sea divertido y atractivo, utilizando todos los recursos visuales y sonoros que ofrece TikTok para destacar y hacer que tu marca sea recordada.

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4 Engage with your community

The fourth step to using TikTok for brand development is to engage with your community and foster a sense of belonging, trust and loyalty. This includes followers, customers, fans, advocates and potential leads. To interact with them authentically, respond promptly and politely to comments, questions, feedback and reviews. Additionally, like, share and comment on other users' videos related to your niche or hashtag. Moreover, join or start conversations, trends, challenges and hashtags that are relevant to your brand and audience. You can also collaborate with other brands, influencers, creators and customers that share your values and vision. Lastly, reward your community with incentives, discounts, giveaways, shoutouts and user-generated content.

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5 Measure and improve your performance

The final step to using TikTok for brand development is to measure and improve your performance and results. Track and analyze your metrics, such as views, likes, comments, shares, followers, conversions and revenue. Additionally, monitor and evaluate your feedback, reviews, mentions and reputation. This data will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats so that you can adjust your strategy accordingly. To measure and improve your performance on TikTok, use the TikTok analytics tool to access profile, content and follower insights. Utilize third-party tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic, conversions and revenue from TikTok. A/B testing, surveys and polls can also be used to test content, messaging and offers. Leverage competitor analysis, market research and customer feedback to identify your unique selling proposition and competitive advantage. Lastly, take advantage of best practices from experts, influencers and successful brands to learn and improve.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you use TikTok to engage Gen Z customers?

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1 Understand your audience

2 Create a unique and consistent brand identity

3 Produce original and creative content

4 Engage with your community

5 Measure and improve your performance

6 Here’s what else to consider

Brand Development

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How can you use TikTok to engage Gen Z customers?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Understand your audience

2 Create a unique and consistent brand identity

3 Produce original and creative content

4 Engage with your community

5 Measure and improve your performance

6 Here’s what else to consider

Brand Development

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