TikTok has quickly become a powerful platform for businesses to engage with a vast audience. 

With over 1.5 billion global users, and 150 million active U.S. users, TikTok provides a unique opportunity for brands to connect with potential customers through creative and engaging content. 

To help you navigate this vibrant platform, we’ve tested and ranked various strategies to find the most effective ways to influence customers on TikTok.

Scrubdaddy, a cleaning product company leveraged TikTok to grow influence and sell its products. With over 4 million followers and each video generating 30K+ views, and 10,000 to 15,000 likes, the brand is crushing it on the platform.

Read on to discover the top strategies, from leveraging influencer collaborations to creating viral challenges, all backed by real-world examples.

The Benefits of Utilizing TikTok to Influence Customers

• Enhanced brand awareness: TikTok’s unique algorithm promotes content to a broad audience, increasing the chances of your brand being discovered by potential customers. Creating engaging and relevant content helps businesses boost their visibility and attract new followers who may not have been reached through other platforms.
• Authentic customer engagement: TikTok’s informal and creative environment encourages authentic interactions. Brands can connect with customers on a personal level, fostering genuine relationships and loyalty. This authenticity helps build trust, which is crucial for converting followers into customers.
• Virality potential: The platform’s structure allows content to go viral more easily compared to other social media platforms. A single viral video can exponentially increase a brand’s reach and influence, driving massive traffic and engagement without a significant ad spend.
• Cost-effective marketing: TikTok provides a cost-effective way to reach a large audience, especially for small businesses with limited marketing budgets. Creating and sharing content on TikTok can be less expensive than traditional advertising methods while still delivering high engagement rates.
• Data-driven insights: TikTok Analytics offers valuable insights into audience behavior and content performance. By understanding what works and what doesn’t, businesses can continuously refine their strategies to optimize engagement and drive better results. This data-driven approach ensures that marketing efforts are always aligned with audience preferences and trends.

How to Influence Customers on TikTok to Grow Your Business

Here are some of the proven strategies to build an influence on TikTok to grow your business:

1. Leveraging Influencer Collaborations

Influencers on TikTok already have established followings that trust their recommendations. Collaborating with influencers can give your brand instant credibility and expand your reach significantly.

Degree of implementation: Medium. Finding the right influencer and negotiating collaborations requires some effort but offers high rewards.

Dunkin’ partnered with TikTok star Charli D’Amelio, resulting in a 57% spike in app downloads and a 45% increase in cold brew coffee sales. 

Charli’s endorsement brought her 122 million followers into the Dunkin’ fold, showcasing the power of influencer collaborations.

By selecting influencers who align with your brand values and target audience, you can leverage their credibility to boost your brand’s presence and drive conversions.

2. Creating Viral Challenges

Viral challenges can engage a large audience, encouraging them to create user-generated content that amplifies your brand’s visibility and reach organically.

Degree of implementation: Difficult. Designing a challenge that resonates with users and goes viral requires creativity and a deep understanding of TikTok’s culture.

Chipotle’s #GuacDance challenge led to over 250,000 video submissions and 430 million video starts in six days, significantly boosting avocado usage. 

This campaign not only increased engagement but also drove real-world sales.

To create a successful viral challenge, focus on simplicity, fun, and relevance to your brand. Encourage participation by offering incentives or featuring the best entries on your official TikTok account.

3. Utilizing Branded Hashtag Campaigns

Branded hashtags encourage users to create content around your products, increasing brand awareness and engagement without the need for direct advertising.

Degree of implementation: Medium. While setting up a hashtag campaign is straightforward, sustaining engagement requires continuous effort and creativity.

Guess’s #InMyDenim campaign encouraged users to share their denim looks, leading to a significant increase in brand engagement and showcasing user-generated content. 

This campaign helped Guess tap into TikTok’s fashion-conscious community and elevate their brand visibility.

To maximize the impact of a branded hashtag campaign, ensure your hashtag is easy to remember, relevant to your brand, and promoted across all your marketing channels. Engage with users who participate to build a community around your campaign.

Want Influicity to handle your TikTok marketing? Get in touch now.

4. Engaging with User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) fosters a sense of community and authenticity. Encouraging your customers to create and share content about your products can build trust and increase brand loyalty.

Degree of implementation: Easy. Encouraging UGC requires minimal resources and can be integrated into existing marketing strategies.

GoPro encourages users to share their adventures using the hashtag #GoPro. This strategy not only increases engagement but also provides GoPro with a continuous stream of high-quality content to showcase its products in real-life scenarios.

To effectively leverage UGC, create campaigns that incentivize customers to share their experiences with your products. 

Feature the best submissions on your TikTok page to show appreciation and build a loyal community around your brand.

5. Running TikTok Ads

TikTok ads can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and reach a targeted audience. 

With various ad formats like In-Feed Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and TopView Ads, you can create engaging and impactful campaigns.

Degree of implementation: Medium to difficult. Running successful ad campaigns requires understanding TikTok’s advertising platform and budgeting for ad spend.

Apple’s #ShotOniPhone campaign utilized In-Feed Ads to highlight user-generated content, showcasing the iPhone’s camera capabilities. 

This campaign boosted brand engagement and demonstrated the power of TikTok’s ad platform in driving product awareness.

To get started with TikTok ads, define your campaign objectives, target audience, and budget. 

Experiment with different ad formats to see which resonates most with your audience and continually optimize your ads for better performance.

6. Collaborating with TikTok Creators for Authentic Content

Collaborating with TikTok creators can help produce authentic, engaging content that resonates with their followers. 

Creators understand the platform’s nuances and can help craft content that fits seamlessly into the TikTok ecosystem.

Degree of implementation: Medium. Finding the right creators and managing collaborations requires effort but can yield highly effective results.

The Washington Post collaborates with TikTok creators to produce humorous and informative videos. This strategy has helped them connect with a younger audience and increase their following on the platform.

To collaborate effectively, identify creators who align with your brand values and have an engaged following. 

Give them creative freedom to produce content that feels authentic and relatable to their audience, while subtly integrating your brand message.

Want Influicity to handle your TikTok marketing? Get in touch now.

7. Leveraging TikTok Trends and Challenges

Participating in TikTok trends and challenges can dramatically increase your brand’s visibility and engagement. Trends and challenges are highly popular on the platform, offering a chance to connect with a broader audience.

Degree of implementation: Easy. Keeping an eye on trending content and creating relevant videos requires minimal resources.

Ocean Spray went viral when a TikTok user posted a video skateboarding while drinking their cranberry juice. The brand embraced the trend, boosting its visibility and sales significantly.

To leverage TikTok trends, regularly monitor the Discover page for trending hashtags and challenges. Create content that aligns with these trends, ensuring it’s entertaining and relevant to your brand.  

8. Utilizing TikTok Analytics to Optimize Content

TikTok Analytics provides valuable insights into how your content is performing and how your audience is engaging with it. By analyzing these metrics, you can refine your content strategy to meet your audience’s preferences.

Degree of implementation: Medium. Understanding and utilizing analytics requires time and effort but is crucial for long-term success.

Gymshark regularly uses TikTok Analytics to track the performance of their fitness content. By analyzing which videos perform best, they continuously optimize their strategy to engage their audience more effectively.

To utilize TikTok Analytics, access the analytics section in your TikTok Pro account. Monitor key metrics such as video views, follower growth, and engagement rates. 

Use these insights to identify what type of content resonates most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Influencing Customers on TikTok: Overview

The table below breaks down four strategies for influencing customers on TikTok, the ease of implementation, and the results you can expect.

Conclusion 

TikTok’s unique algorithm promotes engaging content to a wide audience, fostering authentic connections.

Its short, dynamic videos capture attention quickly, driving high engagement and conversion rates, making it ideal for turning viewers into customers.

To start influencing customers on TikTok, begin with leveraging user-generated content (UGC) due to its ease and authenticity. 

As you engage with your audience, gradually incorporate more advanced strategies like TikTok ads and collaborating with creators.

These methods will help build a strong presence and foster deeper connections with your customers on the platform.

P.S.  Want Influicity to handle your TikTok marketing? Get in touch now.