Mastering TikTok: A Guide to Ireland’s Fastest-Growing Platform

TikTok is more than just a social media platform. It’s a cultural phenomenon that has redefined the way people consume content, initially for younger audiences but now for EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC from teens to older people.

With over a billion monthly active users, TikTok offers brands an opportunity to connect with consumers in a way that is dynamic, authentic, and immensely engaging. And TikTok Ads are no different.

However, succeeding on TikTok isn’t as simple as repurposing content from other platforms. It requires understanding the platform’s unique culture, and trends, and how to execute effective ad strategies.

Let’s explore what brands should do to excel on TikTok and how to leverage TikTok Ads – even if your brand is not active on the platform itself.

Understanding TikTok Culture

To excel on TikTok, brands must understand that the platform operates differently from traditional social media. TikTok is about creativity, authenticity, and community participation.

It’s not just a place to post polished marketing videos; it’s a space for playful experimentation, humour, and interaction with ongoing cultural conversations. TikTok thrives on challenges, trends, and sound bites – everything is designed to be shareable and participatory.

The platform’s unique culture is driven by its content creators, often referred to as “TikTokers.” These users – ranging from micro-influencers with a few thousand followers to mega-stars with millions – are the ones shaping trends and dictating what’s cool.

Brands looking to make an impact must be willing to take risks and adapt their content to fit this environment. It’s not about broadcasting your message; it’s about being part of the conversation.

Leveraging TikTok Trends

One of the defining features of TikTok is its reliance on trends. Every day, new sounds, dance challenges, music, or memes emerge and take over the platform. For brands, tapping into these trends is a powerful way to boost visibility and engagement.

But there’s a delicate balance – brands must do this in a way that feels authentic, not forced! Don’t go embarrassing yourselves.

To effectively leverage trends, brands need to keep a pulse on what’s happening on TikTok in real-time. This means dedicating time to exploring the “For You Page” (FYP), which is where trends are born and grow. Understanding what kind of content is going viral and how it aligns with your brand identity is crucial.

Once a trend is identified, the key is to quickly jump in and participate, adding your brand’s unique twist to make it memorable. Timing is everything – join too late, and your content will feel outdated.

The beauty of TikTok is that even smaller brands with limited resources can make a significant impact by jumping on a trend early and executing it well. Unlike Instagram or YouTube, where production value often plays a huge role, TikTok audiences appreciate authenticity.

Using a smartphone to film an in-office dance challenge or creating humorous commentary on a trending topic can lead to significant reach without a hefty budget.

The Importance of User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content is a big part of what makes TikTok thrive. Brands can leverage UGC by encouraging their followers to create content related to their products. This can be achieved through branded challenges, where you create a hashtag and encourage users to participate by making their own videos.

The advantage of UGC is that it acts as social proof – people are more likely to trust content created by other users than by the brand itself. UGC also boosts engagement, as users feel directly involved with the brand.

One of the most successful examples of this strategy is the #EyesLipsFace challenge launched by e.l.f. Cosmetics. This campaign encouraged users to make their videos using a custom song, resulting in millions of user-generated submissions and billions of views.

To make the most of UGC on TikTok, brands should focus on creating challenges that are easy to participate in and fun for users. The more accessible the challenge, the more likely users will engage with it. Think about using catchy music, and simple instructions, and giving users the freedom to get creative.

TikTok Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing on TikTok can be incredibly powerful. The platform has given rise to a new generation of influencers who have built deep connections with their audiences. Working with the right influencers can give your brand access to their loyal followers and add credibility to your message.

Just be sure to work with actual influencers by looking at the organic engagement to ensure that they are not being followed by bots.

The key to a successful influencer marketing campaign on TikTok is finding influencers whose audiences align with your target market. Unlike other platforms, TikTok influencers often have niche audiences, making it easier to target specific demographics. Whether you’re working with macro-influencers or micro-influencers, it’s important to give them creative freedom.

TikTokers know their audience better than anyone, and their content will resonate best if it doesn’t come across as a scripted ad.

Influencers can help promote your brand in various ways, from participating in branded challenges to showcasing your products in their daily routines. The authenticity of influencer content is crucial – it should feel like a natural fit for the influencer’s style rather than a hard sell.

Brands like Chipotle and Gymshark have done this well by collaborating with influencers in a genuine way that taps into current TikTok trends.

Gymshark’s success on TikTok came from its authentic, user-focused content and innovative challenges that resonated with the platform’s fitness community. They engaged users by launching viral fitness challenges, like the “66 Days: Change Your Life” challenge, which encouraged participation through motivational content, user-generated videos, and transformations.

They leveraged influencers and relatable content to create a strong sense of community, making fitness fun and accessible, while building brand loyalty and reaching millions organically. Take a look:

TikTok Ads: A Game-Changer for Brands

TikTok Ads have quickly become one of the most effective tools for brands looking to increase visibility and drive engagement. The platform offers several different types of ads, each with its unique strengths. The most common ad formats include:

• In-Feed Ads: These are native ads that appear in users’ feeds as they scroll. They blend seamlessly with organic content, making them less intrusive.
• Branded Hashtag Challenges: These ads encourage users to create content using a specific hashtag, usually in response to a brand’s prompt. This type of ad is excellent for driving user participation and engagement.
• Branded Effects: Brands can create custom stickers, filters, or effects that users can apply to their content. This approach encourages users to engage with your brand while creating their videos.
• TopView and Brand Takeovers: These are premium ad formats that appear as soon as the user opens the app, providing high visibility. They are more expensive but can generate massive reach and awareness.

One of the great things about TikTok Ads is that you don’t need to be an active brand on TikTok to run ads effectively. Many brands may not have a regular presence on TikTok or may be unsure how to create organic content that fits the platform’s style.

Fortunately, TikTok Ads allow you to leverage the platform’s reach without having an established profile. You can craft compelling ads that tap into the platform’s trends and culture without having to post regularly.

Creating Effective TikTok Ads

To succeed with TikTok Ads, it’s crucial to understand the type of content that performs well on the platform. TikTok is all about authenticity and creativity – users aren’t interested in being sold to; they want to be entertained. With that in mind, TikTok Ads should be designed to feel like native content rather than traditional ads.

When creating TikTok Ads, focus on storytelling that engages viewers within the first few seconds. Attention spans are short, and the faster you capture their interest, the better.

Use bold visuals, humour, and music to evoke emotions and keep viewers watching until the end. Keep in mind that the best TikTok ads are the ones that don’t look like ads at all – they blend seamlessly with the content users are already watching.

Music is an essential part of TikTok culture, so incorporating trending sounds into your ads can make them more relatable and engaging. Be sure to use sound and music that fits well with your message and audience. TikTok’s ad platform also allows you to leverage its library of trending sounds, which can help ensure your ad fits the current vibe of the platform.

Another important factor is including a strong call to action (CTA). Whether it’s “shop now,” “learn more,” or “join the challenge,” a well-placed CTA can drive users to take the next step. Make sure the CTA feels natural within the context of your ad – it should guide users seamlessly without feeling like an interruption.

TikTok Analytics and Performance Tracking

Like any marketing campaign, tracking and analysing the performance of TikTok content and ads is essential. TikTok’s analytics provide insights into your audience, the performance of your content, and how users are interacting with your ads. Metrics like reach, impressions, engagement rate, and video views are important for understanding how well your campaigns are resonating.

Using TikTok’s pixel, you can also track the actions users take after interacting with your ad, such as visiting your website or making a purchase. For brands running TikTok Ads without being active on the platform, this data is especially valuable – it provides a clear picture of the ad’s effectiveness without the need for ongoing organic content management.

As an agency, we often use advanced tracking tools like server-side tracking and conversion APIs to ensure we capture the full scope of user interactions with TikTok ads. These tools minimise data loss and provide a more accurate view of customer behaviours, allowing for more informed decision-making and better ROI.

Paid vs. Organic: Finding the Right Balance

When it comes to TikTok, brands need to consider how to balance paid ads with organic content. The beauty of TikTok is that even organic content can achieve significant reach if it resonates with the audience. Unlike platforms like Facebook, where paid reach is often necessary to gain traction, TikTok’s algorithm favours engaging, entertaining content, regardless of the creator’s follower count.

That said, running paid ads on TikTok is an effective way to guarantee visibility and reach a larger audience. Brands that are not ready to commit to creating organic content regularly can still achieve success through a well-crafted ad strategy. Paid ads can help you build brand awareness, test the waters, and refine your message, while organic content is more about community building and creating long-term brand loyalty.

For brands that are comfortable creating organic content, the two approaches – paid and organic – can complement each other beautifully. A popular organic post can be turned into a successful ad, boosting its reach and impact.

Similarly, insights gained from ad campaigns can inform the type of content a brand chooses to post organically, creating a feedback loop that helps refine the brand’s TikTok strategy over time.

Tips for Brands Not Active on TikTok

If your brand isn’t active on TikTok, that doesn’t mean you can’t make an impact through TikTok Ads. The platform’s ad tools allow you to engage audiences in a way that feels native without the need for constant content creation. Here are some tips for getting the most out of TikTok Ads without being organically active:

Understand Your Audience: Use TikTok’s insights to determine what kind of content resonates with your target audience. This allows you to create ads that feel native and appealing.

Tap Into Trends: Even if you’re not posting content, keeping an eye on trending sounds, effects, and challenges can help you design ads that reflect the current zeitgeist of the platform.

Work with Influencers: Partnering with influencers is a great way to add authenticity to your ad campaigns. Influencers can create content on behalf of your brand, making your presence felt without the need for ongoing management of an organic account.

Utilise TikTok Creative Tools: TikTok offers a range of tools for advertisers to create engaging content, even if they don’t have an existing TikTok account. These tools help design ads that fit the TikTok style, ensuring your brand message connects with the audience.

Excelling on TikTok requires an understanding of the platform’s culture, a willingness to participate in trends, and a creative approach to content. Whether through organic content, influencer collaborations, TikTok Ads, or TikTok Shop, brands have an unparalleled opportunity to reach engaged audiences and shape cultural conversations.

You don’t need to be active on TikTok to gain this reach please do not forget this! By leveraging TikTok Ads, brands can effectively connect with audiences, boost brand visibility, and drive action without the need for a consistent organic presence. The key is to ensure that your ads are aligned with TikTok’s unique, creative style – engaging, authentic, and entertaining.

As an agency, we understand that TikTok can feel daunting, especially if you’re new to the platform. But with the right strategy, the right partnerships, and the right agency, TikTok offers an incredible opportunity to connect, engage, and inspire.

Whether you’re looking to explore TikTok for the first time or amplify your existing efforts, or you want to run TikTok Ads, we’re here to help craft a strategy that drives results and feels right for your brand.