TikTok is one of the most important social media platforms for brands and marketers. Anything that goes viral on the video-sharing app gets sold out instantly, and teenagers are not the only ones driving the sales. Adults, too, are tuning in to see which products they need in their lives.
TikTok Made Me Buy It
It happened to CeraVe, a low-cost skincare brand that received cult status because of TikTok. It has been around for more than a decade now, and every dermatologist will tell you that it is very effective. However, the explosion of popularity because of social media led to entire stocks of every product by the brand selling out online and in stores.
CeraVe was not the only one catapulted to fame seemingly overnight because it went viral on TikTok. Aeri leggings, Zara jeans, an Elf concealer, an Eos shaving cream, a Maybelline mascara, and a Dr. Jart color corrector also received attention because someone posted about them and others wanted to try them out.
Products recommended on TikTok get so much demand that there are now stores dedicated to selling brands that go viral on the video-sharing app.
The success of CeraVe on TikTok is exactly what many brands hope to achieve. CeraVe is not exactly a brand that is designed to cater to young consumers. Its packaging can make it easy for buyers to walk past and ignore it. Its aesthetics are different from Glossier or Kylie Cosmetics — brands that are popular among Millennials and Gen Z. Yet, one viral post on TikTok led to a massive cult following.
CeraVe did not reveal how much its newfound internet fame brought to the company, but a representative said that the brand has already reached its 2022 goal of reaching out to Gen Z.
The Power of Social Media
When brands gain popularity on TikTok and other social media platforms, a boost in sales follows. In 2020 alone, about 42 percent of consumers used social media channels to do product research.
Those between the ages of 16 and 24 are more likely to look to social media for product information than search engines. This does not come as a surprise. This generation spends an average of 12 hours per week using social media apps.
And TikTok, with 17 million users in the United Kingdom, plays a major role. Here is how a post goes viral on the app. First, it will show users content on For You. Once the user engages with it, it will show more related content. Videos that receive attention tend to snowball immediately, reaching viral status within a few hours.
Unlike on YouTube, videos on TikTok are very short. There is a 60-second time limit. The audience, therefore, can watch more videos, allowing more users to create content and gain a following.
Brands Need to Leverage TikTok Popularity
Going viral on TikTok sounds easy, and it is. It has millions of users around the world, all of whom are hungry for new content.
However, what brands need to prioritize is making entertaining content. A regular ad would not cut it. There are plenty of other brands on the app that are also trying to sell products to users. What will make a video stand out and go viral is the entertainment it brings.
Brands also need to utilize the best practices of search engine optimization (SEO). Even in social media, SEO is necessary to allow the audience to find content that they will find interesting or useful. The easiest way to do it is by using relevant hashtags and keywords.
Trends are all over TikTok. Some are doing dance challenges. Others are doing duets. Brands can participate in some of these challenges to gain attention from users.
TikTok also has its own list of influencers. Several users shot into fame almost overnight by gaining millions of followers. One recommendation from these influencers will help the brand gain millions of new customers in an instant. That is how CeraVe became an online viral sensation. Its popularity can be traced back to Hyram, an influencer known for their skincare recommendations. Hyram has millions of followers on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
TikTok is the hot social media platform right now, and its recommendations influence young consumers to make purchases. Even relatively unknown brands can go viral and gain a cult following.
Brands can take advantage of the popularity of the platform and create demand for their own products.