02 Oct 5 Brands on TikTok to Learn From
“TikTok,” a name that if uttered one year ago today would probably not spark much conversation. Now, this app continues to remain at the top of the downloaded app charts despite frequent talk about its potential ban in the United States.
TikTok’s platform has pushed many brands to eliminate a lot of the nuances when it comes to managing content—so long are the days where you can plan a piece of content months in advance to go through its approval process. The TikTok trends become old news just as quickly as they become viral. Savvy is a necessity when it comes to being successful on this app which has now surpassed 2 billion downloads as of this month.
The best way to leverage fast-moving trends? Jump in. TikTok has something for everyone and every brand. Let’s take a look at some examples of brands on TikTok across all industries who have been successful.
Use Whatcha Got
1 .The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo struck viral gold when they first joined TikTok because of their cute subjects—their very own zoo animals! The zoo uses trendy TikTok audios along with their zoo animals to create some of the most shared videos from the app. Thinking outside of the box doesn’t necessarily mean you need a big budget. Sometimes your best content is right in front of you!
2. Discovery
Similar to the San Diego Zoo, Discovery repurposes video content and matches it up to popular TikTok sounds. Staying on brand, their content always has an educational aspect to it and with the clever choices of audio, it’s the perfect recipe for viral success. Watching a video about larva maturity? I’ll pass. But splice it up and put it to the sound of a Bea Miller track? Now I know mature larviform females turn into glowworms. Thanks Discovery TikTok.
Know & Grow Your Audience
3. Wendy’s
Wendy’s is no stranger when it comes to making a splash in the social world. They are known for their stand-out performance on social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok is no different. Wendy’s was one of the first big brands to post on the app over a year ago and has since driven competitors to join the app (Arby’s and Dunkin’ Donuts to name a few). At face value, their TikTok videos might seem incoherent, but it’s far from that—in fact, it’s strategic. Scrolling through you’ll see anything from a styrofoam head all the way to reposted fan content, catering all to their meme culture audience. The randomness drives their loyal followers to stick around and keeps Wendy’s “on brand”.
4. The Savannah Bananas
Let’s be fair—if you have a name like that of the Savannah Bananas, you have to take advantage of it. This minor league baseball team has generated over 3.7 million likes on TikTok simply by growing and retaining their fan base. They know people are mainly on their channel to see the fun, not necessarily the 3 home runs they got the other night. And they don’t shy away from that, they cater to it! The Bananas are known for their “fans first” marketing approach fashioning a stadium free of advertisements as well as players who are equally skilled in baseball and dancing. Their TikTok is a window into their positive energy, showcasing their infamous dances and uniforms (check this out, it will not disappoint.)
5. Spikeball
Spikeball is an outdoor game you could pick up at pretty much any big box store for less than $60 so what is it that garners almost 9 million likes across TikTok? Knowing their audience! Their community is one that is active and enjoys sports in some capacity, so all their videos show the game being played in a competitive or creative setting. Instead of chasing to find the perfect audio to match a clip for some ironic humor, they instead showcase some awesome athletic moves and cool backdrops. The more you scroll on their page, the more it makes you want to buy a Spikeball set of your own and jump in a game. Check out this aerial shot of a match and see if it makes you want to start spikin’!
Key Takeaways
Whether it is dancing baseball players or talking chicken nuggets, there are no wrong answers when it comes to which brands can capitalize on this app. With no end ban in sight, it remains a great platform to build, grow, and maintain your audience.
If you’re looking for the right strategy to help your brand break into the TikTok scene, contact us today! Or keep up with the latest social media marketing news by subscribing to our newsletter below.
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