5 Tips for Using TikTok in Promo

1

Entertain First

“I believe the future of content marketing and social media will continue to drive us to prioritize entertainment first, education second and selling last,” Borst says. “Sometimes our industry is guilty of completely reversing this order.”

2

Focus on Quality

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on fancy equipment, but one thing that will instantly up the quality of your videos, Borst says, is investing in a good ring light. Commonly used for portraits and macro photography, these devices are exactly what they sound like – a ring of light that provides soft, direct, even light on a subject. Smaller versions can be mounted directly on your phone. It’s also wise to focus on improving video editing skills. “Clean transitions will improve the quality exponentially,” Borst says.

3

Be Patient

You’re unlikely to have a viral hit on your hands after posting one or two videos, and going viral isn’t necessarily the goal anyway. “Sometimes it doesn’t feel like there’s a rhyme or reason for why certain content will perform better on TikTok,” Borst says. Persistence and consistency are key to building an audience.

4

Remember Your Intended Audience

While it may be tempting and fun to jump on every trend spiking across TikTok, not all of them will be relevant or useful. “I keep an eye out for trending sounds and transitions and try to apply them through the promo lens,” Borst says. “I also try to create content that appeals to a wider audience so that it makes sense to our industry, suppliers, our salespeople and their customers if they choose to share.”

5

Share Across Platforms

TikTok makes content creation easy and approachable, allowing for quick edits, transitions and the ability to add sounds or music seamlessly. That doesn’t mean your videos have to stay there. “Most people are not finding my content on TikTok,” Borst says. “It’s really when I share the video across other platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn” that they’re watching.