What TikTok Has Taught Us About Content Consumption

It’s no secret TikTok has taken the social media world by storm. The platform is so influential that Instagram is slowly morphing into its fraternal twin. But there’s more to TikTok than viral videos of a skateboarder lip-synching to Fleetwood Mac while drinking cranberry juice. Here’s what your brand can learn about content consumption from TikTok.

Start with a brand audit

It can be easy to think that your brand needs to be on the platform because TikTok is so of-the-moment. But your content will fall flat if your target audience isn’t in TikTok’s key demographic — roughly two-thirds of whom are under age 50. Starting with an audit will reveal how users are engaging with your brand and show you where you need to be to grow your brand’s recognition.

Stay in your lane

A lot can be said about the benefits of going outside your comfort zone, but remember: TikTok isn’t trying to function like a newsroom like Twitter, nor does it care if you visit its website on your desktop like Facebook. The videos created specifically for TikTok are made to fit on your mobile screen so you can watch content in line at the grocery store or while waiting for an appointment. Consider whether your brand’s content is a good fit for TikTok before committing.

It’s more about the habit

Data shows that TikTok users will scroll until they find the content they like rather than switching channels. Going from creator to creator instead of platform to platform teaches us that the goal in creating content isn’t to get users to migrate from TikTok to Instagram but rather to keep users scrolling until they find similar content on their preferred channel.

Focus on time spent

You can consider all kinds of metrics when creating content for your brand, but time spent on your videos can tell you a lot about the quality of your content. Focusing on this coveted metric will drive up ad rates, engagement and market share while focusing your time and effort on one platform.

What social media habits do your brand and your customers have?