TikTok expert and spokeswoman for Gen Z talks through the most TikTok mistakes and how to avoid them.
As a very active user of TikTok, I’ve noticed there are a few common mistakes that brands keep making which ultimately stunts their growth. With a few quick tweaks to their TikTok Strategy, they could be well on their way to a successful TikTok page and begin engaging Gen Z which make up 60% of TikTok users as of this month!
Follow these tips to get your content seen and promote your brand in the right way!
Five Common TikTok Mistakes
1. Having No Brand Personality
Authenticity is key for TikTok. Gen-Z are at the helm of this cultural shift. No longer are we searching for brands that have the utmost polished content! We desire authenticity and realness. A good example of this for a Retail Brand would be to tell real-life stories and experiences that have happened with customers. This is a, funny and b, personal!
Another simple way of being more authentic would be to show your personality. There is not much point to being on TikTok if you aren’t willing to have some fun! After all, it is primarily an ‘entertainment’ app.
2. Reusing & Reposting content
The best way to succeed on TikTok is to produce original content unique to your brand. Including but not limited to; your brand’s story, products, team and services. This is crucial as within TikTok’s community guidelines, they state that they only push original content. Their technology and algorithms are so advanced now that they can tell if you’ve copied it from elsewhere.
If you need help with creating original TikTok content – SCS Studio can create some for you! SCS Studio was built with this in mind, as they know that creating original content can be very time consuming and difficult. Therefore, to save yourself some time, why not contact SCS Studio.
3. Not active on the app
You have to spend time on the app to be rewarded. If you’re not actively engaging with other people’s content in your ‘For You’ or ‘Following’ feed then it is unlikely that TikTok will push your video out to more people.
4. Not using hooks
The first three seconds of your video are invaluable. Users have the option to swipe away at any point while watching your video, and they will, if it’s not interesting to them.
I recommend asking a question and then subsequently providing the answer for it to avoid this..
5. Not using all the features
We recommend creating media that’s made just for TikTok by mixing up your content, engaging in trends, responding to comments and Duet or Stitch with other videos. If you would like to see how to post onto TikTok using all the features they have to offer please see our other blog How To Make A TikTok Video.
It’s very easy to make these mistakes on TikTok as there is no go-to ‘guide’ on how to succeed. Which is why I urge you to refer back to this list when you’re feeling a bit lost! These are the tips which I have spent months developing and I would really enjoy seeing how they help you and your brand as you continue to develop your TikTok presence.
Ella Young
TikTok Queen, social media manager at the South Coast's leading social media agency & dog mum to Ash.