Connected Thinking: Beyond The FYP

With TikTok making platform updates faster than you can say ‘For You Page’ plus ever-evolving search capabilities, platform limits and advertising opportunities: how can brands navigate the platform in 2024?  

As part of our Connected Thinking series, we partnered with George Nikolaou and took a deep dive into the trends currently driving success on the platform, and how to futureproof success in a space that is constantly changing.

If you missed the webinar, here are our key findings:

1. Creative Bravery

TikTok encourages experimentation above all else. Fuelled by a blend of curiosity, imagination, vulnerability and courage, Creative Bravery on TikTok leads to deeper community connections and revelations about what people value. It's what keeps the platform transforming and it’s reflected in the stats: users are 1.8x more likely to agree that TikTok introduces them to new topics they didn't even know they liked vs. other social media platforms.  

Take long form content, for example – viral sensation Reesa Teesa has had the internet on the edge of their seat with her 50-strong series, ‘Who TF Did I Marry,’ of which every TikTok episode was 10 minutes long. As George put it on the webinar – this is a feature length film happening in realtime.

With new formats like this driving unprecedented engagement, it’s clear we’re seeing a new wave of creativity take hold.

2. Spark ads

Why are they so popular? The stats don’t lie. They’re an ROI cheat code – after watching a Spark Ad featuring a creator, 62% of users said the creator is authentic, while 57% said the creator is trustworthy – flipping the usual associations with the profession on its head. Brands should trial Spark Ads, but ensure your paid plan is watertight first – for example, by only selecting videos to boost that can reinforce your brand message. Choosing videos that have garnered strong organic performance and crucially, looking beyond your vertical and choosing creators and content relevant to your potential audience.

3. The power of community

Community is at the heart of TikTok and creators are the lifeblood – brands that resonate with specific communities don't just get views, they become culturally relevant and achieve tangible outcomes. 76% of TikTok users said they prefer brands that engage with niche communities, so find your tribe and set a clear content strategy to engage in meaningful dialogue with them.  

4. Community commerce

The customer purchase journey is changing at rapid speed thanks to TikTok’s search capability updates – SEO has never been more important. The #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend has been around for a while, but 71% users agreed that TikTok inspired them to shop even when they weren’t looking do so. And brands are reaping the benefits, using TikTok to drive multimillion dollar product sales through maximising content search capabilities and jumping on key trends to enhance discoverability.

If you missed the webinar and you’d like to hear more about how to make TikTok work for your brand or campaign, drop us a line at info@seenconnects.com.

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