TikTok: Friend or foe?
Delivering next-generation marketing
Blume is launching a brand-new series of articles to help you stay tuned with the latest marketing developments, trends and insights.
In our first article, we are looking at the social media juggernaut, TikTok.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a video-based platform that allows you to create video content directly within the app or upload from your phone. It uses a variety of formats and memes such as dancing, tutorials, life stories, trends, photo compilations, and much more.
Owned by Chinese tech company Bytedance and originally launched as Douyin in 2016, the platform didn’t really take off worldwide until 2018 when it merged with Musical.ly; it then rose to dizzy heights during Covid-19 lockdowns. According to data from Statista, TikTok saw 180% growth among the ages 15-25 during this time.
Why is it an attractive marketing channel?
First off, TikTok was the most downloaded app worldwide during 2022, generating 672 million downloads.
Secondly, the app has a highly intelligent and personalised algorithm that specifically tailors videos for each user. It considers factors such as a user’s interests and patterns of engagement that show users what they want to see – making it a perfect channel to reach a specific audience who will relate most to your company’s message and product.
Growth
TikTok’s rapid growth demonstrates the power of video. The app has accrued one billion users faster than any of its predecessors, including Facebook and Instagram. What took Facebook 14 years to reach, TikTok accomplished in less than four!
User engagement
TikTok has grown enormously since it was launched in 2016 and in the UK alone there are over 17 million users. By 2026, this figure is expected to increase by 20% to over 21 million – nearly a third of the UK’s population and more than half of users of mobile social networks. Other notable highlights include:
- Over 1.5 billion monthly active users
- Ranked as the most downloaded app, beating off long-time social media favourites Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat
- Downloaded over 3.5 billion times since launch
- Average daily time spent on the app is 41 minutes
Demographics
While TikTok is recognised for appealing to the younger generations (66% of users are under 30), the platform is growing in other demographics.
TikTok users in the UK by age and gender 2022
Increasingly, older Millennials (born between 1981 to 1996) are joining TikTok – according to fanbytes.co.uk, 67% of Millennial TikTok users come to the video-sharing app for entertainment, motivated similarly to Gen Z. Not to mention that 6 in 10 Millennials on the app are parents, so the influence of their children may have also rubbed off.
Ad exposure
Figures released by digimind from the beginning of 2022 reveal that TikTok adverts were seen by 40% of all adults in the UK aged 18 or older. Its ad reach in the UK was equivalent to around 33% of all local internet users, regardless of age.
Who is using TikTok well?
Ryanair has over one million followers with an engagement rate of 40.7%, pretty impressive stuff! The airline appears to have mastered bringing their planes to life, and the mix of showcasing a unique personality, as well as filters and trends used is key to their success. Ryanair’s formula is simple, yet effective. The airline mostly uses images and footage of its planes alongside a filter designed to superimpose human facial features onto any background, resulting in a kind of personified mascot.
Is TikTok the right channel to advertise your law firm?
Whether you love it or hate it, TikTok is a platform that is increasingly hard to ignore. So, should the fastest-growing social media platform feature in your social media marketing strategy?
As a relatively new app with such a young audience, it’s easy to see why many law firms could feel TikTok isn’t worth the investment. There is no doubt that advertising on the platform is still maturing, but the facts and figures speak for themselves. It’s unique algorithm and growing popularity makes it a channel you can’t hide away from.
It’s also important to note that TikTok content lacks many of the formalities and production costs associated with other video platforms like YouTube. Because brands on TikTok can be their most true selves, it’s relatively easy to showcase your brand personality, educate, or offer advice in a fun and engaging way.
To maximise lead generation and engagement with customers, the ability for marketers to adapt to new channels and trends is crucial in order for our clients to expand brand presence and reach a wider audience. And with TikTok increasing in appeal to a cross-generation userbase, now is the perfect time to act and make the platform a prominent part of your marketing mix.
Working with Blume
At Blume, our multi-skilled marketing team targets customers across multiple platforms and channels on behalf of firms on our law firm panel. By having the skills and expertise to develop cross-channel marketing campaigns, we can reach a wider audience and connect with customers at the most relevant touch points.
