Over the past year, the global TikTok community has transcended many Gen Z stereotypes.
It has created new kinds of entertainment, shared original stories that have brought communities together, and even helped others discover new ideas.
This has prompted brands of all sizes around the world to create new types of content on TikTok to engage these communities or nurture TikTokers who can create engaging content for them.
These transformations have been documented in TikTok’s What is the next trend report for 2023The third annual trend forecast of social video platform.
It is a resource that can help both digital advertisers and social media marketers understand how consumers’ wants and needs may change in the coming year.
And this should change their digital marketing strategies, both on and off TikTok.
Not only does the latest report unpack TikTok’s many long-running first cultural forces, from the fun to the functional, but it also lays out key signs of how each shaped trends that provide a roadmap for brands to follow on the platform.
Sofia Hernandez, Head of Global Business Marketing at TikTok said,
“2022 was the year people realized they didn’t have to live their lives the way they always had — with different perspectives and ideas that crossed cultures on TikTok.”
she added,
“Against the backdrop of the rising cost of living and its associated challenges, What’s Next reports that people will be looking for new ways to achieve success, happiness and well-being – and TikTok will be a tool to help them find them.”
I agree, but I’d add that people will also be seeing a lot more YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels next year, for a variety of reasons both similar and different.
Three major forces are reshaping our culture
The TikTok Trends report focuses on three key forces that show how TikTok is changing culture.
Based on its research and the behaviors it has observed on TikTok, the social video platform speculates that these are the relevant signals for each of these forces that reveal emerging behaviors and interests across verticals:
- Provide practical entertainment.
- Make room for joy.
- Building ideals for society.
Provide practical entertainment
Four out of five users say TikTok is very entertaining or amusing, according to Global Entertainment Advertising Study in TikTok Marketing Science 2022 Conducted by Marketcast.
So, it’s not surprising to know that the social video platform’s algorithms curate content based on what TikTok communities find entertaining.
It also means that brands can see amazing business results – if and when their content or ads deliver messages that are watched and liked as much as other entertainment content.
Is this possible? Well, according to the report, Elf Cosmetics managed to provide this kind of entertainment to catch the attention of the TikTok community in the US.
The brand did this with in-feed ads that felt fun, engaging, and authentic to the TikTok community.
By working with Tinuiti and its agency and marketing partner TikTok, elf Cosmetics doubled its spending month-over-month, but was still able to cut acquisition costs by 56% for its add-to-cart strategy.
For other brands, TikTok reports that the most effective messages on their social video platform sound encouraging, funny, and personal.
The social video platform says brands can use editing techniques such as adding text overlays or syncing sounds with transitions to capture viewers’ attention and build on the entertainment value of their video content.
Make room for joy
Now, social media marketers and digital advertisers know there’s already a ton of self-care advice and related initiatives out there — but people still get overwhelmed.
So, it seems the TikTok community is looking for meaningful self-care amidst a sea of public health issues, great resignation, and personal exhaustion.
According to the company’s report, TikTok fosters “endless opportunities to spread joy.”
This is a good thing, isn’t it?
And among TikTok users who have taken action “outside” the social video platform as a result of what they see “on” TikTok, 90% said the platform “makes me happy” and “never gets bored,” according to TikTok Marketing Science US TikTok made me a “blank” in the 2022 searchConducted by MarketCast.
This is also a key idea for brands looking to make more meaningful connections with their audiences in 2023.
They’ll want to align their messaging with the TikTok community’s desire for well-being and enable them to create more room for joy in their lives.
(In fact, two other surveys spotted a similar trend in April 2020 and I wrote about this in an article titled, Consumers Seek to Upscale YouTube Content During the COVID-19 Pandemic.)
But whether this is a recent trend or a long-term trend, it’s driving right now:
- The growth of meme culture, which provides a way for people to bond over humor.
- Increase the sharing of life hacks and wellbeing strategies that enable people to make room for themselves when they need it most.
- The reasoning behind the TikTok community is to make more space and time to rejoice in the ways that work best for them.
According to a TikTok report,
“BMW has masterfully captured this by striving for innovation on the platform.”
The global auto brand worked with Henry, a K-Pop musician, and creator of TikTok, to create a custom song that uses original sounds from BMW eDRIVE, such as tapping the hood and even plugging in the electric charger.
This was a creative framework to encourage TikTok users to get silly and have fun making their own content using music created by Henry.
And the TikTok community went wild with a cool tone and blank creative canvas.
More than 3,400 Tiktokers have created BMW hashtag challenge videos, which have garnered over 45 million views and nearly 6.3 million shares.
Therefore, brands and their agencies may want to add more TikTok content creation to their editorial calendars in 2023.
(The alternative, of course, is identifying the right TikTok creators and influencers to work with in the coming year.)
Building community ideals
The report also says that TikTok’s communities are “above the rest” of social video platforms because they are so specialized — and this is what helps them, counterintuitively, to thrive on a massive scale.
In other words, sharing special interest video content instead of general interest video content helps people bond with each other. From there, they often broaden each other’s horizons.
Now, no matter what anyone claims, TikTok is not a town hall meeting.
(I know this for sure. In 1980 I was elected to the Acton board and had to present a host of controversial articles at annual and special town meetings over the next three years.)
So if you’re looking for a suitable metaphor, think of TikTok as a collection of small clubs, where members can find new ideas on how to explore their passions and live their lives.
According to the report,
TikTok is 1.8 times more likely to introduce people to new topics they didn’t know they liked compared to traditional social platforms.
(Inquiring minds want to know how “traditional social platforms” actually score, and whether the comparison compares to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, or other forms of content.)
According to the report, people are using TikTok to start conversations in their community and discover unique answers that satisfy their curiosity.
People also watch videos on TikTok because it helps individuals around the world build a like-minded community based on shared ideals and interests, as well as the inspiration that comes from seeing others like them.
For example, the report says,
“eBay has built upon this by attracting a strong following with sneakerheads as the ultimate destination for buying and selling the coolest shoes.” Now, eBay has used voting stickers to ask the TikTok community to show some love for their favorite kicks at its annual #SneakerShowdown. “
How do these turn out? Well, 1.2 million users took part in the #SneakerShowdown on eBay and the campaign generated a 54% increase in comment rate. So, I will say that turned out pretty well.
Oh, and the #SneakerTok community — which generates more than 1.1 billion views globally, according to internal TikTok data — is just one example among many that demonstrate the value and engagement of niche marketing.
Of course, content creators and influencers play a huge role in building community and pioneering new forms of engaging content.
But after viewing this content, more than two in five people on TikTok agreed that it made them feel part of the brand’s community, according to TikTok Marketing Science Global Innovators Lead 2022 Commerce Study paid by the material.
Therefore, brands and their agencies should consider targeting niche areas and addressing their own interests to connect with TikTok viewers.
In other words, the key to success is market segmentation.
Once a brand understands what a key segment wants and needs, it can then create content, craft ads, or partner with the right influencers to change hearts, minds, and actions.
However, with Congress on the verge of banning TikTok from US government phones due to national security concerns, it might be a good idea for digital advertisers and social media marketers to have a Plan B.
Possible options include YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
But it is worth noting that both of these major social video platforms launched these alternatives after witnessing the explosive growth of TikTok.
So, as Damon Runyon once said, “The race is not always fast, nor is the battle of the strong, but that’s the way to bet.”
More resources:
- TikTok’s For You page shows why the video is recommended
- TikTok Trends Now: Winter 2022
- TikTok Ads for Beginners: A Complete Guide and Steps to Success
Featured image: Phoenix 1319/Shutterstock
