The popularity of short-form video platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels skyrocketed over the course of the past year, prompting companies to begin capitalising on the trend. However, producing material in a short form is a particularly difficult problem, as audiences have come to anticipate being either delighted or informed (or both) with each and every clip. If you have been contemplating making your first appearance on TikTok or Reels, the following is what seven professionals in the fields of video production and content creation have to say about how you might achieve success on those platforms.
Respond to any inquiries or concerns that your consumers may have
Before you develop anything, you should do some serious research into the questions that your clients are asking. Accounts that are doing well on TikTok provide material that other users can relate to by providing answers to genuine issues or solutions to problems that people actually face. Videos pertaining to finance and stocks are excellent examples of producers giving genuine value to their audiences. They are creating their trust drawing attention to their brand or generating advertisements that are overly clever.
Provide value that is consistent with the standards of your industry
TikTok and Reels are both quite popular at the moment; hence, content producers and companies would benefit greatly from developing strategies to take use of the opportunities presented by both platforms. Consider the value that you can provide to your audience in a way that is congruent with the specialised aspect of your sector for the greatest possible results. Videos that leave viewers feeling inspired often do well and are given more prominent placement on the For You tab of TikTok. These videos might range from informative step-by-step tutorials to short fashion advice.
Create stuff that can be enjoyed while also being interacted with
Use your imagination! The most important thing you can do to improve your chances of becoming successful on TikTok and Reels is to create a video with interesting and engaging. Because you have a limited amount of time (up to 60 seconds on TikTok and 30 seconds on Reels), you should choose one central point that you want to convey and focus on conveying that message well. According to Marketingprofs, both platforms have a large reach (approximately 1.2 million views on average), but TikTok is ahead of the pack in terms of creating the greatest engagement among users.
Try showing your product in circumstances that are unfamiliar or unexpected, much as Alo Yoga did with their “Yogis at the supermarket” videos. If you’re new to making this sort of video material, rather than starting from scratch, check if there’s a way you can include your items into a larger trend or challenge that’s currently popular on TikTok. This will give you a leg up on the competition.
Think like a journalist
Always put yourself in the editor’s shoes! Before becoming a vice president of branded content, I spent more than a decade as a journalist. In my experience, it is essential to discover the perfect sweet spot between what people want to watch and the message you want to advertise. Put yourself in the shoes of the short-form video viewer and ask yourself whether your film can teach them something or make them laugh. You may, of course, create a movie about your product for TikTok or Instagram Reels; however, you should only do so if there is a significant amount of interest in that particular issue.
To begin, make use of user-generated content that already exists
The vast majority of the time, the content is already available. Check to see whether a client has tagged you in a post they’ve made. Engage. Share. Repeat. It is simple to reach out to consumers and obtain high-energy material that increases return on investment and exposure when you see people becoming enthusiastic about your brand and already talking about it.
Make innovation a top priority.
Use your imagination! When it comes to connecting with their fans on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, it is the only thing that marketers should be thinking about! Any company that can demonstrate its creative potential in a way that is both entertaining and appropriate for the medium in question will always be well received by its audience.
Be true to yourself
Maintain a natural, authentic tone and come up with something that is really interesting. Do not place an excessive amount of emphasis on “branding” it; rather, concentrate on developing something that will encourage a large amount of user-generated material.