Over the past decade social media has taken over the world in multiple ways. Aspects of everyday life that used to be dispersed across several platforms have gradually flocked into a single platform at a time. Social media platforms tend to rise in popularity and eventually decline to make way for the latest player to appear in the scene. From Facebook to Instagram and currently to TikTok, social media platforms are a one stop shop for our everyday needs. TikTok users visit the platform for information, entertainment, market research and even shopping. In terms of revenue generation, recent statistics show that during the last quarter of 2022, TikTok outperformed other significant social media platforms, by a wide margin.
Obviously, brands across the world have taken note of this and have jumped at the opportunity to market their products and/or services to potential customers. One of the most successful industries on TikTok is the FMCG industry, which can benefit greatly from TikTok’s trademark characteristics.
How do FMCG brands find success on TikTok?
Taking Advantage of Trends
One of the most important aspects of TikTok is its potential for creating viral content. Trends are an everyday occurrence on the platform and since they come and go pretty quickly, there’s always room for new and exciting content for FMCG brands to promote their products, especially food related ones.
Creating content based on trending hashtags, songs, creators etc., is a surefire way for FMCG brands to have their products seen with minimal effort and spending. On top of that, staying up to date with the latest craze creates a positive association with consumers, as it shows you have common interests and helps humanize your brand’s identity.
Using a Familiar Face
Social media’s rise has paved the way for a brand new occupation to come to life, that of the social media influencer. Everyday people who usually start from nothing, and slowly climb their way to fame and influence over thousands of people (even millions in certain cases). A successful influencer is a recognizable and endearing presence whose opinions tend to resonate greatly with their audience. Consequently, influencers make for a great way to showcase and promote products. FMCG brands can benefit even more by using influencers as the face of their TikTok campaigns, as food related products are much easier to advertise in a more subtle and seemingly sincere fashion. Due to their everyday-use nature and wide appeal, products from FMCG brands are easy for influencers to promote, and even easier for consumers to pick up and try. Recent studies have shown that 61% of consumers trust influencers’ recommendations, making them a highly effective way of promoting products and/or services on TikTok.
In-app Purchases
According to available data the most popular type of content across social media is short, bite-sized content that users can engage with, in its entirety, in mere seconds. Also, all signs indicate that short-form videos will see the most growth in 2023. These statistics suggest that we, as a society, have become accustomed to a shorter attention span, which gives companies very little time to get their message across, which has been a catalyst for TikTok’s success.
A way that FMCG brands have managed to take advantage of the above knowledge is through the implementation of in-app shops for their products. By allowing users to order their products in an instant, they significantly increase the chances of turning potential interest into a sale. Simply, by eliminating extra steps that may divert a user’s attention away from actually purchasing the product they have shown an interest in.
Final Thoughts
Adapting to the market’s flow is imperative for any brand, in order to find success in their marketing endeavors. Advertising for FMCG brands is, of course, no exception, as no company can afford to ignore the way the wind blows and stick to their familiar ways of promoting their products. And why should they? TikTok campaigns can be extremely lucrative for FMCG brands and can yield more than one benefit, if implemented properly. Taking note of current trends, data statistics and making the right decisions in terms of content and who is responsible for creating said content, are all crucial factors that can make or break your marketing campaign.