TikTok has quickly become one of the leading social media networks, captivating users of all ages with its creative and engaging content. This makes it imperative for digital marketers to recognize the significance of this platform and incorporate it into their marketing strategies, particularly due to its substantial influence on younger generations.
To effectively utilize the TikTok marketing channel, you must not only be aware of key statistics such as demographics and usage patterns but also pay close attention to TikTok analytics. These valuable insights provide a deeper understanding of their target audience and enable campaign optimization through data-driven decisions.
Understanding the true potential of TikTok marketing
In addition to being the most downloaded app in 2022, TikTok has a fairly balanced user base, with 54.1% of global users identifying as female and 45.9% as male and the largest demographic range being between 18 and 24 years old. The significant time spent by users on the app is another testament to its endless potential. On average, users dedicate a staggering 89 minutes per day to the app.
With a CPM that is half the price of Instagram, a third of the cost of Twitter, and a remarkable 62% less than Snapchat, TikTok provides excellent value for marketers. Users also have a more positive attitude towards ads with 38% saying that entertaining ads on the platform have taught them something new. One particularly intriguing finding is that when users are exposed to a brand’s organic TikTok content before encountering their paid ads, there is a notable 27% increase in brand recall.
Important TikTok marketing stats you need to know
Users open TikTok 19 times per day on average
Research reveals that the average user opens the TikTok app a staggering 19 times each day. Understanding this usage behavior can be tremendously beneficial, particularly in the context of launching retargeting campaigns. Retargeting involves reconnecting with users who have previously engaged with your brand or visited your website but may not have completed a desired action, such as making a purchase.
By recognizing the frequency with which users access the TikTok app, you can leverage this behavior to strategically retarget them with relevant and engaging advertisements. This presents a great opportunity to reinforce brand messaging, maintain top-of-mind awareness, and encourage users to take the desired action. The higher app usage also contributes to increased ad impressions, leading to improved brand recall and recognition.
Engagement is higher than Facebook and Instagram
TikTok is a uniquely engaging platform and users love to spend a lot of time on it. With an average session length of 10.85 minutes, TikTok’s session times even exceed those of Facebook and Instagram. That’s despite the fact that those platforms have been around for longer and are largely focused on updating users about the personal lives of people they follow.
The higher session length provides marketers with a better opportunity to captivate and hold users’ attention by delivering impactful messaging, creating memorable experiences, and establishing meaningful connections with the audience. This can be done through entertaining videos, creative challenges, or influencer collaborations to build brand awareness, leverage user-generated content, and drive conversions.
Users are more open to interacting with brands
Millennials who use TikTok are more open to sharing UGC (user-generated content) that they tag brands in. Gen Z TikTok users are 1.2x more likely than users on other platforms to DM a brand after making a purchase. Clearly, users are fond of advocating for products or experiences that they like on TikTok, and prefer reaching out to brands through TikTok as well.
Digital marketers can incentivize users for this willingness to supercharge the organic reach of their campaigns through UGC that spreads across TikTok’s massive user base. Moreover, the likelihood of Gen Z users to DM a brand after a purchase reveals their high level of post-purchase engagement and interest in maintaining a direct connection with brands. This provides a valuable opportunity for digital marketers to nurture relationships with Gen Z consumers and further enhance their brand experience.
US influencers on TikTok see engagement rates of nearly 18%
An influencer is only as good as their engagement rates. They tell brands how many of their followers are routinely interacting and engaging with their content. This is also a ranking signal for social media algorithms. When an influencer has higher engagement, their content is pushed to more users, so brands who work with them will likely see elevated reach for their campaigns.
Data shows that influencers in the United States enjoy higher engagement rates on TikTok compared to Facebook and Instagram. Interestingly, engagement rates appear to be even higher for micro-influencers, approaching nearly 18%. If you’re investing in an influencer marketing campaign, overlooking TikTok is probably one of the biggest mistakes you can make in 2023.
TikTok campaigns can generate exceptional returns
Studies show that the average return on ad spend for TikTok campaigns was twice the median campaign performance benchmark. This shows that brands can achieve exceptional returns and maximize their advertising investments on the platform. In the US, TikTok campaigns demonstrated a 14% higher paid media ROAS compared to all digital media, as revealed by a recent Nielsen Media Mix Model Meta Analysis.
Moreover, TikTok ads made in collaboration with creators achieved a 65% higher 2-second view rate, showcasing the power of influencer-driven content on the platform. Strategic use of calls to action within TikTok text has demonstrated a remarkable 152% lift in conversion compared to campaigns that lack a clear next step for viewers. These figures are orders of magnitude higher than what can be achieved on other social media platforms.
Make TikTok marketing a pillar of your digital strategy
A comprehensive digital strategy can’t exist without TikTok now. There’s no denying it. This is an incredibly powerful platform that provides brands with one of the biggest opportunities we’ve seen in a while now to exponentially increase their reach at costs lower than what they would spend on other networks.
These stats are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more data that backs the need to make TikTok a pillar of your digital marketing strategy. Following the best practices for executing TikTok campaigns will ensure that you maximize the return on ad spend.
