InnFocus Summer 2023

not only to their interests, but to their values and sense of identity.
The result is an increased level of trust that, for brands and
advertisers, tends to result in better engagement, and it has the
potential for deeper connection with users. Combine this with the
wide net cast by the algorithm-driven feed, and TikTok represents
an opportunity to connect with a wider-reaching audience more
deeply than is typically possible through other channels.
How to Win Friends and Influence TikTokers
TikTok’s aura of trust and community makes the platform an
especially effective arena for influencer marketing (i.e., paying
popular content creators to showcase your product in their
videos). This should make any savvy marketer’s ears perk up,
especially given findings
from the Digital Marketing
Institute showing that
49% of consumers
now report that they
rely on influencer
recommendations when
making a purchase
decision.
It’s hardly a fair fight
between messages that come from brands and those that
come from influencers: 61% of consumers are likely to trust
recommendations from an influencer vs. only 38% prepared to
trust recommendations from a brand on social media.
TikTok’s model has proven to be such a natural fit for
influencers that they’ve taken to playing matchmaker between
enterprising content creators and businesses. The TikTok Creator
Marketplace (TTCM) allows businesses to search out relevant
influencers (“creators” as they call them), hire them for campaigns,
and track the results, all through a single platform.
Hotels can seek out creators that have a proven track record
in the travel and hospitality space and even select based on the
demographics of a creator’s audience. With a growing roster of
over 800,000 creators to choose from worldwide, there may be
no better place than TTCM to get your feet wet with influencer
marketing for your property.
In-feed Ads
Just like the other major social platforms, TikTok also supports
in-feed ads (ads that appear to users as they swipe through
videos on the app). Much like Instagram ads, the ads on TikTok
appear seamlessly within the content being viewed—they look
like an ordinary post, save for a little “Sponsored” tag under the
caption and a call-to-action button (e.g., “Book Now”) that usually
appears after a few seconds.
The TikTok Ads Manager allows you or your marketing partner
to implement, manage,
and track campaigns on
TikTok’s aura of trust and community
makes the platform an especially
effective arena for influencer marketing.
the platform. However,
just like with all digital ad
channels, achieving a
respectable ROI for TikTok
ads requires a measure of
strategy. And with TikTok,
perhaps more than any
other platform, the best ad
strategy revolves around nailing the tone and style of the content
that users expect.
How to talk TikTok
In their 2023 Trend Report, Tik Tok suggests that marketers will
have the most success on the platform by leaning in to positivity:
“The most effective messages on TikTok are uplifting, funny,
and personalized, or entertaining their audiences.” While other
channels may provide a natural outlet for heated debate or heavy
news coverage, TikTok invites a lighter form of distraction.
Nailing the unique style of TikTok content is crucial for
marketers looking to generate engagement from the app’s
audiences. Creating content that “provides joy through humour,
22 InnFocus