My advertising professor once told me “Don’t make ads, make something interesting.” It forced me to think differently, deeply and empathetically. I was recently reminded of this while researching TikTok. They also use this concept and promote, “Don’t make ads, make TikToks.”

Essentially, they’re saying that there’s no room for predictable, boring and disruptive advertisements on their platform. If you want your brand to succeed on TikTok, you’ve got to get interesting.

TikTok’s platform is coming in hot, closely following YouTube and Facebook in terms of viewing time on the app. They may have already surpassed YouTube in time spent per day. TikTok’s rise to power and massive success is proof of the increasing value of video content. Even if you are not directly on the app, I can guarantee you’ve seen a TikTok or two based on the number of people who reshare them on other platforms.

No matter who’s in the lead for engagement rates, it’s important to note how these platforms differ in their audience base, interests and type of video content. When addressing how you want to reach your audience, it’s important to pay attention to the pattern of video content you see on each social platform. Your brand needs to be aware of the appropriate tone and approach for each.

Think of each platform as an actual person, each having a different personality. When planning your social calendar, you should be tailoring your content to what each person (platform) would like. Figuring out what your audience wants is easier said than done, especially when your audience can vary by platform. We’ve created a general profile of four of the top social video platforms to help you understand their cliques and nuances.

Now start recording and sharing!

There’s something to be said about the effect of social media platforms on culture and the way they have organically cultivated communities. In many ways, through these apps, we define the microcosms of humanity.

While these top-dog social apps play copy-cat, releasing one feature after another, there’s a reason not one has taken full control. YouTube released YouTube Shorts soon after TikTok was launched. Yet, both have continued to grow tremendously, with no clear knock-out winner. They will always nurture different groups and offer unique experiences.

If you’re trying to figure out where your business fits on these platforms, an easy way to gauge your audience is to examine your own analytics. Then, make adjustments to your content based on the results you see. And, don’t be afraid to try new approaches. If you are just starting out, then there won’t be much data there yet. So, tailor your content to what’s trending, test post approaches and tweak your strategy. Remember, you’re only going to gain traction with videos online if you are producing original content.

Happy sharing!

Foster Marketing is here to help plan your social strategy and hone your brand’s message. Get in touch to discuss video and digital content.

Statistics and analytics credit to https://blog.hootsuite.com/