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TikTok may be the most recent contender in the social media game, but it already has a substantial reputation and creates quality growth for users and businesses. The app has over 800 million active users, and in 2020, was the most downloaded app. It is currently the fastest growing social platform and the concept of the app is that users can create and post short videos under 60 seconds for comedy, promotion, interaction, and educational purposes. 

Businesses who want to stay on-trend, engage with their audience on a more authentic level, and would benefit from the attention of Generation Z, succeed on TikTok. Even though the audience generally falls in this age range, there are tons of business owners and CEOs active on the platform researching for their business. 

To be successful on TikTok, you need to understand it takes time and experience, despite the algorithm also making it possible for people to go viral overnight. 

Here are 5 tips to increase your TikTok followers in 2021:

• Identify your audience

To start identifying your audience, you should know that each age group interacts differently on TikTok. There’s a lot of niches within the app and so there’s room for everyone, however you won’t be able to appeal to everyone, so know your target audience and what content they interact with the most. Users aged between 13 and 25, tend to interact with trends, challenges, and funny videos, but if you’re planning to target adults over 35 years old, they prefer to be educated and find unique advice.

• Understand trends and create challenges

Trends are obvious on TikTok, more so than any other social media channel, and TikTok makes it clear which specific hashtags and challenges are trending on the For You Page feature. This feature is unique to individual users, based on the algorithm that works off the posts you’ve interacted with most. 

As a creator, you can easily research which song or trends your followers are engaging with and then use them in your videos. While it’s important to be trend-aware, you should attempt to create your own trend and challenges specific to your target audience. This will set you apart from competitors and gain genuine respect and interest from your followers.

• Use hashtags

Using hashtags on any social media app is a great way to increase reach and interaction, and TikTok is no different. The most effective way to utilise hashtags on TikTok is a mix of relative and trending hashtags, and don’t forget about general hashtags like #fyp and #foryoupage, to ensure you feature on your target audiences’ For You Page.

• Cross-promote on other social media

The most effective way to increase engagement on your TikTok is to cross-promote on your other social media platforms, by sharing onto Stories and even your feeds. TikTok makes it so easy for you to do so, with the option already available via the share button. If you already have a substantial following on other accounts, you can use them to promote your TikTok. You can also develop brand-influencer relationships as well to promote your content and expand the community created around your business.

• Engage with the content you enjoy

Finally, the most simple way to boost your followers is by looking at the content your followers are engaging with and being interested in what others in your industry are doing right, and maybe wrong, and learning from that. Strengthen the community you’ve created on the app by commenting and leaving positive feedback on other users’ videos. This creates a conversation and eventually, you will see accounts return the favour to your videos.

If you follow all these tips, you’ll soon notice an increase in your TikTok followers and will have developed your presence on the app and within your consumer community.

If you enjoyed this blog, read our blog on7 Invaluable Marketing Skills That Help Teams Produce Consistently Great Content, or access all our other blogshere.

Ah, Valentine's Day, when love fills the air and marketers are on the prowl. As we step into the month of love let’s dive into the world of social media and marketing. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it provides the perfect opportunity to really connect with your consumer (no pun intended). You’ve got your very own cupid with us, so we’ve put together a list of trends and ideas that’ll really boost your social media engagement. We hope you LOVE them! 

The Importance of Pink and Red

Who needs to set a reminder for Valentine's Day when your favourite brands will do it for you?! As we head into February we start to notice an increase in the usage of pink and red on our social media platforms. These colours are synonymous with Valentine's Day, and are a great way to let your customer know that you’re getting involved in all the action! 

Get creative with your social media posts. You could focus on making them stand out or create something aesthetically pleasing. Either way, have fun with it, experiment with what works for your brand and remind your customers about Valentine's Day!

For themed social media post ideas, click here.

Perfect Timing for a Campaign 

14th of February is not only the best day to show that special someone you love them, but it’s also the perfect time of year to up your A-game with Valentine-themed marketing campaigns. Valentine's offers a unique opportunity to connect with your customers, boost sales and increase brand awareness. So, why not try introducing a campaign into your social media strategy?

Amongst all the creativity, a campaign that really stuck out to us was Walker's “Heart Shaped Crisp Hunt” in 2023. Walkers were giving out £100,000 to whoever found the best heart-shaped crisp. Customers were to take photos of their heart-shaped snack and upload them to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #LoveFromWalkers. 

Using your own hashtag can create a sense of community and ignite curiosity. It’s a great way to boost sales and get your customers involved! 

Love from, Everyone 

Valentine's Day isn’t just for traditional romance. Think LGTBQ+, pets, family and friends. Take Galentines for example, a celebration that has become more popular over the years to ensure the single consumers feel included and embrace the love they have for each other and themselves too! If you’re not feeling the love this year, why not get your gals together and have a Galentines? Or, even better, host an event for them! 

London-based gaming bar, Electric Shuffle is hosting a Galentines Brunch (heart eyes emoji) to celebrate the love of friends. With drinks flowing and music playing, it’s guaranteed to have you raising a toast to your besties! 

Target Last-Minute Shoppers 

We’ve all been there, we’ve all forgotten someone's special day at one point or another. To avoid your customer ending up in someone's bad books, why not set a countdown offer/promotion to get those sales in before it’s too late. 

Having an active promotion is a great way to secure sales, especially amongst those last-minute shoppers who are hunting down a bargain! Why not include a pop-up on your website or a personlised email promoting your offers - In 2021, we saw Thorful send out a 7-day countdown to their customers. 

Examples of successful Valentine's promotions: 

• 2-4-1 on selected lines 
• % off Valentine-themed products 
• Free Next Day Delivery (a great incentive for any Valentine purchase) 
• A rewards programme to join to access future discounts 

Be Interactive 

What better way to boost engagement and interaction on social media than by having interactive posts? Instagram stories offer a range of ways to engage with your audience, such as polls, quizzes, “add yours” and many more! 

People love an easy way to gain insights into their feelings and behaviours; adding a Valentine-themed quiz to your Instagram will do just that thing. How about a "What kind of lover are you?” quiz? Or, a Valentine's general knowledge quiz, here are some examples of questions you could use to make your content engaging: 

Q. What is Cupid's name in Greek Mythology?

1. Eros 

Q. From where was the first Valentine's letter sent?

1. Prison 

Q. On average, how many Valentine's proposals are there on Valentine's Day every year?

1. 220,000

There you have it - some of our favourite trends and ideas to boost your social media engagement this Valentine's Day. Don't forget, be creative and have fun! 

- Your secret admirer 

  P.S. Happy Valentine's Day!