I’ve written on the blog before about the power of influencer marketing and why you need to be utilising it as a tool in your business, like, now. However, that power is maximized even further when you factor in TikTok — a relatively new social media platform that still has some CEOs scratching their heads.

On TikTok, the opportunity to reach your audience is like no other platform. Add influential creators into the mix and we’re talking about some serious viral potential. 

But before you can reap the benefits of TikTok influencer partnerships, you need to know how to navigate them the right way, which is why today’s blog post will be sharing everything you need to know about influencer marketing on TikTok. Ready to dive in?

What is TikTok, anyways?
TikTok is a short-form video sharing app and social media platform designed to help its users create, share, and discover short videos that interest them. Videos range from entertaining to informational to humorous to personal and usually fall between 15 seconds and 3 minutes in length. To learn more about how exactly TikTok operates and what the process of creating content is like, download my free Ultimate TikTok Marketing Guide!

Do I need to be on TikTok?
You don’t “need” to do anything, but not getting on TikTok is only hurting your business! Not only is it the fastest-growing social media app of all time (with over 1B active users monthly), but the algorithm is known for its “viral potential.” It isn’t uncommon for accounts with zero followers or likes to post a video and wake up the next day with over a million views. If you want maximum reach and visibility for your business, TikTok is the place to be.

What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is a way for brands to promote their products through endorsements and recommendations from influencers and content creators on the internet. Many times, influencer marketing is a part of brand awareness campaigns, but it can also result in plenty of conversions and sales. 

Why should influencer marketing be a part of your strategy?
In 2022, TikTok creators are shaping the digital landscape. They have serious influence and power. All it can take is one endorsement from the right creator to sell out a product, or get your brand discovered on a mass level. 

When you combine that fact with a new movement in consumerism towards more authentic brand messaging and less traditional “sales-y” advertising, the result is that your audience will likely respond better to their favorite influencer than they will your professional ad campaign, no matter how good it looks.

Influencers and content creators will only gain more prevalence as social media giants like TikTok continue to grow, which means influencer marketing is bound to become a staple in any strong brand’s overarching marketing strategy. Since TikTok isn’t going away anytime soon, capitalising on TikTok influencer marketing now will put you ahead of the competition in a big way — especially if you are a new brand looking to explode online.

How to plan your first TikTok influencer marketing campaign
A lot of preparation goes into a successful influencer marketing campaign. Here are three simple steps you can follow to make sure that you’re on the right track:

Set clear campaign goals
Before you begin actively seeking partnerships with influencers, you need to know what the objective of your campaign is. Are you wanting to increase awareness, drive traffic, reach new audience members, bring in new sales, or something else entirely? Whatever it may be, know your goal(s) in the beginning so you can look for influencers who have the audience, engagement, and content creation skills to help you reach them. You’ll also need to take into account things like your budget, the desired length of the campaign, how many influencers you want to work with, and the resources you have to support the campaign.

Find the right influencers
I can’t emphasise enough the importance of working with the right influencers. The entire success of your campaign relies on this crucial step! I’ve even written an entire blog post on the subject, that’s how major it is. Let’s break down what this looks like.

On TikTok (and for most things in life), quality > quantity — meaning the number of followers a creator has isn’t actually the most important thing when it comes to working together. What is important is the quality of their audience: are their viewers engaged? Have they fostered a loyal community? Are they viewed as somebody with true influence and sway in their niche? If so, that’s a very good sign!

You’ll also need to seek out influencers who are actually relevant to your business and/or industry and genuinely love what your business stands for. The success of this strategy relies on your target audience liking the influencers you work with and finding them trustworthy, so they should be true fans of your brand and what you have to offer in order to foster an authentic relationship. 

Reach out to potential partners
Once you’ve compiled a list of influencers and content creators you want to work with, it’s time to make the first move. Your initial impression could make or break a potential partnership, so it’s worth putting in some extra effort. Here’s what to do:

Find their contact details. You’ll have better luck reaching out to their designated business email (most influencers will have this in their TikTok or Instagram bio) than you will sliding into their DMs. You can always reach out for their direct email via DM as well, and then pitch them on working together in the actual email you send.

• Introduce yourself. Be sure to state who you are, your role within your company, and why your brand wants to work with them specifically.

• Explain the campaign. Give them a brief overview of what you have in mind for the collaboration. If you’re working with the right influencers, it’s likely that you’ll want to give them a lot of creative control, so don’t be too rigid in your vision.

• Ask for their media kit. This will tell you all about their audience and give you insight into their engagement and campaign success rate.

• Detail your budget and/or ask for their rates. Being transparent and upfront about this in the early stages of communication can prevent things from falling through later down the line.

Ultimately, utilising TikTok influencer marketing is a great way to expand your reach, build a hyper-loyal and engaged community, and drive sales. Whether you're new to influencer marketing or are a seasoned pro, TikTok is one of the best platforms to be focusing on right now in this capacity.

If you’re wanting to set yourself up for success with your TikTok influencer marketing strategy from the get-go, you might also consider booking a strategy call with me. My 90 minute intensives are perfect for the CEO who wants to develop a winning plan for how to approach influencer marketing and get expert, advanced guidance on how to implement that plan like a pro. To learn more about what a strategy call entails, click here.