Should Your Food Brand Be On TikTok?

Today, we will cover the benefits and potential barriers of having a food brand presence on TikTok. TikTok is a social media platform that has taken the world by storm. The app, which allows users to create and share short videos, has over a billion active users worldwide. Its success has made many businesses wonder if they should be on TikTok too. 

TikTok, for small businesses, is a powerful marketing tool that can help them reach a wider audience and increase their conversion rate. It allows you to showcase your products and services creatively and engagingly, which can instantly attract the viewers’ attention.

There are pros and cons to promoting your food brand on TikTok. Today we will dive into the importance of your food brand presence on this platform for all ages, and ways you can position yourself to reach your target audience.

Benefits of your food brand presence on TikTok

Your food brand presence on TikTok can bring numerous benefits to the company. For starters, it can help increase brand awareness among several different audiences. Statistics show more age groups, and demographics are starting to use the app. TikTok’s algorithm also favors content that is engaging, creative, and unique, which can help brands stand out from their competitors. 

Additionally, TikTok allows for direct user engagement through features like comments and duets. This can help build brand loyalty and improve customer relationships. Overall, having a presence on TikTok can be a valuable addition to a company’s social media strategy. Below are some of the many benefits of having your food brand on TikTok. 

1. Reach a broader audience: TikTok’s user base has historically comprised Gen Z and millennials. TikTok is a great way to reach those audiences. Furthermore, since 2021 statistics show an increasing number of profiles of all ages on TikTok. This can have numerous benefits for business. 
2. Build brand awareness: TikTok is a highly engaging platform, and videos have the potential to go viral quickly. By creating entertaining or informative content, you can increase brand awareness and reach a wider audience.
3. Showcase your products: TikTok’s short-form video format is perfect for showcasing products in a fun and creative way. This can help to generate interest in your products and drive sales.
4. Build a community: TikTok is all about community and user-generated content. Engaging with your audience and encouraging them to create content related to your brand is beneficial. You can build a loyal following and create a sense of community around it.
5. Keep up with trends: TikTok is known for its viral challenges and trends. By participating in these, you can show that your brand is up-to-date and on-trend.
6. Greater customer loyalty: By engaging with customers of all ages on TikTok, businesses can build stronger relationships and foster greater customer loyalty.
7. Cross-generational appeal: TikTok’s content is diverse and appeals to various interests and tastes. By marketing to all ages, businesses can tap into this cross-generational appeal and create content that resonates with diverse viewers.
8. Increased sales: By reaching a wider audience and building greater brand awareness and customer loyalty, businesses can ultimately drive more sales and revenue.

TikTok can be a great platform for small or large businesses. You need to know your target audience and have the resources to create regular high-quality content. Marketing your food brand on TikTok is about strategy and education on the consumer’s habits on the platform.

Potential barriers to having a brand presence on TikTok

TikTok allows you to showcase your food brand. It also allows you to reach a wide audience, which may create challenges for certain businesses. The risk in marketing for food brands that are newer and don’t have a strong target audience quite yet.

1. Not suitable for all businesses: TikTok is primarily a platform for entertainment. Meaning not all brands will be a good fit. For example, a B2B brand may struggle to find a place on the platform and would benefit more from LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
2. Time-consuming: Creating high-quality TikTok content can be time-consuming. If you don’t have the resources to create regular content, it may not be worth investing in a TikTok strategy.
3. Risky Content: TikTok is known for its edgy and irreverent content. If you’re not careful, your brand could come across as offensive.
4. Limited advertising options: TikTok’s advertising options are currently limited. It may not be the best platform for businesses looking to run large-scale ad campaigns. Still, many large businesses are finding success on TikTok through pairing with influencers or organic content that gives their audience a sense of authenticity on the platform. 
5. Difficulty measuring ROI: Measuring the ROI of TikTok marketing campaigns can be difficult. If you can’t track your campaigns’ success, it may not be worth investing in the platform.

The best way to avoid barriers to marketing your food brand on TikTok is to research your competitors. Find your target audience and professionals to help promote the business effectively.

Tips for success food brands on TikTok

If you decide to have a brand presence on TikTok, below are some tips to help you succeed.

1. Be authentic: TikTok users value authenticity and are turned off by overtly promotional content. Focus on creating content that is entertaining, informative, or educational.
2. Engage with your audience: TikTok is all about community, so engage with your audience by responding.
3. Embrace diversity: TikTok’s user base is incredibly diverse, and businesses should aim to create content that reflects this diversity. This means featuring people of different ages, races, genders, and backgrounds in your videos.
4. Keep it fun and engaging: TikTok is all about engaging content that captures viewers’ attention. Ensure your content is entertaining, engaging, and avoid being too dry or serious.
5. Use influencers: Influencers can be a powerful tool for reaching audiences of all ages on TikTok. Look for influencers with a diverse following that can help you reach a wider audience.
6. Monitor your metrics: As with any marketing strategy, it’s important to track your metrics and measure the success of your TikTok campaigns. Furthermore, monitor metrics, engagement, views, and shares, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Don’t know where to start and thinking about taking the TikTok plunge? Work with a professional agency, and they can take a deep dive into your current social media strategies. This is helpful because they can perform a social media audit on your current social media presence. They can then help guide you to the best practices for your business.

Should your brand be on TikTok?

The decision to have a brand presence on TikTok ultimately depends on your business goals, target audience, and available resources. Additionally, if you’re in a consumer-facing industry and have products that can be showcased in a fun and creative way, TikTok could be a good fit.

However, if your brand doesn’t align with TikTok’s entertainment-focused culture or you don’t have the resources to create regular content. It may not be worth investing in a TikTok strategy.

Before deciding, it’s important to research your target audience and understand how they use TikTok. This will help you determine whether the platform is a good fit for your brand.

 If you want more information on boosting your reach on TikTok, check out this blog post on some of the top food brands crushing it on TikTok!