It’s no secret that TikTok has taken the social media marketplace by storm. This popular, profitable social media platform could be your business’s key to marketing success, especially when you create and post stellar content on both TikTok and other platforms like Instagram.
TikTok and Instagram Reels can both attract new customers to your brand, enhance interaction, establish strong customer loyalty, and drive better overall revenue.
To get these benefits, though, you must generate the correct content and post it strategically. Let’s look at some TikTok and Instagram Reels recommendations for maximizing business success.
Pay Attention to Hashtags and Trends
First and foremost, always pay attention to current hashtags and trends on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
In these social media spaces, hashtags and trends fuel social engagement. They help steer platform-wide conversations and shape what people think and discuss. As a result, in order for your company to stand out and be a part of these large conversations, your content has to be relevant to current hashtags, trends, and product sales.
For example, say that you notice a new hashtag challenge started by a popular influencer or content creator. Since anyone can join a hashtag challenge (think of the ice bucket challenge for ALS donations and awareness a few years back), it’s a no-brainer for your brand to create content related to the challenge as well.
Paying attention to hashtags and trends gives you two benefits:
- It inserts your brand into the conversation, making it automatically relevant to what people are talking about on TikTok or Instagram
- It helps your content trend nationally and worldwide since you’ll include the trending hashtag in each new video’s hashtag lists
Whether you primarily create shoppable content for TikTok or Instagram Reels, the advice is the same: follow the trends. When your brand gets big enough, you can even become a trendsetter and see greater TikTok business and Instagram success.
Double Down on a UGC Campaign
User-generated content (UGC) is key in this modern era of digital marketing. You should double down on it when creating TikTok and Instagram Reels content. It’s one of the best practices for Instagram and TikTok content.
In a nutshell, user-generated content is content made by your users or target audience members, ranging from testimonial videos to product openings or unboxing videos, and more. UCG is so effective because:
- Modern Gen Z consumers feel that UCG is automatically more authentic compared to content created by a brand’s marketing firm
- UCG is usually short, quick, and digestible: all key factors in making good TikTok and Instagram content
- UCG is also perfect for driving engagement among on-the-fence target audience members or those who haven’t yet purchased from your company
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to hire influencers or work with influencer marketing companies to make UCG campaigns. For instance, you can invite your current users to showcase your most recent live selling event or share testimonials explaining why they believe your brand is their favorite.
That UCG effectively acts as affordable marketing for your company. You don’t have to spend any money making the content, just raise awareness of the campaign in general.
Engage and Sell with Current Content
To be successful with TikTok and Instagram Reels, you can’t just make content. You also need to engage with content currently floating around the platform.
Your brand should hire a social media manager to do this and communicate with people in your target audience. Your social media manager can engage with current content by liking posts, commenting, responding to other brands, and much more.
This is a great way to leverage your existing TikTok and Instagram content. It makes your brand and products feel alive, authentic, and engaging in a new way, rather than just a machine that cranks out content every once in a while. It’s also an efficient way to communicate with your audience and customers, who may create brand loyalty following a sale or interaction with the person behind your official social media profiles.
Post Frequently and Consistently
But it’s also crucial to post new content on TikTok and Instagram Reels frequently and consistently.
On these fast-moving platforms, content doesn’t last for very long. Indeed, the average Twitter post lasts for just about 20 minutes, while the average post on Instagram lasts for less than a day before it becomes subsumed by other content.
To that purpose, you should publish new content at least once per day and at least a couple times each week. By putting out new content often, you can keep your audience interested and give them something new to look forward to every now and then.
Don’t forget to post at the same time, too. and building brand awareness, especially in the earliest days of your business. Especially in the beginning of your business, consistency is key to keeping people interested and building brand awareness. For example, post in the evening when people are home from work to capture audience traffic when it is most plentiful.
Keep Content Short, Sweet, and to the Point
Whether you post primarily on TikTok or Instagram, always make sure your content is short and easy to consume. TikTok might let you make videos that are up to 10 minutes long, but the majority of TikTok content is just 16 seconds long. Shorter is always better, especially if you want to connect with viewers on TikTok specifically. Of course, the same rule of thumb applies to Instagram, although Instagram content can be a little longer if you are making an educational video.
Make Content for TikTok First
When it comes to Instagram and TikTok strategy, you should always create content for TikTok first, rather than vice versa.
Why? That’s because the content made for TikTok does phenomenally well when ported to Instagram Reels. The reverse is not true, partially because of elements like aspect ratios. So, if you want to make content and use it on both platforms, make it for TikTok first and then port it over to Instagram. Just be sure to keep file video size in mind. If a video is larger than 20 GB, you may need to compress it. This is important to remember when transferring large video files.
Consider Formatting for Instagram Reels Content
Here’s a specific Instagram Reels tip. When transferring content from TikTok or making new content for your Instagram Reels account, be sure that it’s in the right format. All Instagram Reels content displays in a 9:16 aspect ratio. Furthermore, Reels can’t be any longer than 90 seconds, so keep this in mind if you are transferring a long TikTok video over.
Bonus Tip: Make Informative and Entertaining Content
One last tip before you start your new marketing campaign: always make sure your content is both informative and entertaining.
A lot of content falls into one category or the other. But the best content that sticks in the minds of your consumers will inform and entertain in equal measure. Think of things like product explanations, demonstrations, and testimonials from charismatic influencers.
Get Ready to Amplify Reach on TikTok and Instagram
Ultimately, focusing on creating the right content for your audience specifically – and ensuring that the content is authentic and engaging – will go a long way toward making the most of both TikTok and Instagram Reels. With the right mix of content, the effectiveness and profitability of your social media marketing will go through the roof.
About the Author: Magnus Eriksen is a copywriter and an eCommerce SEO specialist with a degree in Marketing and Brand Management. Before embarking on his copywriting career, he was a content writer for digital marketing agencies such as Synlighet AS and Omega Media, where he mastered on-page and technical SEO
