Douyin Is An Enormous Opportunity for All Kinds of Brands

What Is Douyin?

Douyin is the TikTok application for China.The working of Douyin is similar to the international version of the app. You will find millions of new short videos every day, and you can record, edit and share all kinds of short video creations. You will be able to use filters, more than 100 stickers, or many editing options in all of them.

In Douyin, the short videos you watch are adapted to your habits and tastes. You can also discover new content and creators. There are short videos of all kinds: dances, humorous content, beauty, sports, vlogs, etc. The app has a compilation of the most popular songs of the moment, which you can use to enhance your content. Also, Douyin offers the possibility to send messages to other users so that you can use it as a messaging app.

User-generated Content Is An Important Ingredient of Douyin’s Population

This is a type of marketing that brands can either base from their own TikTok channel, or alternatively, work with influencers to encourage their follows to create user-generated content (UGC) supporting the brand in some way. Generation Z loves the full immersive experience. That’s why they don’t sit at home watching traditional broadcast TV——it’s too much of a passive experience. Generation Z far prefers to be involved.

If you can find a way to encourage your customers to share videos of themselves using or interacting with your products ins some way, you’re likely to get a high buy-in.

TikTok is not just a new social network, it’s a new medium for online expression. Just like the invention of vinyl records spurred the popularity of the two-minute single, TikTok is bringing bite-sized media to the forefront, and creators need to learn the ins and outs of this new form.

This means that you can’t just import your Facebook and Instagram posts to TikTok and vice versa. Although you’ll need to double up on your social media efforts, it also gives you a license to experiment with new ideas that you wouldn’t try on other platforms.

KOLs & KOCs for Douyin Marketing

Brands are actively recruiting KOLs for Douyin marketing. Brands use KOLs primarily to target Gen Z consumers and Douyin KOLs can make brand advertising go viral by attracting large numbers of users. However, it is important for brands to pay attention to some aspects of KOLs when doing TikTok marketing in China.

For example, it’s important that the chosen KOLs deliver high-quality content and that their audience matches the brand’s key consumer group. It is also important to pay attention to their interests and values. Brands also need to trust KOLs, which have achieved success through their authenticity. A brand can contribute to the content that KOLs post, but still not take away their creative spark.

While KOLs are the macro-influencers of China, KOCs are the micro-influencers. Like the foreign facing TikTok, Douyin is filled with micro-infuencers, and the short-video app would be the ideal platform to launch a KOC marketing strategy. The advantages to KOC marketing on Douyin are that the influencers come off as much more authentic and are more likely to be loyal to a brand.

Additionally, Douyin’s sophisticated algorithms bring a continuous flow of catered content to each user, meaning that the app feeds strongly into niche groups, giving KOC content a chance to be seen by many people of a consumer tribe who share the similar interests.

Douyin Opportunities for All Brands

We have already seen how many brands have successfully used TikTok to grow their brands both with paid advertising and creative organic content. Many of these require a unique vision from the marketing team to create content that will perform well on TikTok. Brands that already have a strong presence on TikTok are currently reaping the rewards. However, it’s not too late to get started and, if you haven’t already, you should strongly consider adding it to your social media and digital marketing arsenal.

Once you get to know the app and understand what you can do with it, you’ll find that it’s hugely useful for brand building. TikTok is an incredibly popular platform at the moment and offers the following benefits:

1. Boost Your Brand Awareness

TikTok boasts a huge global reach. Brands across all industries, from HP to KFC, are tapping into TikTok’s global audience to generate awareness. On TikTok, it is much easier to go viral compared to other platforms. The fun, engaging nature of TikTok content means people don’t simply get exposed to your brand, they start thinking and talking about you, too.

2. Connect With Your Target Audiences

Looking to remind your customers how awesome you are and show them your less-serious side? TikTok offers a great opportunity to share fun, snackable content with your audience that allows you to position your brand in a new way. For example, the NBA was an early adopter of TikTok and now boasts an incredible 14.2 million followers on TikTok (as of January 2022), more than any other sports league. The NBA’s TikTok profile takes fans behind the scenes, showing videos showcasing all the adventures their various mascots get up to. The content is more “real” compared to their presence on other platforms, which is more polished, offering fans a more intimate way to connect with their favorite NBA athletes.

3. Appeal to New Audiences

How does Generation Z feel about your brand? If you’re looking to appeal to a younger audience, TikTok is the perfect platform for you. Only 10% of teenagers state that Facebook is their preferred form of social media — meaning that brands looking to target younger audiences are better off focusing their efforts on TikTok.

Final thoughts

TikTok isn’t just a place for teenagers to go viral. The wildly-popular app shows no signs of slowing down and will be a key focus for brands across almost all industries in 2022.

TikTok can benefit your brand at every stage of the funnel, from awareness to loyalty and sales. However, as with any social media channel, high-quality content is key. At the end of the day, users are there to be entertained, not to see ads.

Whether you are running your first TikTok campaign or you already have an established presence on the platform, the tips outlined above will help you build a stronger, more successful brand on TikTok.