Recently, TikTok launched several useful tools that are aimed specifically at businesses, including ads and business profiles.
In such a short time, the popular social media app has grown from merely being a platform for young creators to show off their dance moves. Now, the app gives countless people the opportunity to create magic in 60 seconds, and boom! – it’s gone viral!
TikTok is a short-form video hosting service owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. Known in China as Douyin, TikTok is 33% music, 33% trending, and 33% simple customisation. The remaining 1% is the mysterious fact that anyone can go viral by doing just anything.
The app pays between 2 to 4 cents per 1,000 views on a video and hosts a variety of short-form user videos; from genres like challenges, dance, entertainment, hacks, jokes, societal issues, stunts, trends, tricks, pranks etc.
Nigerian influencers have quickly embraced the app, creating content, promoting brands and creating more wealth for themselves.
Reports have it that the app is currently testing a first-of-its-kind feature that would enable Nigerian influencers to charge subscription fees from their followers.
Some popular Nigerian actresses and influencers have grabbed the opportunity to join TikTok in its booming age, much like Instagram around 2012. They include:
Softmadeit
He’s a popular TikTok influencer with 2.8 million followers. He is popular for promoting his dancing skills and jumping on trends in a most-unique way.
Iyabo Ojo
She’s a popular Nollywood actress that is also famous on TikTok with 1.6 million followers. She calls herself “TikTok Queen,” creating content for fun and monetising it.
Beauty Goddess
She’s a verified TikTok influencer in Nigeria with 2.6 million followers. She’s famously known for leveraging her beauty in promoting artistes and brands.
She was named the “Influencer of the year” last year by Pulse in celebration of her creative approach to entertaining her followers.
Bimbo Ademoye
She’s a beloved Nollywood actress who uses her acting skills to create fun content and promote brands on her TikTok platform.
Beryl.ama
She is another Nigerian TikToker whose presence on TikTok can’t possibly be omitted. She’s great at creating content and was able to use the Covid lockdown experience to create a name for herself.
She’s a verified TikToker and is currently followed by 2 million people.
Other influencers like Diana Eneje have joined the trend, creating content using Tiktok.
TikTok is fun to use and watch. It has a way of making non-users feel like they’re missing out on the experience.
The app has several content-enhancing tools like:
- filters (just as on Snapchat)
- the ability to search for sounds to score videos
- response/duets: for users to engage with other users
- the ability for hashtags to exist as a real, functional organizing principle for various “challenges,” jokes, repeating formats, and other discernible blobs of activity.
The major reason why TikTok is the new gold mine is that it is set to become one of the main platforms that brands can use to reach a large number of people across all demographics, albeit with a larger concentration of millennials and Gen Z.
The app is mostly populated by young people between 16-20 years old. Brands that have this age group as their target audience should be on TikTok!
Have you seen Nigeria’s TikTokverse? Were you shocked by the viral #SilhouetteChallenge? Did you worry that young Nigerians seem to have unnecessary free time because of the #GhostChallenge? Or was it because of the #LieChallenge? Or #ComotBodyJoor? Imagine converting all that virality to sales!
TikTok tends to push brands into creating behind-the-scenes content that shows authenticity and promotes creativity.
The platform has a friendly, jovial atmosphere that allows businesses to loosen up and create those happy, fun-seeking, totally-exciting-to-watch content that its users would love.
As a smartpreneur, it’s time to make a smart decision. Join TikTok, leverage its growing and emerging trends, improve your content creation skills, go viral, and make sales!
You snooze, you lose!
