TikTok Isn’t for Everyone: Know Your Audience
“We should be on TikTok” is a phrase I often hear from clients. Sure, it can be a useful tool, but it isn’t for everyone. If your ideal audience isn’t on the platform, then why bother spending the time and effort it takes to grow an audience there?
In this latest blog, I’m going to touch base not only on who TikTok attracts, but also how to find out if your audience is on this platform in the first place.
Who Uses TikTok?
First, let’s cover who actually uses TikTok. In January 2024, new statistics were released for the platform. Surprising almost no one, it looks like TikTok attracts younger users. However, you may be surprised just how young. About 60 percent of users are between the ages of 16 and 24. That’s great if that’s the majority of your audience, but not so great if you’re aiming for someone who’s a bit more mature.
If you look at a wider scope, about 80% of users are between the ages of 16 and 34. This means about 20% of users are between the ages of 24 and 34. Again, this is great if you want to attract a younger demographic towards your product. However, it’s less useful if you’re trying to work on business-to-business connections, which is largely an older audience.
What Demographic Should I Target?
That’s a big question, and one that no marketer can answer for you. Instead, take a look at your business. In this case, I’m using “business” as a broad term. This can apply to you as an individual if you’re trying to market yourself or a specific product (like a book). Who are your clients? Who is your audience? Who’s most likely to pay for your services or your products?
When creating a target demographic, you want to be sure that it’s a narrow field. Trying to target everyone will just lead you to failure; you can’t please everyone, after all.
To give more of a concrete example, if you’re a gym that aims to cater largely to women, a narrow target demographic may be women between the ages of 28 and 45 who are married, have kids, and want to get back in shape. Determining your demographic will help determine what platforms you should (and shouldn’t) be spending your time on.
How Do I Market on TikTok?
Like any social media platform, you need to be social. This means that you need to provide entertaining, quality content rather than just talking about yourself or your products. No one likes socializing with that person that talks only about themselves, after all. If you’re a wedding venue, offer tips and tricks for planning in a funny way. If you’re a gym, give workout routines people can do and show them how to do them. If you’re a bar, showcase a bartender making a drink and lighting it on fire.
If you want to take this to another level, then consider using TikTok as a short form of story marketing. Create a narrative that your audience can follow, and link it to your account. Answer questions, collaborate, and allow them to engage.
Putting It All Together
When it comes to using social media, you have to find the platform that’s right for you and your business. Don’t automatically jump on the latest trend. Instead, consider if your audience is there. If they’re not, then save your efforts for another platform, whether it’s Instagram, LinkedIn, or something else.
There’s also something else to consider when it comes to all social media platforms — not just TikTok. The fact is that their algorithm and policies can change in an instant, leaving you without the means to communicate with your audience. While social media is a great funnel for you to use on the way to your website, always remember that you shouldn’t rely on it completely. While TikTok is unlikely to be banned completely, it’s certain that it will change in the future (and may change hands). Make sure that you’re prepared when it does.
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