TikTok Marketing Strategies: Top 10 Tips For The Entertainment And Sports Industry

We recently invited our friends from TikTok, Entertainment Partnerships Manager Amy Johal and Strategic Partner Manager - Sport Sanjit Sarkar, to be guest speakers at our breakfast event ‘Mastering TikTok: How to be engaging, not embarrassing’ at our London HQ on Brick Lane!

We also heard from two of our own Little Dot speakers, Senior Programming Manager Olly Diamond and Head of Social Creative Jen Leeming. Together, they discussed how being ‘chronically online’ is the skill to have, shared their insight into how TikTok marketing has shifted over the years from Gen Z dance videos in lockdown to a place where culture is defined and gave their top tips for common challenges brands face in the vertical video space.

Missed the event? Here are our 10 key take-outs:

1. Get on TikTok: 73% of TikTok users say they feel deeper connections to brands on TikTok than on other sites and apps they use, and with 1 billion people on the platform, it’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.

2. Consistency on TikTok is key: Post 3-4 times a week to stay engaged, sticking to videos that are between 10-15 seconds as these tend to perform best (note that educational TikTok videos work well when longer). Always quality over quantity. Once you find what works for you, double down on it; consistency breeds familiarity and trust.

3. Be thumb-stopping from the start: The first 3 seconds determine if someone is going to watch your video, so captivate them from the intro. So make sure your TikTok video has a hook and that the audience wants to watch the whole video.

4. Flex your expertise: TikTok has changed and influenced the entertainment landscape, and you have a great opportunity to lead that conversation. Plan ahead for TikTok and think about the entire production lifecycle. Go deeper than surface-level promotions and engage with fans on topics they care about. 

5. Extend your content mileage on TikTok: You don't have to create brand new content every time you post to TikTok. For example, users rely on TikTok content to keep them engaged between seasons of their favourite shows, and tapping into your content library can be a great way to keep fans excited and engaged - 69% of TikTok users say ongoing content between seasons of a show is likely to keep them excited/engaged. The key to extending the mileage in your content library is re-editing this content for a TikTok first narrative. 

Need some inspiration? Check out our work on The Graham Norton Show’s TikTok.

6. Co-creation is a fundamental part of TikTok's DNA: show off your creativity by using co-creation features such as; duets, stitches or responding to comments with a video. Get involved in the weekly programmed hashtags and utilise the top 15 trending sounds to help expand your reach.

7. Have fun with TikTok content creation: start by considering your audience's passion points, get inspired by other creators, and don’t be afraid to try new things and be reactive. If you enjoy your content, it is likely that someone else will too!

Just like our work with The England Cricket Board.

8. Be reactive on TikTok… but in the right way: Building a team who lives and breathes the ‘For You’ page is key; you need to be using TikTok to kill it on TikTok, users can sniff out try-hards super easily. Remember that reactive doesn’t have to just mean trend-based. It’s all about joining the conversation. 

9. It’s all about community: TikTok is not just about casual viewership. The audience is premium, actively engaging, dissecting and celebrating content. You have a great opportunity to deepen connections, elevate content, and build a community through the major moments that are in the entertainment, sports or cultural calendar.

10. Be authentic: before you upload a piece of content, ask yourself some simple questions: ‘Would you tag your friend in the comments or send it to someone?’, ‘Is it engaging existing or new fandoms?’, ‘Does it evoke emotion (of any kind)?’ and ‘Is it authentic (to the brand and the platform)?’.

If you’ve had TikTok on your mind, and want to discuss further how to launch a TikTok channel or optimise your content, reach out today to learn more about our expertise and how we can help you elevate your brand. 

We also have plenty of resources to help you strategise, create content, and manage channels, just a click away on our ‘Vertical Video Knowledge Hub’ here.