What are the best practices for using TikTok to reach Gen Z and Millennial audiences?

I don't think you should see your audience purely as Gen Z or Millenials. There are other factors to take into account. The only common factor is the way to communicate to the audience. Gen Z will most likely always favour a clear communication that feels organic and relevant, not something that is pushy and feels like a corporate advertisement.

While Millennials and Gen Z are often grouped together as the ‘younger’ internet generation, they have had very different life experiences and different kind of content appeals to them - even on TikTok. Where Millenials are the OG Internet Kids, Gen Zers are the cool kids on the block. For Millennials TikTok is the source of entertainment and for them its more one-sided and more "media" than "social". Whereas Gen Zers are more often the creators of content; they use it to communicate, share their thoughts and build communities. This may be the most fundamental difference in the lens through which the two demographics view TikTok.

Leveraging trending sounds not only showcases your creativity but also aligns your content with popular trends, expanding its reach. It's a powerful way to connect with your audience and demonstrate your brand's relatability. This approach not only enhances authenticity but also increases the likelihood of engagement and growth on the platform.

One of the most powerful ways I've seen influencers used on TikTok is the "new customer journey" - this was especially successful for for Bloom Nutrition. They partnered with hundreds of TikTok influencers to show their "bloat" or lack thereof after taking Bloom. It had all the right aspects: 1) Identified the problem: Bloat 2) Provided a solution: Visually showed the problem being solved (on camera video) 3) Authenticity -->Showed the influencer using the product 4) Capitalized on "Day in the life" vlog style content that TikTok is known for.

If we talk about the use of "influencers" on TikTok from a "Search" perspective, it becomes important to understand why users are searching on TikTok in the first place. Here, users are searching for content without the typical friction seen on a Google SERP or landing page. So, when we collaborate with influencers we need to be sure to allow them to do their thing - with as little interference from the brand as possible. Yes, make sure content is "on-brand" but give your creators a level of creative freedom that ensures their content looks native and natural and "of their style", otherwise it misses the point of why users are heading to platforms like TikTok for content in the first place.

While both generations tend to trust and consume authentic content from real people like them (UGC), the style of that content differs slightly between the two groups. Both generations tend to respond well to influencer marketing content on TikTok and collabing with content creators gives brands an unique opportunity to organic storytelling.

Influencers create incredible content. You've got to leverage it in paid ads. Our clients typically see 2-5x performance on paid social when they use influencer content vs brand content.

Definitely use influencers and TikTok UGC to run in your ad campaigns. They feel natural to the platform, like authentic endorsements and build trust from audiences. Another benefit of using influencers and UGC in your ad strategy is that you can test a wide variety of Calls to Action, messaging strategies and creative ideas. Then see which resonates with customers.

⚡TikTok Live lets you chat with your audience in real-time, creating a genuine connection. It's great for engagement, gaining followers, and hosting announcements and collaborations. ⚡ Overall, TikTok Live is a fantastic way to build a loyal community, share behind-the-scenes content, and connect with people worldwide. 👍🏻

Gen Zers and Millenials are used to being bombarded with marketing messages and have become used to ignoring them. Especially Gen Z are skeptical of traditional advertising and more likely to engage with brands that they feel are authentic and transparent. They don't tolerate inauthenticity and will quickly turn away from brands they feel are trying to manipulate or deceive them into buying products or services. TikTok has a broad variety of ad formats to align with different budget and marketing goals and harnessing the platform's in-depth targeting options ensure your ads catch the eyes of those you most wish to connect with.

Capturing the Gen Zers is much easier when you tap into the more social aspects of TikTok. As a brand, creating trends and challenges that allow for interactive activities is a great way to engage this audience. Creating a filter and unique hashtag for your brand and incentivizing people to use it is fun, but challenging. Easier and more natural ways, to invite users into your community is by encouraging user-generated content that can be repurposed.

⭐ A/B testing on TikTok >> comparing different versions of your content to see which one works better. You change one thing, like the caption or posting time, and show these variations to different people. after that you will need to check the data to find out which version gets more likes, shares, or comments. This helps you improve your TikTok content and strategy. 😀

Launching your own branded challenge & hashtag on TikTok are excellent strategies to not only boost user engagement but also create better brand awareness. When combined with a social cause, it can be a powerful way to connect with socially conscious Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

TikTok X SEO As the search universe expands, TikTok is emerging as one of the leading "social-search" channels. To leverage this platform, I would recommend looking for opportunities to map your existing content around trends, hashtags or sounds on TikTok and work with creators or encourage UGC so that your brand is at the heart of these conversations on TikTok as well as the traditional Google SERP.