Snapchat Killer TikTok Launches in the U.S. and Every Marketer Needs to Know About It

Why we’re all in on performance branding – and how it can transform your growth.

Snapchat Killer TikTok Launches in the U.S. and Every Marketer Needs to Know About It

Bryan Karas

September 6, 2018

TikTok, a social media app from China, is currently the most downloaded iPhone app and has well over 150 million daily active users (500M MAU) – the parent company, ByteDnace, acquired musical.ly earlier this year as part of their U.S. expansion strategy.

“Combining musical.ly and TikTok is a natural fit given the shared mission of both experiences — to create a community where everyone can be a creator,” said Alex Zhu, co-founder of Musical.ly and senior VP of TikTok.

To capitalize on the GenZ and Millennial demo on the app, Guess launched a #InMyDenim campaign on TikTok – the first U.S. branded campaign and promoted hashtag on the platform. Guess teamed up with TikTok influencers @ourfire, who has 2.3 million followrs and @madison_willow, who has just under a million.

Boom goes the dynamite

As a short video sharing platform, TikTok is a direct competitor to Snapchat and Snap should be very concerned about TikTok entering the U.S. market.

Why you ask? Well, TikTok has access to a massive number of songs – popular mainstream songs as well as original songs from independent artists. They have partnerships with roughly 40 artists and are looking to build relationships with the Biebs and Katy Perry. The app even has a feature that lets you create your own music…

TikTok also provides daily challenges to keep their users engaged. Sometimes their internal team comes up with the challenge and other times influencers create the challenge…spreading it organically.

The early bird gets the worm

Every new advertising platform gives the opportunity to scrappy marketers…

Think back when Google search first came about and how all these affiliates and SEO guys made tons of cash before getting crushed by Panda and Penguin. Or the cheap conversions everyone got when marketers first started advertising on Facebook – especially in the early days. Or when people got five cent CPCs on Outbrain…

You have these little windows of time when you can take advantage of a platform. This time it’s TikTok – it’s happening and as an advertiser how do you break into the platform…

Think about how you authentically talk to this audience so when you have the ability to pour gas on the fire – also known as paid advertising – you’re ready.

How a Froyo Company Used First Mover Advantage in Snapchat

Back in 2013, 16 Handles, a self serve froyo company based in NYC, used first mover advantage on Snapchat to generate tons of business – including exposure in top marketing publication like Adage and Mashable.