With another delay to the TikTok ban and the White House creating its own Tik Tok account last week, it looks like the platform, with 170 million users in the U.S., is here to stay.
TikTok videos are ideal for promoting events at every stage, from behind-the-scenes storytelling leading up to the event, to live takes on site, to planner advice and insights. TikTok is also a preferred platform of Gen Z’ers and Millennials: Its largest demographic group is 18 to 35 years old.
In addition to event marketing, planners can also use TikTok to build their own personal brand, and as a source for inspiration from others’ videos.
Following are 6 strategies for getting started onTikTok:
1. Think of TikTok as the Long Game
Most people think of TikToks as in the moment, but evergreen content works on this platform as well. Unlike Instagram, where your stories have a 24-hour shelf life and you have one or two days to hope your post comes across people’s feeds, TikToks stick around for several months and resurface based on people’s interests.
2. Educate Yourself on the Algorithm
What works on TikTok changes constantly as the algorithm adjusts to keep users engaged. Right now, the most popular TikToks are not choreographed to perfection, according to the experts at The Content Emporium.
Here are their 5 top trends:
- Humor — Audiences want to laugh, not be sold to.
- Hyper-niche vs. generic content — The more specific, the better.
- Employee-generated content — It builds trust, relatability, and authenticity.
- Live content — Create unfiltered, in-the-moment TikToks.
- Games and challenges — Use these to drive participation and organic reach.
Unlike some other social media platforms, hashtags are still relevant on TikTok and are used by the algorithm to categorize videos and reach the right viewers. Among the many hashtags for event planner content are: #events #eventplanning, #eventplannerlife, #eventplanner, #eventplanningbusiness, #eventcoordinator, and #corporateevents. These will show you videos mostly of event productions, from weddings to social galas.
The deeper you dig into the niche, with hashtags like #eventmarketing or #eventstrategy, the more the focus on videos with how-to content, everything from attrition to sponsorships.
4. Familiarize Yourself With Event Industry TikToks
If you’re thinking of using TikTok as a marketing tool, start by getting familiar with the others in this space. These can range from small agency owners who are staking a place on TikTok by sharing their experience; to influencers like itsvonnajoi (19.7k), whose videos are a mix of her event life and daily routines; to top-name planners like marcyblum (22.1k), whose videos of weddings and social events are a source of inspiration. Follow the accounts you like and, when the settings permit, explore the accounts that they have followed.
5. Decide on a Strategy
It’s important to create an overall mission for your TikTok. What are you trying to accomplish? Do you plan to use TikTok to market your events? In that case, you will want to create FOMO by posting behind-the-scenes shots and videos that show off your expertise and creativity. If your focus is building your brand, the videos will be more about your day-to-day experiences and the challenges as you run your business. Some planners choose to offer tools and expert advice as their main focus.
6. Get to Know the Influencers
It’s challenging to get your content seen, so you will need help. TikTok is one of the sites where influencer marketing originated, so learn who the industry influencers are and connect with them. If you move forward, you can tap them to create behind-the-scenes videos leading up to your event and even invite them and create a space where attendees can meet these big names and film their own videos. Influencer clips can be a highlight of your promotional material for the next meeting too, to keep the buzz going all year long.
