In the rapidly evolving landscape of social media, brands are constantly seeking effective strategies to engage audiences, elevate brand awareness, and ultimately drive sales. Influencer marketing, particularly on platforms like TikTok, has emerged as a powerful tool in this digital age. For athletic apparel brands like Gymshark, leveraging influencers on TikTok can potentially yield significant results. The following sections will delve deeper into the best practices for UK athletic apparel brands to effectively use influencers on this social media giant.
Understanding the TikTok Phenomenon
TikTok, a social media app dedicated to short, often creative videos, has seen explosive growth in recent years. Its unique algorithm prioritizes content discovery, allowing unknown creators to amass huge followings in a short amount of time. This distinct feature makes TikTok an invaluable platform for brands aiming to reach younger audiences.
To navigate TikTok effectively, brands must understand its key demographic and their preferences. TikTok users are predominantly young, with more than 60% of its audience aged between 16 and 24. These users are drawn to the app’s playful, genuine, and creative content. For athletic apparel brands, it’s therefore essential to collaborate with influencers who embody these characteristics to ensure content resonates with the TikTok audience.
Selecting the Right Influencers
Choosing the right influencers is a critical step in any influencer marketing strategy. These individuals serve as the bridge between your brand and potential customers, and their credibility can significantly influence your brand’s image and reputation.
When searching for the ideal influencers, brands should look at metrics like follower count, engagement rates, and audience demographics. However, the influencer’s alignment with your brand’s values and aesthetics is equally important. For instance, Gymshark, a UK-based fitness apparel brand, often collaborates with fitness influencers who promote healthy lifestyles, dovetailing seamlessly with their brand ethos.
Creating Authentic Content
Authenticity is a key currency on TikTok. The platform’s audience values genuine, relatable content over polished, overly promotional videos. For this reason, brands should encourage influencers to create content that is authentic to their style and personality, even when showcasing products.
Allowing influencers the creative freedom to showcase your products in their unique way can lead to fresh and engaging content. It may be a fitness routine in your latest activewear collection or a behind-the-scenes look at their workout regime, integrating your products naturally.
Engaging with the TikTok Community
Engagement goes beyond simply posting videos. It involves interacting with followers and participating in trending challenges or hashtags. Brands can encourage influencers to respond to comments, create duets with followers, or even initiate their own challenges involving the brand’s products.
For example, Gymshark launched a TikTok challenge called #Gymshark66, inviting users to share their fitness journey over 66 days. This approach not only increases brand visibility but also fosters a sense of community around your brand.
Leveraging Cross-Promotion on Other Social Platforms
While TikTok is a potent marketing channel, it should not be used in isolation. Brands can enhance their influencer marketing strategy by leveraging cross-promotion on other social platforms. Encourage influencers to share their TikTok videos on Instagram, YouTube, or other platforms where they have a significant presence.
This cross-promotion provides additional exposure for your brand and offers a chance to reach audiences who may not be on TikTok. Bear in mind, however, that each platform has a unique audience and content format. Therefore, content should be tailored appropriately when reposted on different platforms.
By understanding the TikTok landscape, selecting the right influencers, creating authentic content, engaging actively with the community, and leveraging cross-promotion, athletic apparel brands can optimise their influencer marketing on TikTok. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, these best practices offer a solid foundation for brands to create successful TikTok influencer campaigns.
Utilising User-Generated Content and Challenges
User-generated content, or UGC, is another powerful tool that brands can incorporate into their TikTok influencer marketing strategy. UGC involves content created by users and followers, often featuring or promoting the brand’s products. It’s a highly effective way to foster a sense of community around your brand and increase engagement.
The most successful UGC campaigns often involve some form of challenge or contest. Brands can work with influencers to launch their own challenges, which call for followers to create their own videos using the brand’s products or services. This not only increases brand visibility but also results in a wealth of authentic, user-generated content that can be repurposed in future marketing efforts.
Take Gymshark, for example. They launched the #Gymshark66 challenge, encouraging users to embark on a 66-day fitness journey and document their progress on TikTok. Gymshark influencers, like fitness influencer Whitney Simmons, participated in the challenge themselves, boosting its reach and engagement.
Challenges like this do not only lead to high engagement rates, but they also make the target audience feel more connected to your brand. It creates a sense of community and gives your followers a chance to interact with the brand on a more personal level, driving brand loyalty and trust.
Mastering the Art of TikTok Sounds
One unique aspect of TikTok is the importance of sound. Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok puts a great emphasis on original sound, making it a key component of the platform’s culture and a powerful tool for brands.
TikTok sounds can be anything from a catchy song to an original voiceover. These sounds often go viral, being used by millions of users in their own videos. Brands can partner with influencers to create unique TikTok sounds that align with their brand image and values.
Influencers can use these sounds in their own content, thereby encouraging their followers to do the same. This can lead to the sound, and by extension, the brand, going viral. For athletic apparel brands, this might be a motivational speech, a catchy workout song, or a sound that encapsulates the energy and positivity associated with fitness and sports.
When executed correctly, a branded TikTok sound can significantly increase brand awareness and reach, creating a lasting impact on the platform’s users.
In the continually evolving landscape of social media, it’s paramount for brands to stay ahead of the curve and utilise new platforms and strategies. For UK athletic apparel brands, TikTok offers an exciting opportunity to connect with a young, engaged audience and promote their products in a creative and authentic way.
By understanding the unique aspects of TikTok, such as its algorithm and emphasis on sound, brands can effectively leverage the platform to their advantage. Partnering with fitness influencers who embody the brand’s values, promoting user-generated content, and initiating engaging challenges are all powerful strategies to increase brand visibility and foster a loyal TikTok community.
While the world of TikTok influencer marketing may seem daunting, it’s ultimately about authenticity, creativity, and community. Brands that can effectively tap into these elements will be able to navigate the TikTok landscape successfully, driving brand awareness, audience engagement and ultimately, product sales.
