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Recap: Things to Know to TikTok Like a Pro

Posted on Dec. 21, 2021  /  Subscribe 0

For many PR pros, TikTok is a new frontier, and there is much to learn about this increasingly influential social media channel. Clients are wondering if they should create a channel, and practitioners are striving to learn how to use TikTok effectively. As a social media channel with a realm of possibilities, TikTok requires practitioners to keep an eye on trends and best practices.

Our virtual panel discussion featured a diverse lineup of talented communicators with strong TikTok expertise:

• Chad Cyrowski - Chief Digital Officer, Truscott Rossman
• Sara DeHaan - Co-Founder, Meraki Agency
• Eric Mally - Director of Content and Social Media, Airfoil Group
• Tega Orhorhoro - Content Creator and Social Media Specialist
  • @tegareacts on TikTok (2.5M followers)
  • @playcheerleader on Instagram (78k Followers)

Making the Decision on Whether to Join

Brands and PR practitioners who are considering joining TikTok should first ask a couple important questions, Chad said.

“Is your target audience on TikTok, and is it going to help you achieve your objective?”

These questions are at the heart of deciding whether it makes sense to jump into the world of TikTok. Developing a TikTok channel will require an investment of resources, and it takes commitment to create content that will resonate with your audience. When it comes to creating content, not everyone has to be funny or do dancing videos to be successful.

“It’s important to note that you don’t have to hop onto the trends, you can find your own niche,” said Sara. “You should create content that works for you and your brand.”

Some of the most key factors of creating content that will perform well on TikTok is authenticity and consistency, Tega explained when asked about her journey to becoming an influencer on TikTok.

“As of today, I’m getting close to 2.5 million followers just because I’m consistently doing what I’m doing,” Tega said. “Picking the right videos, sharing the right messages, having fun and just being who I am.”

Tega’s decision to join TikTok started when she decided to share her thoughts in the form of reaction videos. By sharing these authentic reactions, she has built a strong and steadily growing audience of people who continue to engage with her content.

The TikTok Algorithm

Like other social media channels, TikTok’s algorithm is a bit of a mystery. Still, there are some things that we know about it, Eric said.

“What we know about the TikTok algorithm is that the For You page bases the recommended content off of how a user interacts with similar content,” said Eric. “It can be anything from the accounts you follow, the accounts you unfollow, videos you marked as ‘not interested’… but, the most important metric is how long you interact with that video.”

One of the biggest challenges for brands right now is the use of sounds. The use of trending sounds is very front and center when it comes to TikTok content, Eric said, but brands are sometimes less inclined to use trending sounds due to concern of violating copyright. It’s an ongoing challenge that brands are continuing to work though.

Maximizing Your Content

Social media platforms tend to replicate successful ideas, and the success of TikTok is no different. Now with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, users of these other channels are creating similar content to that what is seen on TikTok.

Any downloaded TikTok video has a floating watermark, but one content maximization strategy Tega suggested is screen recording a TikTok before it’s posted, and then using that on other channels. That way, the content creator is getting as much use out of their content as possible. This can be especially important when it comes to monetization, as YouTube Shorts with a TikTok watermark are ineligible for monetization.

While TikTok is still a gray area for many PR practitioners, its reach and influence is growing by the day and it presents many strong opportunities. As communicators, we should always be looking for new opportunities to tell our stories, and TikTok is something that all practitioners should research and consider when planning their communications tactics. 

Jeff Adkins is a senior public relations specialist with Henry Ford Health System and a PRSA Detroit board member/programming committee chair.

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