2021 Update: Looking for the latest TikTok event marketing tips? Check out our updated intro to TikTok marketing to get your events trending for free!
Have you utilized TikTok yet for your event marketing? TikTok, for those unfamiliar, is a social network for sharing short videos. It’s one of the most downloaded apps in 2019, has more than 500 million active users, and 90% of its users are on the app at least once a day. That means that this high-engagement social media platform is a ripe resource for event marketers!
Our experts have compiled a list of the top three ways to promote your ShowClix event on TikTok in 2020. Read on, and start planning your TikTok marketing strategy today!
Participate in Trends
TikTok is a known hotbed for popular trends or “challenges” that often go viral. The most popular TikTok challenges revolve around users lip syncing or dancing to a particular song, like “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey. If the challenge is relevant to your event, participate in it to seize on that viral attention! If you can’t find a challenge relevant to your event, create one of your own and direct your followers to participate for a chance to be featured on your page. An example of a successful challenge creation is the #TumbleweedChallenge by Jimmy Fallon. Fallon asked TikTok users to roll around on the ground, a la tumbleweed, and include the hashtag #TumbleweedChallenge with their videos, later featuring his favorites on The Tonight Show! In just a few days, TikTok users created over 8,000 videos that gained 9 million views, so there’s no telling how far your event challenge could go.
Partner With Influencers
With some TikTok users boasting as many as 35 million followers, an influencer partnership can help your event quickly reach a massive audience. For smaller events, consider reaching out to a local influencer to collaborate with. Since these influencers already have a dedicated fanbase, their followers will inherently be more inclined to trust what they say and therefore engage with your event. By partnering with an influencer, you’ll develop a mutually beneficial relationship in which you reap the benefits of their content and posts in exchange for money, free tickets, or a VIP experience at your event.
Run Contests
Create a TikTok video announcing to your followers that you’ll be running a contest, where the winner(s) will receive a prize of your choice, like four free tickets to your event or two VIP experience passes. Develop a unique hashtag for your followers to use on their video submissions so you can easily collect and monitor entries. If your event is a music festival, for example, have users submit videos of them lip syncing or dancing to one of the artists in your lineup. For a fandom event, ask your users to submit videos of themselves cosplaying as their favorite comic book character. For a pet-themed consumer convention, you might have users submit funny videos of themselves with their pets. Like all other social media contests, make sure to clearly explain the official rules of your contest, such as who can enter, how to make a submission, and when the contest ends. Each state has unique laws and guidelines for contests and giveaways, so make sure to check those rules before beginning your contest as well!
Utilize Hashtags
Whether you tap into something that’s already trending or create something new for your event, hashtags are a great way to promote your videos on TikTok like most other social media platforms. By attaching an already popular hashtag to your video, you’ll be able to reach a larger audience. But make sure the hashtag you choose is relevant to your event! When you create an event-specific hashtag, come up with something unique that captures the essence of your brand, and include it on all of your videos. For more on how to create and promote a successful event hashtag, check out our recent blog post!
2021 Update: Looking for the latest TikTok event marketing tips? Check out our updated intro to TikTok marketing to get your events trending for free!