With roughly 656 million downloads in 2021, the app’s popularity has skyrocketed. Its short and engaging videos can suck you in for hours, and it is an incredible platform to promote your upcoming fair or event!
Why is TikTok Important for Event Marketing
The #foryoupage (#FYP) algorithm is one that hasn’t been cracked yet, but with the right post you can get your content in front of hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of eyes. TikTok has the possibility to give you the biggest possible organic reach, much more so than traditional social media channels like Twitter and Facebook.
If you still think TikTok is ‘just for the kids’—consider this: in February 2022 alone, TikTok was (again) the most downloaded app in the world in February with a total of 41 million downloads.
Looking to maximize reach while driving engagement? Even if you’ve never made a post before, your content can still be seen by millions of people! Additionally, your window for increased engagement is much larger, with TikTok increasing your content shelf life by 90 days. It’s a great way to start building the hype around your event and engage with potentially new customers.
Join a viral trend: The fastest (and possibly easiest) way to get seen is by jumping in on a trend. From popular audios and hashtags, you can put a spin on a current viral trend! Strive for authenticity and find those viral popular trends that would lend well to your event marketing campaign.
Host a takeover: Have someone else take over your account for the day! Get some perspectives like backstage access or a “day in the life”. If you’re hosting a state or county fair, you could ask 4H guests to post for an entire day, showing pictures of the animals being shown or results from a competition.
Collaborate with an influencer: If there is an influencer in your area, consider reaching out to them. If you can swing it, offer comped tickets in exchange for a post featuring your event. Not only can this introduce your event to their followers, but increased engagement will lead to higher views.
Run a contest: Encourage attendees to participate with the promise of a possible prize! Offering something like free or upgraded tickets for the winner can drive engagement while potentially giving you additional content to repost from your account.
Don’t Forget Instagram Reels: Born shortly after the rise of TikTok, Reels is Instagram’s take on short, vertical videos. Use the content created for TikTok and upload them to your Instagram account to connect with your existing Instagram audience.
Post a personalized hashtag: Post videos with a hashtag unique specifically to this year’s event. Be sure to share this hashtag on your different platforms, so your existing audience can get in on the fun!
Creating a TikTok plan
Before you post, have a plan in place! As you are planning your promotional campaign for the event, schedule time to film and post TikToks! Before the event, work on building the excitement for attendees and during the event capture what makes your fair or concert so fun. While the average length of a post on TikTok is just 15 seconds, you can take advantage of the 30-second or 1-minute feature to get a bit creative. As a team brainstorm some fun trends to participate in, and even storyboard out your ideas. That way when it comes to filming, you’ll be more than ready.
As social media trends continue to grow and new platforms become popular, it’s important to stay cognizant of engaging opportunities. Start connecting with fans from your events and start your TikTok account today!