Social media was abuzz in January when screens went dark for more than 170 million United States-based TikTok users and creators. Fourteen hours later, the US President-elect signed an executive order that put the ban into a temporary timeout, but the situation graphically illustrated how risky it is for an organisation to put all their eggs in a single basket. Those that had come to rely on a single third-party platform, where they had invested months or years in building an engaged online community, were the ones with the most to lose when TikTok went abruptly AWOL.
Regardless of its shortcomings, TikTok contains many examples of organisations that have used the channel effectively as part of a multi-faceted comms strategy, including Kiwi standouts like the Warriors and Air New Zealand. Even Palmerston North City Council has built an online community by embracing its subversive side, racking up more than two million views with its most popular video.
The long-term future of TikTok remains uncertain, apparently subject to the whims of various billionaires, and although we love a quirky cat clip as much as the next person, we also understand that likes, shares and followers do not an effective communications plan make. It might be tempting to eschew old-school avenues like the humble email database in favour of newer, shinier options like TikTok and podcasts, but the best plan remains one that strikes a balance between appealing to a fresh audience and remaining connected to your existing one, with every touchpoint centred on preserving authenticity.
The moral of the TikTok saga is this: establishing multiple touchpoints to connect with your audience is a must and developing a strategic omnichannel communications plan alongside content plans is critical. If you funnel all your resources into a single marketing tool, what happens when that tool disappears, or becomes unpopular overnight? The die-hard fans might seek your brand out on a different medium, but anything less than a piping-hot lead is unlikely to even notice that you’re not showing up in their world anymore, with or without the tap-dancing cats.
Image credit: LeonardoAi
