As a marketer, I can attest to the importance and power of TikTok. The social media platform has over 1 billion monthly active users and is the most downloaded app globally.
Furthermore, the video-based social app is top-rated among Gen-Z and millennials.
While TikTok’s usage among marketers has increased by 15% YoY, some marketers are still figuring out how to generate leads on the platform.
Fortunately, I have much experience using TikTok as a social media fanatic and marketer. Here’s everything you need to know about lead generation on TikTok. But first — why use TikTok for lead generation at all?
Why use TikTok for lead generation?
There are a few good reasons TikTok can be a great platform to generate new leads:
1. It allows for mobile-first campaigns.
TikTok prioritizes short-form videos, though users can upload and view videos for 10 minutes.
This makes the platform an excellent channel for mobile-first campaigns because short-form videos are expected to represent 80% of all mobile data traffic in North America.
The platform allows users to scroll through videos for hours on end from their phones and subscribe to their favorite TikTok accounts.
Additionally, from an operations standpoint, the mobile format is relevant. You can run a business right from your phone, so investing in a mobile-based application like TikTok can fit right into your mobile-first campaigns.
2. It’s great for brands targeting a younger market.
According to YPulse, over 75% of Gen Zers use TikTok, and nearly two-thirds use it daily. Furthermore, thanks to the app, many Gen Zers are curious about products or make buying decisions.
For instance, a study shows after viewing a Dynamic Showcase Ad on TikTok ( a type of video ad on the platform), 74% of Gen Z weekly TikTok users would seek more information on the advertised product.
Even better, 46% of Gen Z TikTok users have bought a product because they saw it on TikTok in the past year.
This information is essential for business owners trying to reach a younger audience. After all, Gen Z will be the market with the most purchasing power in the future.
According to Bloomberg, the younger generation already has $360 billion in buying power, compared to $143 billion just four years ago.
3. It enables your brand to produce authentic content.
Authenticity matters, especially to Gen Z. In a recent study, 92% of Gen Zers indicated that being authentic and genuine to oneself is extremely or very important.
Keeping things genuine is key to getting buyers to believe your business does more than just get consumers to buy products.
Doing this can be difficult, but focusing on storytelling is a great place to start. Focusing on narrative shows your business goes beyond money and emphasizes the human element of things.
In a nutshell? Authentic brands attract quality leads. And with TikTok paving the way for original brand building — especially with content creators with immense influencing power — this platform is the place to be.
Tools and Resources
Below are some tools and resources available to boost leads via TikTok.
Internal TikTok analytics
TikTok’s built-in analytics tools allow creators and marketers to observe critical metrics such as profile views, likes, comments, unique visitors, engagement, and reach.
I also use it to track video playtime, average watch time, and viewer demographics. Other metrics that can be tracked are:
Statistics on your latest live video, viewing ranking, and replays
Follower counts, such as total followers, lost followers, and net followers
Trending videos of the week
HubSpot’s TikTok Integration
You can now automatically sync the leads you‘ve gained via TikTok with your HubSpot CRM in real time.
Just ensure you have a HubSpot account, at least one instant form on TikTok’s Ad Manager, and admin access to the ad account you will use for the integration.
Follow these steps to get started:
Go to the Tools section in your TikTok Ads Manager account and click Leads in the dropdown menu. Click the Connect CRM button at the top of the page.
Find HubSpot and click Directly Connect.
Select Apply to get permission to manage leads from your TikTok account. From there, click Sign in to HubSpot, connect your HubSpot CRM, then select Next.
Choose the form you want to sync leads from.
Map the fields from your TikTok Instant Form to your HubSpot properties and click Submit.
Click Confirm, and you’re all set!
If you want to ensure your integration is set up properly, select the Send Test Data button.
Next, let’s explore five ways to generate leads on TikTok:
1. Build an eye-catching and trustworthy profile.
Your TikTok profile should prove your brand‘s legitimacy and help you stand out from the sea of accounts. So, use your brand’s unique logo as your TikTok profile photo.
If you don’t have a logo, create one or use a relevant, aesthetically pleasing image or video.
Yes, you can use video as your TikTok’s profile image.
You‘ll also need to create a short and compelling bio that tells viewers what your company is about. When writing my TikTok bios, I think of it as the world’s shortage and punchiest elevator pitch.
Feel free to add a little humor as well. For example, language learning Duolingo’s bio reads:
“Free language education for the world. Just an owl tryna vibe.”
The bio captures Duolingo‘s mission and the humorous and playful energy of the account’s videos.
Links are also crucial to your profile because they direct traffic to your website, products, and services. So, be sure to include a relevant link to your bio.
Finally, it helps to be verified on TikTok. A TikTok verification badge confirms that your account is the official account for your brand and not a fan account, scam, or parody.
To learn about the verification process, click here.
2. Create valuable, engaging, and entertaining content that calls for action.
Before creating TikTok videos, think about your organization’s buyer persona. Who is your target audience? What kind of content do they find valuable? How can you showcase value to your target consumers on TikTok?
Let these questions inform your videos‘ tone, style, and content. You must also consider where your audience is in their buyers’ journey.
Are you looking to attract leads who are just learning about your business or leads who are ready to make a purchasing decision?
Furthermore, you should create content that calls for your audience to act, such as:
“Read my blog for more information!”
“Click the link in our bio for more deals!”
“Sign up for our newsletter to learn more.”
TikTok also allows creators to include product links in their videos, so take advantage of that feature to generate leads directly from your videos.
Another element I’ve found helpful is the use of relevant hashtags. TikTok allows users to type in hashtags during uploading and tells you how many views a hashtag has.
When uploading content, look at which relevant tags have the most views and incorporate them into the caption of your video. You should also keep an eye on trending topics and challenges to find ways to incorporate them into your content.
3. Leverage TikTok Ads.
Of course, the most beneficial strategy you could implement is leveraging TikTok Ads — especially TikTok Lead Generation Ads. I mean, it’s in the name.
TikTok Lead Generation Ads is a type of advertising the platform offers specifically to cultivate leads and collect lead information for your website.
These ads come with a CTA button.
Once users click on the button, they can access an instant form that provides more information about your business and provides you with the contact details of said users and their interest in your product or service.
The ads can also redirect users to your website and their information directly.
Lead Generation Ads aren’t the only ad types TikTok offers. The platform has several others marketers can choose from to build leads and recognition. To learn more about these ads type and which are worth investing in, click here.
4. Collaborate with influencers.
Influencers will help your brand connect with your audience in an authentic and relatable way. Even better influencers on the platform have an engagement rate of 15.86%, triple that of the average user.
Connect with influencers whose image and content align with those of your brand.
You can incorporate influencer marketing into your lead generation strategy by having an influencer post content using your product or service and offering a discount code to the creator’s followers.
5. Track your results.
Monitor your videos to see what kind of content gets the most engagement or leads so you can take stock of the most effective methods for your brand.
Investing in TikTok ads also allows you to track your ad’s metrics and performance.
TikTok is more than just an app for funny, short-form videos. If leveraged properly, it can be an excellent platform for lead generation. Just make sure to follow the strategies above to maximize your success.
