More and more brands are hopping onto TikTok and with good reason.
“TikTok is on track to hit 1.2 billion active users in 2021,” according to a report by App Annie. “TikTok ranked in the top 5 by time spent and its average monthly time spent per user grew faster than nearly every other app analyzed, including 70% in the US and 80% in the UK — surpassing Facebook.”
Put simply, TikTok outpaced every other top social app in hours per user, which is why the report recommends that brands monitor consumer behavior shifts.
Time spent indicates the reach and depth of engagement – among top social apps by time spent, the average time spent per user increased for nearly every app in every market.
By engaging a wider audience on this newer platform, you’re able to foster a one-to-one relationship with consumers. But it can be hard to grow your reach.
How are brands growing their audience on this growing platform? A lot are doing what they know works. This involves hashtags, viral videos and building community.
But some top consumer brands are taking it to the next level, by leveraging consumer psychology tactics to drive more followers on TikTok.
3 Psychology Tactics to Grow Your TikTok Audience
Here are three tactics used:
1. Anticipation
Anticipation can be a powerful motivator. One expert noted the power of anticipation on the Market With Me Quikly podcast, explaining that the moment before taking a bite of cake is often more pleasurable than the bite itself.
This can be helpful for brands beginning to grow their TikTok audience. It can be simple to get started, too -- you could give consumers an offer to anticipate. The offer can be wrapped in mystery or entirely apparent. Maybe consumers only know that the faster they click to claim, the better the offer will be.
2. Scarcity
Scarcity can have a powerful influence on a consumer’s behavior. You can utilize scarcity to signal that an offer is unique or an item is special. Among other demographics, this tends to appeal well to younger consumers, a large demographic on TikTok, who resonate with this idea when it comes to their own personal brand.
“Generation Z consumers are 1.5 times more likely to follow a brand that provides content that boosts their own image,” according to research from Gartner. Unlike older generations who value fitting in, “Gen Z consumers are breaking that mold by creating and enjoying greater freedom to test and shape an identity that stands out.”
3. Competition
Competition was once a mechanism used by humans in order to survive. Today, consumers compete for deals in stores and on the internet rather than hunting for animals to eat for dinner. Although a stark contrast in what’s up for grabs, competition can be a motivating way to engage consumers today.
Try giving consumers an incentive to compete over connected to their follows on TikTok. For example, give them to chance to earn a reward if they follow your brand or refer others to do so. Consumers may then develop a fear of missing out if they don’t participate, which can help to drive motivation in a fun way.
Growing an audience can be challenging, especially since TikTok is such a new platform and there’s much to be explored. This is why it can be helpful to tap into psychology tactics to engage consumers.
