Performance Marketing and Short-Form Video
Performance marketing is a data-driven approach aimed at achieving measurable results through various marketing channels. Short-form video has become a key component of this strategy due to its engaging and easily digestible format, and is the go-to way to support any marketing messaging you are trying to communicate to your customers.
Paid vs. Organic Ads
Before we delve into the specifics of Instagram and TikTok, let's differentiate between paid and organic ads:
- Paid Ads: These are advertisements that businesses pay for to reach a wider audience. Paid ads can appear as sponsored content or promoted posts, and they allow for precise targeting to reach potential customers.
- Organic Ads: Organic ads are the result of your content's virality and reach through shares, likes, and comments. They are essentially free and rely on your content's quality and relevance to attract attention. Engagement plays a massive role in the success of these ads.
Instagram: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Large (and Primed) User Base: With over one billion active users every month, this platform provides a vast potential audience to view (and interact with) your content. The emphasis on visual appeal for this platform also means audiences are primed to view products and services that are showcased creatively.
- Integration with Facebook: As a part of Meta (previously known as Facebook), Instagram offers seamless ad campaign management and audience targeting options across both platforms.
Cons:
- Competition and Volatility: Due to the platform’s popularity, businesses across niches are starting their bids at a higher amount in order to obtain user attention at the get-go. Coupled with frequent algorithm updates to help moderate community behaviour, this can make it challenging to gain visibility consistently without any form of paid advertising to support campaigns.
Capitalising on Instagram:
Here are our top recommendations to help you make the most of your content and ads on Instagram.
- Create visually stunning and relatable content that resonates with your target audience. This can include product spotlights, as well as user-generated content that is well-finished.
- Leveraging on Instagram Stories to engage users with behind-the-scenes content or product demonstrations, that help shed more light on the manufacturing process, and provide educational value.
- Setting aside a realistic budget to invest in Instagram Ads to help reach a wider and more targeted audience.
TikTok: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Drive in Engagement and Algorithm: TikTok is renowned for its highly engaged user base that loves to interact with creative content. This is further supported by an algorithm that prioritises quality content, offering a level playing field for individual creators and businesses alike.
Viral Potential: We’ve heard the success stories of small businesses skyrocketing with the “For You Page” (FYP) that catapults content to viral status overnight, making this an opportunity worth consistently tapping into.
Cons:
- Limited Audiences and Ad Options: TikTok's primary user base skews towards the younger generation, which may not be ideal for businesses targeting older demographics over the age of 40. Its ad platform is also still in its early stages of development, with far fewer targeting options when put against other giants such as Instagram. This can make it trickier to make a meaningful impression on first-time customers.
Capitalising on TikTok:
- Embrace creativity and authenticity to resonate with TikTok's user base. Don’t shy away from experimenting with content that has a more candid style and feel to it, you’d be surprised with what resonates with audiences more.
- Utilise trending challenges and music to increase your content's visibility, and bring more eyeballs to your profile where there is already a body of work waiting to be discovered.
Content Strategies
Both Instagram and TikTok have their unique content styles:
- Instagram: Ideal for polished and visually appealing content, suitable for showcasing products, services, and lifestyle imagery. Best suited for businesses looking to target a wider audience and build on visual branding, with more room in budgets for ad spend.
- TikTok: Thrives on authenticity, user-generated content, and trending challenges. It's perfect for less polished videos that are still creative. This platform is a great choice for businesses that are seeking rapid audience engagement, and willing to embrace spontaneity to targeting a younger audience.
Doubling down on short-form video content can make all the difference when it comes to maximising conversions and growth for your brand. Take the time to research and understand the pros and cons unique to each platform and tailor your content strategies accordingly.
By leveraging the strengths of both Instagram and TikTok, you can enhance your brand’s visibility and connect with your target audience, driving growth and achieving your marketing objectives.
Want to find out more information on creating videos for Instagram and or TikTok?
Reach out to us today.
