TikTok is exploding. But where are the automotive brands?
As a social platform, TikTok has experienced massive growth in just the past few years – and its astronomical rise doesn’t look to be slowing anytime soon.
But with so many millions of individuals using TikTok, why aren’t businesses getting in on what is currently one of the most-used platforms in the world today?
This is especially true when it comes to the automotive industry, often mistakenly thinking that the audience isn’t there for their product. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Here’s our view on why TikTok is the next big thing for the industry, and why investing now is a must to beat your competition.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is one of the world’s most rapidly-growing social media platforms, in the form of a social video app. A sort of hybrid between Snapchat and Vine, the platform allows users to make short videos on just about anything under the sun.
While in its infancy, TikTok was mostly used as a way to create videos to specific music, it’s now expanded far beyond that reach to encompass a wide variety of audiences and demographics.
In 2018, TikTok was the fourth most downloaded app in the world; beating both Instagram and Snapchat, who have held number one spots in previous years.
So there’s no doubt that the audience for TikTok has expanded far beyond the pre-teens and teenagers that previously made use of the platform.
But what does that mean for businesses?
It means the perfect opportunity to access a global, untapped audience through marketing that’s unchallenged by your competition.
Why TikTok for automotive is the perfect marketing opportunity
It can be easy for large businesses, or those with an older target demographic, to dismiss social media as something outside their remit.
The same thought process has occurred with the introduction of every social site, from Facebook through to Instagram and now TikTok.
If you’re still thinking of TikTok as something ‘for teens’, then you’re ignoring the vast demographics that make use of the platform.
By 2018, the app had been downloaded more than 68 million times, making it the most significant growth for any app in a limited space of time.
While statistics show that 66% of users on TikTok are under the age of 30, that also means more than 30% are older; and of that percentage, many of those users are of an age where purchasing a car may be on their mind.
Overall, around 40% of users are over 24 years old; which means approximately 200 million monthly users that are relevant to your target market could be seeing your marketing.
Failing to invest in TikTok now means failing to invest in the future of your business.
For the automotive industry, the concept of an advertisement on social media is something that brands have been behind on in comparison to most other industries.
With many companies waiting far too long to utilise Instagram for their business, they missed out on the potential to access a fresh, new audience because of the belief that potential customers weren’t there.
Don’t make the same mistake twice by dismissing TikTok for car brands in a similar way.
Start marketing today to beat the rush in the future
One of the advantages of the automotive industry being behind when it comes to social media marketing is that you don’t have to be.
By taking advantage of the gap in the market now, it’s entirely possible to access a demographic that no-one else is connecting with.
“We found that only one of the top twenty most popular car brands in the UK are investing in TikTok; Mercedes Benz. And even that is only at a global level.”
Martin Watts, CEO 8Cats Automotive
But there is one area where the market is wide open to advertising to the right customers. Brands such as MINI, and Fiat with the Fiat500, are missing out on the opportunity to advertise directly to an audience that will appreciate the passion and excitement of their products.
A younger audience doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of finances, and the 25-30 demographic has proven particularly tricky to access over time.
By getting in early and even shaping the minds of customers that may be looking to buy your products in 5-10 years, you have a unique opportunity to do what no-one else is doing.
We all know marketing isn’t just about the end sale, but also about raising brand awareness and visibility in the long-term.
TikTok is the perfect platform to provide this, and there’s no better time to start than today.
For the automotive industry, competition is lower than it will ever be again. As more brands wise up to the importance of TikTok, costs and engagement won’t be anywhere near as accessible.
Whether it’s simply duplicating existing content or creating a demographic-specific campaign, engaging with TikTok is smart when it comes to your marketing plans.
So why not invest while the stakes are low, and the rewards high?
TikTok stats sources – https://www.konstructdigital.com/social-media/tiktok-stats-roundup-2019/
YouGov UK popular car brands – https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/transport/popularity/car-brands/all
