TikTok is everywhere. Come the beginning of 2020 – when covid struck – we could not escape TikTok and the power it has for influencers, marketers and even music artists. Many of the biggest trends, influencers and music singles have spawned from the video-sharing platform.
TikTok’s influence on marketing has allowed several artists to boost their careers by simply advertising on the app. This guide explains why one shouldn’t underestimate TikTok’s influence on music advertising.
Marketers can pay influencers to make a song viral
TikTok has revolutionised the music industry – so much so that music marketers are working with influencers of the app as part of their marketing strategy.
Even if a song has been published years and years ago and has been out of the mainstream for some time, it could still organically wind up surfacing on the app. Additionally, marketers can pay creators to promote a song, which will encourage a frenzy of user-generated content from other users.
TikTok creators are now collaborating with music marketers to make money from promoting music in their videos. Influencers can spark trends so easily on TikTok – and songs that make up these trends can be critically successful for the artist and music promoters. When promoting an artist’s song in just one short video, some creators can make hundreds or even thousands of pounds.
From TikTok meme to highest-certified single ever
There is absolutely no doubt that you’ve heard the song Old Town Road. It was a breath of fresh air in the music industry and saw a take on both country music and modern-day rap. Lil Nas X was an unknown name in the industry at the time and so he used TikTok to get his song known in the mainstream.
Lil Nas X started by creating his own ‘memes’ to his catchy hit single and soon others would buck the trend too. Before long, the song became the pilot of a TikTok trend where users dressed up in cowboy outfits. As more and more people took part, even more people streamed the song, and it would soon make its way into the Billboard charts. Flash forward to July 2019 and Old Town Road had been number one for 17 weeks in the US. That is the power of TikTok.
TikTok music challenges to promote music
There’s one thing you can guarantee you’ll always discover on TikTok: music challenges. Marketers can pay influencers and smaller video creators to create their own challenges and user-generated content using a specific song.
Additionally, some online services enable music companies and artists to create user-generated videos and challenge videos whereby a label pays individuals with any size following to post a video featuring a song in exchange for a sliding scale payment.
The platform is a new hub for artists to grow
Believe it or not, many artists are turning to TikTok as their main place for distributing their music, and in order to gain more attention, they make songs specifically for TikTok. Some songs are made purely for TikTok so people can create dances and challenges for them. It is extremely clear to see just how powerful a platform TikTok can be for music advertisers.