Gone are the days of glossy magazine ads and celebrity endorsements. Today, authenticity and relatability reign supreme, thanks to the democratic power of user-generated content (UGC) on social media.
While Instagram and YouTube have dabbled with UGC, TikTok has emerged as the undisputed winner, thanks to its bite-sized videos, engaging challenges and hashtags, and a community built around raw, unfiltered content.
One such evergreen, viral phenomenon that has transformed many obscure products into cult favorites overnight is the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend. To participate, users share products or items they discovered and purchased based on recommendations they came across on TikTok videos.
This trend has become a game-changer for the beauty industry as these products rely heavily on visual aesthetics. TikTok's video-centric platform also allows for detailed demonstrations and before-and-after transformations which help improve the brand perception and visibility of beauty brands.
So, in this article, we’ll look at how beauty brands can best utilize this evergreen trend, be a part of their customers’ conversations, and stay ahead of the competition. Let’s get started by understanding the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend.
Why is the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend important?
#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt is particularly important for the beauty industry compared to other industries for several reasons:
- Take advantage of the strong community: The beauty community on TikTok is strong and interactive. Users share their experiences, ask questions, and offer advice, creating a sense of belonging. So, when a product trends on #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, it becomes a shared experience, further fueling the desire to purchase and participate in the conversation.
- Leverage Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): TikTok is known for its ability to create viral trends, whether it's a makeup technique, a skincare routine, or a specific beauty product. When users see these trends gaining popularity and being enthusiastically recommended by influencers or fellow users, they often feel compelled to join the trend themselves. This can lead to a surge in the sales of specific beauty products that are associated with the current TikTok trend.
- Provides authentic reviews: Unlike polished and scripted advertisements, TikTok reviews come from real users who share their genuine experiences. This transparency builds trust with consumers, making them more likely to try the products.
Also read: Brand Community: What Is It & How to Build One (With Examples)
How can brands capitalize on the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend?
Here’s how beauty brands can make the most of the “TikTok made me buy it” trend.
Leverage hashtags
Brands can significantly enhance their visibility on TikTok, drive user engagement, and create a cohesive and recognizable brand narrative that resonates with the TikTok community simply by using the right hashtags.
So, it’s important to craft a successful hashtag strategy. The best way to do this is to adopt a dual hashtag strategy, combining the widespread appeal of #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt with a unique, brand-specific hashtag. This dual usage not only taps into the existing popularity of the viral trend but also carves out a distinct identity for the brand.
While #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt can be used to garner initial attraction, the brand-specific hashtag can delve deeper, focusing on user experiences and the specific benefits of the product, thus creating a more comprehensive narrative around the brand and its offerings.
For example, MasqueBAR skincare has added the hashtag #myingredients along with the #tiktokmademebuythis hashtag and a hook: “We are not gatekeeping this any longer.” to get customers more curious about their product.
Host challenges and contests
Engaging the TikTok community through challenges and contests is a dynamic way to generate excitement and participation. So, brands need to create specific challenges that encourage users to showcase their products in creative and fun ways. These challenges should be easy to participate in but unique enough to stand out to gain traction.
To further incentivize participation, brands can offer attractive prizes or exclusive recognition for the best user-generated content. These rewards could range from featuring the winning content on the brand's official TikTok page to offering product giveaways, discount codes, or even a chance to collaborate on future brand campaigns.
Another important thing to remember is making the contests and challenges highly shareable and aligned with the brand’s image. By doing so, brands not only encourage the creation of UGC but also foster a sense of community and brand loyalty.
Also read: The Secret Brand Awareness Strategy Cheat Sheet
Showcase UGC
Brands can significantly enhance their online presence and authenticity by regularly featuring content created by their users. This approach not only acknowledges and appreciates the creativity of the brand's community but also provides relatable and genuine content for potential customers.
Additionally, it encourages more users to create and share content featuring the brand, knowing that their efforts might be recognized and celebrated. Additionally, featuring diverse UGC can showcase the versatility of the brand's products, as different users will highlight various uses and benefits.
For example, a customer who used infinity skincare products shared how their turmeric bar helped reduce their hyperpigmentation. The content not only garnered a lot of engagement but also attracted a lot of comments from long-time users.
Collaborate with influencers
Influencer marketing on TikTok involves collaborating with popular users to promote beauty brands. This strategy harnesses influencers' authenticity and strong connections with their followers, lending credibility to brand endorsements. It offers access to specific target audiences, leveraging influencers' creative content to engage viewers effectively.
For example, Charlotte Tilbury partnered with an influencer to promote a huge discount sale online. The TikTok video got 5.8 million views, raked up a lot of engagement, and helped the brand expand its reach.
Collaborate with influencers
Influencer marketing on TikTok involves collaborating with popular users to promote beauty brands. This strategy harnesses influencers' authenticity and strong connections with their followers, lending credibility to brand endorsements. It offers access to specific target audiences, leveraging influencers' creative content to engage viewers effectively.
For example, Charlotte Tilbury partnered with an influencer to promote a huge discount sale online. The TikTok video got 5.8 million views, raked up a lot of engagement, and helped the brand expand its reach.
Also read: Increase Influencer Marketing ROI with Creative Intelligence
Use TikTok’s features
TikTok allows users to interact with and remix others' content through duets and stitching. Brands can utilize this to encourage users to engage with their products in creative ways, inspiring a chain reaction of UGC as others respond to the original content.
For example, a user duetted and stitched a video from the beauty stick on TikTok. Since the user was a doctor, the video added to the brand’s authenticity and helped the brand get more engagement.
Wrapping up
In the world of modern marketing, TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend has emerged as a game changer for the beauty industry. This is because it harnesses the strong sense of community on TikTok, leverages the fear of missing out (FOMO), and provides authentic product reviews from real users.
To capitalize on the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend, beauty brands should craft a strategic dual hashtag approach, host engaging challenges and contests, showcase user-generated content, collaborate with influencers, and make the most of TikTok's unique features like duets and stitching.
By doing so, these brands can not only stay ahead of the competition but also become an integral part of their customers' conversations, ultimately boosting brand perception, visibility, and sales in the ever-evolving beauty industry.
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