How CPG Brands Can Use TikTok in 2024

Adapt or die.

That’s the common theme in business. Whether is was Henry Ford bringing cars to mass production, erasing the horse and buggy or Apple bringing music to our pockets, erasing the Discman. Change is not expected; it’s inevitable.

CPG marketing is no different. Ten years ago you might have been freaking out about your Facebook strategy, and now it seems as if there’s a new platform every six months. Well, the platform that stuck: TikTok.

TikTok has been the app of choice for Gen Z, and has the capability to blow up a CPG brand seemingly overnight.

But how do you leverage TikTok to grow your CPG company?

That’s what we’ll dive into in this article.

With its short, engaging video format and massive user base, TikTok offers a unique opportunity for CPG brands to tap into an entirely new audience, generate buzz, and ultimately, grow their business. This post will explore the ins and outs of leveraging TikTok for your brand.

Understanding the TikTok Platform

Before diving headfirst into TikTok marketing, it’s crucial to grasp the platform’s essence and what makes it a goldmine for CPG companies. TikTok is a mobile-first social media platform that allows users to create and share short, 15-60 second videos set to music or voiceovers. Its platform thrives on creativity, with content ranging from dance challenges and lip-syncing to DIY hacks and product reviews. Its user base primarily comprises Gen Z and younger Millennials, with more than 60% of users between 16 and 24 years old. This makes TikTok the ideal platform for CPG brands targeting this age group.

Creating a Winning TikTok Strategy for Your CPG Brand

To make the most of TikTok, you must develop a solid strategy aligning with your brand’s goals and objectives. Here are some key steps to consider:

A. Define your target audience: Start by identifying your target audience’s age group, interests, and preferences of your ideal TikTok audience. This will help you create content that resonates with them.

B. Set clear objectives: Outline the goals you want to achieve with your TikTok marketing efforts. Are you aiming to boost brand awareness, drive engagement, or generate sales?

C. Develop a content plan: Create content that is native to TikTok. Taking an overproduced ad from Instagram and plugging it into TikTok will give you poor results. Instead, learn the platform and create with its nuances in mind.

@freshcravingssalsa We’ll let our freshness speak for itself! 😋🍅 #tastetest #fresh #freshcravings #snackbreak #cravegoodness ♬ Healing Solfeggio Frequency 528Hz(817269) – Ikumi Tanuma

D. Monitor and optimize: Regularly analyze your TikTok performance and tweak your strategy based on the insights you gather. Keep an eye on engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, shares, and audience demographics.

Embracing TikTok’s Features/Nuances

TikTok offers many features to help your CPG brand stand out and engage users. Here are some top features to capitalize on:

A. Hashtag Challenges: Hashtag challenges are a quintessential TikTok trend encouraging users to create and share content using a specific hashtag. For CPG brands, this can mean creating a challenge around your product, showcasing unique ways to use it, or even incorporating it into popular TikTok trends. This boosts engagement and generates user-generated content (UGC) that can be repurposed for other marketing channels.

B. In-feed Ads: TikTok’s in-feed ads are short, full-screen video ads that appear as users scroll through their feeds. These ads can be targeted based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors, making them an effective way for CPG brands to reach their target audience.

C. Branded Effects: TikTok’s branded effects allow CPG companies to create custom filters, stickers, and other visual elements that users can incorporate into their videos. This can help increase brand visibility and create a sense of brand affinity among users.

D. Duets and Stitch: Duets and Stitch are TikTok features that allow users to interact with existing videos by adding their video alongside it (Duets) or incorporating a portion of the original video into their own (Stitch). CPG brands can leverage these features to encourage user engagement, promote collaboration, and showcase their products uniquely and creatively.

Collaborating with TikTok Influencers for CPG Success

Influencers have a deep understanding of the platform’s dynamics and boast a loyal and engaged following. To ensure a successful influencer partnership:

A. Identify the right influencers: Look for creators whose content aligns with your brand values and resonates with your target audience. Pay attention to engagement rates and audience demographics to gauge their suitability.

B. Develop a creative brief: Provide creators with clear guidelines on your campaign objectives, messaging, and desired outcomes while allowing them the creative freedom to tailor content for their audience.

C. Measure and evaluate success: Track the performance of your influencer collaborations through metrics such as engagement, reach, and conversions. Use this data to inform future partnerships and optimize your influencer marketing strategy.

D. Check with legal: Run your creative plan with influencers by your legal department. If a creator posts on behalf of the brand (paid spokesperson), you will want to ensure they are compliant and not breaking any copyright laws.

TikTok Best Practices for CPG Brands

To truly harness the power of TikTok for your CPG brand, follow these best practices:

A. Authenticity is key: TikTok users value authenticity and raw, unpolished content. Embrace this by showcasing your brand’s personality and offering a genuine glimpse into your brand story.

B. Consistency is crucial: Maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and ensure your brand stays top-of-mind. This also helps you build momentum and establish a strong presence on the platform.

C. Follow/Use trends: Stay tapped with TikTok’s latest trends and challenges, and find creative ways to incorporate them into your content. This can help your brand stay relevant and increase the likelihood of your content going viral.

@freshcravingssalsa How many dips does it take to get to the bottom of the tub? 🤨😂😜 #bigdipenergy #party #salsalovers #dipitlowchallenge #dips #fresh ♬ original sound – Fresh Cravings

D. Engage with your audience: Respond to comments, participate in conversations, and acknowledge user-generated content related to your brand. This fosters a sense of community and loyalty among your TikTok followers.

E. Use commercially approved sounds: Just because a hit song is trending on TikTok, that doesn’t permit you to use that song in your posts. Once again, I recommend you consult legal before diving head first into using sounds.