TikTok has taken the marketing world by storm, challenging the conventional norms of brand promotion. However, with its highly localized algorithm, what is the best way for global brands to target diverse audiences?
One option is to turn to TikTok influencer marketing.
Instead of managing multiple localized accounts, brands can tap into the power of influencer marketing on TikTok and target their campaigns to different audiences.
Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to launching a TikTok influencer marketing campaign.
What can TikTok influencer marketing do for global brands?
TikTok has become a big deal for businesses, with its brand value growing by an impressive 215%. It’s one of the most valuable entertainment brands worldwide, with marketers spending more time and money on TikTok than ever before.
But it’s not just a trend. TikTok is a powerful platform where brands can connect with their audiences in exciting ways—one of them being influencer marketing.
Working with TikTok influencers is a fantastic way for global brands to connect with local audiences without necessarily having multiple localized accounts. Creating TikTok content is incredibly resource-intensive, which becomes costly when managing content for multiple languages and regions.
So, another—more affordable and manageable—option is to run one global account and then partner with local TikTok influencers in your key markets. Influencers can help spread your message to local audiences while attracting more followers to your global account.
Beyond spreading your reach, TikTok influencers bring authenticity to brand campaigns by creating content that resonates with their followers. This authenticity helps build trust and credibility with the audience. Research has shown that influencers develop closer bonds with followers than celebrities do, creating more trusting and credible relationships.
They can also help global brands navigate cultural nuances and ensure their messaging is culturally sensitive and relevant in different regions.
What makes TikTok so unique?
For starters, the platform’s algorithm gives content creators, big and small, a stronger chance of going viral than other platforms. If the content is relatable and entertaining, then it’ll stand a chance of reaching millions.
TikTok is known for its creative, innovative and, most importantly, entertaining content. Partnering with influencers can inject fresh and inventive ideas into brand promotions, making them more engaging and memorable. Content created for a TikTok influencer campaign tends to be much more interactive. Because of this, it encourages high levels of engagement through likes, comments, shares, and participation in challenges.
The platform is great for creating viral challenges, showcasing product demonstrations, and promoting brand authenticity through user-generated content.
Influencers can encourage their followers to participate in challenges or create user-generated content related to the brand. This user-generated content is highly valuable for marketing campaigns as it comes across as more authentic and less salesy than brand-specific content.
A key trend on TikTok is creators sharing their daily activities in normal, everyday contexts (e.g., their homes). This encourages a closer and more informal connection with followers, as it’s highly relatable content. Trends like #GRWM (or “Get Ready With Me”) and #WIEIAD (or “What I Eat in Day”) are great ways to incorporate product collaborations naturally.
See also: TikTok marketing strategy: Should you go global or local?
Launching an international TikTok influencer campaign
Successfully executing an international TikTok influencer campaign involves careful planning—and some creative, out-of-the-box thinking.
TikTok’s content differs quite significantly from that of Instagram or YouTube. When creating branded content, it helps to follow TikTok’s advice, “Don’t Make Ads. Make TikToks.” Partnering with influencers makes this easy, as they know exactly how to make TikToks naturally.
Here’s a step-by-step outline to help you navigate the process:
- Define your campaign objectives: Clearly articulate what you aim to achieve with the campaign, such as brand awareness, engagement, lead generation, or sales.
- Identify target markets: Determine the countries or regions you want to target with your international TikTok campaign. Make sure to check whether that audience is actually on TikTok, as it’s not as popular in some countries. Get as granular as possible. For example, instead of targeting “Moms with kids,” target “moms with kids at preschool level living in x zip code.”
- Research TikTok influencers: Conduct thorough research to find influencers who align with your brand, have a substantial following in your target markets, and create content relevant to your campaign goals. Reaching out to a TikTok influencer marketing agency will help ease this process, as they’ll already have a few good options ready for you to check out.
- Set a budget: Determine how much you’re willing to invest in the campaign, including influencer fees, content creation costs, and ad spend. Depending on the influencer, rates fluctuate from $5 to $2,500 per post—showing that there is room to incorporate influencer marketing into any sized budget.
- Develop a creative brief: Create a detailed creative brief outlining the campaign’s goals, key messages, content guidelines, and any specific requirements. Make sure to get as specific as possible. For example, should the influencer wear brand colors in the videos? Are there any big “no no’s” they should avoid or any specific type of music/audio they should use?
- Reach out to influencers: Contact selected influencers, either directly or through a TikTok influencer marketing agency, and discuss collaboration terms, expectations, and compensation.
- Negotiate contracts: Draft and finalize influencer contracts that clearly define deliverables, deadlines, payment terms, and exclusivity clauses. Remember, you’re entering a partnership with them, so make sure to get the right paperwork in place. This shows respect for the influencer’s craft while also protecting your brand. Check out our guide on: UGC image usage rights: An introduction for brands.
“If we treat creators fairly across the board, it’s only going to lead to an easier working environment and fair treatment for everyone involved.”
– Niki Albon, head of creative at Cherry Pick Talent
- Collaborate on content creation: Work closely with influencers to develop engaging and on-brand content that resonates with your target audience and aligns with TikTok trends. However, in saying that, giving influencers creative freedom is a good idea, as they already know what works for their audience. Let them take the lead regarding the creativity and uniqueness of the content.
“I let influencers take the lead because I don’t want them to create something they don’t care about or their audience isn’t interested in. That defeats the whole point.”
– Niki Albon, head of creative at Cherry Pick Talent
- Review and approve content: Ensure the content meets your brand guidelines and legal requirements. Review and approve content before it goes live.
- Schedule campaign launch: Coordinate with influencers to schedule the release of campaign content for optimal timing and alignment with local events or trends.
- Promote content: Promote the influencer-created content through your official TikTok account and other social media channels to maximize its reach.
- Monitor and engage: Continuously monitor the campaign’s performance, track metrics such as engagement, reach, and conversions, and engage with the audience by responding to comments and messages.
- Adapt and optimize: Based on real-time data and feedback, be prepared to adjust your campaign strategy to optimize results.
- Measure results: At the campaign’s conclusion, evaluate the outcomes against your initial objectives. Analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) and ROI to determine the campaign’s success.
“Make sure you’re looking at the stats that make sense. Drill down your KPIs and go in with a clear vision of what you want to obtain from the partnership.”
– Niki Albon, head of creative at Cherry Pick Talent
- Build relationships: Nurture relationships with successful influencers for potential future collaborations and long-term brand ambassadors. More brands are investing in long-term ambassador/influencer relationships, which allows them to build more authentic connections with their target audience. An influencer who consistently showcases various facets of their brand partnership to their audience can strengthen brand connections, inspire action and even build brand loyalty.
TikTok influencer marketing case study: Global influencer marketing in gaming
Examples from the Fortnite Chapter 3 (left) and Rocket League Season 4 (right) TikTok influencer marketing campaigns
Influencer marketing agency Cherry Pick Talent focuses a lot on the gaming industry. In many of their projects, they target influencers across multiple markets to help build a global influencer campaign.
For example, when promoting the build-up to Fortnite Chapter 3, the agency curated a diverse group of influencers across six markets to mirror the game’s varied fanbase.
The campaign creatively used the #fortniteforever hashtag and a mix of content, from simple hashtags to detailed videos, reconnecting former players with the game and sparking widespread social media engagement.
Similarly, in the Rocket League Season 4 campaign, the agency selected various influencers who were genuine fans of the game, spanning different styles and interests. This authenticity resonated with a global audience, thanks to content that was tailored to each influencer’s unique style and a multilingual, international approach.
The result was a deeply engaging campaign that hit all its goals and celebrated the game’s community and spirit.
Related read: TikTok translation: Auto-generated or the human touch?
Get creative with TikTok
If you’re new to the TikTok game, it’s an opportunity to get creative with your strategy and try something different. Incorporating influencer marketing into your content mix is a great way to see what content styles work with your audience. Plus, it’ll help you reach new, more localized audiences.
At VeraContent, we help brands develop and implement global TikTok strategies. We’ll determine the best approach for your brand, always ensuring the content created is relatable and engaging for your target audience.
Get in touch to find out if you qualify for a Free Content Consultation.