2023 is in full swing! Whether you have made New Year’s resolutions or not, chances are your organization has already started planning your communication goals and strategies for the year. TikTok is no exception. Exploring the growing social media platform is likely one of your goals since it has proven to be vital; TikTok continues to grow in popularity with 3.5 billion downloads worldwide as of December 2022.

The use of TikTok is evolving daily. While TikTok continues to garner support among brands and users, staying current on the latest news and usability updates is essential due to the increased backlash received by the platform for safety and security concerns. Countries such as India and Afghanistan are banning the use or censoring the platform. In the U.S., TikTok will be banned from government-issued devices by the end of March 2023. However, for many organizations outside the federal government, TikTok remains a valuable channel to reach key audiences.

TikTok is a great way to reach audiences and deliver messages for businesses and brands at a faster pace than other platforms. Whether you have a well-established TikTok channel or are hoping to initiate a base on the platform, we have developed strategies and tips that will increase your engagement and build your brand.

1. Include strategic hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to increase your reach, discoverability and brand awareness. Incorporate both niche and trending hashtags. Research the most popular hashtags in your field and include them in your caption descriptions. Try using a mixture of general and hyper-specific hashtags (for example: #communications and #strategiccommunications). Although both are under the same umbrella, both may reach a different audience.
2. Use trending audio. One of the best ways to increase your reach is by using trending audio. According to TikTok’s newsroom, when brands feature trending sounds or songs in their videos, 68% of viewers remember the brand better. To help you find trending audios, TikTok’s Creative Center ranks the most popular music and audio clips each day.
3. Include captions. Not only is it more inclusive for the deaf and hard of hearing communities, but 30% of general users report watching videos without sound. It’s important to keep in mind that captions should be short and concise, as viewers will tend to skip videos with overwhelming text. Be specific in your messaging and only include related details to your video.
4. Create educational content. Provide value by teaching or informing your ideal audience without sounding overly promotional. Position yourself authentically as an expert in your niche. Not only does this build trust, but it allows your business or brand to be top-of-mind for viewers in your industry.
5. Leave a call to action (CTA). Persuade users to interact with your content by leaving them with something to do. One of the simplest ways to increase your engagement is by using your description and comment section for a call to action, to ask questions and to encourage users to follow you. If done properly, you can drive traffic to your website, blog or social channels. Try using CTAs such as “follow us on,” “leave a comment” or “visit our website for more.”
6. Post at the best time. There are optimal times to post on TikTok. The best times reflect when most people are going to be actively scrolling. Times vary depending on day of the week (e.g., 9 p.m. is a great time to post on Monday, but not on Saturday). Something to remember is that TikTok rarely shows videos that are more than a week or so old. It’s important to research the best times to post to make sure you reach the highest engagement. Lastly, research the best times not only for the general public but also for the age range of your audience. A 12 to 15-year-old will interact differently than a 40 to 50-year-old, so make sure you discover your best times to post.
7. Collaborate. One of the best ways to increase your campaign or messaging reach is by using someone else’s platform though influencer marketing. By collaborating with influencers, you reach their audiences and other brands, which will grow your campaign’s success. The most crucial part of the process is to choose the right influencer(s) for your campaign. Ensure their brand, content and audience aligns with your own, promotes trust and ultimately allows influencer recommendations to create authentic followers.
8. Schedule. Each day new apps are developed for productivity and management. TikTok is no exception. Apps like Crowdfire, Later and TikTok itself allow you to schedule your videos ahead of time. Not only will scheduling in advance save time and keep you organized, but it will ensure you never miss a day of content.
9. Be consistent. After researching and developing a plan with best practices, execute and stay consistent! You may not see the results you anticipated but the more consistent you are, the more likely you will appear on TikTok’s algorithm. Ranking high on TikTok allows you to be prioritized, potentially making it on the explore page and showing your video at the top of the page for your audience.
10. Just start. When TikTok came on the scene, there was nothing like it. Photos reigned and videos were long form. Now, TikTok is the most downloaded social media app for short-form videos, with more than 1 billion daily active users. If you have been thinking of starting a TikTok channel but are afraid it’s too late, you still have time. Start today!

Brands of all niches and sizes are using TikTok, so creating a presence on the platform can be beneficial to your work. It’s important to stay up to date on the latest tips and updates. We hope these best practices help your 2023 TikTok strategy.