TikTok Trends Marketing Teams Should Watch For In 2022

As the digital world continues to move more toward video content, TikTok grows more and more in popularity with consumers. But nearly half of all brands, like Google and IKEA, are not leveraging the platform like they could. Which means the brands that are on TikTok have a greater chance of stading out. Utilizing TikTok trends in your marketing strategy can help you gain followers and customers, and build a relatable and trustworthy brand.  The best brands on TikTok are good at capitalizing on their audience’s attention on the platform by using trending sounds, as most TikTok users find new brands to connect with via their “Discover” or “For You” pages. Create content that is relatable, creative, and fits your brand voice. Keep reading to learn more about how to create trending content on TikTok. If you have any questions about your marketing strategy or want us to handle it for you, reach out to us at Prebuilt Sites or The BBS Agency. We’d love to help you out!

Written by Martina Bretous @martinabretous

According to Hubspot Blog Research, 44% of marketers currently leverage TikTok.

As the short-form video platform continues to grow, some brands are struggling to figure out where they fit in. In fact, a 2022 report by InVideo shows that around 50% of brands like Google and IKEA still aren’t leveraging the platform.

In this article, we’ll cover the top TikTok trends at a brand marketing level, how to find trends on the platform, and tips for joining them.

Top TikTok Trends

1. More businesses are exploring the platform.

According to HubSpot Blog Research, TikTok is the number one platform marketers are increasing their investments in for 2022.

For a long time, businesses didn’t take TikTok seriously. They saw it as a platform for Gen-Z to make short, funny videos.

However, when its popularity (and user growth) peaked in 2020, businesses gave it a second look.

Today, marketers say it’s the fourth most effective social media platform behind Instagram, FB, and YouTube. That puts it ahead of established platforms like Twitter and Pinterest.

What makes TikTok special is its ability to build community. In fact, 78% of users agree that the best brands on TikTok are ones that work together with users, according to TikTok’s 2021 “What’s Next” report.

The report also found 67% of users feel inspired to shop even when they weren’t originally planning to.

Brands are starting to realize that while users may first go on the platform for funny videos, they stay for the authenticity and community building – which are great pillars for brand loyalty.

2. TikTok users are consuming less of other content.

What would you do with your audience’s undivided attention?

According to Kantar research, 46% of users engage with content on the platform without any other distractions.

More specifically, 41% of Gen Z TikTok users say they listen to fewer podcasts after joining TikTok and 33% say they watch less TV.

This is an incredible opportunity for social media marketers to capitalize on this attention to reel in their audience and drive more engagement.

3. Sounds are more important than hashtags.

On no other social media platform does sound play such a pivotal role.

88% of people on TikTok report that the sound on the platform is central to the overall app experience, according to TikTok’s “What’s Next” report.

The report also revealed that sounds saw 47% higher video view rates on 2021 from the “For You” page when compared to hashtags.

Furthermore, Invideo’s TikTok Brand Marketing Report found that 80% of the top videos had music, with upbeat songs being the most popular TikTok music choice by far.

With this in mind, brands should prioritize the use of sounds when posting on the platform. While hashtags are effective in helping you reach your target audience, choosing the right sound will likely be more effective.

How to Find TikTok Trends

1. The “Discover” Tab

One of the best ways to find trends on Tiktok is through the “Discover” tab.

Source: Hubspot

On this tab, you can scroll through popular sounds, hashtags, and topics along with a preview of the top videos within the category.

Source: Hubspot

You can also see how many videos fall within that category, which gives you an insight into which trends are rising and which ones have already blown up.

2. The “For You” Page

TikTok’s “For You” page is like Instagram’s Explore page. It looks different for every user based on the content they engage with the most.

With that said, it’s also where trending topics make their rounds.

Source: Hubspot

If a video has hundreds of thousands of likes or views, it’s worth digging a bit to see if it’s related to a particular trend. Your first step should be checking the sound, located on the bottom left corner of the video.

Source: Hubspot

Once you click on it, you’ll see the name of the song, the number of videos that use it, and scroll to see the videos that feature it. With all this information, you’ll know how popular a sound is and how other users are leveraging it.

3. The “Search” Tab

TikTok’s search tab is another great way to discover new trends.

Before you start typing in the search bar, TikTok auto-populates suggested searches based on trending topics.

Source: Hubspot

All you have to do is then click on relevant searches and see what videos have been created surrounding these topics.

4. The #TrendAlert Hashtag

Now, let’s say you leverage all the strategies mentioned above and you’re still struggling to identify trends.

Well, there are a ton of users on TikTok who are already on top of it. All you have to do is follow them or the hashtag #TrendAlert.

Source: Hubspot

As shown in the video, you can leverage this hashtag to discover new trends and how to use them.

How to Do TikTok Trends

1. Jump in early.

The thing about trends is that they come and go very quickly. If you don’t jump in early, you might miss the boat altogether.

So, as soon as you identify a TikTok trend you want to participate in, start brainstorming some ideas.

Keep in mind that you don’t need fancy videography to succeed on the platform. Often, all it takes is some creative thinking, good lighting, some lip-syncing skills, and a phone.

Authenticity is essential on a platform like TikTok. If you keep that at the forefront, your odds of success are that much higher.

2. Find a relatable angle.

On TikTok, you only have up to three minutes to make an impression but a good chunk of videos that go viral are 30 seconds or less.

This means you have a short ramp-up period to get viewers to stop and watch your video. One way to do this? Create relatable content.

Source: Hubspot

Think about the challenges your audience faces on a day-to-day. That’s a great place to get inspiration from.

You can also get inspired by your competitors and the content they’re creating.

3. Know when to bow out.

Every day, there’s a new TikTok trend.

With this in mind, not every trend is worth joining in. This could be because it doesn’t align with your brand voice and values, or because you missed the boat.

Whatever the reason, avoid joining trends long after they’ve peaked. At that point, users may be over the trend and actively avoid it. It can also make your brand seem out of touch.

TikTok trends are always evolving. If you leverage the tools mentioned here, you can join the trends as they happen and reach an ever-growing audience.

Originally published on Hubspot.