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The Rise of TikTok Ads

The Rise of TikTok Ads

Engaging Business Through TikTok

Early 2020 can be referred to as a period of glory for TikTok as one of the largest social media platforms. The latest data mentioned that TikTok now has been downloaded more than 1.5 billion times on Google Playstore and iTunes. Initially, TikTok experienced a decreased number of users and was even banned in some countries such as Indonesia, due to the porn and vulgar content that could be found on it. But with the effort of the developer to constantly update the apps and ban “naughty” users, TikTok is now seen as a positive platform.

The TikTok app itself is a video sharing platform that enables users to create short videos and add some special effects to them. This “special effects” feature became the main point that attracted people to join the platform and try it out. With such a feature, it allowed users to express their creativity by recording multiple short clips. As such, TikTok’s popularity continues to increase, especially in Asia where celebrities also made TikTok accounts and created their own funny clips. Regular users of course will in turn be interested when seeing their idols use the apps and be encouraged to make some content as well. 

Digital Marketing on TikTok

engaging_Business_through_TIkTok.jpg

With its popularity rapidly increasing, TikTok became a potential platform for digital marketing, just like other social media platforms. Creating attractive content while promoting brand products indeed creates a good potential for brands to do digital marketing. Some brands have in fact already begun collaborating with influencers on TikTok to promote their products. These are the users who already have hundreds of thousands of followers on their account. Influencers are likely to be closer to the audience than the brand that just started their TikTok account, even if they are a famous brand, due to the individuality that influencers possess. 

Not only that, along with the new update, TikTok has also released a platform called TikTok For Business. This platform was released with the intention of helping businesses with their marketing needs and to provide them with marketing solutions. This allows brands to put their advertisements on TikTok. Large businesses such as Nike, Disney, and Guess have already made use of this feature and started to place their advertisements through the platform.

Also known as TikTok Ads, this feature allows you to set “Awareness”, Consideration”, and “Conversion” as options for the objective of your ads. Additionally, you can also choose how to set the placement for your ads—if you already know where your audience is, you can opt to set it manually. If you are still confused on where your audience is, you can instead opt to set the placement automatically.

TikTok Ads also allows you to set your target audience. Options under this category include the gender, location, age, language, and even the device operating system of the audience you are targeting. This will help you reach the perfect audience for your advertisement.

How to Tell If Someone Screenshotted Your TikTok Post TikTok’s marketing campaign

Just like any other social media which provides advertising options on their platform, you can set your budget and the schedule for your TikTok Ads as well. This can be daily, weekly, or even monthly. Some businesses might see this as a helpful tool as they can calculate their individual marketing budget for each platform. 

Other ads tools that you could tap on in TikTok Ads is the Video Creation Kit. This feature allows you to create, customize, and modify your ads using templates already available in the app. It also provides 300+ background music to make your ads more attractive. 

Currently, TikTok allows 5 following types of ads: Brand Takeovers, In-Feed Videos, Hashtag Challenges, Branded AR Content, and Custom Influencer Package.

For brand takeovers, ads will appear when the TikTok user opens the app. These ads can either be an image or a video up to 5 seconds long. The ads will be redirected to an internal or external link, where the users will see your brand or business.

In-feed videos are native ads that are placed on the bottom or in the feed and become part of the queue of the video you’re looking for. Videos up to a minute long are allowed and run with the sound on. In-feed videos also will redirect audiences to your website or app, depending on the link you put on the ad itself.

TikTok Phone' is coming, owner ByteDance confirms Types of ads you might see on TikTok

Hashtag challenges are also garnering popularity among social media users. Usually, the brand or business will contact the marketing team of TikTok to create the sponsored hashtag, and they will encourage TikTok users to share the content on your brand’s behalf. This kind of ad will often last for 6 days or a week. Under hashtag challenges, the Hashtag Plus upgrade will add a shopping feature to the ads as well.

For branded AR content you can find it easily as stickers, 3D, or AR content in the apps. All TikTok users can use it in their videos to make them more engaged with the brand as they use these special effects in their content creation process. It is possible to combine this with the hashtag challenge, and might even make the brand more memorable in the minds of the users.

Lastly for the custom influencer package, as previously mentioned, brands can work together with any TikTok influencer, and those ads will become sponsored content. Several big businesses have also begun using this kind of ad as the marketing strategy for their brand.

Guess is one such brand that has hopped on this bandwagon and seen tremendous success in its TikTok marketing campaign. Opting for a Hashtag Challenge, Guess created the #InMyDenim hashtag for content creators on the app to join in and show their denim looks.

TikTok For Business How the #inmydenim challenge took over the world

To increase awareness for the hashtag, Guess went for the Brand Takeover on the first day of the hashtag launch. Additionally, they collaborated with several influencers to propel the hashtag to their followers, encouraging them to use the hashtags as well.

Just within the 6 days that the Hashtag Challenge was ongoing, more than 5,000 videos were posted under the hashtag #InMyDenim, with more than 10 million views garnered. The campaign was an overwhelming success with Guess gaining over 12,000 new followers in that week, showing how much the advertisement resonated with the audience.

With continual development on the apps, TikTok has become a platform for your business to grow. Now it all depends on you, the business owner, to create your ad on this platform. Jump in with the correct digital strategy with us here at MIU! We have experience in helping many businesses using digital strategy to maintain the business in the digital world. Our qualified and on the ball digital experts provide and execute impactful solutions that allow your brand to leave a mark in the digital space. Experience seamless transitions and growth of your amazing brand online, and scale to newer heights like never before. When are you ready to grow digitally? Because the time is now.

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How Important Is a Website For a Small Business?

5 Reasons Why Rebranding Should Be Done By A Branding Agency

Website for small businesses, is it important? 

We cannot deny that competition amongst businesses these days is getting fiercer. With the pandemic sweeping the world, business owners are finding ways to keep their business running. Looking at the trends in the digital age of 2020, many business owners are utilizing the internet to further their business. There are many owners who have adapted to presenting their product digitally, so as to attract customers who do most of their transactions online.

Digital presence from the brand is not only capable of increasing sales through online purchases, but can also help the brand get closer to the customers or potential audience. Commonly, digital presence is how the brand is showing up on online media. This refers to any form of media that can be reached via the internet, such as websites, social media platforms, paid online ads, or search engine results. A digital presence cannot be any more vital for businesses right now because everyone around the world is using digital media to look for or purchase something that they want.

How to Create a Review Website? I DevTeam.SpaceBefore buying your product, customers will almost certainly try to find more information about it on the internet first (DevTeam)

According to research, 70-80% of customers will search online if they want to visit certain places or purchase a certain product. Search results will therefore greatly affect customer behaviour when they browse online. This can also be affected by reviews from previous customers who already bought the product or service. On the other hand, around 70% of customers will learn about the product through online content or articles, including reviews or product descriptions. (bluecorona, 2019)

As a form of digital presence, websites are essential pillars for brands to run their digital strategy. Business websites are a signal to potential customers about the credibility of your brand. 84% of customers believe a company with a website is more credible than the one who only has a social media page (Verisign, 2015). This credibility will make your business look more professional than the others. Some businesses might prioritize social media as their main outlet of promotion. However, social media has limitations such as image size and characters for product description amongst others.

From Field to Shelf – The environmental cost of online shopping ...Online shopping and online consumerism has become voraciously popular (From Field to Shelf)

Beyond that, websites can not only act as a place for selling your product but also provide additional value for potential customers. For example, many companies who own a website not only put their product catalogue but also provide their own blogging content as well. Oftentimes, we can find information related to the business in these blogs and educate potential customers more about the product or service you offer.

Having a website also will allow you to get potential customers through search engines, particularly Google, the biggest search engine to date. With the perfect SEO strategy, a well-optimized website can help a business rank well on search engines and attract new customers. It is no argument that the majority of customers would prioritize results on the first page of the search engine and ignore those that fall behind. 76% of business owners also agree that a website is a great way to find new customers (Verisign, 2015), besides direct marketing.

Brebeuf Jesuit - What is Your Goal? - YouTubeAs with doing anything business-related, map out your goals first before jumping into something . (Brebeuf Jesuit)

But before you start building a website for your business, ask yourself: what is the primary purpose of your website? Think about why you want to create a website and what you want to offer customers through this website. And always remember that user experience is an essential element for a website. As Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Blue Fountain Media, said, we have to think about specific user experience and the journey the user will go through as they navigate our website.

If you are still unfamiliar as to how to build a website for your business, there are many tools online that are able to guide you through the steps. Alternatively, you can choose to work together with a website design company or website design agency. A website design agency might offer various services, depending on what you need.

MIU - A Creative Agency for All Things Digital | express purpose …

As a digital creative agency based in Singapore that also offers website design services, MIU helps you generate new leads, keeps your existing customers engaged, and increases conversions through effective marketing campaigns. Through our web development and targeted SEO strategy, MIU not only helps you build a website, but also a platform where you can express your purpose towards your customers. Unlike many other website design agencies in Singapore, MIU provides continuous guidance and support throughout and beyond the contract. We believe in establishing reliable and meaningful partnerships with our clients, which go a long way.

No matter the size of your business, a website still plays an essential role as a marketing tool. With digital consumption showing no sign of slowing down, websites can be the spearhead of the marketing strategy for your business. From extensive business owners to small business owners, they believe that websites not only help to find new customers but also to grow their business. So if you’re ready to build a website for your business, start your journey with us now.

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5 Reasons Why Rebranding Should Be Done By A Branding Agency

5 Reasons Why Rebranding Should Be Done By A Branding Agency

5 Reasons Why Rebranding Should Be Done By A Branding Agency

All business owners want their business to reach success, and take many steps to achieve these goals. Rebranding, which is not something uncommon for businesses, might be one such effort taken to further the company’s success. Businesses often need to rebrand because of  various reasons affecting the industry.

Rebranding is generally known as a process of marketing strategy which involves various changes such as switching up the business name, company logo, symbol, or any other visual assets with the purpose to create a new brand identity in the minds of targeted customers.

Yes, all business owners should aim to have a clear brand identity for the customers when working on the rebranding process.

There are various reasons why companies rebrand their business. Shifting attention to new targeted customers can lead a business owner to do rebranding. When you aim at an entirely new market, you should consider if the current aspect of your brand can be recognized. If you are trying to expand your business to the international market, but people on the other side of the world cannot remember your brand, you might have to refresh your brand identity.

Another reason that businesses seek to rebrand themselves could be a new business philosophy. When the company updates its vision and values, the current brand identity might need to keep up with the updated vision and values. To achieve that, you should consider starting a rebranding process because your present brand aspect might be outdated and no longer relevant. With the fresh and new brand in mind that is in tune with your company’s new vision and values, the purpose of your business can reach the customers.

If your company is in the process of merger or acquisition, you have to start the rebranding process as well. It is very important for the two brand identities not to collide with each other, and it also prevents confusion for the customers. A new brand identity can attract new customers who did not recognize your brand before. The company merger or acquisition may also bring new values and vision to your business. As mentioned earlier, rebranding your current brand identity to fit with your company’s new values and visions is a key reason for rebranding.

Then, when should you need to rebrand your business? The answer depends.

It is not recommended to start rebranding your business just because you or the board of directors are bored of the current brand identity. Or when your company is facing a crisis and threatens your business sustainability, rebranding should not be used as an escape plan. Besides not having a significant impact, these reasons can cause you to lose your current customers and not reach your newly targeted customers.

The rebranding process should work in in-depth research, step by step. If your internal team is not capable or you do not have enough resources in your company, but you still want to rebrand your business, you can hand the process over to a branding agency.

coca-cola-logo | cahproductions

Can you believe Coca-Cola’s logo used to be black and white?

Even Coca-Cola, a multinational company, went through rebranding with a global campaign as guided by a branding agency. In 2015, the company invited ten agency partners around the world to pitch ideas for the worldwide campaign. Then, they selected three WPP agencies to lead the Coca-Cola global marketing campaign. These agencies are Ogilvy & Mather New York, Madrid’s SRA Rushmore, and Buenos Aires-based Santo (Campaign, 2015).

Are you still in doubt about handing in the rebranding process to a branding company? There are plenty of reasons why the rebranding process would be better handed over to a branding company or branding agency.

1. Rebranding isn’t just about changing the logo.

Although visuals are a significant part of the rebranding, it is more than just that. There are essential parts of your company that need to be reestablished and redefined, such as the target audience and market, the company’s vision, and values. These need to be reassembled first before you move to your brand’s visual aspect. With the help from a branding company, your work for the rebranding process will be more accessible because the branding company will give you an insight point of view for each part of the rebranding process.

2. Rebranding is not an instant process.

Rebranding requires step by step processes and in-depth research, especially when reestablishing your market and target audience. Even if you may be finished with the rebrand and launched your new brand identity, it is important to have an evaluation process to see the impact of your business rebrand. For the research process, it is best to let the branding company handle it because they can give you much more insightful research conclusions. And also, a branding company can provide you with continuous support until you reach your rebranding goals.

3. Limited resources to do the work.

Your company may already have a Marketing or Brand Communication team, but sometimes when working on the rebranding process, that team is not enough to do the job. Besides the lengthy process and complexity, your internal team might have other important tasks to focus on. With help from a branding company to do the rebranding process, your team can direct their full attention to the business and these tasks. Instead, the internal team can act as the communication bridge between the business owners and the branding company, which will be useful in avoiding a communication gap.

4. Branding companies can give you a customer’s perspective.

A branding company is a stranger to your company but to business nor to the market. Most branding companies will do some research or brand audit and will then give you the customer’s perspective. It is advantageous to determine the goals of your business rebranding.

5. Branding company experiences

When the company rebrands for the first time, sometimes the internal team faces some confusion on where they should start. This confusion can affect the rebranding process and cause it not to go as planned. On the other hand, a branding company will help with your rebranding goals with specific methods. If you are still in doubt, you can check and research on the branding agency to see their work. A branding agency’s website usually will show their achievements and portfolio.

MIU is more than just a branding company. Based in Singapore, MIU is a digital creative agent who will help you in your branding or marketing needs. In terms of rebranding, MIU has worked with several businesses to reach their rebranding goals. Our work is not likened to any other branding company. You may type branding company Singapore, branding consultancy Singapore, or branding design company Singapore in the search bar and find multiple results.

But unlike any others in your search, MIU gives a different perspective when talking about branding and rebranding. We believe each brand has a story to tell, but sometimes they may have difficulties expressing it. Through our unlimited design package, MIU helps businesses who want to express their story through their brand reach more people via the on-target rebranding process.

A business will start its rebranding process, sooner or later, as times change and evolve. For the best result of the rebranding, help from a branding agency is not something you can reject. With specific methods and their experience, a branding agency can help your business rebrands reach your ultimate goals and tap into more customers. Now it is up to all of you as a business owner to determine: do you still want to do your business rebrand by yourself or trust a branding company with it? The choice is yours.