April 3rd, 2024
As we embark on the journey into 2024, the landscape of short-form video marketing continues to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for brands. With platforms like TikTok and Douyin leading the charge in the short-form video landscape, marketers are presented with unique opportunities to captivate users through creative and compelling content. In this article, we'll delve into the differences between TikTok and Douyin and provide actionable insights to help marketers kickstart their marketing strategy for 2024 on these platforms.
In this article, we dive into 5 practical steps that brands can use to craft TikTok vs Douyin Social Media Marketing Strategy for 2024, and we would like to share with brand owners, sales, and marketers who are interested in tapping into the growing TikTok and Douyin short video platform as part of their social media marketing straegy for 2024!
One common aspect across both platforms, whether it's TikTok in the West or Douyin in China, is that creativity and storytelling have no boundaries and are essential in all cultures. However, the way people prefer to consume narratives and the style of those narratives differ between TikTok and Douyin, reflecting the unique atmospheres of each platform.
TikTok vs Douyin users and demographic TikTok boasts over 1 billion monthly active users and is projected to exceed 1.8 billion by the end of 2024. According to Statista, "As of January 2024, the United States had the largest audience on TikTok globally, with nearly 150 million users engaging with this popular social video platform. Indonesia followed closely behind with around 126 million users while Brazil ranked third with almost 99 million viewers."
While TikTok has a broad global reach appealing to a diverse audience worldwide (particularly over half a billion users from Asia Pacific), Douyin primarily targets Mainland Chinese users.
Part 1) Comparing Titkok vs Douyin short-form video styles: What are the main differences in how brands approach content creation on each platform? How does this influence their content strategies?
Titkok In the West, videos that lean towards more spontaneity, authenticity (not overly scripted), entertainment, humor, and collaboration videos are more likely to go viral for brands on TikTok, aligning seamlessly with the platform's overarching vibe. For instance; Bloomberg reported real estate agents adopting radical honesty tactics targeting first-time buyers via Titkok appealing particularly to Gen Z rental buyers.
Douyin Conversely, on Douyin, brands prioritize content with a higher level of couture style, sophistication, and luxury aspiration. This strategy aims to elevate a sense of status, taste, and elegance, catering to the desires of Chinese consumers for peer recognition and social appeal.
Part 2) Crafting Your Marketing Strategy tailored for each short-form video platform
Step 1) Audience Analysis
Demographic Insights: Leveraging trending keywords to understand the products and brands brings insights into understanding the demographics and preferences of your target audience on each platform, which allows you to tailor or differentiate your content strategy from the rest of competitors by creating relevant messages accordingly to resonate with the preferences of each platform's user base.
Personalized Content Creation: With insights into your audience's demographics and interests, you can create personalized content that speaks directly to their preferences, increasing engagement and loyalty.
Step 2) Competitors' Brand Analysis
Keyword Research: Using Douyin's function to explore popular keywords and hashtags related to your brand or industry can reveal what topics your target audience is interested in and how they talk about these topics.
Step 3) Short form Video Content Creation
Trending Topic: Whether it is Douyin or TitToks, especially where content consumption patterns evolve at lightning speed, creating timely and engaging content is more important than spending tons of hours fine-tuning the color as if treating it as a TV advertising commercial.
Content Optimization: Incorporating popular and relevant keywords into your video titles, descriptions, and hashtags can significantly improve visibility and discoverability. It's about speaking the language of your audience and appearing in their searches.
Step 3) Influencer Marketing Collaborate with influencers who have a strong presence and influence on TikTok or Douyin to amplify your brand's reach and credibility.
Identify influencers based not only on their follower size but understanding if their demographics match your targeted audiences, in addition, influencers who consistently rank high for relevant keywords are likely to have a dedicated and engaged audience that aligns with your target demographic.
Step 4) Livestreaming and Social E-commerce:
In the rapidly evolving world of social media, live streaming, and social e-commerce have emerged as pivotal elements in the digital strategy of brands. Livestreaming originated in China and started to spread rapidly overseas, allowing brands to engage with their customers and targeted audiences directly. Use insights from keyword research to create content that resonates with your audience. Addressing trending topics or frequently searched questions in your live streams can significantly boost engagement and retention.
Actionable Tip:
Step 5) Analytics and Optimization: Monitor the performance of your campaigns on TikTok and Douyin using analytics tools provided by the platforms. Analyze key metrics such as engagement, reach, and conversion rates to identify areas for improvement and optimize your marketing strategy accordingly.
Actionable Tip:
🚀 Unlock More Insights! We're excited to announce the launch of our "Unlock Your Success in China's E-commerce and Social Commerce for 2024" training. This program is meticulously designed to suit both corporate and professional needs. Dive deep into the nuances of the Chinese e-commerce & social commerce market, master best practices, strategize for sales enhancement, and pave your path to success. Register here.
Want to learn more China digital marketing insights and to re-engineering your China digital marketing strategy? Contact us and we are happy to serve! If you have any questions or feedback regarding our blog, you are always welcome to contact us and we are happy to hear your feedback.