TikTok has published a new report exploring the latest user trends and shifts for businesses looking to make a splash in 2022.

The What’s Next culture drivers report contains 35 pages of user trends, case studies, brand trends and notes to help businesses unlock the full potential of their marketing campaigns.

There’s a lot to cover in the report, so we’ll stick to several key themes and provide an overview of them. To go in-depth, you can check out the report here.

Unlock community commerce

Community commerce is what TikTok calls creator-driven word-of-mouth marketing. It’s a term used to explain how viral videos can result in a dramatic increase in sales.

Colloquially known as TikTok Made Me Buy It, community commerce has helped hundreds of brands to sell thousands of products. Nobody was immune from the effectiveness of the viral app – complete with the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt.

TikTok For Business, Editorial Team

“It’s (community commerce) a product of the unique discovery-based For You page, which shows users videos that speak directly to their interests, even when that content features products or brands.”

Essentially, TikTok users seem highly motivated to make a purchase if they see a creator they identify with promoting a product. The entertaining nature of TikTok makes product recommendations pretty powerful; just ask Ocean Spray…

 Community commerce went hard in 2021. The CEO of Trinidad Sandoval said six months’ worth of product sold out in six weeks because of TikTok – all because of a video of one of its products.

Marketers can use tools like product links, collection ads or dynamic showcase ads to make the most of Community Commerce.

Four distinct phases

 To understand how trends work, TikTok broke down the stages that led to Trinidad Sandoval’s big sales success:

1. Spark phase. A creator or brand posts an entertaining video featuring a product.
2. Share phase. Users love the video, which creates a swirl of reactions and a buzz.
3. Spike phase. Brands notice an impact on sales.
4. Sustain phase. Brands take action on-and-off TikTok to maintain sales success.

TikTok Shopping

 2022 looks set to be a big year for TikTok Shopping. It will be the first full year the full suite of e-commerce tools are available for brands to turn videos and livestreams into a shoppable experience.

Marketers will find it easier than ever before to turn TikTok traction into money in the bank, as users will be able to purchase products they discover on their For You pages without leaving the app.

Remember to keep things light and entertaining and consistently work on your formula, then you should see real-life conversions in no time!

Audio is important

Research shows that sound influences ad effectiveness. Some brands played around with it in 2021 and were able to launch successful campaigns that utilised audio as a focal point. TikTok has three tips for brands:

1. Be distinctive. TikTok trends converge around snippets or notes, not full songs. So, your audio brand needs to stand out.
2. Be musician-first. TikTok has launched careers for some artists, and as a brand, you need to be mindful that these musicians bring their own communities to the app. Mobilise that by putting artists first by showcasing new releases or promoting tours.
3. Don’t be afraid. Early adopters do well on TikTok, and voice tech will be the new battleground. Combine fun tools like text-to-speech with voiceovers and direct-to-camera pieces, which can help foster a relationship with the audience.

What about partnerships?

If you’re on TikTok, a partnership is a must. 65% of users enjoy creator posts about a product or a brand, 39% consider products from creator videos, and 35% discover brands or products via creators.

From those numbers we can see that partnerships are pretty effective and should be part of your TikTok marketing plan.

Or brand safety?

Concerning brand safety, TikTok says they will offer four pillars of protection:

• Safe communities will create a positive environment that protects brands.
• Brand-safe solutions are in the works that include stuff like solutions for advertisers and pre-bid and post-bid solutions.
• Transparency and accountability is big for TikTok, it claims, so the app will continue to keep brands looped in on any community updates.
• Stronger safety partners is a goal of TikTok. Via initiatives such as participating in the GARM Aggregated Measurement Report and taking seats on think tanks, TikTok plans to stay ahead of the game.

The What’s Next report is choc-full of valuable insights, so dive into the report here.