TikTok is perhaps the fastest-rising social media platform in the world. However, it is not a promising marketing avenue for several businesses, car dealerships included. But there’s a workaround to that.
Whether you’ve heard it over the news or you’ve never heard of it at all, there’s no denying that TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms out there. Although it has been around for quite some time, its fame (or infamy, depending on how you see it) started to rise right at the start of the global pandemic. The video-sharing platform became a hit because billions of people got nothing to do inside their houses during the lockdown. Since then, Tiktok seeps through the radars of people in the business sector.
Then again, will car dealerships be able to take advantage of this platform in the marketing sense? The short answer is probably not. But it can be good for something else.
Why It May Not Work
I checked TikTok’s “success stories” page (you can check it here). And what I found out is that out of 300 businesses showcased on this page, only 14 are coming from the automotive industry. And out of the 14 automotive companies, none of them are dealerships. Now, I know that these businesses listed on the success page of TikTok are carefully selected. Or maybe these companies are enrolled in their sort of “TikTok For Business” program. Therefore, we cannot use this to indicate the level of success car dealerships can get.
However, what I also discovered is that majority of these businesses primarily cater to kids and teens. Brands such as New Balance, Hilo (a dairy product), and Lingokids are included. So if there is one reason why TikTok won’t work for a business such as a car dealership, that is because the platform’s primary market is kids and teens.
In a graph created by Wallaroo Media, you can see that more than 50% of active TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 29. On the other hand, only 16.4%, 13.9%, and 7.1% of the users belong to the 30-39, 40-49, and 50 plus bracket, respectively. This shows that this China-based platform is an effective marketing tool for brands catering to teens and children.
How TikTok Can Work For Your Car Dealership Business
Although this platform is after the young market, we cannot totally dismiss it. Just because TikTok is a more effective marketing tool for teen products doesn’t mean it won’t work for your car dealership business at all. If you look back at that graph above, you may see that 38% of TikTok users are 20 years old above. This is still a good number of potential vehicle owners or even owners themselves.
And if there are 80 million TikTok users in the United States, that still is 30.4 million potential car buyers in the platform. The good part is that TikTok is a young platform. Therefore, you still have a bigger, better chance of having your own success with TikTokers in your market.
Be More Creative, However
If you’re planning to use TikTok to market your car dealership business, there’s one thing you must take into consideration: you must let your creative juices flow. Since most of its market comprises people in their teens or younger, creating appealing content is still key. Here are some tips on how to make your car dealership business stand out in TikTok.
First: Learn How To Make Videos Using The App
The very first thing to know is how to make basic videos. Thankfully, there’s no need to invest in expensive video devices and other pieces of equipment. You only need your camera phone, and that’s it. When you have your phone ready, simply download the TikTok App (available on both Apple and Android stores) and sign up for an account. Make sure your account name is your business name or at least close to it.
If you haven’t looked at TikTok’s interface before, it can get confusing. So before creating any video, have a tour around how the app works first. I mean, you won’t be able to create videos without knowing what to press first, right?
What Kind Of Videos To Create?
Think about your business and branding first when you’re not sure what kind of TikTok videos you should create. Then, you can look at other videos created by and for dealerships in TikTok if you can find one. This way, you would have an idea of how to promote your business through the platform. Draw some inspirations with the videos you watched, but don’t limit yourself to automotive-themed ones. You can always go and look for other videos so you will have more creative ideas flowing in.
Always remember that each video in TikTok has a one-minute limit, so you need to make sure everything you want to include in your video must be within that time frame. This is also an excellent way to not beating around the bush, so make your content straightforward with clear messaging.
Do What The Teens Do
For your car dealership business, it is crucial to check on other TikTok videos first, especially those that have gone viral. Since TikTok’s target market is the younger generations (millennials and Gen-Z), it’s only natural that the popular videos are published by young creators. Take notes from these videos and try to replicate them with your own twist. As long as it is still within the bounds of your brand, then go for it. By saying that, you also have to make sure that the videos you publish won’t offend or be deemed insensitive.
Consistency Is Also Key
Now that you have uploaded your first ever TikTok video, what to do next? Well, create more! When you successfully target your video to the correct market, most likely, they will follow your channel and want more content from you. When you don’t have any follow-up, they might look for videos elsewhere. That is why you should always post videos – one video a day is the industry standard. Then, when you keep posting content, your followers will slowly build up.
Do understand that posting videos is a hit-and-miss thing. Sometimes your videos get noticed; other times, they won’t. So don’t feel devastated when sometimes you don’t attract reactions from the public. Just keep on doing to keep the follower steam going.
In Conclusion
Although most people would agree that TikTok is an effective marketing platform, every business should be wary should they decide to use it. Just do know that your dealership service is as good as your marketing. Click on the link to learn more how you can make car buyers drive to your dealership.
