• by Tim van der Wiel , March 26, 2024

Brands’ concern over the fate of TikTok in the U.S. underscores a missing dimension in their  thinking. Social media is a frontier for product development, not classic promotion. The key isn’t leading consumers with a message; it’s following them to understand what’s working now. If TikTok goes away, people will move to other platforms. You’ll need to follow them and keep testing on every available platform, the way creators do.

Creators approach social media as product developers do. In addition to employing platforms, brands need to act like them. Here are five steps to take.

Disband demographics. Trying to land a solid creative punch based on a socio-demographic target is a recipe for disaster. To make relevant content, you need to identify your audience the way they identify themselves. Target communities based on shared passion and look to ride the waves they’re making; that’s where the energy is. You’ll end up with more connections and contexts to build the brand.  

Think app, not campaign. Social doesn’t follow a marketing calendar. It’s always on. So, treat your pages like apps -- the places where you listen and talk to users continually -- and consider your social strategy to be always in development. Users’ excitement will lead you to the stories they want, which fit the nature of interaction on the platform.

Think MVC (minimal viable community). Tech companies launch a test concept in three weeks with a small group of people, spending minimally on it. The idea is to get feedback and tweak the product before producing it. In organic social media, the algorithm finds your audience based on interest, so you need to try a lot of things before you land on what’s expandable. Once a theme resonates with the MVC, it’s ready for prime time.

Change the dashboard. Instead of counting views and likes, track comments and bookmarks. They’re the real signs you’ve created something valuable, and they provide keys to what you should release next. The big idea comes to life through experimentation with your community. It took Dutch department store Hema several months and strategic pivots before a TikTok user dubbed it “Slayma” in the comments. By leaning into the term, the brand generated a new following with young people, and saw its TikTok community grow to 82,000 in six months.

Create an audience loop. Social content is a continual three-way street: sending, listening, and reacting. Launch a 70% version leaving room for the community to create with it. For example, leave them with a question that can start a conversation. If you study the feedback you get, you’ll come to know your audience intimately – so you can make more compelling content and generate more powerful interactions.

There’s no set and forget. There’s only following the unexpected reactions of a passion community. The faster you can cycle, the more successful your brand will be.

As people flock to creator channels like TikTok, they’re upending the arbitrary structures of marketing. The quickest, safest way around the twisting roads is to let them drive. They’ll take you to places you didn’t think possible.