You’d be forgiven for mentally filing Tik Tok on the ‘fun videos’’ shelf but actually what started as a video sharing platform for the younger demographic has very quickly established itself as a valuable asset in the media world. From advertisers using the platform to get in front of prospective customers, to brands making use of it to grow their profile and recruit tomorrow’s top talent, Tik Tok has a place firmly on the list of digital marketing must-haves.

The evolution of employer marketing has seen some significant changes in recent years. From the ‘great resignation’ to changing employee expectations, candidate shortages to flexible working requirements, brands have been asked to rethink almost all aspects of their recruitment and employer approach. So how does Tik Tok fit into this changing scene and how does it really have power in the land of recruitment and retention?

Open up your audience

It’s easy to assume Tik Tok has an audience of high schoolers or even younger these days but in fact, most users are over the age of 19 years and many of them are young graduates, often actively looking for work. Operating in over 150 countries with users statistically opening the app on average 8 times a day, the potential audience for your content is boundless.

The 2021 addition of Tik Tok resumés turns the entire platform into a recruitment space where job seekers can connect in an easy and direct way. Tik Tok themselves described a mission of “expanding and enhancing TikTok as a new channel for recruitment and job discovery” . This reach into recruitment means not only can you publish your job listing and receive creative video CVs from applicants but candidates have access to you in a multitude of ways, finding you through specific recruitment search as well as subject based content.

At it’s inception Tik Tok was made for creativity. Developed as a platform for users to showcase their personal creativity – through dance, music, comedy – whatever they chose to edit into their mini videos acted as a profile for their real selves. Whatever that content is, the genesis of encouraging creativity generates an audience of forward thinking individual that many brands will relish the opportunity to connect with.

Capitalise now or regret it later

Tik Tok is not yet filled with headhunters and recruiters. As compared to it’s social media peers – Linked In and Instagram in particular – there is relatively low competition on the recruitment marketing front so the field is clear to use the platform and build your brand without needing to

shout above the noise. Less competition means more attention from prospective candidates and building that brand connection with individuals lays the foundation for long term trust whether for recruitment now or in the future. Win: Win.

The algorithm is on your side…for now

The ‘For You Page’ (FYP) chooses content based on a user’s own personalised videos or engaged with content. This means that even if your brand does not have a large following, you can expect the algorithm to do a lot of the heaving lifting for you. In principle the platform will be showing you videos on the FYP of users who have engaging with similar content, linked content, and associated subject matter content. Along with the location specific user content, you’ll find your content being shown to users in your area regardless of subject link so the algorithm really can work for you.

While the odds start in your favour, it can still feel difficult to get noticed when there are millions of videos being uploaded each day. The algorithm will undoubtedly help you to get your video in front of the right people but unless they actively engage with your content, you may find that it’s starts to curve downwards after initial posting. Be careful to mitigate this downside by using cross posting where possible, working with influencers in your industry and engaging directly with users in response to comments and questions.

More than one win

The potential win for brands becoming active on Tik Tok is not limited to talent sourcing and retention, In fact the long term win may be far more significant. Building engaging content that connects with a broad audience over time, through authenticity and mission, will build the foundations for a longer lasting type of success. Your users and followers may be customers of the present, job seekers of the future, work-spreaders of the moment, so the opportunity to really tell the story of your brand and gently build up a core following can be the building blocks for your brands’ future that few other platforms can offer.

This chance to humanise your brand and connect with potential applicants and users on a personal level is hugely valuable. Putting a face to a company and connecting over your shared values is something worth investing in.

Enjoy advanced targeting

Tik Tok offers unique and advanced targeting capabilities with users receiving content based on their recent engagement on specific categories. Sometimes referred to as the LinkedIn of Gen Z, savvy brands are using Tik Tok to engage with users via their shared subject interests, opportunities and mission. The option for advertising is also of huge value, allowing you to get in front of the right audience (gender, age, location and content preferences) at the right time, with the right content. And with Tik Tok branching out into more non-entertainment based content (educational videos) this type of content is getting more traction and in turn, connecting with large audiences of young people who are open to learning new skills and making employment changes.

Keep ahead of changing expectations

Building content on Tik Tok requires, short, engaging, informal posts. This can really suit many brands since it offers flexibility and freedom to post anything they want without needing a huge amount of production budget to do so. Choose any content, behind the scenes, an interview with employees, a showcase of the personality of your team, a day in the life, highlights of celebrations and brand ethos materialising, the options are endless. Each of them represents an opportunity to present the type of authentic presence that young job seekers are interested in. The rise in individualism means that prospective candidates are considering far more often what a company can offer them rather than what they can offer the company so using Tik Tok to catalogue what your brand is really made of answers a lot of these questions in advance.

No longer solely the domain of flash mobs and choreographed comedy, it turns out that Tik Tok represents the home for potential customers, clients, and indeed talent. Designing and publishing authentic content that speaks to your brand ethos, your mission and your talent needs while delivering it right into the hands of the candidates you wish you attract is a compelling proposition. One not to be ignored.

Talk to us about how you can integrate Tik Tok into your recruitment marketing strategy.