Why You Need TikTok Marketing For Lead Generation – Even If Your Audience Is Not Gen Z
TikTok isn’t just the home of viral dance challenges and meme-worthy moments anymore—it’s become a powerful tool for marketing agencies and businesses for lead generation and branding. As a dynamic platform, TikTok’s short-form video format has made it one of the most effective advertising platforms for driving engagement and conversion rates – and it’s only getting bigger and better.
Regular users of TikTok like myself have seen the app blow up over the past few years. It isn’t just a silly video-sharing app anymore, it’s been monetized and monetized effectively (unlike its predecessors). The app started as a casual scroll and a source for laughs, and now it’s still that, but much more. TikTok has figured out ways to noninvasively influence its users to participate in trends, make purchases, and spend more and more time on the platform. Quite frankly, it’s the place to be for any brand that is visually driven.
Whether you’re focusing on direct advertising or exploring more organic methods like user-generated content and hashtag challenges, TikTok Marketing has completely transformed how brands approach lead generation in the digital age. But it is typically associated with young consumers, and businesses with older customer bases tend to shy away – which is a growing misconception. While in its infancy, TikTok may have had a much more youthful customer base, in 2024 those customers have gotten older and continued to use the platform and bring on some older contemporaries as well.
Above: The user base of TikTok very obviously skews in favor of Millenials and Gen Z… but as those generations age and continue to use the platform, their buying power only gets stronger. TikTok isn’t as heavily skewed towards pre-teens and teenagers as common generalizations may have you think.
Why TikTok Is Not Just for Gen Z
TikTok hit over 1 billion monthly active users in 2023. That’s a huge number, but TikTok still ranks 5th in total users behind Instagram (2 billion), WhatsApp (2 billion), YouTube (2.5 Billion) and Facebook (3.07 Billion)… and while it’s true that younger audiences flocked to TikTok early on, the platform’s audience has broadened. Now, you’ll find users across all demographics, including plenty of decision-makers with purchasing power. For example, in 2024 Apartments.com used TikTok For Business with hopes of engaging more renters looking for a new home. Because of the nature of their product, it’s crucial for Apartments.com to reach a more mature audience, and TikTok ads delivered. From their campaign launch in January 2024, their ads achieved 113% CTR above benchmark, a 16% decrease in CPM, and 59% CPC below benchmark.
TikTok’s appeal goes beyond its audience size. Unlike Instagram and Facebook, where algorithms tend to favor accounts with large followings, TikTok’s For You Page (FYP) allows any piece of content to go viral—whether you have 5 followers or 500,000. For brands, this means every video is an opportunity to reach potential leads, no matter how established your account is.
Above: TikTok users spend an average of 52 minutes a day on the app. That’s almost an hour to get in front of your target audience. Compare that with Instagram’s 29 minutes or Facebook’s 33 and so on, and it’s clear why marketers are paying attention.
Why Short-Form Video Works
Video, particularly short-form video content, has quickly become the best-performing content type for marketers. When compared to standard image posts, short-form video receives 2.5x more engagement on average. This heightened engagement does wonders for brand retention, platform loyalty, and purchase potential by captivating users. 60-second videos are perfect for capturing attention in an age where user engagement is brief. The key is creating content that aligns with your business goals while staying connected to popular trends.
Content creation on TikTok is a mix of creativity and strategy. Using tools like TikTok Symphony or TikTok’s editing features, brands can craft videos that feel natural and native to the platform, increasing their engagement and follower growth. Additionally, with TikTok Creator Marketplace, businesses can find content creators and micro-influencers to partner with, adding credibility to their campaigns.
TikTok also offers interactive features that keep users engaged. From the commercial music library to background music options, there are endless ways to make your content stand out. However, it’s essential to strike a balance—authentic content on this platform consistently outperforms overly polished ads. In a study that measures the effectiveness of user generated content (UGC) on TikTok, Real Eyes found that TikTok UGC videos scored 22% higher than TikTok brand videos in their ability to encode emotion. So essentially, allowing videos to appear amateur and show humanity and seem relatable builds up trust in your audience.
Why Video Marketing Is A Lead Generation Goldmine
There’s no doubt that video content works. In fact, 66% of marketers say video content generates more qualified leads than other types of marketing (OptinMonster). Why? Video is engaging, visual, and—when done right—memorable. It’s easier to tell a brand story or show a product in action with video than it is with static images or text.
Here are three big reasons why video marketing, especially on TikTok, has become a powerful lead-generation tool:
- High Engagement: Users are more likely to watch, like, and share videos than they are to engage with static posts. TikTok’s format encourages quick consumption, making it easier for people to watch multiple videos in a row without losing interest.
- Increased Trust: People tend to trust brands they see in video content more than those they only read about. Video allows you to showcase your product, service, or brand personality in a way that feels genuine.
- Better SEO: Google prioritizes video content. Websites with embedded video are 53 times more likely to rank on the first page of Google search results (Insivia). Additionally, TikTok itself is evolving into a search engine. Users actively search for tips, product demos, and reviews directly on the platform.
Above: TikTok lead capturing – How a potential customer gets served an ad, and follows their way through a TikTok instant form. Lead gen ads contain a CTA Button that leads users through the form process. (TikTok)
How TikTok Is Redefining Social Commerce
As social media platforms increasingly merge with e-commerce, TikTok Shop has emerged as one of the most effective tools for driving conversions. In 2023, TikTok generated $3.84 billion in consumer spending (a 16% increase from 2022), and those numbers continue to rise today. Brands can now turn user-generated content into direct sales, capitalizing on their audience’s attention in real time. Influencer marketing plays a key role here: successful influencer-led campaigns on TikTok have shown how the platform’s social commerce features, such as product reviews and branded challenges, can significantly boost sales. The Bissell Little Green Machine, a portable spot carpet cleaner, became widely popular thanks to its visually appealing design and effectiveness. Customer reviews flooded TikTok, generating a surge in user-generated content (UGC) that helped Bissell double its sales through affiliate marketing.
The success of TikTok’s marketing strategy is also driven by its ability to help marketers understand their audience through TikTok Business tools and social listening features. These tools allow creative teams to track campaign performance, adjust their approach, and optimize conversion paths for better returns.
Above: TikTok offers shopping options from multiple angles and is engineered for sponsored posts and product placement with immediate purchase opportunities.
How To Maximize Your TikTok Marketing Campaigns Effectiveness
To get the most out of your TikTok marketing, it’s essential to know how to use the platform’s creator tools and take advantage of popular trends. Here’s how to enhance your TikTok strategy:
- Know your target audience: TikTok’s algorithm is highly effective at delivering content to the right users. By identifying your relevant audience, you can ensure your content strategy aligns with their preferences, increasing interaction and engagement.
- Leverage the TikTok Creator Marketplace: Partnering with content creators who align with your brand helps build a genuine connection with your audience. These creators often use native features like TikTok Stories and interactive tools to create content that feels real and relatable, encouraging more interaction.
- Consistency and content output: Brands that post regularly tend to see an increase in follower growth and organic content performance. A solid content calendar ensures a steady stream of engaging material. With consistent posting, your brand stays top of mind as users scroll through their feeds.
- Experiment with content types: Hashtags relevant to your niche, co-created content, and even alternative content like AI-generated captions or visuals can expand your reach and improve campaign outcomes. Content doesn’t have to be perfect—just authentic.
- Use conversion tracking and analytics: TikTok’s conversion tracking tools let you monitor the journey of your leads and refine your conversion strategies. Whether you’re using paid ads like In-Feed Ads or organic content approaches, these tools provide the insights needed to adjust and optimize.
Don’t Sleep on Video Marketing On Other Platforms
TikTok may be leading the charge, but video marketing, in general, is here to stay. Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or Facebook video ads, the trend is clear: Video is the future of marketing. And with TikTok Shop on the rise, the ability to turn video views into sales is more accessible than ever.
91% of marketers consider video a key part of their strategy in 2024 (Wyzowl). That’s up from 78% in 2015. If you’re not using video, you’re already behind the curve.
Video is more engaging, more shareable, and—most importantly—more memorable. People retain 95% of a message when they see it in a video compared to just 10% when they read it (Forbes).
To Maximize Video’s Potential for Lead Generation
- Be Authentic: Especially on TikTok, overly polished ads can seem fake. Users want real content, so don’t hesitate to show the human side of your brand.
- Use Clear CTAs: Every video should have a direct call-to-action (CTA). Whether it’s “Sign up today” or “Visit our website,” guide your audience on what to do next.
- Test, Learn, Repeat: TikTok provides plenty of analytics—use them. If a video doesn’t perform as expected, tweak it and try again. Video allows for quick experimentation without sinking too much time or money into a single campaign.
What’s Next for TikTok and Video Marketing?
The future of TikTok and video content is bright. As more agencies tap into TikTok For Business, we can expect more AI-generated content, innovations in short-form video, and improvements in engagement rates. Content creation will continue to evolve, with better insights into audience preferences and advanced editing features.
One thing is clear: Brands that don’t adopt video marketing are at risk of falling behind. Whether you’re using TikTok’s advertising options, Instagram Reels, or TikTok Shop, video marketing is key to building community, driving growth, and meeting your business goals in today’s social media environment.
TikTok has transformed the game for lead generation. By utilizing the platform’s unique features, taking advantage of its creative tools, and staying updated on current trends, marketers can achieve real results. BAM Advertising offers a complimentary analysis to help you better understand your audience, create engaging campaigns, and meet your marketing objectives.
Resisting the chance to have your brand on TikTok is foolish and rejecting modernity. Any visual brand has the potential to thrive on the platform and be engaged with a variety of age groups. It just takes a cell phone camera, a few bucks, and a good idea. It’s worth a shot, right?
Ready to take your brand’s marketing to the next level on TikTok? BAM Advertising can help businesses of all sizes tap into the power of TikTok’s unique platform. Our team of experts will work with you to create engaging, results-driven campaigns that resonate with your target audience. Whether you’re looking to build brand awareness, drive conversions, or increase engagement, BAM can help you navigate TikTok’s dynamic ecosystem and achieve your advertising goals. Contact us today to learn how we can make TikTok work for your business!
