TikTookay Shares New Insights into the Significance of Audio in Model Advertising

Unlike other video platforms that have traditionally made a point of creating “sound off” environments to maximize your viewing options, TikTok noticed again and again that sound is critical to the user experience, and that marketers need to view audio as an element as important as the graphics in their clips – if not more so in some ways.

To underline this, TikTok has a new Insights series This will explore the importance of sound in clips and provide more context on how and why brands need to view sound as a key part of their overall branding endeavors.

You can read the first post in TikTok’s ‘Evolution of Sound’ series here, but in this post we’re going to look at some of the key notes.

First of all, TikTok repeats that 9 out of 10 users outlook Sound as important to the TikTok experience. For brands specifically, TikTok says its research has shown that branding and branding can be remembered increase by over 8x when distinctive branded sounds are used in advertisements versus other elements such as slogans and logos.

This is a hugely important statistic that makes it clear why brands need to consider their audio elements in order to maximize brand awareness and response.

TikTok continues to repeat this with internal data showing that sound can increase brand engagement, while music also plays a key role in user response.

Again, when you’ve matched your video creation processes with other platforms like Facebook that brands have specifically recommended in the past for environments with the sound turned off, Your approach to TikTok must be different as sound is a key element that can significantly increase user response to your content.

Really, your approach to TikTok should be completely different and aligned with the organic content trends in the app. If you want to win on TikTok, the best way to build the platform is by delving into the content that is posted on the platform so you can get a feel for how people are specifically engaging with the app and what your branding message is going to be like fit.

With this in mind, TikTok asks marketers three key questions when developing an audio-inclusive strategy:

1. How does your brand sound?
2. Does your brand use sound strategically?
3. How can your brand use the sound on TikTok?

Even at TikTok, audio should be viewed as as important a branding element as your visuals, and TikTok outlines several ways you can research and develop your approach to audio branding.

• Trends are how the sound spreads on TikTok. Some start out as a simple voice-over, while others take shape in a fancy recording studio. Check out the Discover page to see what’s trending right now.
• music provides mood and rhythm. You can create completely new sounds, amplify branded sounds or license trend sounds. The possibilities are endless.
• narrative allows users to follow what is happening on a video or add relevant voiceovers. After you’ve filmed your footage in the TikTok app, you can add a comment by selecting “Voiceover” from the menu at the top right.
• Add captions – an integral part of TikTok content – so that your video can be understood by those who cannot hear it.
• Sounds parallel or amplifies the actions in a video. When you publish a video with original audio, users can use the same audio in their own video creations.
  Think about how noises or accompanying actions in your videos could entice people to join in and post their own versions. A sound that goes viral can bring your brand to a much wider audience.

Some important considerations for your TikTok branding approach and as more brands will be adding TikTok to their digital marketing mix in 2022, and the app is well on its way to reaching them 1.5 billion users, it is important that audio is an important element if you want to stand out from TikTok users.

You can read the first post in TikTok’s ‘Evolution of Sound’ series here.