As a public sector employee, you may be wondering if TikTok marketing is effective for your programme/service/event… And the answer is yes!
With over 9.6 million active users in the UK of which approximately 60% are aged 16-24, TikTok can be used in a myriad of ways to help you reach the younger generations with information about (but nor restricted to) apprenticeships and employment opportunities, as well as other exciting career options, especially those sectors or businesses that provide more employment opportunities in your local area.
But don’t rule out the older generations too, in recent research, we found over 1,000,000 over 55 year olds in the UK used TikTok when we were researching audiences to talk to about pensions and being prepared for later life!
TikTok Marketing Content
TikTok provides a great way of engaging audiences with creative video content and interactive features. While traditional advertising often feels impersonal or can come across as sales-y, using TikTok allows you to communicate with your target audience in a more natural, organic way, and allows you to add some personality to your messaging.
Your videos may include anything from top tips for job hunting or course finding, personal stories of success (and failure!), advice on how to start a career in a particular sector, soundbites from existing apprentices, and a whole host of other ways – all while creating an upbeat and positive atmosphere that encourages viewers to take action.
You could also use TikTok to showcase the successes of people within particular sectors, or job roles, and highlight the positive impact they’ve had on their confidence, their long-term career goals and even their communities.
No Fancy Video Skills Needed!
You don’t have to be a professional video creator either! Shoot simple videos with a mobile phone, and use the editing, sound and text overlay options that are provided to you within the TikTok platform. Text only videos get almost no engagement or reach. Think about the content that you respond to when browsing through TikTok, what makes you stop scrolling and start watching the entire video?
Visual content is incredibly powerful, so using TikTok to share inspiring success stories can really motivate others to get involved. (Although keep the videos short, the shorter they are, the longer people will watch to the end)
TikTok users follow accounts that post relevant content that interests them – so make sure yours stands out by providing both entertaining and informative videos. The more engaged your followers are, the more your videos will get served to them. The more interesting they are, (read fun, useful, but definitely not dull), the more your followers will share them.
Reach local audiences with TikTok Marketing
Using hashtags ensures that your videos reach a wider audience beyond your followers. For local authorities, you will definitely need to use locational hashtags on top of topic hashtags, sector hashtags, and even more spammy hashtags if you’re just starting out creating content such as #fyp or #foryoupage to attract followers.
Engage the help of TikTok Influencers
The other huge bonus is that there are probably local ‘TikTok influencers’ who have a good size following that you can also ask to either create content for you, or with you, or that you create for them to post. Search out location hashtags in your local authority, along with main town hashtags to see what comes up for you, and if there are any super active TikToker’s in your area with a large following. (This method is often known as Influencer Marketing and is very well known in product marketing, but less so in marketing public sector services and programmes or events)
Will you give TikTok Marketing a try?
In conclusion, there are plenty of reasons why public sector employees should invest in TikTok marketing: from inspiring your target audience through creative video content, showcasing successes, or even just simply posting about job openings and apprenticeships – It’s a super effective way for the public sector to reach a younger audience in an engaging manner.
Interested in finding out more?
A 15-minute conversation with us to discuss your goals and how our content strategies will help you to achieve those goals costs you nothing!
Simply call our friendly team on 01245 791969 or drop us an email to [email protected] to arrange a confidential chat.
The Social Accelerators, founded by Caroline Thomas in 2010 advises clients around the UK on strategic marketing of your public sector funded programme, service, project or portal.
Her firm designs and runs digital marketing campaigns, conducts online research and designs online client journeys that get the results you need across social media, websites and email campaigns.
