If the 90s were defined by the dot-com boom, the 2020s are shaping up to become the era of AI. With the sudden and rapid advancements in machine learning and generative artificial intelligence, brand-new AI companies are springing up left and right, and consumers are paying attention.
From coders to data analysts to marketers, people are starting to integrate AI solutions into their everyday lives. It’s happening at a lightning-speed adoption rate that is not often seen in the tech world. For new AI companies, there is no better opportunity than now to get their foot in the door. It’s a perfect time to start building a name for themselves. But how can you differentiate your AI solution from the sea of new competitors? You’ll need to pull a few marketing tricks out of your bag – and TikTok might just be the ticket.
TikTok is a wildly popular mobile video-sharing platform. It’s one of the best places for AI companies to build brand awareness and accelerate their growth. With over one billion monthly active users, it’s an ideal platform to get your message out quickly. You can also tap into one of the most tech-receptive demographics – Gen Z. And the best part? You don’t need a huge budget to get started. All you need is some creativity and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone. Ready to get your AI company off the ground? Read on for some of the best ways you can use TikTok to grow your brand.
The Sudden Rise of Generative AI
First things first before we get into TikTok – what’s all the fuss these days about AI? Hasn’t AI been around for decades? Yes, that’s correct – the first AI program was developed in the 1950s. However, it was a far cry from the generative AI programs that have just arrived on the scene. Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can automatically generate new content in a way that’s almost indistinguishable from a human. It is different from traditional AI systems that are programmed to execute specific tasks. This includes detecting patterns or making decisions without the ability to create new outputs on their own.
A Glance at AI Creators
You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. It’s the most popular generative AI program currently on the market. What’s more, it provides the underlying technology behind many new companies that are popping up in the AI space. It’s a powerful piece of software that was trained on around 570GB of data. This includes books and websites, to provide personalised, human-like text output based on user prompts and queries.
“With so many use cases (coding, gaming, medical applications, art, poetry, marketing and more), generative AI is revolutionising industries overnight. The market is expected to reach a colossal US$ 1,591.03 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 38.1% from 2022 to 2030.”
The creators of this software, Open AI, have also developed an image-generating platform called DALL-E. It can create realistic images and art based on text descriptions. Perhaps even more impressively, several new companies like Synthesia and Stable Diffusion also allow users to create realistic AI-generated videos.
Driving industry growth even further, OpenAI has allowed developers to tap into their platform to create AI-driven applications. This means that you don’t even have to have your own AI infrastructure set up to get started with AI-based apps. It’s spawning a new wave of AI-driven startups and businesses. Since 2020, Microsoft has been pouring billions of dollars into OpenAI. Tech giant Google has also been hard at work developing its own answer to ChatGPT (named Google Bard, if you’re wondering).
An AI Explosion
With so many use cases (coding, gaming, medical applications, art, poetry, marketing, and more), generative AI is revolutionising industries overnight. The market is expected to reach a colossal US$ 1,591.03 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 38.1% from 2022 to 2030. Does your company aim to be a rising star in this incredible zeitgeist? Then you’ll need to grab your place in the market quickly, before the competition gets too fierce.
Getting People to Adopt Your AI Solution
One fascinating thing about the AI revolution is just how quickly the general public has picked up on its potential. People are now aware of the technology, understand it and are excited to explore what AI can do for them. It’s changing the way people do their jobs. College students are even getting AI to do their work for them (not ideal!). This provides AI companies in 2023 with an incredible opportunity to grow and scale fast, in a highly receptive market.
“Lensa’s Magic Avatar app, which allowed users to create artistic, realistic-looking avatars of themselves, went viral across TikTok last year. Users spent over US$9.25 million on in-app purchases in the first week of December alone, thanks to the success of its TikTok marketing strategy.”
But that doesn’t mean you can simply sit back and expect your customers to come rolling in without any effort. You still need to be proactive in driving the adoption of your AI solution. Otherwise you may find that someone else steps in and takes your place first. It’s also still a relatively new technology, so there will naturally be those who are hesitant to get on board. You can make the most of this moment in time. It’s a good idea to start marketing your product where people are already talking about (and using) AI. That place is TikTok.
Why TikTok is Great for AI Companies
There are several reasons why TikTok is one of the best marketing platforms for new AI companies. Let’s explore why.
- TikTok users are young – 38.9% fall between the ages of 18 to 24. This means that TikTok’s main demographic has not only been raised and immersed in digital technology from a very young age, but they’re also the future of the workforce. As such, they’re some of the most likely to invest in and use AI products. Facebook, on the other hand, is home to an ageing user base. 43% of users are currently over the age of 35.
- TikTok is incredibly successful at creating hype and buzz around new trends. The fast-paced nature of the app, combined with its short video format and powerful recommendation algorithm, means that ideas and concepts tend to spread like wildfire.
- TikTok boasts incredibly high engagement rates in comparison to other platforms. Over a third of TikTok users log in every day. They also spend an average of 90 minutes engaging with the platform. That’s 30 more than what people are spending per day on Instagram.
- TikTok’s audience is generally more receptive to advertising. According to one study, 92% of TikTok users are “purchase ready”. 56% of US consumers stated that they had bought something they saw in a TikTok ad.
- TikTok itself is a platform that relies heavily on AI. From the algorithm to its latest generative AI face filters, the platform has embedded AI within its very core. This means that many TikTok users are already using AI features, and so are likely to be more open to the idea of adopting an AI solution from an outside source.
- Many AI companies are already seeing success on the platform. Lensa’s Magic Avatar app, which allowed users to create artistic, realistic-looking avatars of themselves, went viral across TikTok last year. Users spent over US$9.25 million on in-app purchases in the first week of December alone, thanks to the success of its TikTok marketing strategy.
Here’s the bottom line. TikTok offers an excellent opportunity for AI companies looking to make their mark in 2023. Users are well-known for their early adoption of new trends, high engagement rates and receptiveness to new ideas. Read on for some tips on how to get started with your own TikTok marketing campaign.
5 Tactics for Growing Your AI Company on TikTok
If you’re ready to get started, you need to devise a plan. TikTok’s leadership has made it incredibly easy to harness the platform’s marketing potential. They are a range of tools and methods available to help you promote your brand. Here are some of the best ways to get started marketing your AI company on TikTok.
Partner with Creators
The power of influencer marketing has been proven time and again, and TikTok is no exception. Partnering with creators who already have an established presence on the platform can give your AI company some serious exposure. Aim to partner with creators who are already passionate about the use of AI. Alternatively, partner creators whose audiences overlap with your target market. If you’re on a budget, consider using micro-influencers to get your message out. Despite their smaller audience sizes, they often boast higher levels of viewer engagement.
Harness Meme Content
We all love a good meme, and that’s never been more true than on TikTok. By creating content that plays off popular memes and trends, you can tap into the viral potential of the platform. You don’t necessarily have to be funny. Clever or quirky content works just as well. If you can embrace the surreal, then even better. Just don’t force it if it doesn’t fit your brand
Use TikTok Ads
TikTok offers six different advertising formats. These are Top View, Spark Ads, Brand Takeover, In-Feed, Branded Hashtags and Branded Effects. Each ad type comes with its own pros and cons, depending on what you want to achieve. Start by creating an account with TikTok Business. Thereafter, read up on the different ad types to see which one best suits your objectives.
Build a TikTok Profile & Following
Your TikTok profile is the face of your company on the platform, so take some time to get it right. Consider what you want your brand profile to offer viewers. Is it a place they come for information, or do you want to make them laugh? Once you land on your profile’s “reason for being”, it’s time to start creating content. It could be video tutorials, interviews with industry leaders or simply snippets of your team’s daily life. Just ensure you’re posting content that’s relevant and interesting to your TikTok audience and provides some kind of value.
Go Viral with Organic Posts
Organic content is one of the cheapest and most powerful ways to market your AI company on TikTok. Put together a marketing strategy that focuses on the kinds of posts that have been known to go viral. Also use hashtags to get your content in front of the right people. Develop your persona, language, visuals, and ideas by studying your competitors and researching your target audience. Finally, don’t forget to track your progress with analytics! TikTok provides numerous metrics that you can use to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed.
How Can House of Marketers Help?
If it’s your first time marketing on TikTok, you might feel a little lost. That’s okay – there’s help available! Here at House of Marketers, we are a dedicated TikTok marketing agency. We know how to help AI companies make it big on this incredible platform. Our team can help you:
- Design a content strategy. We’ll help you build a content strategy that makes your audience stop and pay attention.
- Create advertising content. Tapping into our expansive network of TikTok creators, we’ll develop creative concepts that get people talking and sharing.
- Develop influencer marketing strategies. We’ll help you find the right influencers for your brand and develop a plan for working with them.
- Develop targeted campaigns. From hashtag challenges to product launches, we can design and execute campaigns that drive your brand’s visibility.
- TikTok ads management. From concept to execution, we’ll handle all the nitty-gritty details of your TikTok ad campaigns. This will help put your company on the TikTok map.
- Track progress. Our team of analytics experts will track your progress and provide you with ongoing reports. This keeps you on top of your campaign performance.
Get on TikTok and Start Growing Your AI Company
Ready for the next stage in your company’s growth? The House of Marketers team is ready to make it happen. Our founder Inigo was an early TikTok employee and saw first-hand the massive potential that this platform had for marketing. With our years of experience in digital marketing and deep knowledge of TikTok, we can help you create campaigns and ads that will make you ideal customers notice your company. So don’t wait any longer. Contact us today and let’s get the ball rolling! Together, we can make your AI business boom on TikTok.
House of Marketers (HOM) is a leading TikTok Marketing Agency. Our global agency was built by early TikTok Employees & TikTok Partners, which gives us the insider knowledge to help leading brands, like Redbull, Playtika, Badoo, and HelloFresh win on TikTok. Want us to convert more of Gen Z and Millennials with TikTok? Get in touch with our friendly team, here.