TikTok for Business: Using Music for Effective Brand Marketing

TikTok has become a modern-day jukebox, playing the tunes that get people talking, dancing, and engaging. The secret sauce behind this is its music-driven algorithm, finely tuned to pick up on the beats that resonate most with the audience. From generating new hits like Harry Styles’ “As It Was” to reviving classics like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” TikTok’s influence in the music world is undeniable. It’s even exploring territories traditionally held by giants like Spotify

Understanding and leveraging TikTok’s music-centric approach is crucial for brands. Aligning with trending tunes or creating unique jingles can enable brands to reach a broader audience and deepen engagement.

How Viral Songs Aid in Effective Brand Marketing

The platform’s focus on music makes it a unique focal point for content. When a user uploads a video with a particular song, others can easily click on the song to create their own videos, sparking a chain reaction of content all dancing to the same tune. Before long, a new TikTok trend was born…

Enhanced Reception of Sound – On TikTok, sound is perceived as more informative and engaging compared to other platforms, where it’s often seen as distracting. This unique audio environment offers brands a distinct opportunity to create impactful audio experiences.

Sound as a Powerful Engagement Tool – TikTok’s sound captures attention, with 73% of users more likely to engage with ads featuring audio. This indicates a higher engagement rate than any other platform, making sound a crucial element in advertising strategies.

Boosting Brand Performance – Utilising sound efficiently on TikTok can captivate attention, develop emotional connections, and improve brand exposure. The platform’s unique way of discovering, endorsing, and co-creating music makes it a potent tool for brands.

Research by MRC Data and Flamingo highlights the heavy-hitting impact of music on TikTok. It reveals that the majority of TikTokers discover new music on the platform and feel a stronger connection to brands that feature liked songs in their videos.

Using trending songs in brand content significantly captures the community’s attention, with 67% of TikTok users preferring brand videos featuring popular or trending songs!

Furthermore, original brand content with unique sounds is favoured by 65% of TikTokers, emphasising the importance of innovative audio strategies in brand marketing.

TikTok’s ‘sound on’ environment challenges brands to think creatively, whether it’s through working with culturally relevant musicians to create a custom song or tapping into trending voiceovers and jingles on the platform. This approach has proven effective in boosting brand recall, emotional connection, and overall brand engagement.

TikTok’s Music-Driven Algorithm: How Brands Can Take Advantage

TikTok’s algorithm rewards videos that use trending songs, fostering a cycle of music-driven virality. Songs that gain traction here often find themselves echoing in headphones, car radios, and party playlists around the world.

Similarly, a catchy tune can skyrocket brands from obscurity to global fame overnight. Some songs even ride the TikTok wave all the way to the top of the music charts, showcasing the app’s power to set musical trends!

This is where creativity comes into play. Some brands, realising the potential of music in engaging with TikTok’s audience, have started commissioning their own TikTok-friendly hits.

What Music Can Brands Use on TikTok?

Brands navigating TikTok’s music-centric nature face challenges due to commercial licensing restrictions. They often can’t directly use viral songs without a proper licence. This leads to the question of what music brands can actually use on TikTok?

Brands and businesses can use TikTok’s Royalty-Free Music Library of over 600 songs (aka TikTok Commercial Music Library). You can search for music in multiple ways, including usable placement, theme, genre, mood, and duration. In addition, if you select your region, you can even view Recommended Playlists and Top Music for your area.

Can Brands Use Viral Sounds on TikTok?

To circumvent these restrictions, some brands have commissioned their own TikTok-friendly hits. A prime example is Pepsi’s initiative with Chlöe Bailey, covering the 1980s’ “Footloose” for their ‘soda shop’ inspired drinks campaign. This campaign not only leveraged a dance-video trend featuring the original track but also engaged consumers by inviting them to share their dance moves using Chlöe’s reimagined ‘Footloose’ track along with specific hashtags.

How to Use Viral TikTok Songs for Brand Marketing: Brand Success Stories and Strategies

The journey towards sonic branding on TikTok is similar to crafting a musical signature that echoes the brand’s essence, resonates with the audience, and sets the stage for authentic engagement.

Here’s a deeper dive into how brands can orchestrate their TikTok presence through a well-tuned musical strategy:

1. Have a Music-driven Identity – McDonald’s Custom Jingle Campaign

Crafting a music-related identity goes beyond just picking a catchy tune. Musical signature, when used consistently, forms a sonic logo that helps in building brand recognition and establishing a distinct identity on TikTok. Moreover, a unique jingle or tune can become synonymous with a brand, creating a memorable imprint in the minds of the audience.

@mcdonalds but for real tho can i take a sip @tisakorean? #mcdonaldsstaticsprite ♬ Static – TisaKorean feat Sprite from McDonald’s

Mcdonald’s Campaign Overview – McDonald’s took an innovative approach by collaborating with rapper-producer TisaKorean to create an original beat. This unique beat was inspired by what consumers often describe as the “static” taste of McDonald’s Sprite, a quirky but popular reference on social media.

Engagement Strategy – Leveraging the popularity of this sensory description, the campaign cleverly used an everyday product experience to create a viral sound on TikTok. This approach not only showcased McDonald’s creativity but also resonated with the TikTok community’s love for humour and relatability.

Impact – By transforming a customer observation into a trendy beat, McDonald’s managed to connect with its audience in a fun and memorable way, reinforcing its presence as an innovative and engaging brand on TikTok.

2. Jump on Trending Tunes – Nike’s ‘Own the Floor’ Paris Campaign

Trending songs on TikTok are like tidal waves, carrying along the content that rides their crest. Brands can leverage these trending tunes to gain more visibility and engagement. By creating content that aligns with what’s hot, brands can demonstrate their relevance and connect with the TikTok community in a language they understand and appreciate.

@nike We asked dancers at #OwnTheFloor #Paris ♬ Hurts Me (Alone At Prom) – Tory Lanez

Campaign Concept – Nike harnessed a trending sound on TikTok to create a unique campaign for their ‘Own the Floor’ event in Paris. The campaign encouraged dancers participating in the contest to express themselves with just one move, capturing the essence of individuality and style.

Engagement Strategy – By choosing a popular TikTok sound, Nike tapped into the existing momentum of the trend, ensuring wider visibility and appeal. The campaign invited dancers to showcase their creativity and connection with the brand in a simple yet powerful manner.

Impact – This strategy not only showcased Nike’s commitment to celebrating individual talent and expression but also aligned the brand with current cultural movements. The campaign resonated with the TikTok community’s appreciation for authenticity and self-expression, reinforcing Nike’s image as a brand that understands and empowers its audience.

3. Engage with Challenges – Chipotle’s #GuacDance Movement

Music-driven challenges are the lifeblood of TikTok, fostering a sense of community and interactive fun. Brands can engage with existing challenges or create their own to spark user interaction and generate a buzz. By doing so, they not only encourage user-generated content but also foster a sense of community and engagement around their brand.

@chipotle TFW guac is free. Online/in-app only 7/31 #GuacDance ♬ The Guacamole Song – Dr. Jean

Inspired by Dr. Jean’s viral guacamole song, Chipotle’s #GuacDance challenge became TikTok’s highest-performing branded challenge in the U.S. at the time. Launched on National Avocado Day, the campaign resulted in over 250,000 video submissions and 430 million video starts during its six-day run. It also led to Chipotle’s biggest guacamole day in history, with a significant increase in avocado usage to meet the demand​​.

Campaign Overview – Chipotle’s #GuacDance Challenge was centred around the “Guacamole Song” by Dr. Jean. The challenge was to create dance videos inspired by the song, promoting their guacamole. Chipotle’s use of the “Guacamole Song” for a dance challenge promoted their product in a fun, interactive way.

Impact – This challenge became one of the most successful branded TikTok challenges, generating massive user participation. By using a catchy and humorous song, Chipotle not only promoted a specific product but also created a fun and engaging way for users to interact with the brand. This strategy significantly boosted Chipotle’s brand visibility and created a positive brand association among the TikTok community.

The campaign’s high participation rate demonstrated the power of combining product promotion with engaging, user-driven content.

4. Collaborate with Artists – Trident’s #ChewTheVibes Challenge

Collaborations between brands and artists can yield creative and engaging content. By partnering with artists, brands can tap into their creativity and fan base to extend their reach and resonance on TikTok. These collaborations can range from creating custom-branded tunes to engaging in interactive campaigns that drive user participation and brand affinity.

@chloebaileywashere can you chew to the beat of the song? join me in the Trident #ChewTheVibes ♬ original sound – Chlöe Bailey

Campaign Overview – Trident Gum’s recent collaboration with singer Chlöe Bailey showcased their innovative approach to marketing. To launch their Sour Patch Kids gum, they worked with Bailey to create an original song that incorporated the sound of gum chewing as part of the beat.

Engagement and Reach – The campaign gained significant traction on TikTok, with the original song amassing 3.4 million views and being used in over 100 videos. This success was part of their #ChewTheVibes challenge, which encouraged user participation and content creation.

Impact – Trident’s creative use of sound and collaboration with a rising pop star demonstrates the brand’s understanding of engaging with younger audiences on social media platforms. The campaign’s success underlines the potential of unique, music-driven marketing strategies in capturing audience interest on TikTok.

5. Storytelling through Music – Pepsi’s Footloose Campaign

Music is a storyteller, a mood-setter, and a connector. Brands can use music to weave narratives that evoke emotions, tell their story, and build a connection with their audience. Whether it’s through a heartfelt tune or a lively beat, music can help in crafting a narrative that not only entertains but resonates with audiences on a deeper level.

By making smart choices with music and creating engaging videos, brands can turn their TikTok channel into a lively place where their message reaches and resonates with many people all over the world.

@chloebaileywashere i’m turning it loose…Footloose that is 🎶 check out full length film on @pepsi youtube now #PepsiSodaShop #PepsiPartner ♬ original sound – Chlöe Bailey

Campaign Overview – Pepsi’s creative initiative involved recruiting Chlöe Bailey to cover the iconic 1980s track “Footloose.” This was part of their promotion for a new line of “soda shop” inspired drinks.

Engagement Strategy – Leveraging a dance-video trend from the past summer, Pepsi encouraged users to engage with the campaign by following them on TikTok and Instagram. Participants were invited to share their dance moves using Chlöe’s reimagined “Footloose” track with specific campaign hashtags.

Impact – This approach not only tapped into a nostalgic vibe but also engaged the TikTok community in an interactive and dynamic way. It showcased Pepsi’s ability to blend music, social media engagement, and brand promotion seamlessly.

How to start Using TikTok’s Music-Driven Algorithm to your advantage?

Starting to use TikTok’s music-driven algorithm effectively can significantly enhance your brand’s presence on the platform. Here’s how you can take advantage of this powerful feature:

• Regularly monitor the trending sounds on TikTok. These are often indicators of what the audience currently enjoys.
• Align your content with these trending sounds or create your own original music that resonates with your brand identity.
• Participate in or initiate music-driven challenges and use popular hashtags to increase visibility.
• Partner with popular TikTok creators or musicians who can create engaging content with your chosen sound.
• Use TikTok’s analytics to track the performance of your music-driven content and adapt your strategy accordingly.

By following these steps, you can harness the power of TikTok’s music algorithm to engage with users more effectively and amplify your brand’s reach.

Unlocking TikTok’s Musical Potential with House Of Marketers

TikTok has positioned itself as a digital playground where the young and the young-at-heart come together, with music playing a starring role. When a song hits the right note on TikTok, it often sparks a new dance craze or challenge, setting the stage for viral trends that ripple through the digital realm. But the TikTok magic doesn’t end with fun tunes and viral dances; it opens doors for brands to step into the spotlight.

By aligning with the right song, brands have the opportunity to capture the TikTok audience’s imagination and soar to new heights of popularity.

Jumping into TikTok’s lively music scene to promote your brand sounds fun, but it’s not always easy. The right song can make your brand shine while the wrong one can be a turn-off. Plus, there’s the headache of making sure you have the right to use the song. It can quickly get overwhelming.

🎯 How Can We Help?

Handling TikTok marketing on your own can be like trying to hit a moving target. A professional agency takes the guesswork out of it. We have got the experience to know what works and what doesn’t.

Advantages of Hiring House of Marketers

• Expertise – We know TikTok inside and out. Our team stays up-to-date with TikTok’s evolving trends, ensuring your brand leverages the most suitable tracks.
• Time-saving – We handle everything from picking the song to launching the campaign. We streamline your TikTok campaigns, from song selection to launch, saving you valuable time.
• Legal Assurance – We know the rules about using music and will make sure your brand stays on the right side of the law. With our knowledge of music licensing, you can confidently showcase your brand without legal hiccups.
• Better Reach – We know how to get your brand in front of the right people on TikTok. Our strategies ensure your content resonates and reaches the ideal TikTok audience.

House of Marketers specialises in TikTok marketing. We can find the perfect song to represent your brand and plan out everything from there. We take the stress off your shoulders, letting you focus on other important parts of your business while they handle the TikTok side of things.

In the end…

TikTok is more than just a place for fun videos; it’s a stage where music comes to life and brands can reach lots of people in a cool way. The viral TikTok Songs we talked about show how a catchy tune can turn into a big deal on TikTok, sparking creativity and bringing people together.

The music on TikTok opens up a lot of doors for brands. It’s a way to catch the eye, share a message, and connect with people. By picking popular songs, joining in on music challenges, or even coming up with their own unique tune, brands can really make a splash on TikTok and get their message across to a wide audience.

So, whether it’s hopping on the trend of a popular song or creating your own brand tune on TikTok, the goal is to get in sync with the musical vibe of the platform. It’s about moving with the rhythm that gets people engaged. In doing so, TikTok becomes a place where your brand can truly shine and reach people in a memorable way.

Ready to Ride the TikTok Wave?

Don’t let the complexity of TikTok’s musical landscape deter you from leveraging its vast marketing potential. With House of Marketers by your side, you’re not just getting a marketing agency; you’re acquiring a partner who understands the nuances of the platform.

Join us and make your brand’s TikTok journey harmonious and impactful!

Contact us for your free campaign consultation here.