TikTok just did something very interesting -- they just announced they don't consider themselves a social media platform anymore. TikTok, now, considers itself an entertainment platform. If you want to get into TikTok marketing, there is a trove of data that tells us a lot about how TikTok prioritizes what videos end up on the For Your page and end up getting pushed out and distributed. They are looking for videos that they consider entertaining.
So how are they judging that?
• how well it's shared out
• how many times someone watches a video
- If someone watches a video and moves on quickly, they are not as interested in the content
- TikTok does not consider this content entertaining even if you were able to get a like or comment in that brief time.
The Transition
The other platforms haven't quite gone that route yet, but I think we're seeing a massive shift in recognizing that marketing is not just about putting out messages and educating your audience. Many small business owners end up doing a lot of education because we feel we must help our audience understand why we're priced where we're at and how we do things differently or better than our competition. This leads us to put out videos, blogs, content, and social media posts for things like advertising a sale or celebrating how unique your company is. This method can lead to essential information getting skipped over because it's lacking that crucial, critical element of entertaining. When we release content that is entertaining, we have something that gets people to engage with us on more than one level. They're watching, it they're enjoying it, and we’re evoking emotion. Now, that emotion could make them feel smart, but most of the time, it also needs an emotional element. It needs to make them laugh, cry, or make them angry. Get them excited! That is entertainment.
A Perfect Example
Don't believe me? Check out what Jesse Cole has accomplished with the Savannah Bananas over the past few years. In a short time, he went from being relatively unknown to becoming a massive presence on the national stage for the media. This recognition has garnered attention from almost every major media outlet. They are regularly sending camera crews and interviewers out to the Bananas. By holding true to his mantra: “Fans first, Entertain Always,” Jesse Cole created an incredibly successful, engaging, and entertaining Team and Business. It is nearly impossible to get tickets to a Savannah Bananas’ games because they really are just that good. Jesse Cole has always understood that, in life, business is about entertainment, not necessarily marketing.
Putting it into Practice
When we entertain, we draw people in. If the product or service is good on the back end, you will attract and build a loyal customer base.
So, here's my question: What's one crazy funny thing you can do that is entertaining for your audience today?