Score Big in the Summer of Sports with TikTok: A Guide for SMBs

With the highly anticipated Summer Games and European Football Tournament just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start preparing your business to join in on the conversation.

From #TravelTok to #SnackTok, the excitement isn’t just reserved for die-hard sports fans.

With nearly 9 in 10 users (85%) saying they intend to watch at least some of the 2024 Summer Games [1], the Summer of Sports is a chance to tap into an audience actively seeking Games-related content.

For small and medium-sized businesses, it’s a golden opportunity to leverage the power of TikTok to connect with your audience in a fresh, engaging way.

Users are turning to entertainment platforms like TikTok to get inspired, talk about, and watch content related to the Summer Games and European Football Tournament. In fact, TikTok users are just as likely to watch Summer Games content on TikTok (58%) as they are to watch the Games broadcast live on TV (57%) [2].

Start planning your creative campaigns on TikTok now to turn the buzz around the Summer of Sports into higher engagement for your brand.

Discover how to leverage the Summer of Sports hype to grow your business:

💡 Industry-specific thought-starters

TikTok gives brands from all industries a natural space to show up around the Summer of Sports conversation.

In fact, the top 5 types of brands users want to see creating Summer Games content are [3]:

• Food & Beverage

• Entertainment

• Tech

• Gaming

• Travel

No matter your vertical, you can tap into the Summer of Sports trends with the right approach.

TikTok is home to a wide range of #CommunityToks that celebrate crossover content with 73% of users saying they enjoy seeing crossovers between sports and industries like Gaming, Food, and Fashion [4].

Get inspired to start creating Games content regardless of your product or service:

🧳 #TravelTok : Offer travel tips and hacks for those planning vacations around the Summer Games.

🍜 #FoodTok : Inspire foodies with mouthwatering match-day snack ideas.

👩‍💻 #TechTok : Create tutorials on how to use tech to enhance the European Football Tournament viewing experience at home.

👠 #FashionTok : Style outfits based on match-day colors for a fashionable way to show team support.

🎮 #EntertainmentTok : Comedic and light-hearted videos feature in the top 5 types of Summer Games content users want to see from brands on TikTok [5]. Show the lighter side of the competition and your brand with fun interviews and behind-the-scenes content on event days.

Find your fans with TikTok solutions:

While the Summer of Sports offers a broad appeal, understanding your target audience is crucial for maximizing your campaign’s effectiveness.

Users come to TikTok looking for value and variety. Whether your content is purely entertainment, educational, or community-driven, it’s important to create with intent to keep your audience engaged.

Leverage TikTok’s impactful ad solutions to reach those most likely to be interested in your content:

⚽ Interests : Go beyond demographics and delve deeper. Target viewers with interests related to specific sports, teams, or fitness activities to ensure your message resonates.

🕰 Timing : Scale up your budget on conversion-focused campaigns to push sales at peak moments.

🎯 Retargeting : Create custom and lookalike audiences based on previous campaign interactions to reach new viewers with similar characteristics to your existing customer base.

📈 Always-on : Keep campaigns running before and after peak season with a focus on storytelling and brand building. Creating a high-value offering for your audience year-round makes the transition to peak conversion campaigns smoother.

To truly make the most out of the Summer of Sports opportunity, empower yourself with the right tools:

• Use TikTok Creative Centre to check out the latest hashtags and top trends surrounding the Summer Games and European Football Tournament, so your content always feels fresh and timely.

• Cut through the noise with an influencer collaboration. Search for the perfect creator to work with on the TikTok Creator Marketplace.

• Take advantage ofCapCut to edit like a Pro or work with TikTok Creative Exchange Remixed (TTCX), a one-stop shop for fast, scalable video production that takes your existing assets and re-edits them for a TikTok-native feel.

Optimize and refresh your existing content with Smart Creative, a tool that automates content diversification for a higher conversion rate and longer ad lifespan.

The most significant conversations before, during, and after the Summer of Sports will be happening on TikTok.

Make sure you have a TikTok marketing strategy in place to drive impact for your brand during the moments that matter.

For more audience insights, campaign strategies, creative tips, and more, click below to download our Summer of Sports Playbook.

Sources:

[1] TikTok Marketing Science Global, Custom Olympics Survey via Suzy, January 2023, Q5. Which of the following, if any, are you likely to watch in the 2024 Summer Olympics? n=1907 TikTok users 18+

[2] TikTok Marketing Science Global, Custom Olympics Survey via Suzy, January 2023, Q5. Which of the following, if any, are you likely to watch in the 2024 Summer Olympics? n=1907 TikTok users 18+

[3] TikTok Marketing Science Global, Custom Olympics Survey via Suzy, January 2023, Q6: What types of brands would you like to see advertising and creating social content related to the Olympics? n=1907 TikTok users 18+

[4] TikTok Marketing Science Global, Custom Olympics Survey via Suzy, January 2023

[5] TikTok Marketing Science Global, Custom Olympics Survey via Suzy, January 2023, Q8: What types of advertising and social content would you most like to see from brands related to the Olympics? n=1907 TikTok users 18+