Flip the Script: Why TikTok First Creative is a Winning Brand Strategy

Kansas native Dorothy Gale got it right when she said, "There's no place like home." And you don't have to go to Oz for that statement to ring true. Sports fans know that the home-field advantage is real. In fact, sporting organizations around the world report that designated home teams win more games than lose. Well, add TikTok to the list of places where a home-field advantage can help you win big.

Our data shows that when brands create entertaining ads native to TikTok, they can maximize performance on our platform. We call this approach 'TikTok First Creative.' Our research finds that it is more effective than other content strategies and allows brands to optimize for efficiency because creative content made for TikTok works on other platforms too! TikTok gives brands the rare ability to take that home-field advantage with them, even when playing away games—which is the kind of stuff championship teams are made of.

Boost your brand by creating 'TikTok First'

To continue the sports metaphor, consider your brand a baseball team and TikTok your home stadium. When you play at home, surrounded by supporters and familiar with the terrain, your team is set up for success. Following a 'TikTok First' approach similarly boosts your brand and captures more attention from your target audience.

Creative content made for TikTok generally attracts more attention from audiences but also garners a higher quality of awareness due to the platform's unique format and characteristics, positioning brands at the center of in-platform conversations. This translates to creating content that drives stronger purchase intent and builds brand advocates. Our research indicates that users (60%)¹ who encounter ads created for TikTok plan to purchase those products from snack brands in the next three months or tech brands in the next six months. Also, after watching those ads, users (72%)¹claim they are likely to recommend the brand advertised to others.

'TikTok First Creative' unlocks your brand's potential.

On TikTok, users want entertainment, not interruptions. So for brands to thrive on TikTok, they need to create FOR TikTok, generating content that entertains, educates, and inspires without feeling out of place on the platform. In fact, users (60%)² agree it is important that a platform includes advertising in a way that doesn't disturb their experience.

Our users trust the For You Page to deliver relevant and entertaining content. TikTok users (65%)³will watch whatever the algorithm suggests and are 3.7x³more likely to trust FYP programming versus similar video streaming platforms. That means our audiences expect content that feels authentic and native to the platform, so the quickest way to succeed on TikTok is to create for it!

'TikTok First' ads work no matter the platform

We've firmly established that teams do better when they play home games. Imagine a world where you can take that home game energy and achieve the same results when you play away games. Beyond sounding like every sports fan's dream, it's also what brands can accomplish when they create content for TikTok and run it on other platforms.

When brands adopt an approach prioritizing TikTok, it's easy for your brand to get points on the board, creating optimized content for the platform that's likely to result in better performance. At the same time, creative made for TikTok can be used off-platform without negatively affecting efficiency and performance. In fact, the general public's affinity for creative native to TikTok is so strong that they don't have to appear on TikTok to achieve your brand's desired results.

Our data shows that viewers (52%)¹ said seeing TikTok ads on other platforms drives their likelihood of purchasing a product from snack brands in the next three months or tech brands in the next six months. Here are a few other fun facts:

After seeing TikTok First ads on other platforms¹

'TikTok First Creative' succeeds because it establishes a mutually beneficial relationship with the community by meeting them where they are, resulting in increased engagement and a more receptive audience for brand messaging. By utilizing this creative strategy, you're taking that home-field advantage energy and bringing it wherever you go...which sounds like the makings of a marketing Grand Slam.

What's Next? Turning old content into TikTok First Creative

If this impromptu locker room pep talk has taught you anything, 'TikTok First Creative' is the perfect play to maximize and optimize your performance on our platform.

However, if there's existing content your brand would like to repurpose, you can still outperform and drive desired brand outcomes by adopting a 'TikTok First' mentality.

Just remember: make sure your content is high quality and your ads are optimized for TikTok in vertical format! High quality repurposed ads are seen as more memorable, showing a 37% increase amongst audiences in unaided ad recall and 58% increase in aided ad recall. Ads in vertical format also show an 8% increase in purchase intent (vs. repurposed ads in horizontal format) and a 7% increase in perceptions of relevance⁴.

So what are you waiting for? Win big with your brand and get started today!