Building a Community on TikTok: Why It’s About More Than Just Selling

Building a community on TikTok with social media strategies

TikTok has become a major player in the digital marketing landscape, but creating a successful presence on the platform requires more than just pushing products. It’s about building an engaged community, where authentic connections translate into brand loyalty and long-term success. Having a digital marketing advertising agency to help you through this if you’re new would be key to success. Let’s dive into the key elements that go beyond traditional selling on TikTok and how they can benefit your business.

The Power of Authentic Content

TikTok thrives on real, unpolished content. Unlike traditional social media, where brands often showcase a polished, curated image, TikTok users respond best to authenticity. Brands that show behind-the-scenes footage, real customer stories, or even the quirks of daily operations can foster stronger connections with their audience. This authenticity encourages trust and leads to a community that feels personally connected to your brand.

Why Does Authentic Content Work on TikTok?

TikTok’s algorithm prioritises engagement, meaning that authentic, relatable content can gain significant traction even if it’s not highly produced. In fact, 85% of users say they prefer brands to be genuine in their content rather than overly polished, according to recent social media studies. Showing the “real” side of your brand humanizes it, making followers more likely to engage, follow, and share.

Engagement Over Sales Pitches

On TikTok, direct sales pitches are often seen as interruptive. Instead, brands succeed by engaging with their followers through trends, challenges, or Q&A sessions. The platform’s interactive features, such as duet videos and comments, give brands a chance to interact in a way that feels personal and immediate. This type of engagement builds a community of followers who are more invested in your brand because they feel like part of the conversation, rather than just targets for ads.

Tips for Engaging Content

  • Join Trends and Challenges: Participate in popular trends, but add a brand-specific twist to stand out.
  • Host Q&A Sessions: Open up the floor for questions about your brand, industry, or even a “Day in the Life” format.
  • Use Polls and Duets: Let your audience vote on ideas or duet your content to spark more engagement.

Leveraging User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is invaluable on TikTok. When users create content related to your brand or product, it expands your reach and acts as social proof. Encouraging followers to participate in challenges or showcase how they use your product strengthens community bonds and builds brand loyalty. UGC also provides authentic content for you to share, showing potential customers how real people interact with your brand.

Ways to Encourage UGC

  • Launch a Hashtag Challenge: Create a unique hashtag and invite users to participate.
  • Feature Customer Stories: Re-share UGC on your TikTok and other social platforms, crediting the original creator.
  • Reward Participation: Offer small rewards or shout-outs for users who contribute content with your hashtag.

Collaborating with Influencers for Trust

TikTok influencers, whether micro or macro, play a massive role in shaping brand communities. By partnering with influencers whose audience aligns with your target market, you gain credibility and access to a built-in community of followers. Successful partnerships feel natural and organic, with influencers having the freedom to create content that resonates with their audience rather than feeling like a forced advert.

Choosing the Right Influencers

  • Look for Alignment: Find influencers whose values and content style align with your brand.
  • Prioritise Engagement Over Follower Count: Micro-influencers often have higher engagement rates, which can result in a stronger community response.
  • Collaborate, Don’t Control: Allow influencers to interpret your brand naturally within their unique content style.

Storytelling: Making Your Brand Relatable

TikTok is a storytelling platform. Brands that share stories, whether it’s the origin of the business, employee journeys, or customer testimonials, create a narrative that followers can relate to. These stories humanise your brand and make it easier for people to connect on an emotional level, fostering a deeper sense of community. Remember, people don’t just buy products—they buy stories and experiences.

Story Ideas for Your Brand

  • Origin Story: Share the journey of how your brand started.
  • Customer Testimonials: Show real stories from customers who use and love your products.
  • Employee Spotlights: Let your team members share their experiences and role in the brand. 

Consistency and Trend Awareness

Staying consistent with content is essential for building a community on TikTok. The platform moves fast, and keeping up with trends is crucial to staying relevant. Brands that post regularly and participate in trending challenges or sounds not only keep their audience engaged but also increase their chances of reaching new followers through TikTok’s algorithm. Being part of the cultural conversation shows that your brand is active, approachable, and in touch with its community.

Best Practices for Consistency

  • Post Regularly: Aim to post 2-3 times per week or more, depending on your resources.
  • Monitor Trends Weekly: Stay aware of trending hashtags, challenges, and sounds.
  • Utilise Scheduling Tools: Plan your content calendar in advance to stay consistent.

Conclusion

Building a community on TikTok is about creating value that goes beyond simply promoting a product. Brands that focus on authenticity, engagement, and storytelling are the ones that foster lasting relationships with their audience. By moving beyond the direct sell and instead building genuine connections, your brand becomes a trusted, integrated part of people’s lives, ultimately leading to long-term success on TikTok.

At Thundr, we understand the importance of authentic engagement in today’s digital landscape. Our social media management services are designed to help you build and nurture a loyal community, crafting content that resonates, drives interaction, and establishes trust with your audience. Let us support your TikTok journey with a strategy focused on community-building and engagement, helping your brand become not just visible but unforgettable.

FAQs

Find quick answers to common questions about Tik Tok as a creator

Authenticity resonates with TikTok users because the platform values real, unpolished content over staged, curated posts. This authenticity builds trust and connection.

Engagement allows brands to connect with their audience on a personal level. Interactions like comments, duets, and Q&As make followers feel like part of the conversation. Get in touch with our social media agency to learn how to execute this. 

User-generated content (UGC) is content created by customers or followers. It acts as social proof and helps extend your reach while building trust within the community.

Influencers bring a built-in audience that already trusts them. Partnering with the right influencers helps you tap into their community and gain credibility. At our digital marketing agency we can help find influencers and collaborations suited to your brand.

Storytelling humanises your brand, making it easier for people to connect emotionally. When your brand shares relatable stories, followers are more likely to form lasting connections.

Posting regularly and participating in trends shows that your brand is active and in tune with what’s happening on the platform, keeping your audience engaged and attracting new followers. Team up with a social media management agency to ensure you stay consist. 

At Thundr Digital, we specialise in creating authentic, engaging content that builds strong communities on TikTok. Our tailored strategies help your brand move beyond just selling and into creating lasting connections. We are a digital marketing agency uk so get in touch!

Thundr is a leading social media agency in Edinburgh because of our dedication to understanding our clients’ needs and tailoring our strategies to achieve measurable results. We specialise in creating authentic content that resonates with Edinburgh’s diverse audience, building community, and driving real engagement. Our team brings expertise across various platforms, from TikTok to LinkedIn, ensuring that your brand reaches its full potential on social media.

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