Why TikTok isn’t just for the young

TikTok has entered the mainstream. Despite its well-earned reputation as a platform predominantly for young people, more people are flocking to view and post videos on the site, including many over-40s. Walleroo Media notes that over-40s make up around a fifth of TikTok’s audience, with that number only growing.

 

But what is it that makes TikTok a platform so many people want to join? And what does it mean for charities who are looking for new ways to talk to their audiences?

 

With such a growing audience, the time has come for charities to start taking TikTok seriously. In this article, we explore what makes it so addictive and why older generations are now catching on.

 

 

What makes TikTok so successful?

 

Launched in 2017, TikTok is a short video platform. Audiences and users upload, share, and watch clips. Since its arrival, the platform has evolved as audiences have grown. It’s no longer just about watching people do viral dances in short snippets.

 

People like and enjoy the platform for many different reasons. Like its image-focused counterpart Instagram, there’s no real theme around what to post. Users post whatever content they like. What’s special about the platform is the interaction.

 

For many, TikTok is the ultimate platform for interactions – it’s got elements of all the other major social media outlets. The New York Times suggests that TikTok’s success lies in its ability to take social media’s interactive features and mash them together.

 

Video, images, hashtags, and other content come together in a single format. Users then use their original comment to reply to each other. Best of all, audiences can respond via video and duplicate them whilst adding themselves onto it.

 

 

How charities are leveraging TikTok

 

Charities are using TikTok to engage with audiences, raise awareness, and fundraise. Some of the most successful campaigns are educational. Organisations take snippets and broadcast them across the platform.

 

Shelter’s presence on TikTok has helped boost audience numbers and spread the word about their mission. The charity uses TikTok to dispel myths about homeless people.

 

A Shelter spokesperson speaking to Civil Society reports that: “Some of our most engaging content has been about breaking down myths around eviction rules, explaining what hidden homelessness is, or giving practical tips such as how to help someone who is sleeping rough, or how to access free sanitary products if you’re homeless and living in temporary accommodation.”

 

For many charities, promotional content taps into a younger crowd while increasing awareness.

 

 

TikTok for fundraising

 

Educational videos aren’t the only messages making a splash. Animal charity Blue Cross is taking its fundraising prowess to the next level. They partnered with the platform itself in a matched fundraising campaign.

 

The challenge for audiences was to upload cute, funny and just about any type of video online. For each video tagged with the #PetBFF, TikTok donated £1 to the charity. The hashtag had over 500 billion views, blowing most other platforms out of the competition for visibility.

 

More recently, TikTok embedded a donation ‘sticker’ for fundraising. The first two UK charities to benefit were The British Red Cross and Help Musicians. The British Red Cross’ effort on TikTok leveraged celebrities to raise over £90,000. The charity promoted star-studded video content along with the platform’s donate function.

 

For the first time, the button was introduced in live and posted video content. Audiences could tap directly onto it and be transported to the donation platform Tiltify without leaving the app.

 

 

Tips for those still on the basics

 

For many charities, getting onto the platform and making sense of it is still a challenge. However, the benefits certainly outweigh the barriers. Our simple tips here to start fundraising: 

 

 

Raise awareness on specific topics

 

The most successful charities have raised awareness for defined purposes. For many, it’s about dispelling myths or calling out an issue. When posting a video, stay on theme and make it short.

 

 

Check out how other charities use the donation sticker

 

Since the launch of Tiltify’s donation button, charities are able to tap into audiences from all social media platforms. Make sure that when broadcasting live, you add the button from your options.

 

 

Use hashtags

 

Hashtags are a great way to promote your cause. Add them to your TikTok videos to gain traction. Our top tip here is to use trending ones and those you originate. You’ll have a better chance of going viral.

 

 

Be on trend

 

TikTok’s personalised algorithm is one of the aspects that makes it so powerful. When designing and posting videos, bear in mind what’s trending. Dancing videos, filters, hashtags, and challenges have been popular. These also garner the most engagement, so where possible, ride the wave of what’s in fashion.

 

 

Don’t forget the audio

 

TikTok’s mash-up of pop songs and unique videos is another feature to leverage. To create engaging content, use music as a way of getting to the top of the feed – video isn’t the only thing that counts.