12 Tips To Improve Your TikTok Marketing in Singapore

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media marketing, TikTok has emerged as a powerhouse platform, especially in Singapore. With its rapid growth since 2020 during lockdown in Singapore and unique content format, TikTok offers immense opportunities for businesses to connect with their audience in creative ways. If you know just how to take advantage of the TikTok algorithm and reach your target audience, you will be able to take your business to new heights and grow like never before. 

However, succeeding on TikTok is not an easy feat, it takes a lot more than just posting on TikTok. It requires a strategic approach tailored to the platform’s dynamics and audience preferences. Here are 12 tips to improve your TikTok marketing game in Singapore.

1. Stay Authentic

In the realm of Tiktok, authenticity stands as the paramount factor. As a result, some of the best TikTok advertisement campaigns in Singapore have often been by brands thinking outside of the traditional advertising box. The platform thrives on the sharing of genuine moments and the establishment of personal bonds with your audience. 

Presenting your brand’s character through inventive and relatable content is the key to success. Whether it is unveiling behind-the-scenes insights, featuring the team behind the creation of the product, or unique customer reviews, TikTok serves as an ideal avenue for brand’s to showcase a different angle of themselves as compared to how they are on Instagram. 

Users on TikTok value content that feels authentic and relatable, prioritising it over polished advertisements or high-production value advertisements. By showcasing the human aspect of your brand through candid behind-the-scenes footage, user-generated content, or genuine reviews, you will be able to deeply resonate with your audience and forge an authentic, lasting connection. 

2. Understand Your Audience

Singapore boasts a diverse and tech-savvy population. Understanding your audience is crucial. Are you aiming for Gen Z or millennial working professionals? Each demographic has its preferred content style, humour, and language. Plexxie Blog: Buyer Personas: The Ultimate Guide to Knowing Your Audience can help you craft a buyer persona to laser focus your content. 

While demographics (age, gender, location) may offer a baseline, having a more in-depth understanding of your Singaporean audience will unlock true marketing magic. What are some ways that you can refine your targeting? Ask yourself these questions: 

1. What excites your target audience? K-pop, Taylor Swift, Central Cee, the list goes on…and the range is extremely wide. Find out what Singaporeans are interested in and tailor content that resonates with them.
2. Which local influencers do Singaporeans like? Delve into the Singaporean social media landscape and explore popular local platforms like SGAG, MothershipSG, or niche communities on TiKTok.
3. How do Singaporeans use TikTok? Do they prefer educational content, updates on the latest happenings in Singapore, or street interviews? Analyse watch times, playthrough rates, and content categories to understand their preferences.

3. Make the Most of Hashtags

Hashtags are your gateway to discovery. By leveraging popular Singapore-specific hashtags such as #sgtiktok, #sgfoodie and #supportlocalSG, you can significantly increase your content’s visibility and connect with a broader audience that extends beyond your initial target demographic. 

However, maximising the effectiveness of hashtags necessitates a more nuanced approach. Conducting thorough research to identify trending hashtags within your specific industry is paramount. Integrate these relevant hashtags strategically within your captions and video descriptions to enhance discoverability for users actively searching for content related to your niche. 

Branded hashtags offer a unique opportunity to generate excitement around your brand or new product launch. By crafting a catchy and memorable branded hashtag, you not only enhance discoverability, but also foster a sense of community by encouraging user-generated content. 

4. Influencer Collaborations

Unearthing the right influencers for your brand can be the difference between a viral campaign and a forgotten blip. Thorough research is crucial for connecting with the most relevant creators who can effectively amplify your objectives. Follower counts are not everything so you should not be swayed by that alone. 

Prioritise influencers whose audience closely aligns with your target demographic and whose content resonates with your brand identity. Plexxie Blog: Influencer Marketing In Singapore: What, Why, Who, How and Where dives deeper into the world of influencer marketing and helps you navigate successful collaborations.

Partnerships that feel forced fall flat. Look for influencers who possess a natural synergy with your brand. This shared connection fosters trust and authenticity, making your marketing efforts feel less like a commercial and more like a genuine recommendation from a friend. People can always easily tell the difference between a post done by an influencer who genuinely likes the product they are advertising for from one who is doing it just to earn money. The right content creators, those with the perfect blend of influence and brand alignment, can weave your message seamlessly into their content, bypassing viewers’ tendencies to skip past the video. 

5. Music Matters

Unlike most social media platforms, TikTok thrives on sound. From the moment you open the app, catchy tunes and captivating sound effects bombard your senses and fill your feed. Understanding this inherent connection between sound and engagement is essential to your TikTok marketing success in Singapore. 

Just like how a well-chosen soundtrack elevates a movie scene, the right music sets the mood for your TikTok video. Upbeat music injects energy and humour, while soulful melodies can evoke a sense of nostalgia or reflection. Staying on top of trending sounds and challenges is crucial for maximising engagement. Capitalise on popular audio clips and jump on them the moment you chance upon it. Who knows, your next video could go viral? 

6. Captivate in the First 3 Seconds

The fast paced nature of TikTok, particularly amongst Gen Z and millennial viewers in Singapore, presents a unique challenge for marketers. With endless scrolling and limited attention spans, capturing audience interest within the first 3 seconds of a video is critical for success. Failing to do so risks viewers swiping past your content before they even see the message. For a deep dive into garnering the attention of Gen Zs, check out Plexxie’s Youtube Video: Marketing to Gen Z in 2023.

To overcome this hurdle, crafting compelling opening hooks for your Singaporean TikTok campaigns is essential. These hooks serve as the initial ‘grab’ that entices viewers to stop scrolling and invest time in your video. Several brands have employed various tactics such as featuring celebrities in their videos, saying there will be a big reveal at the end of the video, or even holding giveaways at the end of the video but leaving clues throughout so the viewers have no choice but to watch the entire thing. 

7. Consistency is Key

For you to truly dominate TikTok in Singapore, consistency is your secret weapon. It is important that you find a posting schedule you can maintain in the long run. Do not burn yourself out trying to post too frequently as quality trumps quantity. Instead, plan and film your content in batches to have ample time for editing. 

Utilise a content calendar to ensure a consistent brand voice while offering a variety of engaging themes. Need help creating a content calendar? Check out Plexxie’s guide on How to Create A Social Media Calendar: https://plexxie.com/blog/how-to-create-a-social-media-content-calendar/ 

8. Be Audience Centric 

Social Media thrives on interactions, by responding to comments, answering questions, reposting stories and going live on TikTok, you build a community and keep viewers hooked. By engaging strategically, you expand your reach, sharing your brand story with a wider audience, possibly gaining global recognition. Engagement goes beyond the numbers, it fosters loyalty and trust as you create a connection that encourages viewers to invest time in you.

While it is tempting to post and run, true engagement relies on the opposite approach. You must get into the habit of visiting the comments of your TikTok videos and asking questions while answering thoughtfully to users who reach out as well. To truly grow your company’s TikTok account, expand your reach by actively engaging with other accounts or creators as well.

9. Keep it Short and Sweet

Attention spans are short on TikTok, so grab viewers fast with concise, action-packed videos. Think under a minute – ideally even shorter, but brevity does not mean sacrificing impact. Spice up your videos with creative elements like eye-catching filters, stickers and informative captions. 

Captions are especially powerful, they can add humour, context or even translate your message for a wider audience. This ensures your videos resonate and keep your viewers hooked. Want to dive deeper into TikTok growth strategies? You can find out even more here.

10. Analyse and Adapt

Using TikTok analytics can help you to truly understand your audience’s demographics and content preferences. The ‘Followers’ or ‘Profile Views’ tab reveals who is watching while the ‘Content’ tab shows what resonates best (dance challenges or educational content?). Use this data to tailor your content and identify trending topics. Remember, qualitative insights from comments and brand mentions are just as valuable for building audience connection and brand awareness. 

Want to take your TikTok strategy a step further in Singapore? Plexxie’s Youtube video, ‘TikTok SEO Hacks: Keyword Research Strategy To Get More Views’ explains in detail the different ways you can optimise content for the TikTok search engine. Learn how to use the relevant keywords to get your videos discovered by the right audience here.

11. Power of TikTok Ads

For marketers in Singapore accustomed to traditional digital advertising, TikTok ads offer a paradigm shift. Research has shown that User-Generated Content ads reign supreme on the platform. These ads outperform established players like Facebook and even surpass traditional formats, fostering a more genuine connection with viewers. 

TikTok’s unique algorithm and user base enable brands to reach audiences in innovative ways, leading to higher engagement and brand recall. Marketers can leverage platform’s interactive features to create memorable experiences that resonate with users on a personal level. Additionally, the platform’s emphasis on creativity allows brands to experiment with different formats to capture attention and drive results. This shows the power of UGC ads – it’s authentic, engaging and taps into existing trends.

12. Embrace Local Flavours

While global trends dominate the vast landscape of TikTok, never underestimate the power of showing Singapore’s unique identity. Singapore boasts a vibrant culture, mouthwatering cuisine, and iconic landmarks. Highlighting these elements in your videos ignites a sense of national pride among viewers. Imagine captivating dance challenges set against the backdrop of Marina Bay Sands, or hilarious skits featuring iconic local dishes like Chicken Rice. This local flavour resonates deeply with Singaporeans, fostering a sense of connection and brand loyalty.

While trending sounds offer global reach, do not forget the power of Singaporean music! Consider partnering-up with up-and-coming Singaporean musical talents or even seasoned ones like Benjamin Kheng or Jasmine Sokko. This approach injects a unique local flavour into your video and fosters brand affinity with music-loving Singaporeans.

By embracing Singapore’s unique culture, cuisine, and music, you craft content that feels authentic and relatable. This approach not only fosters brand affinity but positions your brand as a champion of the Singaporean spirit, a powerful asset in the competitive world of TikTok marketing. 

Conclusion

With a strategic approach and a dash of Singaporean flair, your brand can become a major player on the dynamic stage of TikTok. Remember, authenticity is key. Embrace the unique energy of Singapore, tap into the power of user-generated content, and prioritise genuine audience connection. By following these steps, you’ll not only conquer Singaporean TikTok, but also forge lasting relationships with your viewers and propel your brand to new heights.