Welcome to our 2024 guide for TikTok influencer marketing in SEA.
In this article, we will continue discussing the rise of TikTok in APAC and you will learn how to pick the right TikTok influencers for your brand campaign and how to set up the right KPIs.
TikTok has emerged as a powerful platform for brands aiming to reach younger audiences and drive growth through influencer marketing. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok is not just a social media platform; it’s a cultural phenomenon that offers immense opportunities for brand visibility, product discovery, and conversions. As we look toward TikTok influencer marketing in 2024, this guide provides data-driven insights for marketers looking to harness the potential of TikTok influencers to boost their brand’s presence and sales.
The Rising Influence of TikTok in Southeast Asia
TikTok’s impact is particularly pronounced in Southeast Asia, where the market size is growing exponentially. Among the top 10 countries with the largest TikTok user bases, four are in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia leading the pack with 127.5 million users as of April 2024. Influencer marketing is highly effective in Southeast Asia, driven by the region’s rapidly growing online population. With around 482 million people using social media in the area, many rely on influencer recommendations when making purchase decisions.
This region’s young, digitally savvy population spends a substantial amount of time online, making it a fertile ground for influencer-driven campaigns. Approximately 47% of TikTok users in Southeast Asia are between the ages of 10 and 29, underscoring the platform’s dominance among younger consumers.
The importance of TikTok influencer marketing in 2024 cannot be overstated, particularly with the younger generation. Over 20% of TikTok users aged 16 to 25 report that they “purchase whatever he/she promotes” simply because they “like and trust the influencer.”
How to Leverage TikTok Influencers in 2024
To successfully market on TikTok, brands must align their content with the platform’s trends and user expectations. This involves embracing authentic, relatable content that resonates with TikTok’s audience. Here’s how you can make the most of TikTok influencers in 2024:
Step 1: Set Up Your KPIs
The first step of any campaign is to decide your goals. Once you have these in mind, you can determine which KPIs you’ll use to measure the success of your campaign. TikTok’s official data highlights that focusing on a single campaign objective, such as video views or website conversions, is far less optimal than adopting a Brandformance strategy. Brands that run Brand and Performance campaigns in tandem can expect 4.3x higher conversions, 36% lower cost per action (CPA), and 33% higher conversion rates (CVR).
💡Tips: Use attribution and conversion tracking tools to capture the measurable value of your influencer campaigns. This data will provide a clearer picture of how TikTok influencer marketing fits into your broader marketing strategy.
Step 2: Select the Right Influencers
After setting up your campaign KPIs, the next step is identifying influencers who align with your brand’s values and target audience. Digital Business Lab specializes in helping brands select tailored influencers using tools like Upfluence’s influencer database, which allows brands to find the right creators based on social data, brand affinity, and other metrics.
In addition to leveraging these tools, we have also built an extensive influencer pool across various markets, including Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Mainland China. This pool is carefully curated and tailored for different categories, proving highly effective for diverse types of brands. See projects for the Wikimania event, iHerb, Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, etc.
💡Tips: Consider working with micro- and nano-influencers in 2024. These influencers, with their specialized knowledge of niche audiences, often deliver higher engagement rates. A 2019 influencer marketing report found that influencers with 50,000 to 250,000 followers delivered 30% better ROI than those with 250,000 to 1 million followers, and 20% better than those with more than a million followers.
Step 3: Only Use Content That Converts
To fully utilize the influencer’s impact, brands need to ensure that the content provides the most conversion opportunities. TikTok offers various content formats, including video posts (from 15 seconds to 10 minutes), TikTok Stories, live videos, and ads. These formats allow brands to showcase their products creatively while building interest.
💡Tips: Popular Content Formats in 2024
- How-to & Tutorial Videos: Educational content that provides value and showcases products in use.
@iherb Shop @Vlada Aleks on-the-go essentials for an easy #nomakeupmakeup look within 5 minutes or less! 😍 #makeuptips #makeuproutine #minimalmakeup #makeuptutorial #iHerb ♬ Dance monkey ringtone – iRingtones
- Day-in-the-Life Videos: Authentic snippets of daily routines that integrate product usage seamlessly.
@lifewithnt3 Get Ready with me for the movies! Here’s a quick outfit idea ft @Zappos They have a huge apparel selection! #Ad #zappos #GotItOnZappos ♬ original sound – Norman Thrasher III
- Brand Challenges Videos: Interactive campaigns or contests that generate user-generated content and drive engagement.
@charlidamelio hi. you’re gonna freak. you can get your favorite drink on your local @dunkin menu!! join me 🧡💓#dunkinmenucontest #ad ♬ original sound – charli d’amelio
Step 4: Utilize TikTok’s Social Commerce Features
Social commerce is growing rapidly, with TikTok Shop’s GMV skyrocketing to USD 16.3 billion in 2023. And it’s estimated that SEA social commerce sales are expected to reach $85-$125 billion by 2027.
TikTok is capitalizing on this trend by enhancing its social commerce features to help brands, creators, and affiliates sell directly on the platform. Not like other platforms like Shopee and Lazada, TikTok Shop embraces an omnichannel approach, allowing redirection of users to other platforms or websites to complete purchases or even offline and pop-up stores. Their openness to omnichannel sales not only brought them rocket growth but made it a powerful tool for brands to drive conversions, allowing brands to integrate product links and promo codes seamlessly into content for a frictionless shopping experience.
Conclusion: Embrace TikTok Influencer Marketing in 2024
TikTok’s influence in the digital marketing space is undeniable, and the platform’s potential for driving brand growth is immense. By strategically partnering with TikTok creators and leveraging the platform’s unique features, brands can unlock new opportunities for engagement and conversions. As we head into 2024, it’s clear that TikTok influencer marketing will be a crucial element for brands looking to connect with younger audiences and achieve significant growth.
(1) Mastering TikTok Advertising in Singapore: A Comprehensive Guide for 2023
(2) Winning Organic Strategy on TikTok: The 4S
(3) ① TikTok Ad Formats: Types and Tips
(4) ②TikTok Creator Marketplace: Find your creator
