Podcast Summary
Leveraging TikTok for Startup Brand Growth: TikTok's algorithm rewards engaging content, allowing startups to reach new audiences and potentially go viral with relatively low effort.
TikTok is an effective platform for startups to grow their brand through engaging content. Mehak Vora, the founder of Skillbank, shared her experience of growing Skillbank's TikTok following from zero to 30,000 in just three months. According to Mehak, TikTok's algorithm rewards engaging content, making it easier for businesses to reach new audiences. By copying trends set by other successful accounts in their industry and making it their own, startups can save time and resources on content creation. TikTok's algorithm also tests different audiences to determine which ones are most engaged, allowing for potential viral reach. Overall, TikTok provides a unique opportunity for startups to connect with a large and engaged audience with relatively low effort, making it a valuable tool for brand growth.
Leveraging TikTok for brand building: Understand features, define brand, and stay on trend: To effectively use TikTok for brand building, study the platform's unique features, define your brand with a clear mission statement and user persona, and stay updated on trends by observing successful creators within your niche.
To effectively use TikTok for brand building, it's crucial to understand the platform's unique features and how they can be leveraged for your specific audience. The 4U page is where TikTok serves users new content from various creators, conditioning them to look for new content. The following tab displays content from creators you follow. Sounds provide a way to discover related content, and hashtags help TikTok categorize and serve your content to the right audience. Defining your brand with a clear mission statement and user persona is essential. For Skillbank, their mission is to motivate and empower individuals to define their own paths, and their audience consists of entrepreneurs, self-starters, and marketing enthusiasts. To stay on trend, identify 7-8 creators within your niche and study their content to understand the trends that resonate with your audience. Sandy Lynn with Small Business Tips, Haley Hoffman-Smith, and Follow Mario are examples of creators Skillbank looked to for inspiration. By following these creators and observing their successful trends, Skillbank was able to create content that resonated with their audience and contributed to their brand growth on TikTok.
Define a content formula, optimize with trends, and consistently post on TikTok to build a brand and grow a startup.: To succeed on TikTok for business, create a unique content strategy, optimize videos with popular music and hashtags, and regularly post to maintain visibility.
To build a brand and leverage TikTok to grow a startup, it's essential to define a content formula, optimize videos with trending music and hashtags, and regularly push out content to stay top of mind. After seeing videos perform well, consider repurposing content on other platforms like Instagram Reels and Facebook. Creating a consistent presence is key, as users are quickly scrolling through feeds. Additionally, be cautious when exploring alternative assets and ensure the platform has a proven track record before investing. For help defining your brand and creating content, resources like CreatorLibrary.co and TikTok's small business resource center can be valuable.
Innovative Solutions in Investing and Social Media Marketing: R Crowd vets and selects 1-2% of companies for investment opportunities, while Lately uses AI to create personalized social media content.
Both R Crowd and Lately offer innovative solutions in their respective fields, with R Crowd providing a rigorously vetted investment platform and Lately offering AI-driven content creation for social media marketing. R Crowd has a selective approach to investing, having vetted over 14,000 companies and only accepting a mere 1-2%, making it a top choice for accredited investors. Lately, on the other hand, uses AI to create content tailored to a user's audience, increasing engagement and saving time. Kately from Lately emphasizes the importance of creating familiar touchpoints in writing to turn customers into evangelists, a concept that Lately's AI also implements. Both platforms offer valuable tools for their users, whether it's access to high-quality investment opportunities or efficient content creation for social media marketing.
Effective writing skills save companies 400 billion dollars annually: Use strong, authoritative language and clear call-to-actions for effective communication, leading to increased conversions and growth.
Effective writing skills are essential in both personal and professional contexts, saving companies an estimated 400 billion dollars annually in the US alone. Bad writing can lead to miscommunication, back-and-forth, and inefficiencies, making clear and powerful communication a crucial skill for all team members. Caitley, from Lately, emphasizes the importance of using strong, authoritative language and clear call-to-actions in writing. Weak words like "need" and "think" can undermine your message, while "check out" is a lazy call-to-action. Instead, consider using active verbs and making the value of your call-to-action clear to the reader. These writing rules, which Lately's AI also follows, have led to impressive results, including a 98% sales conversion and a significant growth in MRR. By focusing on powerful language and clear calls-to-action, you can effectively communicate and scale your startup.
Subtle marketing techniques for effective communication: Use personal stories, language that builds trust, and clear calls to action to engage audiences and build trust without being overtly salesy.
Effective communication in marketing involves using subtle techniques to build trust and encourage action without being overtly salesy. The speaker discussed using tactics like sharing personal stories, using language that makes the audience feel like they already know the speaker, and using language that implies authority. An example given was promoting NetSuite by Oracle, where instead of directly asking the audience to "check out" the product, the speaker encouraged them to discover the "hard ways" that make the product beneficial. Another technique mentioned was not burying the lead and making the call to action clear and prominent. These methods create a sense of curiosity and engagement, leading the audience to take action without feeling pressured.
Writing Tips: Grab the Reader's Attention Quickly: Use negative calls to action, 'why' and 'because', and visuals to make your writing conversational, clear, and compelling. Vomit out ideas first, then edit rigorously to get to the heart of your message quickly.
Effective writing requires grabbing the reader's attention right from the start. According to the speaker, the traditional approach of saving the best for last no longer works. Instead, writers should "vomit" out their ideas first and then edit rigorously to ensure they get to the heart of their message quickly. Another tip is to use negative calls to action instead of positive ones. For example, instead of saying "remember to do this," say "don't forget to do this." The negative form creates a sense of urgency and shames people into taking action. The use of "why" and "because" in writing is also effective. People are naturally curious and want answers, so using these words can help keep readers engaged. Additionally, using "why" and "because" together creates a sense of trust and causes a pause at the start of a sentence, making the writing more conversational and relatable. Finally, using visuals instead of just text can help grab the reader's attention and make the writing more engaging. Overall, the key is to write in a way that is conversational, clear, and compelling, and to use techniques that tap into people's natural curiosity and desire for resolution.
Use 'we' or 'you' instead of 'I' for inclusive communication: Effective sales and marketing communication involves making people feel included and empathized with, achieved by using 'we' or 'you' instead of 'I', and anticipating audience needs. Reading out loud can also help improve tone and effectiveness.
Effective communication in sales and marketing relies heavily on making the other person feel included and empathized with. This can be achieved by avoiding the excessive use of "I" and instead using "we" or "you." The Royal We and Royal You techniques are useful in making people feel like they're part of your team, even if they're not officially yet. Additionally, reading your writing out loud can help you identify areas that may not sound natural or comfortable, allowing you to make adjustments and improve the overall tone and effectiveness of your communication. Another important aspect is anticipating the needs and questions of your audience, as demonstrated by Silicon Valley Bank's approach to working with high-growth companies. By focusing on what feels human and natural in your language, you can build trust and make informed decisions that will help turn your ideas into successful businesses.
Use your unique voice, visuals, and empathy to connect on LinkedIn: Effectively communicate on LinkedIn by using your unique voice, enhancing visuals with tools, and showing empathy towards audience.
Effective communication on social media platforms like LinkedIn requires using your unique voice, visual cues, and empathy towards your audience. Molding your scripts into your own voice gives you authority and helps build trust with your audience. Using tools like parentheses, ellipses, emojis, and keyboard shortcuts can enhance the visual appeal of your writing and make it more engaging. Remembering that people have lives beyond your communication and approaching them with empathy strengthens the bond of trust. Thinking about time zones and what resonates with your audience emotionally and providing value to them can help you effectively communicate and achieve your objectives. In essence, it's about using your voice, visuals, and empathy to connect with your audience and build trust.
Understanding social media objectives: conversion and reach (shares): Identify primary objectives, work backwards, engage employees to expand reach and build network, focus on micro goals to maximize conversions and reach.
Having a clear objective is crucial in creating effective marketing content, whether it's on social media or any other platform. The speaker emphasized the importance of understanding the two primary objectives in social media: conversion and reach (shares). For smaller companies, it might be more challenging to get clicks, but shares can be easier to obtain as people want to look good by sharing valuable content. Identifying the objective and working backwards, focusing on micro goals, can help maximize reach and conversions. Additionally, engaging employees to share and like content is a powerful way to expand reach and build a strong network. The speaker shared an example of how they successfully used this approach on LinkedIn to generate significant views and leads. While converting someone from TikTok into a funnel might be more complex due to the limited clickability of videos, the speaker didn't provide specific insights on this topic.
Effectively reaching a wider audience on TikTok through storytelling: Businesses can create authentic, engaging content on TikTok to reach a larger audience and connect with them through storytelling. Follow trends within your niche and focus on creating authentic, engaging content to resonate with your audience.
TikTok is an effective platform for businesses looking to reach a wider audience, particularly at the top of the marketing funnel. To make the most of this platform, it's essential to tell compelling stories that encourage viewers to seek out your product or service. TikTok allows users to connect their other social media accounts, making it easy for customers to find and engage with your brand. While the platform is known for its trendy and sometimes risqué content, businesses should focus on creating authentic, engaging content that resonates with their audience. TikTok videos can range from 15 to 60 seconds, and the length depends on the type of content being shared. It's recommended to follow trends within your niche to help TikTok identify your audience. The "tell me you're a marketer" trend involves using a robotic voice to subtly promote marketing services. Videos can be created directly within the TikTok app or imported from other sources. Overall, TikTok offers a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with a large, engaged audience through creative and authentic storytelling.
Exploring TikTok's content creation features and audience engagement opportunities: Brands can edit, add music, and text on TikTok, engage with trends and memes, adopt a relatable tone, use humor and trends, but must ensure authenticity and resonance with their audience.
TikTok provides a versatile platform for content creation, allowing users to edit, add music, and text, while also offering opportunities to engage with trends and memes. However, it's essential to learn the editing platform and make the content relatable to your audience. Brands can also adopt a cheeky or confrontational tone on social media, but it's crucial to ensure it feels authentic and resonates with their audience. Brands cannot fully replace the human element, but they can use it to bring their brand to life in an engaging way. The use of humor and trend engagement can help capture attention and spark imagination, but it's essential to consider the target audience and whether the tone aligns with their expectations.
Leverage existing brand and network for visibility: Engage audiences frequently but balance frequency, vary content, and avoid algorithm limitations with short, punchy messages to intrigue and capture attention.
Entrepreneurs should leverage their existing brand and network when starting out, rather than hiding behind the curtain. Cheeky and frequent engagement with audiences on social media is important, but it's crucial to find the right balance and frequency for each platform. Algorithms can limit visibility, so it's essential to vary content and avoid overwhelming followers. Short and punchy messages that intrigue and tease can be more effective in capturing attention and driving traffic to websites or blogs. Utilizing text-to-speech technology can also help improve content quality and provide new perspectives.
Balancing Visuals and Text on Multimedia Platforms: Effective use of text in multimedia requires balance, with minimal text on TikTok and experimentation with video on LinkedIn, where authenticity and engagement boost visibility.
Effective use of text in multimedia platforms requires a balance between visuals and concise, punchy text. For instance, on TikTok, minimal text is recommended to bring the video home to viewers who are primarily listening to audio. On LinkedIn, video is increasingly popular, but the optimal cadence and type of content are still being experimented with. The speakers discussed their experiences with LinkedIn's algorithm changes and the importance of engagement to boost post visibility. They also touched upon the power of authenticity and vulnerability in content, as seen in the success of emotional videos on LinkedIn. Ultimately, both marketers emphasized the importance of experimentation and adapting to platform-specific trends and user behavior.
Exploring new social media platforms for marketing: TikTok and Clubhouse offer unique opportunities for marketers to reach diverse audiences and share valuable content. Find the right approach for your brand and audience on each platform.
TikTok and other emerging social media platforms like Clubhouse offer unique opportunities for marketers to reach diverse audiences and share valuable content. While some marketers may find these platforms less appealing due to their informal nature or time constraints, others see value in the ability to create engaging, story-driven content and reach new communities. For example, TikTok can be used to share tips and ideas, which can then be repurposed on other platforms like LinkedIn. Clubhouse, on the other hand, can be used for scheduled events or webinars, providing a more structured approach for marketers looking to engage with their audiences in a more personal way. While some marketers may find these platforms a distraction, others see them as valuable tools for building brand awareness and generating leads. Ultimately, the key is to find the right approach for your brand and audience on each platform.
Unveiling the benefits of Clubhouse and repurposing content: Clubhouse offers unique benefits like audience engagement and conversion rates. Repurposing content across platforms expands reach and engages communities. Email newsletters present new opportunities for audience building.
While Clubhouse may not be the most effective platform for everyone, particularly for those with smaller followings or limited time resources, it does offer unique benefits, such as the "pullback of the black curtain" and the requirement for active participation from the audience, leading to higher conversion rates. Repurposing content across various platforms, such as podcasts, blogs, and social media, can also help expand reach and engage communities. Additionally, the rise of email newsletters, like LinkedIn's, presents new opportunities for building and growing audiences. Ultimately, it's essential for entrepreneurs and content creators to experiment with different platforms and find the best fit for their unique goals and resources.
Maximizing the Potential of LinkedIn and Clubhouse for Businesses: Leverage LinkedIn's vast user base and community-building features through newsletters and events. Address Clubhouse's limitations by engaging in live audio conversations and creating personalized experiences.
While email marketing remains an effective tool for businesses, platforms like LinkedIn and Clubhouse offer unique advantages. LinkedIn, with its vast user base, provides an opportunity to reach new audiences and build a community through newsletters and events. However, unlike email marketing, LinkedIn does not allow marketers to own the asset of the user's email address, making it more challenging to retarget or contact them directly. Clubhouse, on the other hand, offers an engaging and interactive experience through live audio conversations. However, the lack of a chat feature limits the ability to build a community and foster deeper connections. To maximize the potential of these platforms, businesses can use a combination of strategies, such as hosting events, engaging in background conversations, and acknowledging audience members' names to create a more personalized experience. By leveraging the strengths of these platforms and addressing their limitations, businesses can expand their reach and build stronger relationships with their audience.
