From swipes to sales: lead generation via TikTok

In 2020, as the world went into lockdown, there was a new app that emerged: TikTok. The app was initially unpopular in the West. In the beginning, TikTok was often mocked and seen as superficial and uninteresting.

By 2024, TikTokis one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the world. With more than 1 billion active users, it is an ideal place to reach your target audience and generate new leads. Learn here how TikTok can serve as a lead generator, creative tips, the importance of TikTok pixels and much more.

New partners: TikTok x HubSpot

What is TikTok and how can it serve as a lead generator?

TikTok is hot. The short video app has more than a billion users and is still growing. TikTok is not only a fun platform to relax and have fun, but also a powerful tool for lead generation.

Why is TikTok so suitable for lead generation?

TikTok is the latest hotspot for lead generation. This dynamic platform offers many opportunities to reach, engage and convert your target audience. Some of the benefits of TikTok include:

• A large and diverse audience: With more than 1 billion monthly active users, you are guaranteed to find your ideal leads on TikTok. From millennials to Gen Z, marketing gurus to foodies, the diversity on the platform is huge.
• Interactive content: Forget static content. On TikTok, it's all about interaction. Unleash your creativity and create catchy videos that trigger your audience to like, comment and share.
• Easy to use: TikTok is a super user-friendly platform. With TikTok, anyone, regardless of their technical skills, can easily create and publish videos.
  

What really sets TikTok apart is the fresh and creative way you can chat with your audience. Why is TikTok so powerful, you ask? Simply because most content creators are themselves. No exaggerated makeup sessions or perfect pictures, but real, "unfiltered" opinions. This ensures high credibility.

Moreover, TikTok has a young and engaged audience. If your target audience is primarily young people, then TikTok is the place to be to score leads. Studies show that TikTok users are more likely to interact with brands and make a purchase than the average social media user.

Some success stories of TikTok lead generation campaigns

Ryanair: TikTok campaign with humor leads to success. The airline launched a TikTok campaign in 2022 in which it joked about its own reputation. The campaign was a hit and led to an increase in brand awareness and sales. (HubSpot, 2023)

Spotify used TikTok to generate more awareness for its new "Duo" package for couples. The campaign was based on a branded hashtag challenge (#HowDuoYouListen) with a dance challenge for couples. The results were stunning: over 280,000 couples participated in the challenge, over 713 million video views were generated 6.7% in brand awareness, an 8.10% increase in recognition ( TikTok for business, 2023)

How does TikTok work as a lead generator?

There are several reasons why TikTok can be an effective lead generator for you. First, TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the world. It has a huge reach and can help you increase brand awareness and reach new audiences.

TikTok offers two effective solutions for collecting leads on the platform:

A. Native lead generation

With native lead generation on TikTok, you can easily and directly generate leads within the app itself. This is a great option if you want to reduce form friction and achieve direct lead capture. It allows you to create customer lists and email lists, and the data can be synced with your CRM system in real-time. You can also conduct surveys with fewer than 10 questions, allowing you to gain valuable insights from your target audience (TikTok, 2022).

B. Website lead generation

If you already have a lead form on your website, you can use TikTok to boost traffic to your website and collect leads. This option is especially useful if you want more detailed qualification of your leads. By directing TikTok users to your website, you can give them more information and entice them to leave their details. This way, you get a deeper understanding of your leads and can better respond to them (TikTok, 2022).

With these two options, TikTok offers a powerful way to generate leads and grow your business.

Important creative tips to generate leads on TikTok

To successfully generate leads on TikTok, it is essential to create creative and engaging videos that grab your viewers ' attention immediately . Because our "attention spam" is getting shorter and shorter, the first few seconds are crucial to generate interest.

Here are some valuable tips you can follow:

1. Be authentic: TikTok users love authenticity. Create videos that reflect your brand personality and don't be afraid to be yourself.
2. Keep it short and sweet: TikTok videos can now also be up to 3 min however 60 second videos still have the biggest impact. Make sure you get your message across clearly and concisely.
3. Use trending sounds and hashtags: By using popular sounds and hashtags, you can make your videos stand out and generate more reach.
4. Use storytelling: Tell a story in your videos to hold the interest of your target audience and engage them with your brand.
5. Experiment with different formats: Try out different video formats, such as tutorials, challenges and humor, to discover what resonates best with your target audience. In the beginning, it's important to appeal to broad audiences to launch your first lead generation campaign. Later, you can refine the focus and target a more specific audience that best suits your business.
   
   

Using these tips, you can create creative and effective videos that generate leads and grow your brand on TikTok.

The importance of the TikTok pixel for lead generation.

The TikTok pixel is a useful tool that businesses can use to generate leads and measure the performance of their ads. The TikTok pixel is a piece of code you can install on your website to track the behavior of TikTok users after they click on your ad or they fill out a form on your website. Read how to install the TikTok pixel here.

The TikTok pixel allows you to see, for example, which pages users visit, what products they view and whether they make a purchase. This information can help you optimize your marketing strategy and generate more leads.

Through a TikTok pixel, you can also run remarketing campaigns. You can target TikTok users who have already interacted with your ads or website. This increases the chances of converting leads and encouraging repeat purchases.

Is the TikTok pixel necessary?

Implementing a TikTok pixel is not strictly necessary for seeing your results in HubSpot. HubSpot itself has its own tracking and analytics features. You can use HubSpot to track data, generate reports and manage leads without directly relying on a TikTok pixel.

However, if you are running specific TikTok campaigns and want to perform detailed tracking on TikTok, using the TikTok pixel may offer benefits. The TikTok pixel allows you to collect data on how users respond to your ads on the TikTok platform, including tracking conversions and optimizing your campaigns based on this data. This also allows you to improve your CPL (cost-per-lead).

Tips for setting up your TikTok campaign

When using TikTok as a lead generator, it is important to set a budget and optimize your ad campaigns. Here are some strategies you can follow:

1. Set a realistic budget: Determine how much you are willing to spend on TikTok ads and consider the cost per click and expected results. TikTok recommends setting a daily budget for each ad group that is at least 20 to 50 times the expected cost per lead.
2. Test different audiences and keep optimizing: Experiment with different audiences and ad layouts to see which ones work best for your business. TikTok recommends starting with at least three ad groups, each with different targeting settings and creative content. This will help you find the best audience for your campaign.
3. Monitor and analyze your performance: Regularly monitor your ad performance through HubSpot and analyze which campaigns and audiences are most effective in generating leads.
4. Test and learn: Continue to continuously experiment and innovate with various strategies and techniques to discover what works most effectively for your business. Consider adding more humor in your videos or creating informative content that appeals to your target audience.
   
   

TikTok is an indispensable powerful tool for lead generation. By creating creative content, using TikTok pixels and setting up the right campaigns, you can not only generate more leads, but also present your brand in a unique and eye-catching way.

Want to learn more about lead generation? Read our blog on lead nurturing.

Or talk to one of our experts!