What's Next: Turning it up on TikTok

It's no secret that sound is a differentiator for TikTok—and 2021 was our loudest year yet. We uncovered research that showed how sound influences ad effectiveness, how TikTok influences the music industry, and how specific audio types make people feel. We saw brands launch campaigns where sound was a focal point and marveled as TikTok became the space for promising new musicians to thrive.

The craziest part? That was just the beginning. In 2022, we'll roll out new products and insights designed to help our partners to get in on the joy and potential of sound and use it to drive their bottom lines.

Meet your experts:

⬤ Bryan Cosgrove Director of Commercial Music & Creative Licensing at TikTok

⬤ Cedric Engels CEO of sound production agency Sonhouse

⬤ William Gruger Music Editorial & Programming Lead, US at TikTok

Winning Audio in 2022

If you want to get started on your 2022 TikTok strategy, but aren't yet sure how to use sound in your plans, have no fear. We tapped three experts to give guidance on how brands can win their audio strategies in the year to come—from using cutting-edge tools to putting artists at the forefront of content. Here's what they had to say.

1. Craft distinctive sonic branding

Sonic branding is a powerful way to convey a company's identity. Cosgrove notes that TikTok trends are mostly based around songs or audio snippets, rather than broad-scale sound design. But if brands want to explore their sonic identity on the platform, they should make sure it's distinct, according to Engels.

"They have to create something distinctive, something they can own, so they can touch people’s hearts, stay in their minds. If your brand's sound is ‘average,’ then it disappears in the mass," said Engels. "A distinctive sonic identity makes a brand stand out from competitors. And that lets them build long-term relationships with audiences. The sound identity will stick.

2. Think (and act) musician-first

TikTok is a launchpad for some of today's biggest artists. They can release songs on the platform, where music is easily shared and built upon, thanks to TikTok's culture of participation and co-creation. That behavior will continue in 2022, according to Gruger.

"Artists will tease their music on the platform, leaning into posting and starting their own trends by interacting with users in order to drive streaming," Gruger said. "Some artists have already teased snippets of their songs before releasing a full track, then seen heavy engagement. As a result, those artists experienced massive gains in streaming." Brands can also galvanize the TikTok community around certain musicians by putting artists at the forefront of what they do on the platform, said Cosgrove.

"[Brands can] can get involved in big moments in an artist's life, like album releases, tours, and award nominations. They can find ways to show what's coming, and what that artist is doing, and say, "By the way, our brand is a part of it." Let the music be front and center," he said.

3. Be an early adopter of voice tech

On TikTok, audio is about more than just music—voice is also a huge component. Our text-to-speech feature was popular in 2021. Voice effects are a source of inspiration and creativity for our users. And as this kind of technology continues to grow, voice will become an even bigger part of TikTok.

"The popularity of our voice assistant and the interest of some brands to explore this space are both good indicators" of this potential growth, said Cosgrove.

Amid this evolution, as people hear more automated voices, they'll start to year to hear authentic human narration—which may become a key aspect of genuine storytelling on TikTok, said Engels.

"'Real’ voices by individuals will gain importance. The original human element can make the difference," said Engels. "Brands should think about their tone of voice within a sonic branding strategy."

Bottom line? Brands should combine fun tools like the text-to-speech reader with honest voiceovers and direct-to-camera dictation. Using both will allow them to get in on the joy of a trend, while still forming close bonds with viewers.

"Sound is the basis of communication. People have always used their voices to share their messages. Voice can add nuance to what you want to say," said Engels.

Sources

1. TikTok Marketing Science US Understanding TikTok's Impact on Culture Custom Research 2021, conducted by Flamingo

2. TikTok Marketing Science US Music Perceptions Research 2020 conducted by MRC Data (formerly Nielsen Music)

3. TikTok Marketing Science US Sound On Part 2: Audio Effects Research 2021 conducted by Media Science