Whether you’ve used it or not, it’s likely that you’ve heard about TikTok. The Chinese-made platform has charmed millenials and Gen Xers with its short video clips accompanied by music. Using a series of algorithms, TikTok presents users with the content they enjoy the most and has already achieved a staggering valuation of $70bn.
As TikTok matures, it will increasingly become part of the content strategy of most companies looking to target new digitally native generations. The question is - can TikTok be used by recruiters as part of an employer branding or recruitment marketing package?
The simple answer is yes absolutely. As workers around the world turn away from paid advertising and towards storytelling, TikTok provides a dynamic way for brands to reach their prospective talent. As the recent #InMyDenim hashtag campaign by Guess highlights, there is potential to generate organic inbound from TikTok content.
Using hashtag challenges and micro-influencers, brands can give users a more intimate look into their operations than ever before. Show the fun side of daily life at your company, give a glimpse of how your product is made, or do short interviews with management. Employer branding can become an increasingly visual phenomenon thanks to TikTok and its short video format.
Examples of organizations beginning to use TikTok as part of their content strategy are springing up in the most unexpected places. A hospital in Dortmund is using TikTok to highlight the daily life of its workers in a fun way, in order to attract staff given the shortage of qualified professionals in the medical sector in Germany. Whilst this is a controversial move, the strategy is already paying dividends for the hospital in terms of talent acquisition but also team spirit.
When building an employer brand, TikTok seems to offer the ability not only to attract talent more organically through content, but also to build a better culture on the current team around values such as enjoyment at work.
TikTok is now also trialling its first advertising streams which will also offer recruiters more options in the future for paid channels. Whilst it is too early to measure the success of branded lenses or biddable ads, it’s clear that other channels like takeovers and hashtag challenges are working effectively on the platform.
Whilst TikTok has its many benefits, it’s of course important to mention that it suits certain industries better at this moment in time. Does your product require assembly that can be shown in a video? Is it a fashion item that can be worn by influencers? Can someone talk about your company in a way that excites others? Perhaps using TikTok to recruit in certain industries may prove more challenging but this is part of building any content strategy - understanding your audience and tailoring channels to them.
If you haven’t already, give TikTok a spin and see if it could potentially help your organization stand out in a crowded talent acquisition market. Whilst it may not provide the level of depth or reliability as other platforms like LinkedIn or AngelList, it certainly offers a more visual way to build the critical employer brand you’ll need for the future. And getting ahead of the curve in terms of social media can only be beneficial for your hiring.