7 TikTok Trends and Challenges Your Brand Can Use This Holiday Season

TikTok might be just the social platform you’re looking for to get a competitive advantage this holiday season.Unlike any other social network, it brings down the corporate barriers - its fun, personal, and addictive nature makes the engagement rates hefty. Especially if you’re targeting millennials, who spend hours on end in TikTok vortexes, hunting for the best videos.However, you can’t get complacent with TikTok marketing. Trends are constantly evolving. So to be relevant, you need to have your finger on the pulse and be ready to capitalize on the latest dance craze or TikTok challenge.To help you out, I’ve collated 7 of the latest TikTok trends doing the rounds with brand examples you can draw inspiration from this holiday season.

1. 3D Photo Effect

The 3D photo effect trend has caught fire on TikTok in recent times. Basically, users take a photo or still from a video, turn it into a 3D image, and create mini-montages.Showing off your products in 3D is a great way to help your customers visualize what it’s like to use them, without physically seeing them. Jumping on a TikTok trend like this will also help more people discover your business because users are actively browsing hashtags like #3Dphotoeffect and #3dtrend.The TikTok video below from Oodie shows how you can combine video and the 3D photo effect to engage with your customers.[embed]http://www.tiktok.com/@the_oodie/video/6967988108612750593[/embed]

2. Product Reviews and Testimonials

There is a trend on TikTok at the moment of people turning their DMs into quote images and overlaying the text onto a video. As with most TikTok trends, brands are adapting. Rather than including text from a DM, many businesses are overlaying testimonials and product reviews to piggyback this content style.Underwear brand, Manmade used this concept in the video below to showcase honest feedback from customers wearing their product.[embed]http://www.tiktok.com/@manmade.official/video/7003007789266144518[/embed]There’s no denying the power of impartial third parties, such as your customers, providing honest reviews and testimonials about your product. It’s much more compelling than your marketing team talking up its best features.

3. Busy Thinking About

This trend is based on a really simple concept, but it’s a highly engaging way to represent your brand. Basically, you start off a video with the phrase “I’ve been busy thinking about…” Then, you reveal the thing you’ve been thinking about in the second half of the video.For brands, you can reveal a key product feature, an unknown fact about your business, or even a discount code. The cool thing about this trend is that it is based on the psychology of a reveal - people naturally want to find out what you’ve been thinking about.Kaja Beauty rode the wave of the #BusyThinkingAbout trend by revealing the distinctive sound their products make when opened or closed. It creates a tactile experience for potential customers.

4. Tell Me Without Telling Me

The #TellMeWithoutTellingMe TikTok trend is one of my favorites because it’s more about fun than anything else. To get on board, all you need to do is show off something unique about your business or even a person within your business. Start your video with the phrase “Tell me X without telling me X” and then show (don’t tell) viewers what you’re talking about.Sound complicated? It’s far easier to illustrate with an example. The clothing company, The Normal Brand, was started by three brothers in St. Louis. The brothers are the face of the brand on TikTok and in much of its marketing content. They’re proud of their Greek heritage and show it off whenever possible. Like in this #TellMeWithoutTellingMe video:[embed]http://www.tiktok.com/@thenormalbrand/video/6969541696505908486[/embed]In this example, they’re not trying to sell a product or convince you to buy something. Instead, it’s all about developing a relatable brand that people can resonate with. Relatability is extremely important when it comes to TikTok, so take that into account when creating your videos.

5. Vogue Cover Challenge

There aren’t many magazine covers in the world that are more iconic and recognizable than Vogue - so it’s no surprise that this particular trend has received so much attention on TikTok. From brands, average users, and celebrities alike.The concept is basic - turn photos of you, your team, or one of your products into a Vogue cover picture and then use the tag #voguechallenge to get eyeballs on your content. Positioning your brand alongside Vogue creates a particularly sophisticated perception with TikTok users and leverages a popular trend.

6. I’ll Never Forget You

If you’re looking for a nostalgic TikTok trend, then #illneverforgetyou could be the perfect fit. The idea is to highlight someone in your life that has had a huge impact - such as a mother, father, sibling, friend, or mentor. For businesses, you may wish to show appreciation to your first customer, for example.Or, for something a bit more quirky and fun, check out this TikTok video from Smith Family Popcorn that highlights their refillable popcorn tins as a way of recognizing and encouraging repeat customers.[embed]http://www.tiktok.com/@smithfamilypopcorn/video/6984834564942236933[/embed]

7. Not the Main Character

Sometimes it’s not all about the “main character.” With many great movies and TV shows, we grow fond of the sidekicks and less prominent storylines.What does all of this have to do with TikTok and your business? Well, the #notthemaincharacter trend is all about putting a spotlight on the sidekick.This trend is perfectly suited to accessory brands that partner with more dominant products - for example, an iPhone case that goes with the main character - the iPhone. Or, in the example below, a popsicle maker that heroes the flavors and colors of the popsicle rather than shining a light on itself.[embed]http://www.tiktok.com/@popsiclemaker_/video/6958534698750512390[/embed]Is your product a supporting act rather than the superstar? People on TikTok love the underdog, which is why the #notthemaincharacter trend is so popular. Get involved.

Finding new TikTok trends

As I mentioned in the introduction, recency is vital with TikTok trends. Yes, the examples provided in this article are a good place to start, and many of them will survive for months without losing traction. However, new challenges and opportunities pop up every day, and popular trends get overthrown or lose momentum.So, you need to look out for new and emerging TikTok trends. Be regularly visiting the TikTok Discover Page and consider starting numerous accounts. Why? As soon as you engage with content on the platform, you are shown videos that align with that activity. By having a separate account or two where you don’t interact with content, you will see a more diverse range of ideas. It’s like a blank canvas.Another trick for finding the latest TikTok trends is to follow active TikTokers that appear to be onto new trends before anyone else. They are likely very active on the platform and pose a shortcut to finding the next big trend.Of course, if you do stumble across a new trend that is gaining traction, build it into your content strategy as quickly as possible to make the most of it.Sound like fun? Good luck!