Duolingo and Viral Businesses on TikTok: What Businesses Can Learn

If you’re a TikTok user, it’s improbable that you haven’t heard about Duo, the green owl mascot. In fact, the green mascot has managed to attain the attention of even those not on the platform. And the most interesting thing is that Duo is a marketing gimmick for a language learning company, Duolingo. It’s not like this is the debut of the education tech company on the platform. In fact, Duolingo has been on TikTok since February. However, its social media following definitely gained traction following the appearance of its green owl mascot in Times Square. Since then, there’s no stopping the brand. It went viral…and how! The social media managers of Duolingo posted several new videos of the owl, most of them pretty fun and creative. Within a few weeks, the followers of Duolingo’s TikTok account have increased from 50,000 to 1.3 million. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it? And it’s not over yet. With this marketing strategy, the makers have established Duolingo as a fun language learning company that wants to take the burden of learning a new language away. Although TikTok mainly started as an entertainment platform, things have changed drastically. Brands are now using the platform to increase their brand awareness. As long as you post entertaining content, your brand will gain mileage.

Viral Businesses on TikTok and Their Success

Yes, there’s no guarantee that TikTok views will translate into the number of Duolingo users. But one can’t deny that the trending videos serve to convey the message to the target audience pretty effectively. And it’s not only Duolingo. A lot of other brands, too, have tried to cash on the popularity of TikTok pretty successfully. An excellent example is the Skin Labs. As soon as the video posted on TikTok by the owner went viral, things changed for the brand drastically. Jewelry business Nadaré Co is another excellent example that gained a lot from TikTok advertising, and so did Designs by Felicias. And these are mere examples. If you dig deep, you will find many businesses whose fate was changed after their videos went viral on TikTok. So, what’s the secret? TikTok’s algorithm provides business owners unbelievable reach.

Why this platform?

The best thing about TikTok is that it’s focused more on fun and engagement rather than profit. It’s a community where brands create content to entertain the audience. Hence, the tactics used are more organic and creative, which appeal to the majority of the audience. Considering the scope of TikTok advertising, it’s not really surprising that entrepreneurs are jumping on the bandwagon. Yes, the business world has taken notice of the social media platform and is ready to take it by storm. Many entrepreneurs are now vying to be TikTok stars to get traction for their brands.

What Young Businesses Can Learn from TikTok Stars

There’s one thing about TikTok you can never forget. Users are looking only for entertainment here. Nobody is interested to know about your discounts or products here. You have to create a marketing strategy that caters to the users of the app while also being relevant to your brand. If you study the approach used by viral businesses, you can learn a lot. Let’s give you some tips that can help you get started.

1. Pick your niche.

All viral businesses on TikTok picked a niche topic and stuck to it. So, the best way for young businesses to get noticed on the platform is to follow the same strategy. Post consistently so that followers look forward to your content. Study your target audience and figure out when they are most active. Find out the trending hashtags and incorporate them into your content. Whenever you see a trending video, try to understand how you can spin it according to your niche. This will boost your views and increase your brand exposure significantly.

2. Never delete your videos.

Sometimes, it takes time for a video to gain traction. Therefore, you must give your content sufficient time to perform. Indeed, some videos have gone viral three months after being posted. If you feel your TikTok account appears too cluttered, you can put some of the videos on private. But give it some time!

3. Originality is the key.

TikTok users expect original content. Yes, you can repurpose the trending content. But you have to abide by the platform’s rules and come up with creative and fun content to keep your audience hooked.

4. Bring value to the users.

Who says you can’t convey information on TikTok? The key is to do it creatively. Make your users feel they have learned something new without burdening them with information. Keep it simple. Pick a question and explain it in the best way possible. To keep your content relevant to your brand, pick three subjects and stick to them. And don’t forget to post a TikTok daily during your initial days.

5. Simplicity brings freshness.

Most viral businesses on TikTok are the ones who didn’t go overboard with their marketing and instead kept things simple. The key is to be authentic and genuine. Attract the customers with your content and make them feel valued. And, of course, when you are posting content, don’t forget about the importance of lighting. Ensure your audio is clear and crisp.

Use TikTok to its full potential.

There’s so much you can gain by posting creative videos on TikTok. You can even crisscross content and post your TikTok videos on YouTube Shorts. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Together, the two platforms can do wonders for your business. If there’s one thing young businesses can learn from viral businesses, it’s that not every marketing gimmick has to be in your face. Your business can get attention with creativity, too. Focus on entertaining the audience with your TikTok content, and the rest will follow. Before you jump on the bandwagon of TikTok, try to understand the pulse of its users. Understand the type of content they respond to and use that knowledge for your benefit.