Here at GrowMojo, as a leading TikTok advertising agency, we’re constantly in search of new ways to boost TikTok ad performance and increase conversions. This time around, our colleague and TikTok performance marketing specialist Toni Terek, has an exciting TikTok strategy to share – a special formula that helps marketers create best-performing ads that boost TikTok advertising conversions.
The SSSSS (5S) formula for advertising on TikTok
Although TikTok recommends creating short videos as those tend to perform better, Toni believes that longer videos are actually better. The rationale behind TikTok’s recommendation of shorter videos is that, for most people, it’s hard to create a long video that manages to keep your attention throughout the entire duration.
However, Toni has found that if we follow the 5S formula we can create longer TikTok videos and use them to our advertising advantage. Because TikTok’s algorithm is very similar to YouTube, it allocates budgets towards TikTok ads that people viewed more or interacted with, and longer videos have a better chance at that.
The SSSSS (5S) formula for TikTok video ads:
- Secret (Tell a secret)
- Story (Tell a story)
- Switch
- Schooling
- Shift (CTA)
So the logic is, if you have the ideal video and follow all 5 steps above, more people will interact with your video and your video will ultimately generate more conversions and sales.
Let’s make a breakdown of those 5S formula steps and go through them.
Secret
It’s always good to start a video by intriguing the viewers and sparking their interest, maybe even changing the tone of conversation. Videos on TikTok are quite similar to each other, to the point it sometimes seems we’re watching the same video over and over again, made by the same people. Therefore, changing the tone, playing with being mysterious and making it sound like you have a secret to share will make people more interested and they will stop scrolling and watch your video. You can always use your hooks, but do it differently than other TikTokers.
Story
Storytelling is an immensely effective technique in marketing, be it content marketing or ads. Have a story about how it all started or what benefits your products bring. Crafting a compelling story around your brand will cause people to create mental pictures of your story in their mind, and that way they will definitely remember your video instead of delegating it to oblivion like every other TikTok they see in a day.
Switch
The key to a successful TikTok is to keep the viewer interested throughout the process. Toni suggests having mini videos inserted into the video itself. Let’s say you have a video of a person recording themselves in the first person showing the product and talking about it. After 10-20 seconds of this, the video will surely get boring and the viewer will scroll away to another video in the feed. However, you can reclaim the viewer’s attention by inserting a funny video in between, every few seconds or so. This method will keep the viewers interested and wanting to see what’s next – you switch things up.
Schooling
Like on any other platform, on TikTok people like to end their day by learning something new, so this can be a perfect opportunity to explain or teach someone about what benefits your product brings or how they can learn something from your product, your service, your process and – why not – your mistakes. Take 5-15 seconds to teach the audience about how they can improve something in their life that will give them a sense of logic towards your product. Getting to learn something from a video represents a value, a benefit, and the fact that it came from your video will be highly beneficial for your brand reputation and recognition.
Shift
Finally, let’s not forget about the good old CTA shift that is very much necessary. At the very end of your video you should shift to why and how your audience can convert and become your customers. Make sure your CTA is clear, strong and direct. If you followed Toni’s 5S formula and implemented all the previous steps, you will find that your CTA engagement rate is higher than usual – even though you used a longer video. Don’t forget to measure the efficiency and impact of your ad using analytics.
So there you have it. Toni’s 5S formula for TikTok video ads is as sweet as it is simple. And it can prove miraculous for your brand performance and conversion rates. Craft your ads like you have a Secret to share, create a compelling Story with a Switch, School your viewers and finish off with a nice CTA Shift and then just sit back and watch your numbers grow. If you need a hand with your TikTok ad strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out to Toni and our TikTok Advertising Agency team of experts. Contact us and let’s start tailoring a strategy that ticks all your boxes.
