TikTok claims its insights allow brands to tap into Ramadhan 2021

• 52% of Msian users learn new products via brand video ads on TikTok
• 92.3% of users do not use a second screen while on TikTok

Coming from someone who discovered, very late, about the Sea Shanty Meme (it’s amazing), TikTok can sometimes feel like uncharted space – vast, overwhelming, and full of potential.

The short-form video app is changing the world. It is rewriting comedy, music and activism – at once a place that is confusing and intimidating, yet also hopeful and innovative. It is also a place for outreach – a platform for brands and businesses to tap into an audience that dwell deeply in it.

And there’s reason for businesses to look into it, something that TikTok is making clear when they revealed, for the first time, insights into their Malaysian consumers during the Ramadhan season last year. What they found is a shifting consumerism landscape, and how it affects brands.

“As we close in on an entire year of adapting to the new normal, we see that the spirit of Ramadhan lives on in spite of social distancing and imposed movement control orders nationwide. Regardless of the situation, people still turn online to help them celebrate Ramadhan and Hari Raya,” says Imran Khan (pic, right), TikTok’s marketing communications manager for SEA.

“This same sense of camaraderie and togetherness is also seen within our diverse community of users through challenges like #kongsikebaikan, where TikTok users inspire each other in contributing back to the community, all in the spirit of Ramadhan."

This has translated to more time spent on TikTok. According to Imran, during the Ramadhan season last year, user engagement on TikTok rose 12.5% on average, with 52% of users saying they learn about new products via brands’ video ads on TikTok.

Interestingly, 61% of TikTok users feel that advertising on the platform is unique while 67% agree TikTok has helped them get ideas about brands/products they had never thought of before.

“We’re seeing a high level of user engagement on the platform,” Imran claims. “90% users have seen ads on TikTok, and more than half (56%) of these search for more information about the ad they’ve just watched. Engagement is increased by 43% for brands that advertise, while 33% talk about the brand/product with people they know.”

Marketing executives would give and arm and leg to get such impact from their ad spend. And Imran knows this, adding, “This just goes to show the type of tangible impact that these ads can have on our community of diverse users."

Tapping into a digital market

A key contributor to the high level of engagement on TikTok, Imran said, can be attributed to the fact that 92.3% of users do not use a second screen while on TikTok, making their experience on the platform extremely immersive.

"This presents an opportunity for brands to connect with their audience on a deeper level," he explained. "The reason behind this is simple. Ads are meant to be joyful and immersive, and we see this on TikTok, where the best performing ads are the ones that provide users with useful, authentic, entertaining and educational content."  

It isn’t just TikTok consumption trends that are shifting. Citing data from iPrice, Imran highlighted that in Malaysia, Ramadhan shopping habits have changed, resulting in 28% of consumers shopping more online, while 23% buy more each time they shop online.

This shift comprises a wide range of items from consumer technology to prayer essentials. For instance, there is a 3.7x increase in search for “sarong”, while there is a 1.5x increase in searches for prayer mats. Additionally, iPrice found that there is a 2x increase in search for tablets, and a 4x increase in searches for smartphones.

According to AppAnnie, close to 3.5 billion minutes were spent on shopping apps during the Ramadan season.

What this means is that brands can tap into TikTok to reach a consumer base that is embracing a more e-commerce lifestyle. TikTok certainly has the tools for it, with TikTok for Business. Imran believes that this is a unique opportunity for users to “flip traditional marketing on its head” and connect brands and businesses to the current generation of digital natives. The platform is also open to businesses of all sizes, including small and medium businesses (SMBs).

TikTok wasn’t able to share the number of Malaysia businesses that have engaged with them, but Imran said that they are expecting the numbers of users – and businesses – to increase over 2021 and beyond.

“We want to make sure that all aspects for all of our stakeholders – for TikTok, our users, and brands – to be empowered to grow in a way that is sustainable and valuable for those involved,” he said.

Making the right content

The short-form video platform is eyeing e-commerce as a next step forward. There are plans for a livestream feature on the platform, “still being worked on,” said Imran.

It’s worth noting that different regions see different festive trends. Imran stated that a lot of the trends surrounding consumption during Ramadan is more focused on Malaysian and Indonesia; other festive periods in other markets see other kinds of trends and tractions.

Essentially, brands can fine-tune their content for different festivities and tap into regional markets, if they play their cards right.

During Ramadhan, content can revolve around a range of topics including fasting, breakfasting, blessings and traditions. During Hari Raya, content that focus on family gatherings and travel get more traction.

“On TikTok, ads are meant to be joyful and we want to make sure brands view the entire festive period with that lens,” Imran said.

“For TikTok for Business, we want to make sure we provide a one-stop performance marketing platform that enables all advertisers to reach a global audience. We want to give them the tools to be discovered and connect with broader communities around them.”