TikTok seeks out ad revenue routes
Platform placement key targeted method
TikTok, a short-form mobile video app from China, is exploring ad opportunities in Thailand where the platform’s popularity is gathering steam, particularly among youngsters.
“Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are the top three markets in Southeast Asia for TikTok,” said Pakorn Vatanachalearmvutikon, TikTok Thailand’s head of marketing.
The number of users in Thailand doubled from 2018 to 2019.
Unlike YouTube, TikTok has no revenue-sharing model with influencers or content creators.
TikTok helps influencers by connecting them with brands to reach out to a targeted audience.
Brands can select influencers on the platform for their hashtag campaigns and challenges to boost audience engagement, said Mr Pakorn.
TikTok is seeking ad revenue from brands through ad placement on the platform by taking into account the behaviours and interests of their target audience, said Laksamee Jong, TikTok’s operation specialist for Thailand.
In-feed ads, for example, show up while users are exploring posted content.
Other ad channels cover hashtag challenges and effect filters on videos created by brands.
Ms Laksamee said the majority of TikTok users are Generation Z, aged 17-22, as well as Gen Y, 22-38.
“Gen Z and Y are the future of purchasing power, which makes TikTok attractive for marketers and advertising,” she said.
Students and those working their first jobs account for 80% of TikTok’s total users.
Users in Bangkok and major cities dominate the platform, with females accounting for 75% of the users.
Some 84% use Android operation systems and the rest rely on iOS.
The average time spent on the platform is 35 minutes per person. The top content includes talent, comedy, food and drink, travel, basic dance and beauty fashion.
TikTok provides safety features on the platform where parents can control time spent on the app and hide some content from their children. Any harmful content can be reported to TikTok.
“We use machine learning and humans to monitor content,” said Ms Laksamee. “Our system will take down content that violates our policies immediately, such as pornography.”
Mr Pakorn said TikTok is focusing on three strategies in business.
They cover increasing content diversification to serve a greater variety of interests and age groups, boosting monetisation models through a variety of advertising by partnering with digital agencies, and creating customer confidence in the platform’s security measures.
“We just started our second year of operations by growing management teams and building up the platform,” he said.
‘‘ Gen Z and Y are the future of purchasing power, which makes TikTok attractive for marketers and advertising.
LAKSAMEE JONG Operation specialist for Thailand, TikTok