It’s still very early days for TikTok Notes, and many marcomms pros are approaching this with a little more skepticism, thanks to the quick fizzle of the Instagram Threads hype. Still, it’s worth learning what this new feature does, how it can benefit brands and creators, and what the pros and cons look like right now. Read on for SEEN Connects head of brand marketing Lucy Robertson's first take on TikTok Notes. 

How do you foresee TikTok Notes impacting social media and creator marketing strategies, and what unique opportunities does it offer for brands and creators?

Instagram and TikTok have long been copying one another’s homework, and TikTok Notes is just the latest move here. The interface looks somewhat like a mix of a Pinterest homepage and Instagram’s feed, and interestingly, seems to be targeted at offering helpful, useful hints and tips (there’s a “discover useful notes” tagline) vs. the overly aspirational, curated content we’re used to seeing on Instagram.

Based on this, we’re predicting that rather than being a space for creators and brands to show more of a “behind the scenes” view of themselves – whether that’s a styling tip they’ve accidentally discovered, their new favorite coffee shop or even a cooking hack. TikTok Notes allows users to give their images both a headline and a caption, which means that the end result almost reads like a personalized, online magazine – fully encapsulating that individual’s brand. 

What recommendations do you have for brands aiming to effectively utilize TikTok Notes as part of their influencer marketing campaigns, considering its ephemeral nature and potential for engagement?

Like any new platform build: if it doesn’t make sense for your overall marketing strategy, or you don’t have resource internally to run it, don’t bite off more than you can chew and stick to doing fewer platforms, but with a more consistent output. If you do have capacity to dabble in TikTok notes, take note of this “BTS” style of content and use it to share everything from a sneak peek at an upcoming shoot to drive intrigue, or a view of the handbag beauty essentials you’re carrying that day.

Given how SEO-driven TikTok is, we wouldn’t be surprised if capturing keywords here would be integral to driving overall engagement, so make sure your caption clearly explains your post – with a 4000 character cap (almost double Instagram’s 2200) there’s certainly room for clever copy.