Songfluencer’s and Promoting on TikTOk
The influence of TikTok on culture today is unyielding. Unknown artists like Fousheé, whose name started popping up after her song “Sleepy Hollow’s” was anonymously uploaded on a TikTok, is now featured on Lil Wayne’s new single.
A song’s path to number one on the charts or a surge in streams has been paved by a common factor: TikTok users using the same song for their 15-second videos. Today’s top 40 seems like it reflects a set list of a TikTok dance concert.
Sub Urban’s 2019 “Cradles” popularity in TikTok videos led him to the number one spot on Alternative Radio. Urban landed a deal with Warner Records in the process. His label set out to see if the formula would work twice with his single “Freak”, hiring digital marketing company Songfluencer.
The company was founded in 2018 when there was an opportunity in the market: match artists with influencer’s known as songfluencer’s on platforms like TikTok and Reels to use their song in trending videos.
In July, Songfluencer began working on their strategy to promote “Freak”. By the end of the month, there were 15,000 TikToker’s created with the track. Data-driven analytics solidify the music industry’s orientation around TikTok, which is Songfluencer’s specialty.
As music industry professionals, there are useful strategies to learn from Songfluencer’s model for promoting song’s through TikTok. The CEO Sean Pace mapped out one approach for promoting that is specific to succeeding on TikTok : work with the algorithm and study the trends.
Noticing current trends on the app is extremely important. If TikTok videos seem to be themed a little emo, really hype, or giving off bad bitch energy; consider promoting songs that match the current vibe of popular videos.
Next, one should seek out the tastemakers of TikTok. Reach out to content creators that have a large following, and this can even become genre specific. Targeting an audience is always important, and the TikTok world is no different.
Always remember TikTok’s most useful tool: its algorithm. Pace wants industry insiders to understand “What we know about TikTok is longevity of watch time is something that the algorithm responds to,” Cloherty notes. “So we had influencers use the whole 30-second clip and do three or four of the truth or lie things to broaden the scope of the concept. We wanted other users to feel like, ‘this is a story I can come up with.’
Finally, don’t rush the process. TikTok is not the place to create an overnight hit. The best thing TikTok does is help grow songs week seven through twenty. Pace states “If you get a good song exposed on TikTok, a trend will start itself.”
If you’re just hearing about what a songfluencer is and want to get started promoting on TikTok, follow these simple tips and who knows, your song or an artist you represent may be the next viral song to grace the top of the charts.
Originally published at https://www.l1neupdigital.com on February 10, 2021.
