#HashtagChallenge – One of the Most Attractive Formats on TikTok Is Now Available to Advertisers
The hashtag is one of the key social media tools, and challenges are something Generation Z has fallen in love with. It comes as no surprise, then, that #HashtagChallenge has become one of the most attractive formats on TikTok, both for users and for brands. Since this year, it has also been available to Polish advertisers.
TikTok is growing stronger, and the number of TikTokers in Poland long ago exceeded two and a half million. What is its secret? Its advantages certainly include the content – the short videos created by users are often far from perfect, but that makes them more authentic. They also have a strong chance of quickly going viral. In addition, the app delivers content right after registration and does not require you to "follow" anyone.
What Is #HashtagChallenge?
On TikTok there are several formats that particularly engage users, such as duets, lip sync, or indeed #HashtagChallenge. Launching the latter takes just a few steps – creating a video, choosing a song to accompany it, and challenging others to create their own version using a specific hashtag and music track. #HashtagChallenges are initiated by the app's creators, by users themselves, and finally – by brands.
Hashtag Challenge on TikTok as an Advertising Format
In 2018, Guess entered into its first collaboration with TikTok, creating the hashtag #InMyDenim. The brand published several videos and let users take action. In the videos, they showed how they transformed their monotonous outfits into glamour-style looks. Thanks to Guess jeans, of course. Videos with #InMyDenim were viewed more than 38 million times. – The results achieved thanks to the #HashtagChallenge format are truly spectacular. These are views often counted in the millions at a relatively low cost of reach. Such advertising is also highly engaging, and users not infrequently buy a given product just so they can show it in their video – says Marta Zarosa, Head of Social Audience at Open Mobi.
The Advertising Dimension of Challenges
#HashtagChallenge in the app is visible to everyone, both creators and user-observers, without any restrictions. TikTok, given its potential, has also developed it as an advertising format. Since this year, it is also available in Poland, among others through the Open Mobi agency. The hashtag as an ad is displayed on banners in the general search engine and as a sponsored hashtag, and it is also pinned at the top of the page in the search engine for music recommended for TikToks (that is, videos). A page dedicated to #HashtagChallenge is also created.
Why Should Brands Take Advantage of This?
Where else is the opportunity for brands? Thanks to #HashtagChallenges, users themselves become co-creators of content for the brand. The life of a challenge does not end with the conclusion of the advertising campaign either. Users can still create their videos under a given hashtag, and they also see all the content posted on the platform so far. Brands therefore additionally have a chance to identify the best, most engaging creators, which will allow them to select true ambassadors. Finally, and this is one of the most important advantages, TikTok reaches Generation Z, which today represents one of the biggest challenges for marketers.
Summary
#HashtagChallenge is one of the most effective advertising formats on TikTok, and since this year it has been available to Polish advertisers. Challenge-based campaigns generate millions of views, and the example of the Guess brand shows that user engagement can bring spectacular results – videos with the hashtag #InMyDenim were viewed more than 38 million times.
The format allows brands to reach Generation Z, which is often difficult to engage through traditional methods. Importantly, challenges do not end with the campaign – users can create content after it ends as well, and brands gain a chance to select ambassadors. The tool is offered in Poland by agencies such as Open Mobi.
