What is the biggest challenge you face when it comes to using TikTok?

One person social media team here! TikTok content is so unique that I don’t have the bandwidth to create or manage influencers/creators. 

I think the biggest challenge for us is that I’m afraid of certain trends because we are a municipal government agency. While our brand is promoting events and hospitality and we do already create humorous videos, I sometimes fear trying to join in on trends. Certain trends are tied to songs that would not be deemed appropriate, but I love the trend itself. So I have been trying to come up with a way to still engage in a trend without following certain aspects that could be flagged as inappropriate for a government agency to post. 

Finding and training our internal staff to help with the content creation.

Definitely echo the subject of trending audio and copyright limitations but from an agency perspective, not having a “face” for a brand means we have to get more creative when creating content for a brand that feels authentic, meets brand guidelines and is engaging. 

This is something we struggle with as an agency for multiple brands. We create a lot of videos without faces, just hands or stop motion for inanimate objects. It’s definitely a challenge and a whole different ball game for brands without a “face.”

Creating a consistent rotating content calendar. We have audiences from every demographic, so it some times feels like we are leaving certain people out to appeal to another group. And having content when you aren’t based in the location you are promoting is hard to stay consistent.

I think it depends on the type of content you are creating? Personally, we are a public library so because we have so many branches with different types of staff and patrons, featuring a wide array of people on our TikTok helps to make sure everyone feels seen. But if you are a small business, I can see how it would be hard to thrive without having a “face.” I think then it would become more of a product-centric/voiceover moment.

Getting video content is a big hurdle for us and the fact that we have 12k followers but our videos are getting 200 views, so we don’t think we are getting on our follower’s feeds either. 

Currently being a one man social team and trying to get others to be on camera with me is probably the hardest part! I am fine with being on camera, but sometimes I need people for certain videos. Another challenge I face is approval from our legal team :)   

I work for a brand that has been around for over 120 years, and our marketing approach focuses on legacy, heritage, and authenticity. Due to the nature of our products (cutlery/pocket knives), we’re severely limited on paid promotion and rely almost entirely on organic.

Creating and posting content that abides by the community guidelines, fits our traditional voice, and appeals to younger audiences (18-35) has been an interesting challenge. 🤔