Should Your Brand Use TikTok Notes?

Text-based content is trending across social media, with younger generations like Gen Z returning to social media’s roots as a tool for connecting with others and building a community. With this shift in social media trends, platforms are adapting and introducing features that speak to this urge for human connection and interaction — this is where TikTok Notes come in. 

This blog delves into: 

• What are TikTok Notes? 
• What do TikTok Notes mean for creators and marketers?
• TikTok Note examples.

TikTok Notes is a new platform introduced by TikTok, as an answer to Instagram Threads. Unlike the native TikTok app, TikTok Notes is not focused on video and is instead focused on images with text-based captions. 

The new platform is meant to give users a space to share images without the need for video. It’s a strategic move to capture audiences who prefer sharing and consuming static content. The layout is quite similar to TikTok with your profile containing your note feed, a ‘TikTok’ tab where any photos posted to the native app appear, a ‘saved’ tab and a ‘liked’ tab.

Do You Need To Make a New TikTok Account?

Existing TikTok users do not need to create a new TikTok account to create a Notes account; however, they will have to download a new application to use the platform. TikTok Notes uses your existing account username and login, making the login process seamless. 

When you open the application, you’ll automatically be prompted to sign in with your existing TikTok account information. Next, you’ll have the option to choose your interests — these include: 

• Food & Drinks.
• Culture & Entertainment.
• Babies.
• Movies & TV.
• Daily life. 
• Home & Garden. 
• Hair. 
• Collectibles. 
• Fitness & Health. 
• Beauty & Style.
• Nail art.
• Outdoors.
• Art.
• Travel. 

This will help the TikTok algorithm determine which topics to show you. After selecting some interests, the app will provide you with a variety of relevant accounts to follow. These range from local accounts and general accounts that suit your selected interests. From there, you’ll be directed to TikTok Note’s homepage. 

The TikTok Notes homepage has two columns throughout its feed, and two tabs at the top of the page. Identical to the native app, there are two tabs at the top of the page, ‘For you’ and ‘Following’ — of course, on the ‘For you’ tab you’ll find content algorithmically geared towards your interests, while you’ll see content from creators you follow on the ‘Following’ tab. 

What’s more, your existing bio will be ported to the Notes app, along with any photos you’ve posted on TikTok.

For creators and marketers, TikTok Notes opens a new avenue to engage audiences in a different format. TikTok Note’s format benefits anyone with a decent amount of image-based content who also want to diversify their TikTok content. Here’s a closer look at the benefits of incorporating TikTok Notes into your visual marketing strategy and how to determine if this new iteration of TikTok is right for your brand.

TikTok Notes provides new engagement opportunities for brands — creators and marketers can connect with audiences through images, offering one more touchpoint to reach users. This platform is also a great way to diversify content and take a multifaceted approach to TikTok. What else can social managers gain from trying TikTok Notes?

Content Versatility

When producing content for campaigns, marketing teams often take hundreds of photos. Since TikTok Notes is an emerging platform, this is a great place to make the most of photoshoots and UGC by sharing those photos that almost made the cut for Instagram. Brands can use tools like Dash Hudson’s predictive AI to determine which photos will perform best on Instagram and use platforms like TikTok Notes to share the other visual assets that speak to their campaign goals and brand identity.

Increased Accessibility

TikTok Notes can also be more accessible to a wider audience, including those who may have visual or hearing impairments. Text and image-based posts can be more easily consumed and understood by different groups, offering alternative ways to engage with content. This inclusivity can help social teams reach a broader demographic who might be exploring these new platforms.

Cost-Effective Content Creation

Content creation can be time-consuming and not all visuals are created equally. While video content can be quick to produce, photos are often a much quicker way to share your message with a wider audience. Plus, producing high-quality videos can be resource-intensive and require significant time, equipment and event expertise. TikTok Notes offers a cost-effective mode for social teams to share compelling content with minimal resources.

It’s important to consider your target audience, content voice and past success with emerging platforms when determining if TikTok Notes is right for you. 

Is your target demographic active on TikTok Notes? Are they active on TikTok? If your target audience is less likely to be active on TikTok, TikTok Notes could be risky for your brand. If your target audience is active on TikTok Notes, incorporating it into your strategy is a no-brainer. 

The next aspect of discovering the best way to use TikTok Notes for your brand is to evaluate your content style — do you work in an ultra-visual industry? For brands in beauty, food and beverage, travel and other industries that often rely on stunning visuals, TikTok Notes is likely a great place to build awareness and share content. Certain brands in less visual platforms like CPG or retail could have more difficulty finding success on the app, however, a strong buyer persona and understanding of your audience will help your team get the full picture of how TikTok Notes could work for your goals. 

Finally, it’s helpful to look at your brand’s past success with emerging platforms. Did your brand see strong engagement on Lemon8? Did you experience a surge in website traffic? If so, these are great indicators that it’s worth trialling this new platform, especially if you also have an active community on TikTok.

Although 87.9% of Gen Z report a preference for watching digital video, static content speaks to Gen Z's need to connect with their interests and communicate with their peers via DMs and shares on social media. Due to the visual nature of the app, there are a multitude of ways brands can take advantage of the platform to increase brand awareness, reach new users and achieve other goals within their social media marketing strategy. 

Meal Ideas and Recipes

For food industry brands, sharing meal ideas and recipes, like the ‘what I made this week’ example below, is a great way to pique user interest and direct website traffic with a punchy call-to-action and a link-in-bio solution like LikeShop. Brands can share carousel posts like the example below, ‘stand-alone’ images with detailed recipes or sneak peeks of delicious recipes to encourage website traffic.

Fashion and Style Content

Fashion and style creators can leverage TikTok Notes to share detailed outfit looks, styling tips and behind-the-scenes content in a visually appealing format. Notes can be helpful for the fashion industry to highlight specific clothing and accessories, styling advice and more without the need to produce long or short form video. By sharing high-quality images and accompanying text, creators can build a more intimate connection with their followers, driving engagement and establishing themselves as go-to sources for fashion inspiration.

This example successfully uses TikTok Notes by showcasing a clear, aesthetically pleasing image of an outfit paired with a concise, engaging caption that invites audience interaction and feedback.

Beauty Content 

Beauty industry creators can use TikTok Notes to share makeup tutorials, skincare routines, product reviews and beauty tips in a format that combines compelling visuals with informative captions (or text overlays over the image). This allows beauty brands to break down complex techniques into step-by-step guides, share high-quality images of their looks, provide product recommendations and more. By leveraging the text component, beauty creators can offer in-depth explanations and engage with their audience through questions or personalized advice, to enhance their expertise and connect with followers.

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Brands can scale their TikTok strategy with Dash Hudson by leveraging its suite of tools designed to optimize TikTok performance and drive engagement. With TikTok Insights, brands gain access to valuable data on audience behavior, content performance and trends, allowing them to make data-driven decisions. LikeShop enhances shopping experiences by turning TikTok content into shoppable links, streamlining the path from discovery to purchase. Additionally, TikTok Trending Sounds helps brands stay ahead by identifying popular audio trends, so your team can create timely and relevant content that resonates with users. By integrating these tools, brands can maximize their social strategy’s reach and impact.

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