TikTok Takeover

Published on Sept. 28, 2022, at 11:59 a.m.
by Sophie Collins.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably scrolled through TikTok for hours on end and stumbled across a video from Duolingo of Duo the owl participating in the most recent TikTok trend. Why is such a big brand taking part in a silly internet trend? While it may seem like employees just trying to have fun at work, Duolingo’s presence on TikTok is a strategic choice that has benefitted the brand immensely.

Duolingo, an application where users can learn a new language, has gained 4.8 million followers and 95.4 million likes on TikTok since joining the app in February 2021. As of Sept. 21, 2022, Duolingo is the #2 education application on the Apple App Store.

Not only has Duolingo improved its numbers in consumers using the app but also has strengthened its relationship with its consumers and followers through interactions on TikTok. Duolingo is known to comment back to its viewers on TikTok, and people have gone crazy for it.

Another brand that has become an TikTok sensation is the UCLA Housing account. The account gained popularity in August while Bama RushTok was trending by commenting on many posts that went viral from sorority recruitment at The University of Alabama.

Chipotle is another example of a brand using TikTok to interact with its consumers. Chipotle has created several different “challenges” on TikTok for consumers to participate in, such as the #GuacDance Challenge, which resulted in over 250,000 video submissions and over 800,000 sales of guacamole on National Guacamole Day.

As of July 2022, TikTok is the seventh-most popular social media platform. With over one billion monthly active users, it is clear that TikTok is a great platform to connect with consumers in a more personal manner and boost your brand in a creative and unique way.

So the next time you’re mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, pay attention to the unique ways brands are trying to connect with you!