TikTok has been all over the news the past few weeks, nonetheless Martial Arts TikTok. Although several government officials have threatened to ban the app, the impact of TikTok on popular culture and the marketing landscape cannot be overstated.
TikTok is believed to be an app that is almost exclusively used by young people. Which is just not true!
With the pandemic, the average age is increasing steadily and is now one of the top platforms to be on.
Not only that, but TikTok is a considerable force for shaping trends in everyday life.
With over 2 billion downloads globally and a loyal fanbase, TikToks are not going to go away.
Even if the platform is banned. (Which is highly unlikely)
The app’s formats and style has drastically impacted and moved to other social media.
The trends and formats that have developed on TikTok are here to stay no matter what.
So here are a few tips about how to best utilize them for your martial arts school.
Keep Up With Trends
TikTok rewards you for keeping up with trends and applying them to your content. Trends come in various forms, whether it be a viral song, dance, or format. The best way to understand emerging trends is to watch a lot of TikToks.
It’s unavoidable.
But there are several accounts and blogs dedicated to staying current with trends. So if you don’t want to your time vampired, research.
Viral sounds are the easiest and most effective way to capitalize on trends. On TikTok, it is common to overlay your content with audio clips in the app.
You can also record your own sound too.
However, finding relevant and trending sounds is a great way to gain exposure.
Use Relevant Hashtags for Martial Arts TikTok
Twitter, Instagram, and now TikTok too!
As a useful tool for many platforms hashtags can skyrocket you.
Best hashtag practices could be a whole other blog post by itself.
But let’s cover the basics and stay on topic.
A good rule of thumb is to use hashtags directly related to your content (which means no #fyp or #foryoupage). Below, I have listed some popular hashtags in the martial arts industry and how many views they have.
- #martialarts 1.6B views
- #karate 1B views
- #mixedmartialarts 18.2M views
- #martialartslife 16.9M views
- #selfdefense 697.2M views
- #womenselfdefense 46.4M views
- #jiujitsu 277.2M views
- #taekwondo 1.3B views
- #brazilianjiujitsu 71.5M views
A common misconception is the more popular the hashtag, the better. It’s not true though.
This is because if you are a small account, your content will be overshadowed. Popular hashtag will be mostly for creators with an established follower base.
My recommendation would be to use a combination of these.
Use popular hashtags and specific hashtags with fewer views.
Hashtags that include your general area/community or your particular style of martial arts would be good options for this.
Create Shareable, Relevant Content
TikTok isn’t great for hard sells- especially for martial arts schools. It is all about brand recognition and creating content that people enjoy and engage with. The more people engage, the more interest in your school will be generated.
Understanding your audience is also critically important. There are several varieties of martial arts TikToks that have performed well in the past, but they focused on different demographics and their respective needs.
What kind of content works best for martial arts schools? I have a few suggestions that have had viral success in the martial arts subcategory:
- Do what you do best: TEACH .
Almost all of the viral martial arts TikToks are tutorials, teaching their viewers how to do a certain move. Usually, they have an angle to make it relevant (similar to ad campaigns on other platforms). Self-defense is by far the most successful angle, as it is one of the more transferable skills in martial arts.
Using humor when you teach never hurts and is a great way to relate to your audience and be more entertaining. The sibling rivalry example is an excellent use of humor while still providing value and utility for the audience.
Self-defense:
Sibling rivalry:
- Show off what your school can do!
Impressive maneuvers garner a lot of views on the platform. If you or one of your students can perform mind-blowing moves, post them! Kicks, swords, and choreography are some great examples. These types of TikToks benefit from the use of viral sounds.
- Inspire your audience.
If inspiring others is more in line with your brand, I recommend these types of TikToks. If they are profound, powerful and impactful, they can be a great way of spreading a positive view of your school. Gaining traction may be a bit more difficult with this type of content, but not impossible.
Final Takeaways
The goal isn’t to become viral- it is to reach people in your community. Being active on TikTok shows that you are engaged in the same platforms as your students. Most martial arts schools aren’t on TikTok, so you can use it to differentiate your marketing efforts from others in your area.
We just scratched the surface of what your Martial Arts TikTok strategy should be, so there is much more to learn and so many ideas that can work for your school.
At Grow Pro, we currently do not offer any services that include TikTok. However, it can be very time consuming to get up to date on all the latest trends for every platform.
By utilizing Grow Pro, you can outsource the need to keep up with trends and advertise on Facebook, Instagram, Google and YouTube, which will leave more time to perfect TikTok! Schedule your free lead acceleration session here to get started.
I will also offer free TikTok advice for any client who wants to take advantage! If you have any additional questions regarding TikTok, email customersuccess@growproagency.com to get in touch with our resident TikTok expert 😉
