How to Succeed with Music Promotion on TikTok | Key Points for Featuring Influencers

These days, many new hit songs start on TikTok. A part of a song is used again and again in short videos, and people who wonder “what is this song?” go to a streaming service to listen to the full version. This has become a familiar pattern.

At nicoichii, we have supported many music promotion campaigns on TikTok at the request of record labels and artists. Drawing on that experience, this article summarizes how to approach music promotion.

Why TikTok for Music Promotion?

TikTok is a social media platform where adding a song as background music to a video is the norm. A song used in one video can be used in other people’s videos through the “Use this sound” button, and it keeps spreading from there.

In other words, on TikTok the song itself becomes “material for videos people want to imitate.” When an influencer’s post prompts ordinary users to start making videos with the same song, the song reaches people well beyond the range your ad spend covers.

4 Key Points for Success

1. Decide on the 15 to 30 seconds to be used

Only a portion of a song is used on TikTok. Start by deciding which part is easy to fit into videos, such as the chorus, a memorable phrase, or a section people can’t help humming. Which part you ask people to use greatly changes how videos get made.

2. Prepare an easy-to-imitate “format”

Dance, lip sync, everyday couple moments, acoustic singing, relatable humor, and so on. Having a format of “if you use this song, make this kind of video” makes it easier for viewers to imitate. It is also effective to try multiple patterns rather than settling on just one.

3. Choose influencers who fit the world of the song

What matters is not only follower count but whether the mood of the song matches the mood of their posts. For example, a love song suits a couple-focused creator, while a song that showcases vocals suits a creator skilled at acoustic singing. The right person differs from song to song.

In nicoichii’s works as well, Kobukuro “Million Films” featured a creator who posts as a couple, and wacci “Donna Chiisana” featured a creator skilled at acoustic singing. We change the selection to suit each song.

4. Lower the barrier to participation with effects and filters

Preparing a TikTok effect (filter) that matches the song makes ordinary users more likely to want to try it and lowers the barrier to posting. At nicoichii, we also helped create effects for ONE OK ROCK “Dystopia” and Chanmina “B-kyu”.

Process Overview

1. Organize the song’s appeal and the audience you want to reach
2. Decide which part (audio) to use and the video format
3. Select and commission influencers who suit the song
4. Align the release timing and concentrate posts
5. Find well-received posts and formats, and use them in follow-up campaigns

Step 4, timing, is especially important. Concentrating posts around the release date or the music video premiere makes it easier to create the impression of “a song I keep hearing lately.”

Things to Keep in Mind

• Commissioned posts must carry a label such as “PR” (stealth marketing regulation). For details, see our article on the stealth marketing regulation.
• Scripted videos tend to get skipped on TikTok. Share only the general direction for how the song is used, and leave room for creators to express it in their own way.
• Rather than ending with a single post, it helps to plan with some room so you can take the next step while watching the response.

Summary

The key to music promotion on TikTok is not only getting people to listen to the song, but getting them to make videos using it. By deciding which part to use and the video format, and having creators who suit the song share it, you can reach well beyond the range of advertising.

nicoichii supports music promotion end to end, from casting and planning to effect creation. You can see other case studies on our Works page. If you are considering promoting a new song, please feel free to Contact.