An exciting new world of food entertainment is taking shape, with audiences shifting their focus from passively watching food being made on their TV, to actively sourcing inspiration and getting their hands dirty in the kitchen. With everyone from world-famous chefs to every day mum and dad cooks sharing their favourite recipes on TikTok, an unprecedented behind-the-scenes content stream that takes you inside kitchens and recipe books around the world is happening on TikTok. In fact,
fact, #foodtok, a popular hashtag for foodies to share their kitchen creations and hacks has amassed over 8.1 billion views worldwide. The content shared in this hashtag is serving as a massive tastemaker and trendsetter for the food-obsessed community – with the likes of iconic TikTok baked feta pasta recipes or the beloved airfryer starting on TikTok.
The power of #foodtok presents a key opportunity for brands to tap into equipping the community with tips and tricks, introducing new products and translating their personality into the world of TikTok.
Looking for ways to start immersing your brand on TikTok? Here are top three tips.
1. Inspire their plate
TikTok has become the global tastemaker, with the community dictating what’s hot in the kitchen as well as what’s on the plate. #foodtok has something to inspire every palate through a vast collection of sub-communities.
The TikTok foodie community continues to push boundaries and remix their favourite food trends, with #tortillahack inspiring new ways to eat this much-loved food or #pancakecereal receiving over 1.6 billion views, bringing two conventional breakfasts together to create a unique and delicious combination.
Food trends are continuing to create opportunities for brands to own a space that feels authentic. For example, Doritos jumping on #tortillahack trend to level up lunches with an extra crunch. There have also been brands using their leverage with loyal customers to show a simple yet effective way of using their product in different means, such as the two-ingredient Nutella cake.
As a brand, there isn’t always a need to create new products. On TikTok, it’s about creating new ways of thinking and how you can take advantage of the amazing #foodtok community and bring genuine value to your customers through inspiration and creativity.
2. Teach them how
Our community loves to learn, which is why #learnontiktok has become a phenomenon on our platform. With the food community keen to experiment and try new things, it’s no surprise that it’s collided with the world of #foodtok. As a result, we’ve seen a huge growth in tips and tricks, recipe hacks and kitchen entertainment, bringing our audience the most authentic culinary school imaginable.
There is endless inspiration available for foodies, taking an every day dinner ingredient such as potatoes and creating hyper-technical recipes such as #15hourpotato or mouthwatering #crispypotatoes, there is no shortage of inspiration on the platform.
With content available for first time bakers, parents discovering budget-friendly recipes or professional chefs looking for inspiration, consider how your brand can help consumers on their culinary journey by giving them the skills and inspiration to try something new.
3. Let them play
The TikTok community is coming together with their combined love of food and showing off their new culinary skills. With the concept of the food influencer no longer on our TVs, #foodtok has empowered creators to unleash their inner foodie and find the community that resonates with their stories.
TikTok’s tools have supercharged this success, as they allow the community to interact with the chef in real-time, often creators respond to questions with a follow-up video response. For example, when Aussie home cook favourite, @audreysaurus, first created her banana bread recipe and community members were asking what spread was used to accompany, she was inspired her to create a lemon curd dish. By interacting with her audience, @audreysaurus has continued cultivating her own community on the platform.
Foodies love to share stories behind their inspirations, kitchen hacks and new ingredients, so why shouldn’t you as a brand too? Brands need to think about letting their personality shine through on the platform and take advantage of the incredible #foodtok community to bring value and information to consumers. Think about how you can leverage the questions from your community and engage with them about your product. Think fun food pairings, product hacks, DIY options or jumping on existing trends. A smart idea could be to show them new hacks about your product or what other foods to pair with it. The TikTok community isn’t fussy, they are just hungry for content.