Can you use TikTok for policy and high-complexity communications?

If you work in ‘WonkComms’ it's tough to work out how to use 15-sec videos to communicate research, evidence, development or impact topics

Maybe like you this question has been vexing me. I thoroughly enjoy TikTok content, despite being in my 40s and way out of the major user age demographic. One favourite is the?Don’t Be Suspicious ?meme, in which the audio urges the viewer “don’t be suspicious”, while the visuals are??- er - clearly suspicious.

Another is comedian Uyi Omorogbe’s?“Pissing Off My African Parents” ?series, often about wanting to be a rock-star rather than a doctor, much to his long-suffering dad’s horror.

And let’s not even mention the dance challenges, they are just so more-ish.

So TikTok lends itself to comedy, dance and hacks. But it’s really hard if you work in the world of ‘WonkComms’ to wrap your mind around how to bend 15-seconds of video to communicating policy, research, evidence, technical, development or impact topics.

TikTok is also a trend blizzard. If you aren’t making content that’s riffing on the latest song, audio clip or challenge, you’re irrelevant. You’ve got to be plugged into the TikTok universe every day to know what’s sizzling.

But the burning thing about TikTok is - it's an audience bloody bonanza.

• First, if any part of your work has any type of youth angle, the plain fact is – you’ve got to be considering TikTok at very least. When I was last working in Mozambique, just before the pandemic, my colleagues' kids were all just watching TikTok dance challenges on their phones. And older consumers are watching more and more TikTok-originated content too, picking it up on Instagram in particular and Twitter. TikTok should not be ignored, including by anyone reading this.
• Second, the numbers of global followers good TikTok can deliver is jaw-dropping. We’re not talking 30?000 followers on Twitter here. Try adding a zero on to that. The British Red Cross , which is not exactly what I would consider an automatically high-entertainment brand, has 426.9K Followers on TikTok at the time of writing this column. Done right, TikTok can deliver reach and engagement like few other channels right now.

I’ve been trying to gather together some strong examples of TikTokkers working in the development or policy space who are creating memorable content that truly delights.??And there is some solid work out there.?

I’ve shared below some of accounts I currently admire – including individually smart TikToks. I’d also welcome your additions and useful steers in the comments section – please share what you’ve come across in your travels on the internet.

I have not yet found the prize when it comes to communicating policy and evidence on TikTok, so my search continues. There are accounts getting close, but I have yet to stumble on the ‘research-findings-to-TikTok-conversion' rockstar account I would love to see: reaching policymakers and policy influencers and showcasing evidence in clever ways.

But perhaps it’s still early days for TikTok and policy. Here are some TikTok accounts that are currently doing important norm-setting work, in my view:

• The Washington Post – the Washington post has appointed comedian Dave Jorgenson as the face of the WaPo’s TikTok account , and he provides brilliant humorous ‘hooks’ into bigger stories covered by the paper.?This particular little TikTok , about changing school nutrition policies in America, is funny and easy to understand, and got me thinking about how we can highlight research findings on this platform. PS. #DidYouKnow that Jorgenson brainstormed, filmed, edited, and posted 1,000+ TikToks from his one-bedroom apartment, gaining 1.2 million followers since he started it in May 2019?
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) – when someone told me the WTO had a TikTok account , I couldn’t believe it. HOW ON EARTH DO YOU TALK ABOUT TRADE POLICY IN THIS MEDIUM? Well, the answer is, although it’s pretty new they are doing a creative and notable job. The WTO account experiments with tapping into funny trends (can you believe this hilarious TikTok is from the WTO?! And this one?! ), pure emotion (this TikTok about the oceans still makes me take a breath), and more traditional announcements.
• British Red Cross – mentioned above, the BRC TikTok account is almost 100% young women, talking about current health issues, including mental health. This TikTok is simple, but it also expresses how damn depressing the pandemic has been for young people. It’s also cheeky as hell at times, while always driving home solid messages. They have been rewarded with a massive and growing following. Onwards and upwards to half a million!

Some final thoughts if you are interested in exploring TikTok for your WonkComms:

You need to commit resources.?

Good TikTok either takes a dedicated person (like the Washington Post model),or a team which can allocate some of their time every day to creating scripts, filming, editing and optimising. The resource ask is big but the audience growth may justify it depending on your goals.

Embrace the humour.?

TikTok is not the place for handwringing about the seriousness of your work, your subject matter, or your own personal brand. There are plenty of examples on TikTok of extremely serious subjects, including refugees, cancer and racism, which are dealt with from a humorous or satirical angle. Done right, it won’t cheapen or detract from the brand – in fact, it might attract a whole new cohort to it.

You have to know the headline.?

Like those genius newspaper editors of yore, TikTok is about the killer headline. What part of your policy or evidence do you want to get across to your audience? If you aren’t clear yourself, TikTok is going to be tough. This is a BrightGuide obsession – finding clarity in complex material, so it’s something we spend a lot of time working on.

Now, get out there and enjoy some TikToks. And comments below!