Four key points for choosing popular music in TikTok videos: How can brands capture user attention?

On a “music-driven” social platform like TikTok, music is not just background sound, but an important driver for content to go viral. The right choice of music can not only boost video completion rates, but also make brand content more recognizable, and even inspire users to create secondary content and spread it widely.

So, how can brands choose the right music on TikTok to make their videos more likely to go viral?

Image source: Internet

1. Choose music that matches TikTok’s trending topics

TikTok’s music trends change very quickly. Many brands plan their content by incorporating the hottest BGM (background music) at the moment. If your content is paired with trending music from TikTok’s hot charts, your video is more likely to be recommended.

You can keep an eye on TikTok’s official music charts (such as TikTok Viral Songs), and observe the popular challenges and trends in your industry to see which songs are frequently used by brands in your category. In addition, you can use TikTok’s built-in “music recommendation” feature to find out which songs are suitable for the content you’re about to publish.

Case Study: Guess’s #InMyDenim Challenge

Guess launched the #InMyDenim challenge on TikTok, using Bebe Rexha’s hit song “I’m a Mess” as the BGM, encouraging users to share their transformation from ordinary clothes to Guess denim. This challenge quickly went viral, resulting in millions of user participations and a huge increase in brand exposure.

Image source: TikTok

2. Choose music that matches your brand’s tone

Although trending music can bring traffic, not all music is suitable for your brand. If the music style doesn’t match your brand’s tone, the content may seem out of place or even damage your brand image. Therefore, when choosing music, brands should also consider how well the music fits their brand.

Be sure to clarify your brand’s personality. For example, fashion brands are suited to trendy electronic music, while health brands may be better off with soothing light music. Choose music that enhances your brand story and makes your videos more vivid.

Case Study: Gymshark’s Fitness Content

Fitness brand Gymshark usually chooses energetic EDM or dynamic hip-hop music for its TikTok content. These tracks not only fit the fitness vibe but also motivate users to join the brand’s fitness challenges.

For example, in the past #66DaysChallenge, Gymshark used high-tempo music as the background, making the challenge more infectious and ultimately generating millions of views and a lot of user interaction.

Image source: TikTok

3. Use the musical association effect to enhance brand recall

Some brands on TikTok choose unique music or specific sound effects so that when users hear the sound, they immediately associate it with the brand. This “musical association effect” can greatly enhance brand recall and embed brand information deep in users’ minds.

Brands can choose melodies or rhythms with strong recognizability so users can remember them quickly. You can even customize exclusive music to create a brand-specific TikTok BGM. Combine it with your brand slogan or features to deeply bind music and brand image.

Case Study: Crocs and “Shoes, Shoes, Shoes”

Crocs successfully created a brand-exclusive viral song on TikTok—“Shoes, Shoes, Shoes.” This song is full of fun and matches Crocs’ signature relaxed and comfortable style, becoming the top choice for TikTok users when shooting Crocs-related content.

Image source: TikTok

4. Combine challenges or UGC to enhance interaction

On TikTok, simply choosing a good song is not enough. Brands need to find ways to get users to create more content with that song. An effective strategy is to use challenges (Hashtag Challenge) or encourage users to create secondary content.

Brands can launch Hashtag Challenges with music and encourage user participation. Get TikTok influencers to demonstrate first, driving more users to join in. Then, repost users’ creations on the brand’s official account to boost UGC engagement.

Case Study: Samsung’s #FlexEveryAngle Challenge

When Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was launched, Samsung teamed up with TikTok to start the #FlexEveryAngle challenge, paired with a rhythmic song. The campaign invited KOLs and regular users to showcase the unique angles of the Galaxy Z Flip’s rotating screen, perfectly combining music, dance, and product, greatly enhancing brand interaction.

Image source: TikTok

Conclusion

On a content-driven platform like TikTok, music is not only a tool for creating atmosphere, but also the “traffic code” for brand growth. Choosing the right music is the key to making your brand content truly resonate with people!