From studying to TikTok agency: How Marswalk is conquering brands!

From studying to TikTok agency: How Marswalk is conquering brands!

The international TikTok and social media agency Marswalk has made a name for itself in the D-A-CH region, CEE and the USA. The agency, founded by Victor Samuel Vécsei and Tim Baumgärtner in 2021, takes the approach of creating 9:16 videos for well-known brands such as dm, Westbahn and Coca-Cola in order to optimize their communication on TikTok. Vécsei, who has gained over 80,000 followers on the platform himself, recognized the increasing importance of short-form videos for modern communication behavior and developed an affinity for TikTok as a marketing tool in the USA. After returning to Vienna, he put his vision into action: Marswalk was born and focused on creating tailor-made formats.

Agency positioning is carried out through precise target definitions for each brand on TikTok. She develops formats with recurring elements for continuity and specifically selects suitable creators to produce authentic and target group-specific videos. Our own software solutions and AI-supported tools are used to make the creative process more efficient and accelerate important steps. This approach underlines the relevance of creators in brand communication, who are increasingly perceived as essential components in the strategy.

The importance of user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) has established itself as a key component in TikTok marketing. According to a recent analysis, an impressive 56% of brands consider UGC as a core strategy for their communication goals. This type of user-generated content not only offers authenticity, but also achieves a 22% higher engagement rate than traditional branded videos. This means that UGC is not only suitable for creating trust, but also for decisively influencing purchasing decisions. 80% of respondents in a study said that UGC strongly influences their purchasing behavior.

According to best practices, to maximize the effectiveness of UGC campaigns on TikTok, it is important to provide clearly defined eligibility requirements, use unique brand-specific hashtags, and collaborate with influencers. TikTok features like Duet and Stitch can be used to encourage engagement. Brands that want to be omnipresent on social media are increasingly investing in UGC and relying on the involvement of their employees as corporate influencers.

Trends and challenges in TikTok marketing

With over 1.6 billion active users and an average viewing time of 53.8 minutes per day, TikTok is one of the most influential platforms in the digital marketing space. 61.2% of marketers focus primarily on brand awareness, while 74.3% rate Symphony AI's easy-to-use AI tools as highly attractive. These tools enable personalized targeting of the target group, which is crucial in today's fast-moving digital world.

Nevertheless, the balance between authenticity and commercialization is a challenge. Brands must ensure that they present authentic content without neglecting the commercial aspect. Gen Z in particular, who make up 76% of TikTok users, are highly engaged and are unhappy with the idea that the platform could potentially be banned in major markets such as the US.

Overall, investments in TikTok marketing continue to gain in importance as more and more companies use the platform as a way to increase their brand presence and authentic communication. Marswalk and similar agencies are at the forefront of this development and are key players in shaping future brand communication.