In recent years, the use of social media and the number of platforms available to consumers has skyrocketed, and as of this year, 72% of U.S. adults say they use at least one social media platform, compared to just 5% in 2005 according to Pew Research Center. With this rapid rise in social media use, brands in all industries have adapted their marketing strategies to target specific audiences via social media.

Within the sports industry, social media has completely changed how teams, athletes, and fans interact with each other. For athletes specifically, social media has emerged as the ideal way for athletes to show off and grow their personal brand, connect with fans on a more personal level, and even make money While there are a number of different platforms to choose from, we want to share three reasons why every athlete should make downloading Tik Tok a priority.  

You can customize your TikTok use to fit your preferences

TikTok is unique in that while on the surface it is composed entirely of videos, users can utilize a number of different strategies to fit their personal style (with the same high levels of engagement). Athletes can talk directly to fans, post highlight clips, or hop on a number of trends that are ever-changing. TikTok truly has everything in terms of video content, and allows users the comfort of showing off their personality in a variety of ways, attracting much higher engagement than pictures or text.

It can help you grow your other social channels

While engagement levels for athletes on TikTok alone is extremely high, it also provides an opportunity to grow other social platforms through that engagement. Juju Smith-Schuster is one athlete who has maximized his overall social presence through TikTok primarily, growing massive followings on Twitter, Twitch YouTube where TikTok content can be reposted seamlessly. TikTok even allows you to add your Instagram account through a badge on your profile for easy access to additional accounts.

It will broaden your marketing horizon

Having worked with hundreds of brands, we at MarketPryce can personally attest to the fact that companies are actively looking for influencers and athletes with strong followings to share products on TikTok. There are even a few TikTok Campaigns currently up on MarketPryce. Videos are far more engaging than other social mediums and create the relationships with consumers that brands are looking for when working with athletes to promote them.

While the social media landscape continues to evolve year over year, digital engagement as a whole is undoubtedly here to stay, and it is in the best interest of all athletes from a marketing standpoint to familiarize themselves with platforms like TikTok. While playing their respective sport can take many athletes far, having a great personal brand can take them even further.