Let’s start by recognising that time and budgets are limited, and therefore food and beverage brand social platform strategies need to be intentional. Not every channel deserves equal effort, and brands need to focus on the platforms that are actually driving growth, visibility and engagement.
So, if you’re deciding whether TikTok deserves a more prominent role in your marketing strategy for your food and beverage brand, here are a few things worth considering.
1. TikTok is still the fastest growing social platform
According to recent benchmark data, TikTok continues to outperform every other major social platform when it comes to audience growth, and this applies especially to the APAC region, where popularity continues to spread. Median brand follower growth is increasing by an incredible 200% year-on-year, compared to Facebook’s plateaued growth.
For FMCG brands trying to reach younger, creator-engaged audiences, this is extremely valuable.
2. The platform is built for discovery, not follower count
One of TikTok’s biggest strengths is that the visibility of content is driven entirely by content resonance, and not impacted at all by existing audience size.
This creates huge opportunities for smaller food and beverage (F&B) brands, or those entering new regions, that may not yet have an established following yet.
3. Your content can reach audiences far beyond your existing followers
Unlike other platforms that rely heavily on follower count, TikTok is built around discovery. The algorithm is designed to push good content to the right audiences, regardless of how established your account is.
That means F&B brands have a genuine opportunity to reach new people organically, without needing years of audience-building first.
4. Engagement is slowing elsewhere, but TikTok still thrives
Engagement is declining across many social platforms as feeds become more saturated. TikTok is the exception.
The platform continues to deliver the highest median engagement rates globally, consistently outperforming Instagram and Facebook.
5. Focus your efforts where engagement is efficient
Rather than spreading resources thinly across every platform, it makes more sense to prioritise the channels where engagement and reach are still working efficiently.
For many brands right now, TikTok is offering that sweet spot of visibility, interaction and growth potential.
6. TikTok is also becoming a more cost-efficient paid channel
From a paid media perspective, TikTok is currently seeing lower CPMs than Meta on average, while still delivering strong reach and engagement.
For F&B brands trying to make budget go further, that’s a pretty attractive combination – especially as costs continue to rise across Instagram and Facebook.
The food and beverage brands currently winning on TikTok are typically the ones creating content that feels like it belongs in the feed, rather than interrupting it. TikTok won’t be the right fit for every brand, but if growth and discovery are key objectives, the latest data suggests it’s a platform that deserves serious consideration. Get in touch with our social media marketing team to explore how we can support your F&B marketing strategy in Southeast Asia.
