TikTok’s Guide to Q5 Marketing

TikTok has just unveiled a fresh marketing guide for brands looking to capture post-Christmas consumer attention in the often-overlooked period known as “Q5.” Encompassing the week after Christmas through early January, Q5 is an emerging marketing window when consumers, still in holiday mode, actively search for bargains, new trends, and products to kickstart the new year. With increased engagement on TikTok, brands can use this period to boost their sales by aligning their strategies with the platform’s unique insights into consumer behaviours during this time.

What is Q5?

“Q5” has become a marketing term that describes the valuable period from Boxing Day through the beginning of January. During this stretch, many consumers remain in shopping mode, eager to find post-holiday deals and explore new trends. TikTok’s user insights indicate that engagement with shopping-related content remains robust well after Christmas, with users spending time on the platform to discover items that align with their “new year, new me” aspirations.

Understanding consumer mindset shifts during Q5 is key to effective engagement. For instance, while holiday purchases may have focused on gifts and celebrations, post-Christmas shopping on TikTok reflects a heightened interest in self-care, home improvement, and personal reinvention — all of which can inform brands’ marketing strategies during this period.

Key Strategies in TikTok’s Q5 Guide

TikTok’s 13-page Q5 guide provides brands with strategic advice on maximising engagement during this time. The guide includes:

1. Emphasis on New Year’s Trends
   Users are actively searching for “fresh starts” in their lifestyles. Brands should consider using trends around wellness, self-improvement, and home organisation in their Q5 content. For example, a health brand could run a campaign centred on simple wellness tips, while fashion brands might launch style guides for the new year.
2. Highlighting Deals and Discounts
   TikTok users in Q5 are looking for bargains, making it an ideal period for brands to promote limited-time offers and exclusive discounts. In-feed ads, branded hashtags, and TikTok’s Shop Now features can help brands highlight these deals effectively, encouraging impulsive yet valuable purchases.
3. Leveraging Self-Care Themes
   With self-care and wellness on the rise post-holidays, TikTok suggests that brands tailor their content to support these interests. Beauty and lifestyle brands, for instance, might focus on new skincare routines or relaxation products, while home decor businesses could promote organisational items to inspire viewers as they refresh their spaces.
4. Utilising TikTok’s Ad Options
   The guide also explores various advertising tools available within the platform, such as in-feed ads, branded hashtag challenges, and carousel ads. TikTok encourages brands to use these tools to enhance Q5 campaign visibility and impact, helping drive traffic to their storefronts or direct sales links.

What This Means for Brands and Marketers

Q5 marks a distinct, short-lived period in which brands can capitalise on changing consumer needs as they shift from holiday spending to personal investments. 

For marketers, this period is a strategic moment to extend engagement and attract audiences through timely and relevant content. With its vast array of advertising features and access to real-time consumer trends, TikTok’s platform enables brands to test unique approaches in a lower-competition period, potentially making January a high-conversion month.

For businesses, this approach encourages agility in marketing. As trends can quickly shift on TikTok, brands should focus on content that feels fresh and current. Short, visually engaging videos or interactive elements like polls or challenges can keep audiences engaged and entertained, ensuring that Q5 campaigns resonate well into the new year.

TikTok’s new guide showcases the potential of Q5 marketing as an innovative way to boost post-holiday sales. By aligning with TikTok’s insights and tools, brands can effectively capture consumer interest during this unique period and kickstart the new year with strong engagement.