Should your business be on TikTok? It’s the fastest-growing social media platform of the decade, and by running its first live shopping and entertainment event this month called ‘On Trend’ where people can buy products directly on the platform, TikTok is now also tapping into the rise of social shopping.
How does TikTok differ from other social media platforms?
TikTok is a social media app that allows users to create three-minute videos. It’s different from other social media platforms because Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are primarily focused on sharing images and text while TikTok is all about sharing videos and this can open up a whole new level of connection with your business’s target audience.
One billion users must be good for business
Since its launch in 2016, TikTok now has over 1 billion users, and it estimates the same 1 billion being active per month in 2021. And it’s not too late to join the party. Many business owners are now starting to see that they could be missing out on this major marketing opportunity because TikTok is so different from other social media platforms. It’s new enough to get in early and create content for your brand and established enough so that you have an immediate captive audience.
Is TikTok for your business?
You might want to give TikTok a whirl if your target audience is younger (ages 16-30) or you’re looking to expand awareness of your business/brand to a younger audience.
Likewise if you can easily showcase your products/services in a vide, you’re comfortable sharing light-hearted brand content, you’re open to trying something new, and you have time for experimenting with content and the platform.
Another reason to get in the game now is that we’ve repeatedly witnessed over time that an excellent barometer of the next big thing with social media platforms and marketing trends as a whole is where the younger generation puts their time and attention and TikTok is clearly far more than a Gen Z fad.
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter also all started off as very young platforms too, with what was considered as offering little value for businesses.
Types of TikTok content to promote your business
There are several types of TikTok content that you can use to promote your business. TikTok users are able to use common sounds with another user, duet, stitch or even react to videos through a green screen feature, thereby widening your audience exposure, and TikTok’s unique and accurate algorithm makes it likely your business posts will end up on your targets customers’ For You Pages (a stream of content they elect to view).
Share your own video content
Sharing your own video content on TikTok created by you and your team is a great starting point. Make it likeable, shareable and even viral by making it authentic, and with people in it that are relatable, or animals for that matter. Food also goes down well. All this will help it get shared more widely. When you create a video as a brand that sparks conversation, educates, or triggers emotion for users – you’re likely to be rewarded by user-generated content and engagement.
Humour goes down well too.
User-Generated Content
As you create and share video content your followers grow and it’s highly likely that members of your audience will interact with you. They might even recreate your videos (especially the funnier or ‘out there’ ones), use your products in videos, record responses to your videos or create duets with your videos.
You can find user-generated content is by searching for hashtags related to your company, industry or products.
Advertisements
TikTok officially launched its advertising platform called TikTok For Business in June this year to serve as a marketing hub for businesses’ accounts. Another sign that TikTok is now pro-business.
Influencer-created content
You’ve probably seen influencer marketing on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram and it’s thriving on TikTok as well. This is when you partner with people with large followings so that they promote your business and/or products to them. Look for influencers that are active in your industry with either a large following or a highly engaged audience or that have worked with similar brands or products to yours.
Once you decide on who you want to partner with, you can reach out and discuss a potential working relationship.
Exposure for business owners
The more exposure you have as a business owner, the better the chances of repeat business, attracting new clients, and building overall brand awareness.
TikTok can also:
- Grow brand awareness
- Educate your target audience
- Target future employees
- Target future clients or customers
- Increase sales
- Stay on-brand
- Increase clicks to your website
- Widen your audience reach