TikTok is for Millennials and GenZ, right?
TikTok is for silly dance videos, right?
TikTok isn’t for serious businesses, right?
Maybe not…
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform, third only after Facebook and Instagram in size.
TikTok has over a billion active monthly users and they seem to spend money on the app.
Makes you think twice, doesn’t it?
I looked at the brands and small businesses on TikTok and how they are using it to try to figure it out so you don’t have to.
The app’s popularity shows no signs of shrinking – quite the opposite! Many small and medium-sized businesses have seen a positive return on investment using it. It seems to be growing into a very powerful business tool, provided you use it correctly!
Ask yourself the following questions:
Is my brand “fun”?
If your brand has elements of humour, joy or a tongue-in-cheek personality, it could work very well on TikTok.
Is my brand educational or informative?
If you already use tutorials, webinars, podcasts, or YouTube videos as part of your marketing strategy, TikTok videos aren’t that much of a stretch.
Is my brand involved in e-commerce?
If you are selling online, you already know that social media advertising works. TikTok affects so many buying decisions, that there’s even a hashtag for it: #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
Is my brand attractive to a younger audience or do I want it to be?
Advertising on TikTok is a good idea if your brand has a young target audience or you want to grow brand awareness among younger people.
Yes, most TikTok users are younger, but its popularity is also growing among older users.
Does my product look good on camera?
If a picture paints a thousand words, how much is a video worth? If what you do or sell has visual appeal, it is probably a great fit for TikTok.
Hold on! You don’t have to have answered “yes” to all of the above. One or more is good enough.
The next thing to consider is the “HOW?”
Unfortunately, you can’t just fiddle around a bit with what you do on Facebook or Instagram!
Identify your audience:
This is true for any marketing, so it’s not exactly a great revelation. Nowhere is it truer than on TikTok. Whether you want to focus on existing customers or draw in new ones, you need to be very clear on who your ideal customer is. Build your strategy around this avatar—who they are, what they like, and which influencers they follow.
Do the research:
Before you start creating and posting content, get familiar with the platform. Check out what your competitors are doing and what popular creators are doing in your field, and understand the language your audience is using.
Make it organic:
TikTok content feels authentic, human and personal. Traditional marketing techniques tend to fail because users avoid advertisements. You will have to come up with less invasive techniques to succeed – think out-of-the-box and tell stories.
Set your goals:
What do you want to achieve on TikTok? Do you want to boost sales, increase awareness or drive traffic to your website? Whatever it is, be clear and then work your strategy and content around that goal.
Call the professionals:
Of course, you can make a go of it by yourself, but it really saves a lot of time – not to mention trial-and-error – to work with someone who already knows what they are doing. Making an effective and impactful video is not as easy as it looks, either!
In conclusion, TikTok could very well be perfect for your business, as long as you understand the platform, its users, and what it takes to get the traction you want.
Written by Nana Stapelberg – Word Whizz at We Do Digital
