Ready to elevate your small business to new heights? Look no further than TikTok – the ultimate destination for creativity and connection. Whether you’re targeting Gen Z, Millennials, or older demographics, TikTok’s diverse user base ensures widespread appeal. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by in the fast-paced world of social commerce. Let’s explore how to use TikTok for small business to engage customers, showcase products, and craft compelling content with our guideline now!
Table of Contents
Why is TikTok Important for Small Business?
TikTok has become a powerful platform for businesses of all sizes, and small businesses can reap particular benefits from this trendy app. Here’s why small businesses should promote on TikTok:
- Massive Reach: With over 1.7 billion active users worldwide, TikTok offers a massive potential audience for your brand. This means there’s a huge pool of people who could discover your products or services through engaging content.
- Creative Freedom: Unlike other platforms that may favor a specific content style, TikTok thrives on creativity and fun. This freedom allows you to showcase your brand’s personality in a way that resonates with younger audiences.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: While TikTok offers paid advertising options, organic reach on the platform is significant. You can create engaging content to reach a large audience without a huge marketing budget. Furthermore, compared to other popular social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, TikTok Ads cost is lower.
- Organic Growth Potential: The virality of TikTok trends can propel even small accounts to reach a large audience. If you manage to create a catchy challenge or video that sparks a trend, you could gain significant traction for your brand.
- Targeted Advertising: TikTok offers 11 types of advertising that allow businesses to target to specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This enables small businesses to reach their ideal customers more effectively and maximize the return on their advertising investment.
- Building Trust & Community: TikTok fosters a strong sense of community, and users often trust recommendations from creators they follow. By partnering with relevant influencers or creating content that resonates with your target audience, you can build trust and brand loyalty.
- Drive Sales: TikTok is integrating features like in-app shopping, making it easier than ever for users to discover and purchase your products directly within the app.
Overall, TikTok for small businesses provides a powerful platform to increase brand awareness, engage with their target audience, and drive sales. It’s a platform that rewards authenticity and fun, making it a great space to showcase your brand personality and potentially achieve viral success.
How to Promote Small Business on TikTok?
Even if you are an expert on Instagram or Facebook marketing, it’s crucial to acknowledge that TikTok is a distinct platform with its own unique dynamics. Following by TikTok, for small businesses aiming to expand their presence on TikTok, a continuously engaged strategy is the key to success. You need a three-pronged approach:
This combination allows you to organically connect with viewers, reach a wider audience through ads, and benefit from the power of influencer marketing specific to the TikTok platform.
Using the formula mentioned above, I will provide small businesses with clear guidelines for achieving effective marketing on TikTok:
#1. Understand the platform
Take the time to explore TikTok and understand its unique features and user behavior. Also, familiarize yourself with the demographics of TikTok users to ensure your content aligns with your target audience is such significant.
To understand the TikTok platform better, here are some effective ways to gain insights and knowledge:
- Watch videos: Navigate through and watch several videos to familiarize yourself with the platform. Browse through the For You page, which showcases a curated feed of popular and trending videos. Engage with content by liking, commenting, and sharing to understand the user experience and preferences.
- Follow popular creators: Identify and follow influential creators within your industry or niche. Pay attention to the type of content they create, their storytelling techniques, and the engagement they receive. Observing successful creators can provide inspiration and help you understand what resonates with TikTok users.
#2. Set clear goals
Determine what you aim to achieve with your TikTok presence. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, generate leads, or boost sales? Having clear goals will help you tailor your content and measure your success of TikTok for small business effectively.
#3. Create engaging content
Creating engaging content is crucial for capturing the attention of TikTok users and building a loyal following. Here are some detailed tips to help you create compelling and effective TikTok content:
- Understand your target audience: Before you start creating content, it’s essential to have a deep understanding of your target audience. Consider their demographics, interests, preferences. This understanding will guide your content creation and ensure it resonates with your intended audience.
- Showcase your brand’s personality: TikTok for small business encourages authenticity and creativity. Use your content to showcase your brand’s unique personality, values, and identity. Inject humor, storytelling, or originality into your videos to leave a lasting impression on viewers.
- Grab attention quickly: TikTok users have short attention spans, so it’s crucial to capture their attention within the first few seconds of your video. Start with an attention-grabbing hook, whether it’s a visually striking moment, an intriguing question, or a captivating opening shot.
- Optimize video length: TikTok videos are typically short, ranging from 15 to 60 seconds, the ideal video length may vary depending on your content and audience. Experiment with different video lengths and monitor audience engagement to determine what resonates best with your target audience.
- Use visual and auditory elements effectively: Use high-quality visuals, vibrant colors, and visually interesting compositions to capture viewers’ attention. Additionally, choose appropriate music, and sound effects, or voiceovers that enhance the mood and message of your video.
- Experiment with video effects and filters: Experiment with a range of creative effects, filters, and editing tools to add visual interest and uniqueness to your videos. However, ensuring they enhance your content rather than distract from it.
- Incorporate calls to action (CTAs): Encourage viewer engagement and action by incorporating clear and compelling calls to action in your videos.
- Be consistent and post regularly: Consistency is key on TikTok. Experiment with different content themes, formats, and concepts to keep your content fresh and exciting. As well as, developing a content schedule and aim to post regularly to maintain visibility and engage your audience. And according to our research, the best time to post on TikTok for small business is:
- 7 – 9 a.m: This is the wake-up time, and people usually watch the news on their social media.
- 11 – 12 p.m: It’s noon time which is the best time to look for entertainment and relaxation.
- 8 – 9 p.m: Off-the-work and dinner time; this is the highest engagement time of the day. Users would love to socialize online with their friends and check for daily trends.
#4. Embrace trends
TikTok is known for its viral challenges and trends. Keep an eye on the For You page and the Discover tab to identify popular trends and challenges. Participating in these trends can boost your visibility and attract new followers. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how to embrace trends effectively on TikTok:
- Put a unique spin on it: While it’s important to follow the general structure or format of a trend, strive to put your unique twist on it. Find a way to incorporate your brand’s personality, values, or products into the trend. This will help your content stand out from the crowd and make it more memorable to viewers.
- Participate early: With TikTok for small business. trends can come and go quickly, so it’s crucial to jump on them early to maximize your visibility. As soon as you identify a relevant trend, start planning and creating your content promptly. Being an early adopter can increase your chances of being featured on the For You page and gaining exposure to a larger audience.
#5. Leverage influencers
Leveraging influencers of TikTok for business is a powerful strategy to expand your reach, increase brand awareness, and tap into the existing fan bases of popular content creators. Influencers have a dedicated following and can help amplify your message to a larger audience. Here are some detailed steps to effectively leverage influencers on TikTok:
- Identify relevant influencers
- Research influencer credibility
- Establish your campaign goals
- Reach out to influencers
- Collaborate on content creation
- Track and measure performance
- Engage with influencer-generated content
#6. Use hashtags strategically
Hashtags are essential for increasing the discoverability of your TikTok for small business content. When selecting hashtags, it’s beneficial to include a mix of popular and niche hashtags.
- Popular hashtags have a higher volume of posts, which means more competition, but they also have a larger potential reach. Example; #foryou, #tiktok, #viral, #trending
- Niche hashtags, on the other hand, have a smaller audience but can help you target a more specific and engaged community. Example: #fitnessmotivation, #fashioninspo, #foodiefinds, #travelphotography
By using a combination of both, you can increase the chances of your content being discovered by a wider range of users.
Additionally, participate in trending hashtags and challenges to increase your chances of appearing in the corresponding search results. Consider creating your own TikTok branded hashtags challenge to encourage user-generated content and foster a sense of community around your brand.
#7. Engage with the community
Building a strong community is crucial on TikTok for small business. You can actively participate in the TikTok niche communities by:
- Comment on videos
- Respond to comments on your own videos
- Like and reply to user-generated content related to your brand
- Engage in duets and collaborations.
- Encourage user participation through duets and challenges
Engaging with other users and creators can help you understand the preferences and interests of the TikTok community, as well as build relationships with potential followers and collaborators. Furthermore, by fostering a sense of interaction and connection, you can build brand loyalty and encourage user-generated content.
#8. Cross-promote on other platforms
Cross-promotion helps maximize your content’s reach and attract new followers. Leverage your existing social media platforms and marketing channels to promote your TikTok presence.
- Share your TikTok videos on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to reach your existing followers and encourage them to follow you on TikTok.
- Embed TikTok videos on your website or blog to showcase your content to website visitors.
#9. Consider Paid Ads
Like any other social media platform, TikTok offers advertising opportunities for businesses, providing a valuable means to increase brand visibility and reach potential customers.
TikTok’s advertising features are user-friendly. TikTok for small business also provides businesses with 11 different types of advertising formats to serve various marketing campaign objectives, for example: engage with audiences and drive sales. However, to effectively utilize all these types of ads to optimize advertising efficiency, especially for cross-border or international businesses want to expand worldwide, you need to own a TikTok agency account.
Having a TikTok agency account provides businesses with specialized tools, support, and insights to run successful advertising campaigns and maximize their presence on the platform. It can streamline your marketing efforts, improve TikTok audience targeting, and provide valuable data to optimize your TikTok strategies.
#10. Track and analyze results
Use TikTok Analytics tools or third-party platforms to track the performance of your TikTok content. Pay attention to TikTok metrics such as:
- Views
- Engagement rate (likes, shares, comments)
- Follower growth
- Click-through Rate (CTR)
- Conversion Rate
Remember that the relevance of these metrics may vary based on your TikTok ad objectives and overall marketing goals. Regularly tracking and analyzing these metrics will help you make data-driven decisions, optimize your TikTok content strategy, and achieve better results with your TikTok marketing efforts.
9 TikTok Content Ideas for Small Business
If you’re a small business looking for TikTok content ideas to promote your brand, engage with your audience, and showcase your products or services, here are some suggestions:
- Behind-the-Scenes: Show them how your products are made, introduce your team, or provide a glimpse into your daily operations. This helps build transparency and authenticity on TikTok for small business, fostering a deeper connection with your audience.
- Product Demonstrations: Create short videos demonstrating how to use your products or showcasing their features and benefits.
- Customer Testimonial: Share video testimonials from satisfied customers who have had positive experiences with your products or services. This social proof can build trust and credibility, influencing others to consider your brand.
- Trendy Challenges and Dances: Participate in popular TikTok challenges and dances that align with your brand or industry. Add your unique twist to make it relevant to your business.
- Q&A Sessions: Host Q&A sessions where you answer frequently asked questions about your products, services, or industry. This helps build trust, addresses concerns, and positions you as an expert in your field.
- Start to Finish Timelapse: Create a high-speed timelapse showcasing any process you’d like to highlight, such as the creation of your products, or the decoration of your front desk. Watching something unfold rapidly from start to finish can be an enjoyable experience.
- Storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to share the story behind your brand, your mission, or the inspiration behind your products. Connect with your audience on an emotional level and create a memorable narrative that resonates with them.
- User-Generated Content Campaigns: UGC content encourages your customers to create content featuring your products or services. You can run contests or challenges where users share their experiences or creative ways they use your offerings.
- Educational Tips and Advice: Share valuable tips, advice, or industry insights related to your niche. Position yourself as a source of knowledge and expertise.
>>> Read more: Unfold the top 11 TikTok Video Ideas to captivate your audience
Remember to keep your content authentic, entertaining, and aligned with your brand’s tone and values. Experiment with different ideas, monitor audience engagement, and refine your approach based on what resonates best with your TikTok community.
2 Examples of Small Business on TikTok
These examples demonstrate the diverse range of businesses that have found success on TikTok. By leveraging the platform’s features, creativity, and engagement opportunities, small businesses can effectively promote their products, showcase their expertise, and connect with a broader audience.
Paint Your Life
Paint Your Life is an eCommerce company that offers a custom experience of creating artwork to cherish and honor special memories. The company has been a prominent player on TikTok for several successful years, primarily focusing on performance activities.
Despite their consistent and successful presence on TikTok, the company encountered unexpected challenges in meeting their KPIs on the platform during the third quarter of 2023.
To address these challenges, and to breathe new life into Paint Your Life’s TikTok performance, they have a playlist dedicated to compiling videos capturing customers’ reactions upon receiving their artwork. They also offer behind-the-scenes videos about the painting process that be interesting and engaging for viewers.
By implementing this strategic approach, Paint Your Life succeeded to dramatically improve their performance metrics with:
- +63% increase in CVR
- 17% decrease in CPA
- 10% increase in ROAS and all just in time for Christmas.
Down to Earth Beauty (DTE beauty)
DTE Beauty stands out as one of the top-performing small businesses on TikTok. Specializing in cruelty-free body and skincare products, it is owned by women of color.
This TikTok account actively engages with its followers by responding to questions through videos and fostering interactions in the comments section. Moreover, they provide personalized product recommendations to address their customers’ needs, organizing them into playlists such as body acne scars, facial acne products, and body acne products.
Additionally, they curate playlists showcasing the packaging process of orders and an ASMR playlist for followers who enjoy the satisfying sounds of product packaging.
This diverse range of content has propelled DTE Beauty to garner 361.5K followers and 14.5M likes.
Final word
In conclusion, harnessing the power of TikTok for small business can be a game-changer when it comes to generating more sales and expanding your customer base. By implementing our guideline, you can make the most out of this popular platform and take your business to new heights.
Whenever you encounter difficulties managing and optimizing your TikTok advertising campaigns, feel free to reach out to us. With a team of experienced experts, we are here to assist in resolving all your issues.
