Understanding TikTok for Business Owners

If you’ve been living under a rock since its international launch back in 2017, you may not know what TikTok is, or about the many benefits that it can bring to your business.  

In short, TikTok is a popular social media platform that allows users to create and share short-form videos, ranging from 15 seconds to 3 minutes. Its popularity really soared during lockdown, where millions of individuals showcased their creativity through dancing, singing and comedy, but it has since become a valuable tool for businesses to reach out to their target audiences. 

With over 3 billion downloads, it’s no surprise that businesses have jumped on the TikTok bandwagon to post regular content. If you are a business owner and are wondering where to begin, here are some tips on how to use TikTok to promote your brand and gain more leads.

So, Where Do You Start?

Define Your Audience

Before you start creating content, you need to understand your target audience and decide whether TikTok is the right platform. With 80% of TikTok’s users aged between 16-34, it’s definitely for businesses wanting to target a younger demographic. If TikTok is the right platform, asking simple questions like – ‘who are they?’, ‘what do they like?’, ‘what kind of content do they engage with the most?’ will allow you to have a clear understanding of your audience, then you can create content that resonates with them. 

Show Your Personality

TikTok is all about authenticity, so don’t be afraid to show your brand’s personality. Create fun and engaging content that showcases your brand’s values, mission, and personality. Don’t be afraid to include yourself and employees (if they want to of course!) in content, as this helps your business to have a ‘face’ and offers genuine, slice-of-life content that captivates audiences and keeps them coming back for more. For that reason, this type of content often drives more engagement on TikTok than generic company videos.

Be Consistent

Look, we’re not all going to go viral overnight, so it’s important to be consistent! It’s also worth noting here that simply hoping you’ll go ‘viral’ is not the approach to take, as most successful accounts on TikTok are built on a steady stream of engaging content. Therefore, in order to build a loyal following on TikTok, you need to be consistent with your content. Set a schedule for posting and stick to it. This will help you stay top of mind with your followers. TikTok suggests posting 1-4 times a day, but we know this isn’t doable for most businesses, so stick to 2 times a week and see how it performs.

Use Hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to increase the visibility of your content on TikTok. Use relevant hashtags that describe your content and target audience. You can also create your own branded hashtag to encourage user-generated content. A top tip is to use the hashtag ‘#fyp’ as this refers to the homepage of TikTok which is filled with recommended content that the app thinks users may like. By using this hashtag, your video may end up on someone’s for you page which will increase views and brand visibility.

Measure Your Results

Make the most out of TikTok’s built-in analytics to measure the performance of your content. Look at engagement rates, views, and shares to understand what works and what doesn’t. Use this data to refine your content strategy moving forward. This A/B testing method is important for marketing in general, not just socials – the classic ‘do it, track it, refine it’ is vital for your business.

What Are the Advantages of Using TikTok for Your Business?

Now you know a bit about how TikTok works, it’s time to look at some of the advantages it can bring to your business. Here are a few of the key benefits: 

Increases Brand Awareness

If your main goal is to promote to a wider audience, TikTok could be the platform for your business. TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide, and this presents a huge opportunity for businesses to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. By creating engaging and shareable content, businesses can reach millions of users and build brand recognition, all for free! Moreover, TikTok’s algorithm prioritises engaging content, which means that even small businesses with a smaller following can have their content promoted to a wider audience if it is creative and engaging.

Cost-effective Advertising

If you’re willing to pay TikTok for ads, the platform offers several advertising options that are more cost-effective than traditional advertising channels. For example, businesses can create sponsored content or work with influencers to reach their target audience. This can be a great way to drive traffic and generate leads without breaking the bank. 

Greater Engagement

In today’s fast-paced society, it’s extremely hard to keep customers engaged with content. With TikTok, their users are highly engaged, with an average session time of 52 minutes per day. This means that businesses have a greater chance of capturing users’ attention and keeping them engaged with the content. This can be a great way to build a loyal following and increase customer loyalty. 

Overall, TikTok can offer several benefits for businesses looking to promote their brand and reach a wider audience. By creating engaging content and taking advantage of the platform’s advertising options, businesses can increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads.

Active Internet Marketing

Well, why don’t you give TikTok a go? With frequent posting of relevant content, you could reap the benefits that this social platform brings. For all things social media and SEO, we’d be more than happy to help here at Active Internet Marketing. We have over 10 years of experience working with clients to increase their SEO rankings, through a range of services which can be tailored to your specific needs. For more information, please give us a call today on 01604 765796. Alternatively, you can complete our online enquiry form where a member of our team will be in touch with you.