Is TikTok Right For Your Business?
All the kids are talking about it. Do you TikTok?
TikTok, the raging social media platform, has been around since 2018, but lately, it has gained more traction than any other app on the Play Store, crossing over 2 billion downloads worldwide.
Whether you’re the dancing type or a preacher in the making, there is a space for everyone on this nifty platform.
Which brings us to the question: Is TikTok good for business?
The short answer is maybe. Read on to learn why TikTok marketing might be worth it and how you can use it to grow your business. But first, a primer on TikTok.
What Is TikTok?
Gather ‘round old-timers (anyone now over 40). Listen to the story of a relative newbie on the social media block.
TikTok bills itself as the ultimate place for short mobile videos.
Simply put, TikTok — known in China as Douyin — is a video-sharing application that allows users to create and share short (up to 3 minutes) videos on any topic.
You can easily add eye-catching filters and special effects to the videos. The platform also has a vast music library you can access and use to spice up your videos.
TikTok’s search engine uses an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to provide video recommendations based on the content you’ve watched. The AI engine also makes it easy to discover new content, search for influencers in your niche, and create viral sensations.
As of September 2021, the app had 1 billion monthly active users globally, and the number keeps growing by the day. Today, TikTok is the sixth-largest social media platform.
Why TikTok Is Great for Business
Since TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users, chances are your customers are on this platform. As a marketer, you want to be where your customers are. Here are a few stats that might convince you to try out TikTok for business:
- The platform has a large, active monthly user base
- With over 2 billion downloads in 2021, TikTok is one of the most downloaded apps on the Play Store and App Store
- TikTok is available in 155 countries and 75 languages
- The average user opens up the app more than eight times a day
- On average, 1 million videos are upload on the platform daily
- TikTok users love the app. A new study has shown that Gen Z users spend an average of 80 minutes per day on the app
Plus, developers recently launched TikTok for Business to help companies leverage the platform to expand their reach and create brand awareness.
TikTok for Business: Key Considerations to Make
If you’re wondering whether TikTok is a good marketing tool for your business, there are two critical considerations you should take into account:
- Who Is Your Target Audience
The first thing you’ll want to do is identify your target audience. To help you identify your audience base, you need to ask:
- What is the gender of your ideal customer?
- What’s their profession?
- What’s their age bracket?
- Where do they live?
- What’s their income?
There are more elements that you should consider, but these questions will get you started. Once you understand your audience, you’ll be able to engage them in the platforms they visit most. For instance, most TikTok users are between the ages of 16 and 24.
- Is Your Target Audience on TikTok
Once you’ve identified your target audience, the next thing is to determine what percentage of them are on TikTok.
According to a recent Fortune and SurveyMonkey poll, 28% of Gen Z (under 24 years) are active on TikTok. This means TikTok is the best platform if you sell products suitable for this generation.
If your business caters to the older generation, you might want to channel your marketing efforts elsewhere. The same poll shows that only a fraction of baby boomers (less than 5%) have a TikTok account.
Tips and Tricks to Using TikTok
If your target audience is on TikTok and your business is ready to try this platform, here are some tips to get you started.
- Get Comfortable with the Platform
If you’re new to TikTok, you should know there is a learning curve — though not steep. It might take a while for you to learn the ropes, especially if you’re also new to the world of video creation and editing.
The trick is to play with the app for some time before posting any video. Experiment with the app, and create different transitions to see what works for your business.
The last thing you want is to post your first marketing video only to end up looking like you don’t know what you’re doing.
Here are a few things to try when exploring the platform:
- Watch videos
- Create videos
- Add music
- Try to add visual effects
Practice makes perfect. With time, creating TikTok videos will become a no-brainer task.
- Determine When and How Frequently You’ll Post
Just like with any other social media platform, there are peak hours to post on TikTok.
The trick is to find out the best time to post on TikTok to ensure your content reaches the maximum number of users. According to Hootsuite, these are the best hours to post on TikTok.
- Tuesday 7 AM
- Thursday 10 AM
- Friday 5 AM
As for the posting frequency, aim to post at least once per day.
Posting often is preferred, as this way, you’re consistently putting your brand in front of your audience. The best thing about TikTok is that you can get creative with your content strategy, and you can test different content ideas to see what works best for your business.
- Be Quick on the Trends
TikTok is all about trends.
Some trends are tied to current events, while others come out of nowhere. You can quickly discover new trends by exploring the ‘Discover’ tab on your “For You” page.
To edge out the competition, you’ll want to stay on top of these trends.
And the best part about jumping on the trends? Users are constantly searching and watching content under the trending hashtag — so your content will reach a new audience in no time.
- Work with TikTok Influencers
If you’re struggling to build a following on TikTok, it might be a great idea to consider partnering with a reputable influencer.
TikTok has made it easier for you by developing the “TikTok Creator Marketplace.”
If you join this marketplace, you’ll see the metrics associated with a given influencer, and it’s a lot easier to determine if an influencer is right for your business.
Influencers can help you expand your content outreach and take TikTok marketing to the next level.
- Take Advantage of TikTok Ads
TikTok recently introduced ads to their platform. The company offers different types of ads, including:
- Infeed Native Content: This ad type is similar to Instagram ads and supports handy features like click-throughs to landing pages and more.
- Hashtag challenges: This ad type lets you promote or sponsor hashtags to get more user engagement
- Top View: Capture users’ attention by appearing at the top of their “For You” page when they launch the app
By taking advantage of these features, you’ll stand a better chance at increasing user engagement and expanding your reach.
Wrapping Up
As a new and growing platform, TikTok can be a great addition to your marketing toolkit, particularly if your business targets a younger audience.
The trick is to learn how to use it and leverage the many tools it offers to market your business. If done right, TikTok marketing can create brand awareness, especially through influencer marketing, ultimately leading to more leads and increased revenue.
