The answer is, ultimately, yes. Tik Tok is not the platform you want to sleep on. If you're looking to reach a new audience, generate brand awareness and grow your business naturally, then this is the platform for you.
With over 1 billion active monthly users, Tik Tok is now one of the world's biggest video-sharing and social media platforms.¹ It’s taken the world by storm with its easy to use editing tools and advanced algorithms.
Before discussing why you should create a TikTok for your small business, let's debunk a few common misconceptions.
TikTok miscconceptions
A few common misconceptions people have about Tik Tok is that it's an app only used by teenagers, and the majority of the videos are dance routines and sing-alongs.
These myths are far from the truth, and according to the database company, Statista, 75.4% of TikTok users are over the age of 20.² Adult users have also more than doubled in the past few years.³
The content on the platform varies. TikTok’s largest category is entertainment, which has over 535 billion views.⁴ That’s 354 billion more views than the dance category.
Why your small business should be on TikTok
1. Maximise benefits with cross-channel marketing
Just like Myspace suddenly fell out of favour, other social media platforms you use could also become unpopular. Having all of your social media eggs in one basket and using a "one platform strategy" is dangerous and blocks your business from reaching its full potential.
We're not suggesting you spend hours making unique content for every social media platform. We understand that not every small business has the time; however, we believe every business should be active on at least three platforms. You should repurpose videos used on TikTok to use as reels on Instagram or posts on Facebook or LinkedIn so you are maximizing your reach across all your social media profiles.
📖 Related Story: 10 Reasons Why a Business Plan is Important for Small Businesses
2. Video marketing is essential in 2021
Video is the highest performing form of digital content. Each day, video sharing websites are receiving billions of hours of watch time.
For marketers, videos are a gold mine and deliver high engagement rates and return on investment (ROI). 84% of people surveyed by Wyzowl, a company that creates video content, said they were persuaded to buy a product or service based on a brand's video they saw online.⁵
If you're not producing video content, you're harming your businesses potential. Video content is the king of social media, and platforms like TikTok are expected to grow and become more prominent in the digital marketing space.
3. The algorithm caters to new users
The TikTok algorithm is like nothing you have ever experienced before and is specifically tailored to new and upcoming creators.
TikTok's algorithm is fueled by a recommendation system that caters to everyone's interests and matches preferences unique to each user. Factors that drive its recommendation system include user interactions, activity history, video descriptions and device and account settings.
For small and upcoming creators, it means you have the same chance as any other creator to reach a select audience. Better yet, as TikTok does not use data from previous videos, you're able to test the waters and try new approaches to reach an audience without worrying about your past video engagement rates. Each video uploaded is evaluated on its own merits.
4. Reach an international audience
With TikTok's algorithm, you can expect to reach an international audience, which for many small businesses is something they struggle to do.
With a click of the post button, your video is shared with a global audience. With minimal budget and following, creators can get their videos in front of new viewers and grow their brand at expediated rates.
Essentially anyone can become internet famous overnight, which is one of the most attractive elements of this platform.
5. Behind-the-scenes content is popular on TikTok and easy to make
For many businesses who have achieved enormous success on the platform, it all started with a few raw videos of businesses offering a peek behind the curtains
It sounds wild, we know, but TikTok viewers love to watch real, authentic content and see the inner workings of small businesses. Behind-the-scene videos are a great way to humanise your company, connect with your audience on a personal level and showcase your work culture.
A common tip shared among small business owners on the platform is, "record everything because anything could go viral." It's a true statement that has been proven time and again. A bird’s-eye view video of you packing an order could blow up and lead you to sell out all your products
Some behind-the-scene content ideas include:
- Bird’s-eye view of packing an order
- The packing and delivering process - from label to delivery truck
- The creative process of making a product
- Responding to customer feedback
- Montages of photoshoots
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Sarina Russo Entrepreneurs (SRE) supports candidates as they complete BSB42618 Certificate IV in New Small Business. During this, candidates create a comprehensive business plan and a two-year financial cash forecast. SRE Trainers provide meaningful mentoring for the first twelve months.
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[1] TikTok Statistics – Updated June 2021, retrieved on 26 July, 2021, from: https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/
[2] Distribution of TikTok users in the United States as of March 2021, by age group. Retrieved on 20 October 2021. From: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1095186/tiktok-us-users-age/
[3] TikTok's US Adult Users Double Year-Over-Year; Here Are Age and Income Breakdowns. Retrieved on 20 October 2021. From: https://www.marketingcharts.com/digital/social-media-112940
[4] The Most Popular TikTok Hashtags by Categories and Topics. Retrieved on 20 October 2021. From: https://mediakix.com/blog/most-popular-tiktok-hashtags-categories-topics/
[5] The Ultimate List of Marketing Statistics for 2021. Retrieved on 21 October 2021. From: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics
