You may think that TikTok is simply a platform for dancing moms and comedy sketches. However, the business opportunities on TikTok are vast, and now is the perfect time to take advantage of them.
After all, there are one billion monthly active users on TikTok, and this figure is growing all of the time. Plus, with TikTok shopping on the horizon, the commercial potential is only going to increase.
However, getting started on TikTok can seem rather overwhelming, especially if you have never used the platform before. You don’t need to worry though, as we are here to help. Read on to discover some brilliant business basics when using TikTok.
Benefits of TikTok for businesses
Before we take a look at the different ways you can make the most of TikTok, let’s take a look at some of the benefits associated with this.
One of the main benefits associated with this social media platform is that it gives your business personality. You can take some creative liberties on TikTok. Most of the content is entertaining, whimsical, and light. Of course, there is always a time and place for certain things. However, this platform really enables you to express yourself.
You can also reach more people and you can do so quickly. Since TikTok was launched in 2016, it has been downloaded more than two billion times on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. It is growing at a rapid pace.
Plus, if you are interested in using influencer marketing to boost your business, TikTok is a great place for this. You will be able to reach a huge number of influencers, and you can understand their views, demographics, reach, and engagement before you get in touch with them, so you can easily figure out whether or not they are going to be right for your business.
Creating a winning strategy for TikTok
Once you have signed up for TikTok, it is time to strategize! Even if you are an expert on Facebook or you have mastered Instagram, it is important to remember that TikTok is its own entity, so you need to treat it individually.
Spend some time getting to know the platform. Browse the different features. Play around with the effects, filters, and editing features. Watch some videos.
Once you have done this, spend some time understanding how videos are ranked and distributed on TikTok. Just like Google optimization, you need to understand what makes TikTok tick. (Excuse the pun!)
During this all-important research stage, you also need to identify your target audience. While TikTok is very popular with Gen Z and teenagers, there are many different demographic groups that have fallen in love with the app, so do keep this in mind.
Aside from this, make sure you assess the competition and put together a content calendar. A content calendar will help you to optimize your creative efforts, ensuring you do not miss any critical dates.
Optimize your profile on TikTok
You are only going to have a few lines on your TikTok profile. Plus, you can share one link! So, you need to make sure you optimize this small space.
Make sure you choose a good profile picture that represents your brand effectively. Use the same colors and logo that you use across your other social media accounts. It is vital that users are able to instantly recognize your brand, which is why consistency across all platforms is key.
You also need to select your URL wisely. Are you going to direct people to your e-store, for example? What about another social media account or a specific landing page? Or, maybe it makes more sense to link to a current blog post? We can’t tell you the answer to this, as it all depends on your strategic objectives.
Furthermore, keep your bio short and sweet. You are only going to have 80 characters to work with. Therefore, you cannot afford to waste space! Keep things simple and incorporate a CTA.
Adding an emoji can be impactful in terms of adding personality and saving on character count, yet you should only do this if it is relevant to your brand.
Create content that people are going to watch
When it comes to making a successful TikTok video, there is no secret recipe. However, it goes without saying that they need to look good. Make sure the video and sound quality is on-point. This does not mean you need to spend a fortune on expensive equipment. But you should make sure the audio is clean and that you film in well-lit areas.
If you’re struggling to come up with content ideas, tutorials and how-to videos are always going to be highly popular. Whether it is a cooking demo or a fitness video, audiences usually like a little bit of education on their TikTok feeds.
Reveal some behind-the-scenes intel or show off your expertise to keep them watching.
Hashtags also have a big role to play on this social platform. TikTok hashtags can assist you in terms of helping you to get your content discovered via search, as well as helping the algorithm on TikTok to identify the sort of topics you are going to be covering.
You can certainly accelerate your efforts by teaming up with other creators as well. There is a “Duet” feature on TikTok, which allows you to engage with other videos. Partnerships are of mutual benefit and can help you and the other creator to tap into one another’s audiences.
Boost engagement levels and grow your following
The first word of warning that we need to give to you is that you should never purchase followers. While it can be tempting, it is never a good idea. You are going to have followers who won’t even be interested in what you are offering and your account will come off spammy.
Ultimately, creating excellent content is the best way to increase your followers and keep people engaged. To keep your followers engaged and interested once they are on board, there are a number of different strategies you can try. This includes the following:
- Try out interactive live streams. If you are nervous about this, UNUM offers great tips when going live using TikTok. Going live helps you to engage with your followers effectively and build a community.
- Practice social listening so that you can keep up to date with all of the topics that are trending in your TikTok community.
- Interact with other TikTok accounts. Like content and comment on posts.
- Respond to any comments you receive from TikTok users and answer questions that you receive.
- Experiment with questions and polls yourself. This is a great way to engage with your audience and find out their thoughts.
Explore the advertising options on TikTok
Advertising is not going to be right for everyone’s social strategy. However, if you are interested in paid reach, TikTok does have some exciting options available.
You need to make sure that TikTok’s demographic is a natural fit for your own. Users of this social media platform are aged between 18 and 24-years-old. Moreover, women within this age category make up 24.7 percent of the advertising audience on TikTok.
So, if your audience is females between the age of 18 and 24-years-old, paid search could be highly powerful for you on this platform.
Make the most of analytics
Aside from the points that we have mentioned so far, analytics can really help you to take your business to new heights. Once you have been using TikTok for quite some time, it is vital to look at things from an objective point of view.
- Who is actually following and watching your content?
- Are those tutorial videos actually hitting?
- What are your engagement and reach metrics?
These are some of the questions that you should be asking yourself when evaluating analytical data. Analytics removes the guesswork from your content strategy. They help you to understand what is working and what is not working so you can determine where improvements and changes should be made.
The in-platform analytical tool on TikTok is very useful. It can give you some great insight so that you can make an intelligent decision about the steps to take next.
Boost brand awareness with TikTok for your business
So there you have it: everything that you need to know about TikTok and how you can leverage this platform to bring your business benefits.
There is no denying that TikTok presents a huge opportunity for businesses, with over one billion active users on the platform per month. However, it is all about making sure you tap into this. Use the tips and guidance that we have provided above to ensure that this is the case.
