Don't panic - you don't have to do dancing videos!
Chances are, you've heard of TikTok. It's the hot (relatively) new social media platform that everyone's talking about. Today I’m talking about why it’s time to get on TiKTok for your business.
Now, before you say “I don’t want to do silly dancing videos” or “I hate doing videos and don’t want to show my face” – don’t worry. You can build a presence on TikTok and reach your ideal clients without having to do that.
So, keep reading
Let’s start with a few reasons on why it’s time to get on TikTok.
Reasons to get on TikTok
1. Opportunity
There is huge opportunity to jump on TikTok now as a small business. Why? Well, the numbers don’t lie.
The most recent stat I heard was that average users were on TikTok for 80 minutes per day, as opposed to 35 minutes per day on Facebook and 28 minutes on Instagram. *
Plus, a whopping 73% of people have made a purchase because of viewing TikTok.
And people on TikTok users spend more on TikTok than users spend on other platforms. *
And I can't find the source for this one, but I recently heard that TikTok is outranking Google as a search engine for younger people.
Seriously, if those stat's don't convince you to start using TikTok as a marketing strategy, keep reading to find out more reasons.
2. Your ideal clients are most likely on TikTok
While TikTok is not (yet) the number one social media platform, that title still belongs to Facebook, it was the number one most downloaded app of 2021** and will most likely be retain that position in 2022.
This means more and more people are jumping on the TikTok bandwagon. And, according to the Hootsuite Digital 2022 report “You’re most likely to find TikTok users on Facebook (84.6% overlap), Instagram (83.9% overlap), and YouTube (80.5% overlap)”
That means if your ideal clients are on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, they are more than likely to be on TikTok. And given people are spending more than double the time on TikTok than Facebook, well… you get where I’m going with this.
If your ideal clients are on TikTok it’s time for you to get on there to.
But that's not all!
3. Interaction
TikTok is also incredibly interactive. People on TiKTok are actively commenting, liking, and sharing videos easily.
This level of engagement is great for building relationships with your ideal clients and building and strengthening your brand. And we all know that engagement on other platforms has decreased considerably.
4. An awesome algorithm
Seriously, the algorithm is amazing!!!
The “For You” page algorithm is constantly changing, but in a good way.
Basically, your posts are fed to people actively looking for information and posts on the topics you’re interested in.
When referring to the “For You” page TikTok says
“This feed is powered by a recommendation system that delivers content to each user that is likely to be of interest to that particular user. Part of the magic of TikTok is that there's no one For You feed – while different people may come upon some of the same standout videos, each person's feed is unique and tailored to that specific individual.”
Did I mention TikTok has two pages.
The “For You” page as described above. And the “Following” page, which is self-explanatory.
It shows you posts from those TikTok-ers you are following. This is great for people who want to easily find your content on the platform.
Finally, TikTok offers powerful insights and analytics tools that can help you track your progress and understand what kinds of videos are resonating with your audience. With this information at your fingertips, you can adjust your content strategy accordingly to make sure you're always ticking the right boxes.
How to Use TikTok for Business
So, now that I’ve convinced you to jump on TikTok, what do you need to do?
Well, as always, I’m going to say start with strategy.
Step 1: Have a strategy
What are your goals? What do you want to achieve?
- Building awareness of your brand or products
- Position you as the expert
- Generate leads or sales
- Something else
What are your ideal clients looking for on TikTok?
How are you going to use TikTok to reach, connect, and engage your ideal clients to achieve your goals?
What does success look like and how will you measure it?
Step 2: Set up your profile
When you have your strategy documented, the next step is to set up your profile.
Make sure you include a clear and concise bio that tells people who you are and what you do.
Don't forget to include a link to your website or online store. Note: you’ll need to 1000 followers to do this, however you can include your email.
Next, choose an engaging profile photo and cover image. These should be brightly lit and reflect your brand identity.
Step 3: Start creating content
Now it's time to start creating content!
TikTok is all about being fun and creative, so don't be afraid to experiment. Some ideas for videos include behind-the-scenes footage, demo videos, how-tos, and funny sketches relating to your product or service.
REMEMBER: refer to your strategy and plan and create your content that is going to connect and engage with your ideal clients.
AND you don’t have to be in the content. For example, if you are a wedding photographer, use the images you have taken at weddings to make a video/TikTok. Voila, a beautiful TikTok without you in it.
OR if you’re a product based business, create videos showcasing your products.
You really don’t have to be in front of the camera.
OF COURSE if you’re comfortable in front of the camera then go for it.
And when creating your TikTok’s, be sure to use relevant hashtags so that people can easily find your videos. This works similarly to Instagram #s.
Step 4: Engage with other users
TikTok isn't just about posting videos—it's also about engaging with other users – ideally your ideal clients.
When you see a video you like, leave a comment, share it, etc. This helps build relationships and gets your name out there.
You can also use TikTok's live streaming feature to connect with potential customers in real-time!
It's Time to Get on TikTok
There are so many opportunities for small businesses on TikTok. So, if you’ve been sitting on the fence, now is the time to get on there. The stats don’t lie.
If you need help building your social media strategy or showing up regularly on social media, let's chat. I currently have capacity to take on one new social media client and would love to work with you.
