Mastering TikTok Marketing for Small Business

TikTok may have started off as a small entertainment center for people to share short videos, but did you know that it had a 100% user growth rate between 2020 and 2022?

Now in 2024, the app is one of the most used in the world, and not just for entertainment. According to TikTok’s data, 50% of its users bought something after watching TikTok LIVE.

In other words, despite having less professional content, TikTok is still a fantastic marketing opportunity to capture leads, expand your brand, and increase your return on investment (ROI).

This guide shows you how different TikTok is compared to other social media platforms, why you should utilize it while expanding your brand, and some valuable tips on how to do so.

Getting Started with TikTok

Tiktok’s short-form video content may not feel like a viable platform for social media marketing because it was created as an entertainment platform.

Yet, the TikTok algorithm is a powerful marketing opportunity to attract potential customers for your brand.

The key is to understand the unique Tiktok trends, challenges, and humor that resonate with the Tiktok community, which is largely composed of Gen Z and Millennial user base, and find creative ways to leverage them.

Starting in TikTok Compared to Other Platforms

Compared to other social media platforms, TikTok offers distinct advantages for small businesses. Here’s why:

Organic Reach Potential

Unlike established platforms where organic reach can be limited, TikTok allows even new accounts with small followings to gain traction.

Through tapping into trending hashtags and participating in viral trends, your videos have a higher chance of going viral and reaching a wider audience.

Lower Barrier to Entry

Creating high-quality content on platforms like YouTube or Instagram can require expensive equipment and editing skills. It isn’t the case with TikTok.

The platform thrives on user-generated content, and most users rely on basic smartphones for filming. Simply put, your users create shorts featuring your product as their own content, making it a third party endorsement. 

Focus on Creativity and Trends

Success on TikTok hinges on creativity and capitalizing on current trends. This levels the playing field for small businesses. You don’t necessarily need a large budget, just a smartphone, some innovative ideas, and the ability to ride the trends that resonate with your target audience.

In essence, TikTok offers a unique opportunity for small businesses to gain significant exposure and connect with potential customers without needing a massive budget or professional production value.

Crafting Your TikTok Strategy

Before jumping headfirst into creating videos on TikTok, you should first identify your goals. What do you hope to achieve with your presence on the platform? Do you want to raise your brand awareness or increase your follower base?

Here are some of the key marketing objectives you should consider:

• Brand awareness: If your primary aim is to introduce your small business to a wider audience, aim for fun, creative TikTok videos to grab the attention of potential customers and showcase your brand personality.
• Community building: TikTok is an excellent platform to foster a loyal following around your brand. By interacting with comments, participating in trends, and running contests you build a connected community.
• Lead generation: If you prioritize capturing leads and driving traffic to your website, use clear call-to-actions (CTA) within your videos, directing TikTok users on what to do next, be it clicking a link to your website or product page. 
• Sales and Conversions: You may use TikTok to drive sales by partnering with influencers and showcasing product tutorials. You can make money directly through TikTok by utilizing features, like the TikTok Shopping feature, to make purchases seamless. 

Content Creation Tips for Small Businesses

TikTok is more focused on entertainment than news and ads. As such, your content should be a blend between informative and entertaining. Here are a few tips to help you achieve that:

Find Your Own Voice

Authenticity is important on TikTok. Even young users still find rip-offs and imitations boring and unengaging. As such, you should find your brand’s voice by showing its human side that users can relate to. 

Allow your employees to show their personalities in the videos. Don’t be afraid to capture behind-the-scenes glimpses of your workspace, or even film a few humorous bloopers here and there. This is relatable entertaining content that will keep the viewers coming back for more. 

Embrace the Trends But Make Them Your Own

Staying relevant on TikTok means keeping an eye on trending challenges, dances, and soundbites. However, copying trends alone won’t make you stand out in the crowd. 

Instead, you should inject your brand’s personality into the mix by using trending sounds to create parodies related to your industry. You may even put your own spin on popular challenges to showcase your products or services in a fun way.

Entertain as You Educate

Whenever you create content on TikTok, remember that users came to the platform to be entertained. As such, you should balance out promotional content with informative and engaging videos.

Offer helpful tips related to your industry, create life hacks using your products, or share interesting facts about your company’s mission and vision. 

Utilize Storytelling 

Storytelling is a powerful marketing tool that you can use to capture viewers’s attention within a few seconds.

Craft narratives that showcase the value your brand offers, or start your videos with customer testimonials to demonstrate real-life experiences with your products. You may even dramatize a common problem that your product or service can solve.

Maximizing Engagement on TikTok

Following the trends and hashtags is sure to increase your reach, but to maximize your engagement, you’ll need to do a few extra bits. The following tips will help you maximize your reach and engagement on TikTok:

Timing Is Key 

Understanding when your target audience is most active is crucial for maximizing engagement. Analytics tools within TikTok can provide valuable insights, but generally, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays tend to see higher engagement rates.

Posting times can vary depending on your specific audience, but some general recommendations include:

• Early mornings (6 am to 10 am): Perfect for reaching viewers before their day gets busy.
• Evenings (7 pm to 11 pm): Catches viewers winding down and scrolling through social media.

The Power of Interaction

Since TikTok is built on interactions, engaging with your audience can boost your reach. Here’s how you can do so:

• Challenges: Create your own branded challenge or participate in trending ones. Encourage users to create TikToks using your specific hashtag or creatively incorporating your product.
• Duets: The duet feature allows users to stitch their videos alongside yours. This is a fantastic way to respond to comments, collaborate with influencers, or spark conversations around your brand.
• Hashtags: Don’t underestimate the power of hashtags! Research a mix of trending and niche-specific hashtags relevant to your content. This increases your discoverability and allows users who follow those hashtags to find your videos.

Hashtag generator tools like Tailwind can help you find the most appropriate hashtags to use for your TikTok content. You can even research popular hashtags that you can associate your brand with to gain a wider audience reach.

Trending Sounds and Effects

Trending sounds and effects are the lifeblood of TikTok. Here’s how to use them strategically:

• Creative Spin on Trends: Don’t just mimic trending sounds or dances. Use them as a springboard for your brand’s story. Can you create a parody related to your industry using a trending sound? Can you showcase a product feature through a popular dance challenge?
• Leveraging In-App Effects: TikTok offers a plethora of effects and editing tools. Experiment with these features to add visual interest, enhance transitions, or create humorous scenarios that resonate with your audience.

I’ve rounded up 50 popular TikTok songs for 2024 that you can use to jazz up your content and make it viral.

Collaborating with TikTok Influencers

In any platform, partnering with influencers can be extremely profitable. Influencers who have already established a loyal following within your target demographic can introduce your brand to a wider audience. 

However, not all influencers are suitable for the job. Here are some pointers on how to do that:

• Alignment with Your Brand: Look for influencers who create content that reflects your brand’s personality and message. Do their values align with yours? Would their audience be receptive to your products or services?
• Engagement Over Follower Count: While follower count can be tempting, prioritize engagement metrics. Choose influencers with a high like-to-follower ratio and active comment sections. This indicates a genuine connection with their audience.
• Content Quality and Style: Does the influencer’s content style mesh well with your brand? Are their videos creative, informative, and visually appealing? Look for influencers who can create high-quality content that showcases your brand in a positive light.

Heepsy is a tool I highly recommend if you want to research influencers that are aligned with your brand. With this tool you can access data about their audience demographics, follower count, and engagement rate to mention a few.

In the End

TikTok marketing may be what your brand needs to get well-known in the market, especially if your products are useful to the dominant age group on the platform. 

While professional marketing can still work on TikTok, you can inject some humor and playfulness into the mix and still be successful. 

All you have to do is spend enough time to understand the dynamics of trends and hashtags on TikTok. Pair that with injecting your brand’s personality and collaborating with successful influencers, and you have a successful TikTok marketing recipe.