3 Ways TikTok Can Help Your Business Grow
While TikTok is mainly used as a fun application to show trends, it also can be an extremely effective marketing tool — if you know how to use it!
By Ken Wisnefski •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
TikTok has taken over traditional forms of social media and has created a new wave of creativity among people of all ages looking to have fun, entertain, get more likes and connect with others.
Billions of people have downloaded TikTok, and that number is only getting bigger. The platform opens doors to a massive audience and a large, growing audience. As one of the quickest growing social apps today, TikTok makes it easy to create video content that can quickly go viral and reach hundreds, thousands or even millions of people.
TikTok stands apart from other social media platforms because it has an algorithm that is relatively easy to understand. Videos appear to app users on what is referred to as the "For You Page," more commonly known as the "fyp." The algorithm keeps track of what types of videos garner the most activity from you, and then it finds and shows you the content you are most likely to enjoy, based on your activity and likes. Since every video has an equal chance of going viral, there is room for the rapid expansion of a social media presence, fast growth and virtually unlimited marketing experimentation.
Related: Here's Why Not Being on TikTok Is a Huge Mistake
How TikTok can improve your marketing strategy
While TikTok is mainly used as a fun application to show trends, it also can be an extremely effective marketing tool – if you know how to use it!
1. Reach a large and diverse audience. While it is true that most of the content creators on TikTok are a part of the younger generation, there is a common misconception that all users are young. However, while 41% of TikTok users are between the ages of 16-24, 59% of users are over the age of 25. Many generations, from GenZ to Baby Boomers, can find fun on the platform.
TikTok has users from all across the world of all different ages. There are countless opportunities to reach each niche audience within the TikTok population. If you're looking to reach international markets, then TikTok is an effective platform for connecting with new audiences in other countries.
2. Showcase your products authentically. Something that makes TikTok unique is that it is authenticity-driven. TikTok users want to be entertained or informed, not sold to. Connecting the viewer to the product with a relatable story or fun trend would be more effective in gaining community members and potential customers.
No expensive equipment or complicated skill set is required to make entertaining and engaging content on TikTok. All anyone needs to start posting on TikTok is a smartphone and internet connection. Trends are great ways for people to get involved on the app, allowing anyone and everyone to go viral — including your brand!
It is easy for businesses to create content in short, digestible clips that grab viewers' attention while showcasing what their brand has to offer. Creating trend-driven organic content, using popular hashtags and incorporating TikTok influencers into promotional campaigns are all good strategies for success on TikTok.
3. Bring additional traffic to your site. TikTok provides an additional platform to bring your brand exposure and direct them back to your company website. TikTok is a foundation of growth for individuals and businesses to expand their reach into new markets. Creating content that draws in the viewer is a great way to bring people in, get them to click on your TikTok profile, and then direct them to your other social media platforms or your company's website.
Many creators even include their storefront, making the app an exceptional resource for small businesses that regularly would not be able to reach such a large audience. This extra level of exposure has proven to be very effective, leading many companies of all sizes to success.
Related: How to Integrate TikTok Into Your Video Marketing Strategy
Use influencer marketing to your advantage
TikTok is huge and only getting bigger. Keeping up with the trends and understanding the ins and outs of TikTok marketing is no small feat. Businesses could benefit from reaching out to TikTok influencers for help in promoting their brand. Influencers already have a community of followers. They have often done an excellent job at creating a niche target audience. As with influencer marketing on any other platform, finding the right influencer for your brand is key.
If your brand aligns with an influencer's audience, that influencer would be an excellent resource for promoting your product or service. With these established niches, you can easily find influencers in your space. There are endless unique communities and content niches within the platform.
People are becoming increasingly disillusioned by the performative nature of the internet, particularly on social media. The future of the creator industry holds space for creators who can build and maintain a genuine connection with their followers. One of the most effective forms of influencer marketing today would be collaborating with content creators on TikTok who have already established their audience.
Whether a celebrity sharing a recipe or a professional athlete sharing their dance moves, there is a place for most kinds of content on TikTok. This gives your brand the highest potential reach. The goal of TikTok is for people to share their raw, genuine experiences, which results in more relatable content.
Participating in TikTok's authenticity, rather than mimicking it, will drive your brand to success. The platform provides the perfect opportunity to increase awareness of your brand. While using TikTok should not be your only marketing strategy, it can significantly help grow your business.
