TikTok for Small Businesses – Is It For Me?

I speak to a lot of business owners daily and when I ask them if they’ve set up an account for their business on TikTok yet, I seem to be getting the same answers back…. “I don’t have time to put into another social media platform.” “Oh, that’s only for young people, my target audience wouldn’t be on that” or “It seems too complicated, so I’ve steered clear of it”. – Does any of this sound like you?

Well, I’m here to bust some of those myths! 

The great part about being a business on TikTok is that users don’t want to see polished marketing such as fancy video editing, graphics, or advertisements. TikTok users want to see real, raw, and inspiring brands. Show them a day in your life behind the scenes at the office or in your store, show yourself packing an order. You could even show some struggles you face as a business or how you’ve overcome obstacles…the list is endless but my point is that users value authenticity over anything else so you can be 100% yourself over on TikTok and still gain views, followers, and likes for your brand.

If You Think TikTok is not for you, your demographic, or your potential customers, think again! Let’s take a look at Paul Merriman – Ask Paul Financial Advice (@askpaul) as an example. This would be considered a niche concept and Paul wouldn’t be whom you would immediately think of when you think “TikTok Famous” or Viral – BUT he has 43.3K followers. All Paul is doing is giving advice to his following. No gimmicks, no dancing – simple! Another great Irish example is Richard Grogan Solicitors (@richardgrogansoliciters). Who would have ever thought an Irish Solicitor could be a TikTok sensation with 134.4K followers? Richard speaks directly to the camera with short, to-the-point advice videos and always uses the slogan “That’s the law and that’s a fact!” at the end of each video. Through this method, he has gained huge engagement and traction for his business. 

There have been over 2 billion downloads of TikTok, and it has more than 800 million active users worldwide. TikTok is used in over 150 different countries, and viral videos on the platform can reach all over the world. If you’re looking at reaching international markets, then TikTok is an effective platform for connecting with new audiences in other countries.

Top Tips for success on TikTok:

1. Use relevant hashtags in your captions that your target audience would be searching.
2. Be authentic and don’t come across like you’re trying to sell something.
3. Think of unique ways of capturing your audience’s attention – it doesn’t have to be dancing!
4.  Use trending sounds where you can so your videos can be picked up on the algorithm.
5.    Be consistent!
6.   Most importantly – have fun with it.