TikTok is the new kid on the block when it comes to social media platforms. As with any new platform, there are a lot of questions about how to use TikTok for business.
TikTok is a place where people can share their creativity and connect with others. It’s one of the fastest-growing social networks, with over 200 million active users worldwide. TikTok’s popularity is due in part to its unique features and ease of use. The app has been downloaded more than 1 billion times and has already surpassed Snapchat and Instagram as the most popular video platform.
So what does all of this mean?
Well, now, more than ever, is the time to start using TikTok for business.
The masses are coming, but if you’re quick, you can get in while the going is still good! So let’s take a look at how to use TikTok for business so you can hit the ground running with your efforts.
Determine if TikTok is Right For Your Business
A year or so ago, people would have told you TikTok was not an appropriate platform to market your business. And they were half right. You see, there were people growing their business on TikTok 1-2 years ago, but they were targeting a very specific demographic who got into the app way before the likes of you and me.
But now? Everyone and their grandma is on TikTok. So chances are your target audience is making their way over there or has already been there for a little while.
If you’re a local business, you may find it difficult to market on TikTok without a website. Whereas with Instagram, people would reach out via DM, this doesn’t happen so much on TikTok. You can get around this by connecting your Instagram to your TikTok, or by adding a website to your online marketing so that you can convert your audience.
Create Your TikTok Account
Creating a TikTok for business account couldn’t be easier. Head to the Play Store or App Store, search TikTok and download the app to get started.
To sign up for an account on TikTok, you need to provide your email address and create a username (which can be changed later). Your account will be linked to your phone number, so make sure you use a sim card for the country of your chosen target audience, this helps TikTok to push your content out to the right audience.
Optimise Your TikTok Profile For Business
The first thing you need to optimise your TikTok profile with is your name. DO NOT just put your name / your business name. You should also include keywords here, for example, “Web Designer”, “Aquatics Specialist”, “Marketing Tips” so that when someone searches TikTok for these terms, your account will pop up in their search results.
Next up is your TikTok bio. Your TikTok bio should be short and sweet and convince users to follow you. That is the main goal. You need to sum up in very brief terms what you do and what you share on your account so that at a quick glance, a user can decide if your content is going to be for them or not.
The final step in your TikTok profile is your website URL. At the time of posting this, you need a verified business account OR 1000 followers on a personal account to add a link to your profile. So make sure you hit this first.
Adding your website URL to your TikTok profile is a game changer in converting your TikTok audience to customers.
If you have a business website already, you can link to your homepage or create a custom landing page for your TikTok followers. I recommend creating a custom landing page, or having a web designer set one up for you (this would be perfect for a Design Day!), so you can tailor the page to the services or products you promote on your TikTok account.
Alternatively, you can create a simple Linktree, however I don’t recommend doing this long term as it restricts how you can visually promote your offers.
What To Post On TikTok
When you first start posting on TikTok for business, you don’t need to worry too much about strategy. Aim to post 3-5 times per day and make sure you’re posting a variety of content styles. This will help you to determine what style works best for your target audience on the platform as the ones that work well will have more views. You can then use this as a template for future videos.
Hop on trending sounds, short videos with text on screen, longer videos with your face to camera explaining something, behind the scenes of your working day, product unboxing, packing orders… you get the idea!
Who To Follow On TikTok
The TikTok algorithm pays close attention to the videos you watch, like and comment on, as well as those you follow, so make sure you’re interacting with appropriate content for your business account. This may seem like a no-brainer when using TikTok for business but you’d be amazed how easy it is to get sucked into the scroll!
You may find it useful to have a personal account to interact with friends and a business account to follow others within your industry for post inspiration, trending sounds and to train the algorithm in what your business is all about.
Aim to follow large and small TikTokers within your niche and follow their lead. Read their comments for post inspiration, see what they’re doing and replicate it within your own industry and above all, pay attention to trending sounds. If you notice the same sound coming up over and over again, chances are it’s trending and you’ll get more eyes on your video by using it too!
Do Not Expect Overnight Success on TikTok
You’ve probably heard the TikTok overnight success stories by now. And it’s 100% still possible to be an overnight success on TikTok, whether your account is 1 day old or 1 year old, it doesn’t seem to matter. If the TikTok gods decide to send you viral, you better be ready for it.
But you shouldn’t expect it.
There is nothing wrong with taking a slower pace with your TikTok growth. As mentioned in the next tip, having overnight success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially if you’re being pushed out to an audience who won’t buy from your business.
So stick with it, post often, follow trends, analyse your videos and just keep going. You will get there!
What Not To Do On TikTok For Business
DO NOT jump on a trend or talk about anything unrelated to your business. Although this can be tempting, if you are fortunate enough to have a viral video and it’s one unrelated to your business, you will gain a lot of followers who ultimately won’t become customers. This is exactly how to NOT use TikTok for business growth.
The easiest way to avoid this is to create multiple TikTok accounts for the different areas you’d like to cover. This is another reason why having a personal and business TikTok account can work best, but others will even cover the same business over multiple accounts if the audience varies depending on the product/service.
Takeaway: if you’re willing to put in the work, TikTok can be an incredible tool for growing your business and brand awareness.
Posting 3-5 times per day may sound tedious, but when you consider that 5-second videos with text on them are currently trending, it’s more than achievable to post at this rate if you carve a little time out each week to film your videos.
TikTok gurus are estimating we’ve got around 18 months left with TikTok being “as good as it is” before it starts to decline, as a lot of platforms before it has done, so now is the time to add it to your business marketing plan. Just take the dive and see what happens!
