Should Your Business Use TikTok for Social Media Marketing?

Home to viral dance moves, cat videos and discussions on what exactly is ‘cheugy,’ TikTok is the fastest growing social media network worldwide. In fact, the app has been downloaded over 2 billion times, with more than 800 million active users worldwide. If you’re considering using TikTok in your next social media marketing campaign, learn the basics of this youth-oriented and exciting platform.

The Numbers Behind TikTok for Business

Want to reach a Gen Z or Millennial audience? You’ll find them hanging out on TikTok. Almost 33 per cent of TikTok users in the United States are aged 10-19, with a further 30 per cent in the 20 to 29 demographic. This trend is repeated globally, with TikTok now present in over 150 different countries.

TikTok exclusively hosts video content, meaning your brand will need to create a loose video marketing strategy before taking the plunge. Don’t let that put you off. Video marketing is taking on greater emphasis for brands worldwide. In fact, research has shown 85 per cent of consumers want to see more video marketing from brands. It’s easily digestible, it’s entertaining, and it lives long in the memory.

Now that you’ve learned these impressive statistics, it’s time to examine whether TikTok is right for your business. Let’s start with some key questions.

Is Your Target Audience on TikTok?

The first question to consider is your target audience. Are they a part of TikTok’s core demographics of younger, tech-savvy consumers? As the platform continues to mature, it’s being driven by younger audiences spending hours glued to their smartphones. In the early days of Facebook and Instagram, both platforms were similarly dominated by younger cohorts before gaining widespread usage among older consumers. Following this pattern logically, older users will likely eventually migrate over to TikTok, but if you’re looking to sell a miracle baldness cure, this might not be the platform for you yet.

Are You Ready to Get Creative?

Toss away those slickly produced and professionally filmed videos. TikTok is NOT the place for them. Most videos on the platform are shot and edited using smartphones, with unique and creative ideas usually rising to the top. Understandably, this kind of content isn’t possible for all businesses. However, if you’re a youth-oriented brand with a light hearted strategy, TikTok provides the perfect test platform for your creative marketing ideas.

What’s the Best Way to Use TikTok Advertising?

One of TikTok’s greatest strengths as a platform is also one of its weaknesses for marketers – it hasn’t developed into a fully-featured advertising platform yet. Businesses can currently create five different ad formats on TikTok:

  • In-feed Ads
  • Branded Takeovers
  • Top View Ads (ads that appear shortly after the app is opened)
  • Branded Hashtag Challenges
  • Branded Effects

Each type of ad carries a barrier to entry, as it requires some design skills to create elements like stickers, lenses and filters. These barriers only apply if you are looking to spend money on dedicated advertising. Many businesses are just using TikTok to post fun videos while aiming to go viral. If you’re curious about the platform this is a great way to get started.

Is Your Business a Fit for Influencer Marketing?

A way to allocate spend to TikTok marketing, without having to create unique graphics, is working with TikTok Influencers. These influencers often have a reach that spans millions of users and their rates haven’t yet hit the stratospheric heights of other social media platforms. If an Influencer aligns with your brand values, it represents a highly effective way to kickstart your TikTok marketing plan.

Here to Help

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