Our guide for SMBs looking to leverage the power of TikTok
The e-commerce industry is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, with revenues increasing 13% in the past year to 718 billion euros. SMBs want to make the most of this boom in online retail, but it can be a daunting task getting started amidst growing competition and a busy retail landscape.
At TikTok, we're committed to helping businesses of all sizes to reach audiences and grow in an accessible and authentic way. From cafes to fashion brands, haircare to new technology, start-ups are finding real success in boosting their brands, reaching new communities and driving real world results.
On TikTok, SMBs can capture attention through short, engaging content that is authentic and doesn't feel like traditional advertising. In fact, 43% of TikToker’s state that advertising on the app blends in well with the content*. SMBs can also be part of a wider community of like-minded business owners who share and care.
Getting started on TikTok is simple with these key four steps:
- Get to know TikTok
First things first is getting comfortable with making TikToks. SMBs should play around with how the platform works and look at the trends driving conversation. This is also a great opportunity to explore the many different types of content, niches and communities that exist on TikTok and more importantly, a chance for SMBs to get involved.
- Find & follow other small business creators to engage with and get inspired
Next up is exploring the SMB community on TikTok to get inspired. Small business owners come to TikTok to gain and share knowledge, discuss their journey and then create content that will help their business get discovered. SMBs often learn from each other on the platform, sharing knowledge and insights to help boost each other’s businesses.
The best performing SMBs on TikTok are those that speak to their community in an authentic way. Finding ways to engage with their audiences on the topics and content that resonate with them is incredibly powerful, rather than focusing on traditional 'ads'.
SMBs can tap into like-minded communities through #SmallBusiness, #SmallBusinessCheck and #SmallBusinessOwner.
- Start sharing your story
It's now time for the TikTok debut. SMBs don't need a full production team to make great content - in fact, the more real the content looks, the better it works on TikTok as it makes content look native to the platform and feel less like advertising. There's a whole host of tools, templates, sounds and filters to help show off a brand's personality. This is an opportunity for SMBs to tell their story, showcase products, give how-to demonstrations or even give a behind the scenes peak into businesses.
Put simply, start sharing authentic content that tells the story of your business in order to gain more views, more website visits and more followers.
- Ads help you amplify your message and reach a broader audience
To get started, SMBs can go to the TikTok Ads Manager and enter their details to create an account. If they already have a TikTok account that they would like to switch to a business one, this can be easily done through the "Manage Account" section of the TikTok app. Simply click "Switch to Business Account".
Once the first piece of content has been shared, it's time to test, learn and grow. TikTok's test and learn approach coupled with the variety of ad options gives SMBs the flexibility to trial and understand what content works best for their audiences to help brands grow their community on TikTok.
The path to purchase on TikTok isn't linear like traditional marketing. There's no start or endpoint to the purchasing path. It's an infinite loop that consists of discovery, consideration, purchase, review and participation. It's this constant building of brand awareness and community that inspires unlimited opportunities for brands to connect with their customers and drive results.
To understand more about leveraging the power of TikTok, we’ve launched Follow Me, a multi-channel educational experience designed to help SMBs drive real world results with TikTok. The program provides SMBs with resources on how to get started on TikTok and take their small business to the next level, serving as a guide for SMBs looking to share their stories, build their community on TikTok, and achieve their business goals. SMBs can sign up for the Follow Me program today.
*Nielsen custom Authenticity Study commissioned by TikTok, Persons 18+
