Introduction
Social media has helped small and large businesses engage with their audiences, reach out to a great prospect range, and market offerings cost-effectively. With social media inclusion, businesses can now market their products uniquely, using efficient and cost-effective methods.
Statistics by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reveal that over 33.2 million small businesses are operating in the country. Moreover, 99.9% of businesses have a small employee range. We have moved forward from classic platforms like Facebook and have more versatile business options.
Some common examples are TikTok and Instagram, which businesses use for marketing services and products, as well as to increase their following. The trend is so prevalent that some small businesses buy TikTok likes for better profile rankings. These newer platforms add more value to the business’s reach and boost audience engagement.
Why Choosing The Right Platform For Small Business Marketing Matters?
The demands for social media platforms have increased in the past few years, but not all platforms are the same. Many business owners fail to connect with their audience because of choosing the wrong platform. There are many social media platforms to choose from, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and more.
However, the best platform for a small business depends on its objectives and industry. For instance, an accounting firm is likely to find a suitable audience on LinkedIn. It is because the platform is designed specifically for professionals rather than casual users.
On the other hand, a company selling products such as apparel, footwear, or other accessories will likely find suitable audiences on Facebook or Instagram. They can showcase products via multimedia, allowing this business to engage its target audience.
A common mistake most small businesses make is experimenting with their social media accounts a little too much because social media is “free.” However, that’s not the case for everyone because you will still spend some resources running and maintaining your social media accounts.
So, if you invest your time and money in a platform that doesn’t bring ROI—it’s time to reconsider. Another challenge with picking the right social media platform is that the popularity of these social media sites keeps changing.
For instance, Facebook (one of the oldest platforms for social media enthusiasts) has over 2,912 million users. However, it’s not half as effective for small business marketing as newer platforms like TikTok. The primary reason is that the current generations (Gen Z) are more interested in TikTok for business and content.
Small Business Marketing with TikTok
Although Facebook is the most used social network worldwide, TikTok has proved itself as a revolutionary application. Interestingly, TikTok has reached its popularity in a brief period.
TikTok: A Brief Overview
TikTok is a social media application owned primarily by ByteDance, a Beijing-based company. The platform also has another application for short videos called Doujin (which is TikTok’s other version only for Chinese viewers).
The applications are aimed at the local Chinese market and audiences but have transformed well in the past few years. Monetization methods such as live-shopping events, which social media influencers handle, are also popular activities on the platform.
The majority of revenue generated by TikTok comes from online advertising. For instance, the platform generated a profit of nearly four billion U.S. dollars through online marketing. Today TikTok is one of the most powerful social media platforms, designed for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
If we look at the platform usage history, in January 2018, the platform had 55 million monthly active users (MAUs), but this figure increased to 1 billion users by September 2021. MAUs on TikTok doubled as 2021 ended.
Which Country Has The Most TikTok Users?
The real question is, where does the audience on TikTok come from? If we look at the reports and data collected by Statista, most TikToker users are from the United States, with over 113.25 million users. Indonesia follows with over 109.9 million users, leaving Brazil in third place with 82.21 million users (Source Credit: Statista).
Since TikTok is a global application, almost every country has access. Some U.S. states, like Alabama, don’t allow users to access social media platforms. Nonetheless, there’s no denying TikTok is an iconic application for social media users in the current generation.
Another reason for the application’s success is the audience’s age group. Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp, only 2% of the audience on TikTok is over the age of 55.
10 Reasons Why Small Businesses use TikTok for Promotions
TikTok is an application targeted toward younger audiences, making it easier for small businesses to market themselves. Despite audience inclination and age group availability, several factors make this app an ideal platform for small business owners looking for marketing options.
It’s necessary to learn these reasons before you advance—here’s a comprehensive list of why small businesses choose TikTok as a platform for promotions.
1. Easier Marketing
If we look at the user average on the platform, TikTok has a youthful demography, allowing small business owners to connect with younger audiences easily.
Experts believe TikTok is an all-in-one marketing company for business owners. The platform readily provides companies with all kinds of marketing options, making it accessible even if the businesses have little experience. TikTok helps with the following:
- Setting a budget
- Finding the best audience
- Evaluating data
- Creating an ad
TikTok for business is a smart and holistic approach to video marketing for those who know how to utilize it. The platform also allows brand testing marketing campaigns designed for targeting audiences. With a little testing and trial, TikTok lets businesses create intriguing, eye-catchy ads.
If you have little exposure to marketing management, there’s an e-learning center (called the Ads Manager) that you can access to get more insights.
2. Wider Range of Ad Campaign Types
With the increasing competition in business marketing, companies require unique approaches. Another benefit of TikTok for business is that it lets you create innovative advertisements that suit all marketing needs and make your brand popular with the masses.
With TikTok marketing for brands, you can create challenges for your targeted audiences, inviting them to access the platform to play. However, the company should set up an out-of-the-box idea that people like. It will increase chances of going viral via TikTok, ultimately leading to better advertising and audience reach.
Although TikTok has several ad types to choose from, the main categories include the following:
- Top View Ads
- In-Feed Ads
- Hashtag Challenges
- Branded Effects
- Brand Takeovers
3. More Potential for Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is one of the most viable options for business owners that want to connect with a larger audience more quickly. Experts claim the engagement rate for TikTok influencers is higher than other platforms like Instagram. It also provides scalability options, allowing businesses of all sizes to interact with their audiences optimally.
The influencers can use TikTok videos to discuss brand offerings and post website links for better reach. As word-of-mouth marketing is a more reliable option for companies wishing to increase their reach— it’s an ideal option for small business owners.
4. Connection to Audience That Matters
Finding the target audience is the most crucial element of any marketing strategy. No matter how well-planned your strategies are, they won’t benefit the company without the right audiences. For instance, if you are a baby clothing brand, targeting seniors will not be the optimal choice for you.
Children of these ages cannot purchase your products either. Therefore, it’s best to target newly married couples, ranging between ages 25-35 on average. With TikTok, brands can easily reach audiences that are optimal for your brand’s growth. However, if your brand is designed for senior products, TikTok may not be the best choice.
According to statistics, most content creators and audiences on the platform are between ages 16 and 24. So, TikTok is the best platform for you if connecting with a larger audience is your aim.
5. Professional Content Creation Options
The key to success on TikTok depends on viral content. The more an audience shares and views your content, the more effective your marketing strategies are. Therefore, a viable theme and a well-engaged audience are two important aspects of a successful campaign. Fortunately, creating videos that truly engage users becomes easier with TikTok video uploading tools.
You can also use various editing software to tweak the videos to perfection. It’s probably why the videos on Twitter or TikTok are slightly different than on other third-party platforms. Generally speaking, TikTok videos are fast-paced, unlike YouTube videos which focus on slow and comprehensive content.
While a brand can showcase more content in a shorter span via TikTok, there’s a higher need for quality content while marketing through the platform.
6. Hashtags for Life-Like Marketing
Social media platforms are full of fake profiles and bots posing as real users. However, TikTok is flushing out these fake accounts using techniques like Hashtags on TikTok.
These hashtags help reach a wider audience that’s organic and likelier to convert. After all, the objective of marketing strategies is increasing portability. The platform also helps its users with various tasks, viable for small business marketing. Here’s what you need to know about hashtags:
Identifying Trending Hashtags
The ‘Discover’ page on TikTok is ideal for finding relevant hashtags. By discovering this page, you can find the best business hashtags to reach a wider organic audience and get the best results.
Observe Influencers For Better Targeting
Another viable way is to look at how successful marketing influencers are currently working in the industry. It will provide you with options to better target your audience. You can find influencers working in an industry similar to yours and check their marketing strategies.
Use Hashtags Used As A Standard Practice
Regardless of how creative you are, some standard practices are necessary for engaging users on TikTok. These hashtags have always been used and are still relevant.
For instance, hashtags such as #viral, #love, etc., are popular among audiences. Incorporating them in your small business marketing videos makes connections easier for the company owners.
7. Easier Recognition
Successful business marketing is relatively easier on TikTok. The main reason for this ease is the higher scope for creativity. A platform is ideal for showcasing your creativity and getting the best results for your marketing campaigns.
Take the time to carefully formulate your content on the platform, and try to be as different as possible. You should aim to design compelling content leading to discussions, helping your content get viral.
Companies that become viral via their marketing strategies get better responses, higher ROI, and generally better results. The more your content marketing connects with the ad topic, the better results your small business receives.
8. Early Trend Information
If catching the latest marketing trends in the market is your aim, you should use TikTok for small business marketing. The platform is ideal for identifying the latest industry trends and lets algorithms make trend identification easier. SMBs can use trending content and create content accordingly.
An ideal aspect of TikTok is its changing, making content creation interesting and fun. Companies that want to keep their audiences engaged with new content every few weeks can easily set their accounts up on TikTok.
Bottom Line
Choosing TikTok for one’s small business marketing is a smart option. It’s because the platform has some of the best video formats ready for its clients.
It has a gigantic audience, comprising mainly young users. Small businesses can easily showcase their offerings, connect with more people, increase engagement, and achieve much more. We recommend using TikTok’s video creation tools to make your content as unique as possible and get the best responses.
With a little practice, TikTok marketing campaigns will boost your engagement and industry stature. If you still have more questions, we recommend connecting with a branding company for small businesses.
