TikTok’s been available in the US since 2016, but ever since the government tried to ban it in 2020, downloads skyrocketed. Since then, TikTok’s thunderous appearance in the US has taken social media by storm.
While your customers probably flocked to it in droves, you were probably more apprehensive to get your small business on TikTok. Sure, it’s easy for songwriters to get tons of follows on the platform, but how can you sell your cold brew on a platform like TikTok?
It sounds impossible, but we promise you that small business TikTok is thriving. The businesses that master TikTok mania are reaping serious benefits in terms of branding, online engagement, and (of course) sales.
Look, TikTok isn’t just a passing fad. It’s time for your small business to hop on the bandwagon and promote yourself before your competitors beat you to it. Learn why small business TikTok is worth your time and what you can post on TikTok as a small business to get more results.
Is small business TikTok worth it?
The short and simple answer is: yes.
TikTok is a bite-sized video app where users upload 15-second videos. They cover nearly every niche under the sun with lip-syncing, dancing, and hilarious memes. The content might sound silly, but TikTok’s engagement stats should give you serious pause:
- There are 100 million active TikTok users in the US alone.
- People spend an average of 13 hours a month on TikTok.
- 48% of TikTok users in the US are under the age of 30.
If that doesn’t scream, “Get on TikTok!!!” in your mind, consider the very real benefits of investing in this platform:
- Target younger shoppers: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are doing okay, but it’s clear that younger consumers with a ton of buying power are flocking to TikTok. It’s notoriously hard to market to young adults, but with 41% of its users in the 16 – 24 age bracket, TikTok puts you in front of lots of young folks.
- TikTok encourages purchases: Yes, really. 90% of people will buy products from brands they follow on social media. If you build a dedicated following and release awesome content, there’s a darn good chance they’ll reward you with their business. Oh, and TikTok is one of the biggest social media apps for consumer spending, so you’re definitely in the right place.
- Small business-friendly: Frustrated that you can’t get any traction on platforms like Instagram or Facebook? Make TikToks instead. The TikTok algorithm is unique because it doesn’t factor in someone’s follower count. If you make good content, the algorithm will put it in front of millions of people—even if you have just 2 followers. This means you can get a lot more mileage out of your content on small business TikTok compared to other platforms.
The innocuous drink brand Ocean Spray saw an incredible amount of engagement after a user went viral while drinking cranberry juice. If they can sell cranberry juice on TikTok, you’re definitely able to sell your eCommerce goods.
At the end of the day, I know you don’t have a lot of time to run your small business. But the opportunities are just so juicy that you need to consider investing in TikTok as part of your content marketing strategy.
Is TikTok free for small businesses?
Yes and no. You can create a free TikTok Business Account without spending a dime. This free account will get you perks that you won’t find on a regular TikTok account, like analytics and TikTok Ads.
With that said, remember that business advertising spend is what keeps TikTok going. You’ll need to create a Business Account if you ever want to run ads, so keep that in mind. You can expect to spend $5,000/mo on TikTok Ads if you want to go that route.
But no, you don’t need to pay TikTok just to set up a Business Account. However, you should fill out your profile completely to get more traction. Use all 80 characters in your bio and toss in a few emojis to jazz it up.
And you might be the face of your small business, but you should use your logo as your small business TikTok profile pic. That makes it clear that the account is for a brand, which makes more sense to your followers.
What to post on a small business TikTok
Your customers adore you, but they’re on TikTok to watch funny, entertaining content. Unlike platforms like Instagram, you won’t get traction just from relying on your follower count—you need high-quality content every time to be successful.
Your TikTok content needs to be on point every time, whether it’s promoted or not. TikTok success comes down to knowing what your customers want to see. If you’re new to the platform, try these 3 methods to share better content on TikTok that will get you more business.
1 – Create organic TikToks
Organic content is a must for any social platform. Even if you’re on TikTok to advertise, you’ll need organic content to fill out your profile. You don’t want people looking at a totally blank page, right?
If you aren’t already a TikTok user, familiarize yourself with the platform before you film anything. That’s especially important if you’re older and less in tune with the meme culture on TikTok.
Regardless of your age, you don’t have an excuse! You can quickly catch up with TikTok culture by using the platform for 10 – 20 minutes a day. Try to follow content that your audience consumes so you can see which types of organic content get the most traction.
Not sure how to make good small business TikTok content? Follow these quick tips to come out ahead:
- Pick a lane and stay in it: Once you’re familiar with the platform, decide what topics you’ll cover. Check your buyer personas or audience research to see what types of content your shoppers want to see. You can even identify a few of your shoppers on TikTok and find which hashtags or accounts they interact with the most. But whatever you do, stick with your topics consistently. Don’t post about shoes, politics, and babysitting on the same account—be consistent and streamline your topics.
- Post consistently: Remember, your follower account isn’t as important on TikTok. But you still need to serve your followers with a regular posting schedule. It also increases your chances of going viral, so stick to a posting schedule for TikTok. If you’re new to the platform, 3-5 times a week should do it. But if you really enjoy TikTok, you might share videos multiple times per day. Choose a frequency that works for your schedule and stick to it, no matter what.
- Use what you have: TikTokkers don’t expect a high-end setup. Your phone’s internal camera and microphone are probably good enough. Some people use an external mic or a ring light on their phone, but you don’t need them. Focus less on the equipment and more on the content (it’s cheaper, anyway).
- Follow trends: Go to the “Discover” tab to see what content is trending on TikTok this week. Instead of planning TikToks months in advance, try to plan them on a weekly basis based on what TikTokkers are obsessed with right now. You can also use trending effects (hats, stickers, animations), audio, or memes to get more traction.
- Remember to add music: TikTok started out as Musical.ly, a lip-syncing and dancing app. Today, music is still super important on the platform. In fact, people can find your content just by searching for the audio layered over your video. If you use trending audio clips or music, it can be easier for people to find you. Plus, music jazzes up content and makes it more fun, so don’t be afraid to get musical.
15 TikTok content ideas for small businesses
But hey, I get it. Even if you follow those tips, you might not understand how to promote yourself on TikTok. Check out this master list of TikTok ideas that work really well for small businesses. You’ll have a full content calendar before you know it!
- Introduce yourself: Big brands like Coca-Cola don’t need to introduce themselves, but as a small brand, people want to know you as the owner. This personalizes your account and makes it easier for TikTokkers to support your business. Include info about who you are, why you started your business, and your mission. You might need to re-introduce yourself as your follower count grows, so keep that in mind.
- Participate in a hashtag challenge: Remember how viral the Ice Bucket Challenge was back in 2014? TikTok uses the same principle with hashtag challenges. These challenges usually feature singing or dancing, but they can also include other types of challenges, like tongue twisters or push-ups. Check out the “Discover” tab to see which hashtags are trending right now. Feel free to get a little silly here, but try to choose challenges that tie back to your small business if you can.
- Take them on a tour: Have you seen how LUSH takes people behind the scenes at its factories? Do the same for your small business. Whether it’s your HQ, your workspace, or where you source raw materials, take your followers on a tour. If your space has any cool features or history behind it, be sure to include that, too!
- Show your daily life: I’m willing to bet that your life as a small biz owner is hectic. Whether you sell soap online or spend your days overseeing manufacturing for your skincare line, you’re probably doing cool stuff that your followers want to see. Film a fast-forward style video where you show a quick day in your life as a small biz owner. Your shoppers want to see behind the scenes, so don’t be afraid to show them how small (and busy!) you are.
- Brag (a little): Why not share a little success story with your TikTok followers? Let everyone know when a product sells out or when you hit a sales goal. As a small business, your wins are your followers’ wins. Of course, do this sparingly. Nobody wants to follow a business that brags about itself all the time.
- Create an explainer video: How did you come up with your business idea? How do you make your products? Film a quick 15-second TikTok that explains something interesting about your small business.
- Share tips or DIYs: Life hacks, tips, and DIYs are always solid fodder for your small business TikTok repertoire. Share quick tutorials, recipes, or general hacks that are related to your business or products.
- Do a timelapse: Timelapses are great for businesses that create custom or artistic products. But you can also use timelapses for packaging orders, decorating your office, and more.
- Film before and after videos: What transformations happen in your business? Share the before and afters that happen in your small business every day. If you sell makeup, that might mean showing a before and after with applying foundation. The more transformative you can be, the better. This is a great way to subtly sell your products, so don’t overlook the power of before and after content.
- Give discounts or freebies: Need more traction in a hurry? Share an exclusive 10% discount code with your TikTok followers. If a discount doesn’t work for you, you can also give away miniature product freebies. Everybody loves free stuff, but do this sparingly. You don’t want to attract an audience of freeloaders.
- Show off your product’s features: Video is the best platform for product demos. Since TikToks are so short, they’re the perfect way to educate shoppers about your products. Give them a short demo of your products. You can also create separate TikToks for product guides and even for tips on little-known features.
- Film something satisfying: Humans are weird. We like watching oddly satisfying content like power washing and painting. In fact, some TikTokkers solely use the platform to watch these kinds of videos, which are scientifically proven to relax us. Find something satisfying about your product manufacturing processes or back-office tasks. Whether you’re dyeing fabric, packaging skin cream, or flipping through a stack of Post-Its, people will line up for soothing content on TikTok.
- Host a contest: Contests can increase your follower account by as much as 18%. Offer free products or bundles in exchange for likes, comments, or follows on TikTok. Just remember to follow social media contest requirements so you don’t get in trouble!
- Give a shoutout: Give a little love to another (non-competing) small business on Tiktok. For example, if you sell keto-friendly cookies, you could film a shoutout to a keto-friendly chip company. In your shoutout, you can support the brand’s latest wins or just let people know what you like about them. Who knows? The right shoutout might lead to a bigger brand collaboration.
- Record a parody song: Okay, you need some musical chops for this one. But if you can pull off a parody, you’ll gain some serious street cred on small business TikTok. Take a trending song, switch up the lyrics, and send it out into the world. It’s better if you can make the parody relate to a customer pain point or industry joke that everyone will love.
With so many ideas ripe for the picking, you can’t say you don’t have anything to say on TikTok. Use any of these 15 small business TikTok ideas to populate your business account with content people will actually want to share.
2 – Pay for TikTok Ads
You could spend your entire life filming organic content for TikTok. As a small business with limited resources, that’s a great use of your time.
But if you’ve been grinding it out with organic content for a while and you want to see more dramatic results, TikTok Ads is a great option.
If you set up your TikTok as a business account, congrats! That’s all you need to access TikTok for Business. TikTok will give you nifty features like flexible budgeting, performance targeting, and a suite of in-depth analytics tools.
Honestly, small businesses are just now cracking the code on advertising on TikTok. When you create awesome content from the start, you should see a hefty ROI for your trouble.
Oh, but here’s the kicker: your TikTok Ads have to be fire. Seriously. The lukewarm content that brands post on Instagram and Facebook just won’t cut it on TikTok. I recommend you use the 15 organic content ideas as a starting point to brainstorm interesting, helpful TikTok Ads that people actually want to see.
From there, you can slap your content into TikTok’s ad formats like:
- Branded hashtag challenge: This is similar to an organic hashtag challenge, but TikTok promotes your unique branded hashtag. Chipotle’s #LidFlip and Guess’s #InMyDenim are great examples of branded hashtag challenges that easily went viral online. Keep in mind that it costs $15,000 to do this, so you’ll need deep pockets to pull it off.
- In-feed native ads: These ads display like regular TikTok videos in a user’s feed. This is less jarring than other advertising options and costs around $10 per thousand impressions.
- Brand takeovers: Want to make a huge splash? TikTok allows one advertiser per day to completely take over the opening screen when a user opens TikTok. Your ad will flash for a few seconds, but users will only see your content. This costs a whopping $50,000, but it does come with 5 million guaranteed impressions.
- TopView ads: TopView ads show up on the For You page. It’s less in-your-face than a brand takeover, but it’s still the first thing a user sees when they check out their For You feed. Actually, 72% of users say TopView ads are their favorite, so if you’re going for a natural user experience, this is the way to do it.
- Branded effects: Unless you’ve got an IT department up your sleeve, you probably won’t do this, but it’s worth mentioning. TikTok allows you to create an AR filter, sticker, or lens for TikkTokkers to use on their own content. This certainly isn’t cheap, but if you can swing it, it’s one of the easiest ways to go viral on small business TikTok.
As effective as TikTok Ads can be, remember that they’re expensive! Going all-in on TikTok Ads can cost small businesses $5k a month, so think carefully before you advertise on TikTok.
3 – Partner with influencers
If TikTok’s advertising prices give you heart palpitations, I get it. It’s an emerging platform and $50,000 is an advertising cost that most folks can’t support. So, how can you master small business TikTok without spending every dime on ads?
Influencers are the answer.
TikTok influencers widen your exposure on the platform. They know how to make awesome organic content that also promotes your business. In other words, TikTok content creators know how to walk the fine line between brand promotions and organic content.
The great thing about partnering with a TikTok influencer is that they’re much more affordable than TikTok Ads, they help you write better videos, and they promote the content to their audience. It’s a win-win-win.
Tap into their creative talents to:
- Host a TikTok account takeover where the influencer posts content on your page for a week.
- Collect user-generated content from influencers and repurpose it across your website.
- Film an unboxing video of your products and share a special discount code with their followers.
While there might be some crossover between Instagram influencers and TikTok creators, remember that these two platforms are totally different. You can get the most bang for your buck by partnering with trustworthy TikTokkers who know what they’re doing on the platform.
Conclusion
TikTok might be the new kid on the block, but brands are already cracking the code on this social media platform. But who says TikTok is only for big corporations? Take advantage of small business TikTok by creating awesome organic content, paying for the occasional TikTok Ad, and partnering with influencers.