Previously a lip-syncing and music app named ‘musical.ly’, TikTok has since evolved and developed into a platform where users can now share endless content on almost any topic.
However, TikTok has not only been a popular app for entertainment amongst younger generations, but there has recently been an increase in users using TikTok for business purposes. The app is a marketing tool that can help businesses build brand awareness, promote products and grow their audience.
TLDR
- TikTok has many benefits for businesses and could significantly help increase brand recognition, promote products and grow an audience.
- TikTok Shop provides a great opportunity for businesses to take advantage of it as a form of direct selling.
- Your target audience must be considered when contemplating a TikTok marketing campaign or when creating TikTok content.
- B2C & B2B companies can be using TikTok for business.
- There are many steps to consider when developing a TikTok marketing campaign.
Why should businesses be using TikTok for business?
TikTok is one of the fastest-growing platforms of this generation so it can be helpful for businesses. As of 2024, DemandSage research shows that there are over 2.05 billion users worldwide, while ProfileTree research shows that there are 23 million TikTok users in the UK alone. Studies conducted by Digital in 2024 showed that on average, UK users spend approximately 49 hours and 29 minutes on the app every month.
TechWyse also states that as of 2023, E-commerce brands said they would prefer to use TikTok to market their products as opposed to any other platforms. The research also shows that 42% of marketing in the US used TikTok for influencer marketing in 2021.
These figures provide ample evidence as to why so many brands are now using TikTok for business and as a social media marketing tool. So, why wouldn’t you use TikTok for your business?
Benefits of using TikTok for business
TikTok continues to prove its popularity and is growing year-on-year, which has created many opportunities for brands to increase their brand recognition and reach a wider audience than they might with other promotion methods.
This is vital for business success, as increased brand recognition helps potential customers become familiar with a business, creating a better connection with the brand.
TikTok is also helpful for a business as it allows them to be omnipresent by allowing brands to post multiple times a day, seven days a week. This could be helpful for a business as studies show that customers are only likely to purchase a product from a business after being exposed to the brand approximately seven times, therefore TikTok videos and ads posted by a brand could significantly make use of this opportunity.
Amongst many other opportunities and advantages, the platform could also add credibility to a brand. Studies indicate that 75% of shoppers use social media to gauge a brand or product before deciding to purchase, therefore if product appeal and desire are created through a brand’s TikTok videos, that could help the business boost sales and revenue.
TikTok should also be a part of your marketing strategy for promoting products. It provides an ideal platform for promoting your products with shop features, for directly selling products and popular influencers to collaborate with. According to Statista, 71.2% of users have purchased something after seeing it in their feed, with 55% of users making an impulse purchase.
Additionally, TikTok posts and ads can also give the business an opportunity for customer engagement through comment sections and direct messages. Videos can also be personalised to help a business project its brand personality, such as posting humorous videos in an attempt to go viral, which could build the authenticity and brand image of the business. These factors can help a company to build a relationship with customers, which could result in increased loyalty.
Is TikTok right for your business?
Like any marketing tool, it is always important to distinguish who your marketing is targeting, and whether the tool is right for your audience. Therefore knowing the typical users of TikTok is so important in order to determine whether it will help or hinder your business.
In terms of the typical age range of TikTok users, many seem to be a part of the younger generation. For example, 80% of TikTok users are aged 16-34, and 60% are members of Gen-Z. These figures represent how strongly younger generations make up the audiencek. This is something to consider when contemplating using it as a marketing tool. You will need to decide whether your product or brand will appeal to the younger generation that populates the app’s user base.
However, there has recently been an increase in the number of users from older generations joining TikTok. There has been a 61.7% increase in the number of 55 and older users between 2021 and 2023. It’s synonymous with a younger demographic, but the platform actually has a diverse user base. Some data shows that 50% of users are between 25 and 44 years of age.
However, age is not the only demographic factor that needs to be considered when attempting a new marketing technique. Other factors such as interests and hobbies of customers are just as important. TikTok users have a wide range of interests and videos on any topic can be found on the app. The platform gives brands the opportunity to use hashtags in the captions of their posts which will appear on users’ ‘For You’ page, especially if they have previously liked, saved or interacted with a video relating to the same topic. This means that the TikTok algorithm could help your brand reach your target audience, even if your target audience is not the majority of users.
If you feel that TikTok may not be the right option for your business, other social media platforms could be considered. For example, Facebook is known for having more users that are a part of older generations compared to TikTok. Research suggests that the biggest age category of Facebook users is individuals aged 25-44, therefore this could be more of an effective marketing method for using TikTok for business.
Overall, the use of TikTok marketing could work for most businesses. However, the question is ‘Is using TikTok for your business the most beneficial platform to market your brand?’
The best way for you to be using TikTok for business
There are many different methods that businesses can use on TikTok, such as influencer marketing, TikTok Ads and creative videos posted through a business account. However, it’s important to consider the best way to use it.
By using influencer marketing, a company’s reputation could be increased significantly as customers are more likely to trust their favourite influencers and creators. Businesses must make use of the benefits that TikTok Shop could provide for their brand. Videos and ads created by popular influencers could also help increase brand recognition as it’s likely that a wider audience will be reached as videos from popular influencers typically get the most attention.
TikTok ads can also be a very effective marketing tool. This is because users are said to be more tolerant and understanding of advertisements, with 63% of users feeling incited to watch ads. This could be beneficial for your business as it means that business funds are not being wasted on advertisements, particularly if the product appeals to the users watching the ads. Nearly half of social media users (48%) have admitted to buying a product after seeing an ad on social media platforms. This shows how effective this tool is, and is something that you may want to consider when starting your TikTok Marketing campaign.
TikTok Shop is also an excellent way to utilise the marketing opportunities that Titkok can create for businesses. Selling products on TikTok Shop allows customers to buy your products directly from where they are promoted, whilst also allowing them to receive discounts due to the vouchers and offers that TikTok provides for first-time buyers.
The best way to use TikTok for business is to create engaging content that will appeal to your target market. This means strategising your content creation and being consistent in posting. Organising your time as a business to ensure there is enough time to create and post content is key.
Get started with TikTok Ads Manager
The rise of TikTok Shop – how has it benefited brands and creators?
TikTok Shop has risen in popularity significantly within the past few years. It allows users to buy products directly through the app, without visiting other websites or following any links. These products can range from beauty products, household appliances, clothing, homeware and gym equipment. The TikTok Shop market was worth approximately $4.4 billion in 2022 and has increased by 520% within retail searches in April 2024.
TikTok Shop products are promoted through videos created by users (mostly influencers) who will receive commission from products that have been purchased through their videos and have the opportunity to become partners with brands. Therefore TikTok Shop does not just benefit brands, it can also benefit content creators and influencers.
The fact that customers can now buy products directly from TikTok gives them a more convenient and faster way to purchase. It also gives the customer less time to think about the product they wish to buy. As previously mentioned, 55% of customers have purchased impulsively, so having less time to change their minds about buying a product can be beneficial.
Can B2B businesses use TikTok?
Typically, TikTok marketing may be associated more with B2C businesses, than B2B. This could be due to factors such as the shop functionality, which mainly targets typical app users (consumers), rather than other businesses. However, it’s important to recognise that B2B sellers can also take advantage of the opportunities that this platform can ultimately create.
The typical demographic of TikTok users is young, with 40% of users aged 18-24. TikTok is growing, and so is its audience. Between 2021 and 2023, there has been a 10% decrease in the number of 18-24-year-olds who use the app, however a 61.7% increase in the number of 55 and older users was also recorded. This means that there is an even greater opportunity for B2B businesses to reach their target audience due to the chance that the business can reach more of a mature and professional audience, which may also be potential clients.
Like B2C businesses, B2B sellers can use TikTok to promote the best parts of their business. For example, B2B businesses could use their TikTok videos and ads to showcase their industry expertise and emphasise their corporate culture and values.
Businesses could do this through creating time-lapse videos of their daily tasks, or even creating a video dedicated to their day in a life, and what it’s like to work at their business. This could help humanise B2B brands that may be typically viewed as less personal and authentic, which could eventually lead to deeper and stronger relationships forming with clients.
An example of a B2B seller that uses TikTok to promote their brand to potential clients and other businesses is Adobe. This brand is known as a leader in creative software and uses TikTok to showcase this. Adobe creates videos that highlight different features that could be helpful to their target audience, as well as showcasing their products in an engaging way to catch users’ attention. This helps Adobe to build brand awareness and recognition, resulting in the opportunity for potential customers to familiarise themselves with the business.
So, how do I start my TikTok marketing strategy?
Create a TikTok Business Account
The first step is to create a TikTok Business account. Don’t make the mistake of working with a personal account. Setting things up properly in the first place will save headaches down the road.
Creating a business account gives you access to TikToks marketing tools, analytics, advertising platform, TikTok Shop and commercial audio.
To do this, follow the steps below:
- Download the TikTok app from your app store of choice.
- Click the hamburger menu (top right)
- Select ‘Settings & Privacy’ > ‘Manage Account.’
- Switch to a Business Account
- Choose the category that best fits your business
Optimising Your TikTok Profile
Making a good first impression is vital for business success on TikTok. Ensure that you are using high-quality profile images.
Add your business name and select a username that is related to your business and displays professionalism. Add a relevant URL and social links and add a short bio. Bio’s are limited to 80 characters.
To craft a compelling bio, use relevant keywords associated with your business. As previously mentioned, your brand image and personality need to be portrayed throughout your TikTok profile. Utilising emojis can add personality and save characters.
Get Yourself Verified
Getting a blue tick on TikTok to verify your business builds trust within your audience and confirms who you are.
To earn your blue tick you will need to meet criteria, such as:
- Logging in to TikTok within the previous six months.
- Have a complete profile with at least one video posted.
- Have been featured in at least two news sources. TikTok doesn’t consider press releases or paid & sponsored media.
- Have two-step verification turned on and have a verified email address.
- All accounts must adhere to community guidelines and terms of service.
One verification application is accepted per person, business or entity, unless in exceptional circumstances.
Define Your SMART Goals
When undertaking any marketing activity it’s important to set yourself SMART goals. That’s:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Smart goals for TikTok might include:
- Gain 1000 followers this quarter
- Reach 20,000 video views in 6 months
- 5,000 profile views this quarter.
Once you have these set, create a reporting dashboard to show your progress and whether you are on or off track.
Identify Your Target Audience
You’ve already established that your audience is on TikTok, but you’ll also need to identify your specific audience. What are their demographics? Where do they live? Who do they follow? What type of content do they want to see in their feed? You’ll need this information to inform your TikTok strategy.
Building a TikTok Marketing Strategy
Creating a marketing strategy is vital when using TikTok for business to ensure you know what you want your business to achieve. This includes clearly outlining and defining goals, aims and objectives which can help you decide what techniques you need to use to meet your goals, for example, increasing brand awareness or increasing sales directly.
Your marketing strategy should also include conducting competitor research. This includes analysing how your competitors are using their accounts, what techniques have proved to be successful and emulating techniques that could also help your business.
This could reduce the risk of competitors’ gaining an advantage on TikTok. Developing a content calendar is also a great method to organise your tasks and strategise your marketing techniques – this could include planning video ideas that will help you reach your target market and setting dates to do this.
Creating Engaging TikTok Content
TikTok opens up opportunities for businesses to create a range of engaging content that will appeal to their target audience and help the business stand out. The app includes many ways to achieve this such as a range of music, short format options, trends and challenges.
While doing this, it is also important to consider the quality of your videos and to take into account the lighting, storytelling techniques and editing. Videos can help your business to build a better brand image. Additionally, it is also important that your videos consistently enhance your brand’s personality. This can be done through unique videos such as ‘Day in the Life’, customer and employee testimonials and product demos. How-to videos and tutorials are also popular. Authenticity is key.
To develop your TikTok content strategy, consider:
- Learning from other creators and competitors in your niche. Does a particular type of video perform well (e.g. how-to video)? Learn what works for them and how you can add your own twist to stand out from the crowd.
- Understand all of the features of TikTok and understand what all of the buttons do. Being comfortable with the interface allows you to create content faster.
- What trends and challenges can you hop on? Make sure these are relevant to your business, your audience and your business personality.
- Consider how you’re going to showcase the human side of your business. Displaying the people in your business creates authenticity.
- You don’t need fancy equipment. A phone, ideas and good lighting are usually enough to create quality videos. It’s a low barrier to entry. In fact, a 2021 study by Marketing Science said 65% of users think professional videos look odd on TikTok.
- Think about how often you want to post and if your business has the capacity to keep up with that demand, especially if you get busy. TikTok recommends posting 1-4 times per day.
- Create a loose content calendar so you can plan ahead in creating content and you when you want to post. Our National Days planner will also help.
- Go Live! Going live on TikTok shows you at your most authentic as it’s live. Your audience can engage with you and ask questions directly.
Get To Know The TikTok Algorithm
Understanding how the algorithm works is half of the battle when it comes to social media marketing, and TikTok is no different. Here’s what’s important:
- Engagement feeds into the algorithm. Think Likes, Shares and Comments, as well as completion rates and ‘favourited’ videos.
- User interactions such as those from the accounts you follow are also important.
- Video information such as the captions and sound you use and the hashtags you select. This information is used to categorise your content and is used to determine when and to whom the video is shown.
- Device and account settings such as language preferences, device type and country settings.
It isn’t recommended to do the following things as these will have a negative effect on the algorithm:
- Posting duplicate or spam content
- Posting content that users have already seen
- Offensive or dangerous content
New content that has only just been uploaded won’t display until it has been approved. Follower count or previously high-performing videos isn’t considered when showing a video.
Master TikTok
To master TikiTok and give your content the best chance of performing, follow these tips:
- Use keywords that are relevant and popular in your video titles, descriptions and captions. The New York Times reported that Gen Z users use TikTok as a search engine so thinking similarly will help your content appear.
- Trends, challenges and hashtags help your content get found.
- Provide value and grab attention in the first few seconds. This is the key to high-quality content.
- Stay active and engage with your community. Like and comment on others’ posts and respond to comments on your posts. You can also start conversations, ask questions and run live sessions to increase engagement.
Leveraging TikTok Ads For Wider Reach
Paid promotion on TikTok is an excellent way to reach a wider audience, provided you have the budget. There are many different types of ad formats
Spark Ads
Spark ads are a native ad type that allows you to use your organic TikTok in your advertising.
In-feed Ads
Non-spark ads (in-feed ads) are a standard ad type on TikTok.
TopView Ads
TopView ads showcase a video upon opening TikTok, before any other video. A high-impact ad type.
Brand Takeover Ads
Brand Takeover Ads load when the app first launches. The screen is taken over for a number of seconds, before an in-feed video launches. They also appear on the ‘For You’ page as images, videos or gifs.
Branded Effects
Businesses can sponsor branded effects that can be used by the app’s users. Great for building brand awareness.
Branded Hashtag Challenges
Branded Hashtag Challenges are great for building engagement with your brand and inspiring creativity.
All of these formats are a great way to increase brand awareness and to reach your target audience although some may be more beneficial for when you initially start your TikTok marketing strategy. For example, TopView ads are great for brands new to advertising. They are one of the most common forms of TikTok ads and give the advertiser an opportunity to reach a wide audience as viewers will stumble across the ad as they are scrolling, giving a guaranteed three seconds of viewer attention. Brand Takeover ads are also a great ad format, and are particularly good for BtoC businesses. The ad plays for five seconds as soon as a user opens the app, and allows the business to be creative which could help to build their brand image.
TikTok Recommended Ads Budget
The minimum budget at the campaign level is $50 and $20 at the ad group level. We recommend that you don’t think about advertising until you can provide a budget that will allow you to achieve your marketing goals. Is the minimum level enough for you?
Engaging with Your Audience
Engagement between a business and its customers is vital in building a strong brand image, as well as creating good customer experiences. Brand engagement can help a business to create relationships with its customers or clients, which could ultimately result in an increase in customer loyalty.
TikTok allows businesses to interact with their followers and customers through the comment section of videos. If you want to increase engagement on your business TikTok page, you should encourage comments and questions on your videos and ensure all messages and queries are answered promptly.
You could even host giveaways or run contests on your TikTok page where customers will be asked to tag their friends in comments, or by liking posts to boost engagement.
Collaborate With Influencers
Collaborating with TikTok influencers can open up a new audience for your business. Here are some tips:
- Choose the right influencers for your brand. Do they match your target audience, and your brand voice?
- Choose the right partner for your goals. Do you need to work with a top influencer or will somebody with a smaller audience work?
- Don’t control the process too much. Give the influencer creative freedom, after all this is their domain. This builds credibility, authenticity and trust.
- Analyse the results. What did the campaign produce? Did it increase sales or brand awareness?
Measuring Your Success
Tracking your progress when starting your TikTok marketing campaign is very important to ensure you are on track to reach your goals. TikTok has many key metrics within its app that can help businesses measure their success, such as information on video views, volume of mentions, profile views, number of followers, interactions, hashtag permanence and many more.
TikTok analytics also provide evidence of the overall success and interactions on your TikTok account which can help you to improve your performance. Analytics will help you to distinguish what is successful within your content, and what isn’t. Using this information allows you to strategise further to improve your content.
Some of the information that can be found in TikTok analytics is:
- Video views, playtime and completion rates
- Traffic sources (e.g. For You, hashtags or sounds)
- Likes, Comments, Shares, Profile Visits
- Follower growth and peak activity times
- Audience demographics
- Song use, link clicks and video downloads
Our Customers Also Ask
What are the disadvantages of using TikTok?
Like any marketing strategy, there are some disadvantages to using TikTok for business. Business profiles may find that they can’t use trending songs as TikTok sees these accounts as using music for commercial use, greatly reducing the choice of music available.
Another disadvantage of using TikTok for business is that TikTok advertisements can be expensive in comparison to ads on other social media platforms. Despite TikTok ads proving to be very effective, some small or medium-sized businesses may not have a large enough budget to spend on advertisements.
Is it worth using TikTok for my business?
TikTok is an excellent way for businesses to utilise cheap and convenient tools in order to promote their business. The platform can generate a significant amount of brand awareness, helping customers familiarise themselves with different types of businesses. TikTok is also available for all business sizes, meaning both B2B and B2C can take advantage of the marketing opportunities that TikTok creates. Overall, all brands should use TikTok marketing in order to maximise the recognition and promotion of their brand.
Should small businesses be on TikTok?
TikTok is an excellent opportunity for small businesses to reach a wide audience which is something they may struggle with if there is a small budget for marketing strategies and promotional activities. An example of a small business that gained TikTok success after marketing on the app is the gym wear brand PopFlex, which has gained 247k followers and 6.1 million likes since launching its product on TikTok.
What are the benefits of having a business account?
Once your account reaches 1000 followers on TikTok, you will be able to create an official business account. This is recommended when using TikTok for business as it offers many benefits in terms of analytics and tracking progress. TikTok business accounts also have access to advanced business tools such as TikTok’s business Creative Hub and TikTok analytics, which can give you access to how well your account is performing.
TikTok is a useful channel in your marketing mix. It has powerful tools for improving brand awareness and built-in Shop functionality that allows users to buy products directly in the app. With the growth of the user base and increases in older demographics joining the social media site, it has the potential to reach a wide range of potential customers and needs to be considered as a part of your marketing strategy.
For more information on how your business can benefit from TikTok, speak to us about our social media marketing services.
