9 Reasons Why TikTok is Perfect for Small Businesses
Disclosure
Social media has revolutionized the way small businesses market themselves, and platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have long been the primary focus of small business marketing strategies. However, a new platform has emerged as a major player in the social media marketing game: TikTok. With over 1 billion active users, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps in the world, and its explosive growth shows no signs of slowing down. But what makes TikTok so appealing to small businesses, and how can they use it to their advantage?
In this article, we'll explore 9 Reasons Why TikTok is Perfect for Small Businesses. From its large and engaged audience to its powerful algorithm and easy-to-use interface, TikTok offers a range of benefits that make it an ideal platform for small businesses looking to increase their reach and connect with customers in a new and exciting way.
Reason 1: TikTok's Large and Engaged Audience
One of the primary reasons why TikTok is perfect for small businesses is its massive and highly engaged audience. With over 1 billion active users worldwide, TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world. And unlike other platforms that have seen a decline in engagement in recent years, TikTok users are highly engaged, spending an average of 52 minutes per day on the app.
In Australia alone, there are over 1.6 million active users on TikTok, with the majority of users aged between 18 and 34 years old. This presents a huge opportunity for small businesses looking to reach new customers and connect with their target audience. Furthermore, TikTok's algorithm is designed to surface content that users are most likely to enjoy, meaning small businesses have a chance to be discovered by users who are interested in their products or services.
Reason 2: TikTok's Potential for Virality
Another reason why TikTok is perfect for small businesses is its potential for virality. TikTok's algorithm is designed to surface content that is engaging and resonates with its users, regardless of who created it. This means that even small businesses with limited followings have the potential to go viral on TikTok, increasing brand awareness and driving traffic to their website.
In Australia, there have been many instances of small businesses going viral on TikTok. One example is the Melbourne-based homewares store, Kmart Pie Maker Recipes & Ideas, which has gained over 180,000 followers on TikTok by sharing creative and innovative ways to use the popular Kmart pie maker. By going viral on TikTok, Kmart Pie Maker Recipes & Ideas has been able to increase brand awareness and attract new customers to their online store.
Reason 3: TikTok's Creative Potential
TikTok's short-form video format is perfect for small businesses looking to showcase their creativity and stand out from the crowd. With a length of 60 seconds, TikTok videos are short and easily digestible, making them perfect for capturing users' attention and driving engagement.
In Australia, there are several examples of small businesses using TikTok to showcase their creativity. One such business is the Melbourne-based ice cream shop, Scroll Ice Cream, which has gained over 20,000 followers on TikTok by sharing behind-the-scenes videos of how their unique ice cream scrolls are made. By showcasing their creativity on TikTok, Scroll Ice Cream has been able to increase brand awareness and attract new customers to their store.
Reason 4: TikTok's Hashtag Challenges
TikTok's hashtag challenges are a great way for small businesses to engage with their audience and increase brand awareness. Hashtag challenges are essentially a call-to-action for users to create their own content using a specific hashtag, which can help small businesses reach a wider audience and generate buzz around their brand.
In Australia, there have been a number of successful hashtag challenges created by small businesses on TikTok. For example, the Perth-based restaurant, The Hummus Club, created a hashtag challenge encouraging users to share videos of themselves making their own version of the restaurant's popular hummus dip. The challenge went viral, with users from all over Australia and beyond participating, generating over 11 million views and increasing awareness of the restaurant's brand.
Reason 5: TikTok's Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has become a popular way for small businesses to reach new audiences, and TikTok offers a range of opportunities for businesses to collaborate with influencers and leverage their following to promote their products or services. With TikTok's algorithm favoring engaging content over established accounts, even micro-influencers with smaller followings can be effective in promoting a small business.
In Australia, there have been several successful examples of small businesses partnering with influencers on TikTok. One such example is the Australian skincare brand, Sand&Sky, which partnered with TikTok influencer Sarah Magusara to promote their pink clay mask. The campaign was a huge success, generating over 1.2 million views and helping to increase brand awareness for Sand&Sky.
Reason 6: TikTok's Advertisements
TikTok offers a range of advertising options for small businesses looking to increase their reach and attract new customers. From sponsored posts to in-feed video ads, TikTok's advertising platform allows small businesses to create targeted campaigns that reach their desired audience.
In Australia, many small businesses have seen success with TikTok's advertising platform. One such business is the Melbourne-based skincare brand, Frank Body, which used in-feed video ads to promote their coffee scrub. The campaign was a huge success, generating over 2.2 million impressions and helping to increase sales for the brand.
Reason 7: TikTok's Low Barrier to Entry
Unlike other social media platforms that require a significant investment of time and resources to create content, TikTok's easy-to-use interface and short-form video format make it accessible to small businesses with limited budgets and resources. With just a smartphone and a creative idea, small businesses can create engaging content and reach a wide audience on TikTok.
In Australia, there have been several successful examples of small businesses creating engaging content on TikTok with limited resources. One such example is the Brisbane-based clothing brand, Peppermayo, which has gained over 70,000 followers on TikTok by sharing behind-the-scenes videos of their photo shoots and promoting their products in a fun and creative way.
Reason 8: TikTok's Localized Content
TikTok's algorithm is designed to surface content that is relevant to its users, meaning small businesses can create content that resonates with their local audience. By creating localized content, small businesses can increase brand awareness in their local community and connect with customers on a more personal level.
In Australia, there have been several examples of small businesses creating localized content on TikTok. One such business is the Sydney-based coffee shop, The Grounds of Alexandria, which has gained over 40,000 followers on TikTok by sharing videos of their iconic coffee art and behind-the-scenes glimpses of their daily operations. By creating content that showcases their local community, The Grounds of Alexandria has been able to increase brand awareness and attract new customers to their coffee shop.
Reason 9: TikTok's Trending Content
TikTok's "For You" page is a curated feed of trending content, which means small businesses have the opportunity to create content that aligns with popular trends and reach a wider audience. By keeping up with the latest trends and creating content that aligns with them, small businesses can increase their chances of going viral and attracting new customers.
In Australia, small businesses have seen success by creating content that aligns with popular trends on TikTok. One such business is the Melbourne-based ice cream shop, 7 Apples Gelato, which went viral on TikTok after creating a video showcasing their unique ice cream flavors. The video garnered over 5 million views and helped to increase awareness of the shop's brand.
Conclusion
TikTok offers a range of benefits for small businesses looking to increase their reach and attract new customers. From the platform's low barrier to entry and localized content to its influencer marketing and advertising options, TikTok provides small businesses with a range of tools to help them succeed in today's digital landscape. By embracing TikTok and creating engaging content that resonates with their audience, small businesses in Australia can position themselves for success and reach new heights of growth and profitability.
FAQ’s
1. What are the positives of TikTok?
There are several positives of TikTok, including:
Entertainment: TikTok offers a wide range of entertaining content, including dance videos, comedy skits, lip-syncing, and more. Users can spend hours scrolling through the platform and discovering new content.
Creativity: TikTok is a great platform for expressing creativity. Many users use the platform to showcase their artistic skills, whether that be through dance, music, or video editing.
Diversity: TikTok has a diverse user base, with people from all over the world sharing their experiences, cultures, and perspectives. This can provide a valuable opportunity for users to learn about different cultures and broaden their horizons.
Community: TikTok has a strong sense of community, with users supporting and collaborating with each other. This can create a sense of belonging and connection for users.
Educational value: Some TikTok content provides educational value, such as language learning or cooking tutorials. This can be a fun and engaging way for users to learn new skills.
Career opportunities: TikTok has become a platform where users can showcase their talents and gain recognition, which has led to opportunities for some users to monetize their content or gain exposure for their careers. For example, many musicians and artists have gained widespread recognition through TikTok.
Mental health benefits: For some users, TikTok can provide a much-needed distraction from the stresses of everyday life. The platform has also become a space for users to share their mental health struggles and provide support for each other.
2. Why TikTok is better than Instagram for business?
TikTok and Instagram both have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to promoting a business, and which platform is better for you will depend on your specific goals and target audience. That being said, here are a few reasons why some businesses may find TikTok to be a better fit than Instagram:
High engagement rates: TikTok users are known for being highly engaged with the content they see on the platform. This means that if you can create interesting and engaging videos that resonate with your target audience, you may be able to generate more views, likes, comments, and shares than you would on Instagram.
Algorithmic reach: TikTok's algorithm is designed to surface content that is likely to be of interest to each individual user, even if they don't follow the account that created it. This means that if you can create content that appeals to a broad audience, you may be able to reach new potential customers more easily on TikTok than on Instagram.
Creativity and authenticity: TikTok is a platform that encourages users to be creative and authentic, and to show off their unique personalities and perspectives. This can be a great fit for businesses that want to showcase their brand's personality and values in a way that feels genuine and relatable to their target audience.
Less competition: While TikTok has been growing rapidly in popularity over the past few years, it still has fewer active users than Instagram. This means that there may be less competition for attention on TikTok, which could make it easier for your business to stand out and build a following.
Of course, these are just a few of the factors that businesses should consider when deciding whether to focus on TikTok or Instagram for their marketing efforts. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on your specific goals, target audience, and resources.
3. How does TikTok go viral as a business?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short-form videos with a global audience. As a business, TikTok has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses to go viral and reach a massive audience.
To go viral on TikTok, businesses need to create engaging and shareable content that resonates with their target audience. This requires an understanding of what types of videos are popular on the platform, as well as what kind of content their target audience is interested in.
Businesses can also take advantage of TikTok's algorithm, which is designed to promote content that is likely to engage users. This means that businesses can increase their chances of going viral by creating high-quality videos that are likely to be shared, liked, and commented on by users.
Another way for businesses to go viral on TikTok is by collaborating with popular influencers or other businesses that have a significant following on the platform. This can help businesses to reach a wider audience and gain more exposure on the platform.
In addition to creating engaging content and collaborating with influencers, businesses can also use TikTok's advertising platform to reach a larger audience. TikTok's advertising options include in-feed ads, brand takeovers, and sponsored hashtag challenges, all of which can help businesses to go viral and reach a massive audience on the platform.
Overall, TikTok offers businesses a unique opportunity to go viral and reach a massive audience by creating engaging content, collaborating with influencers, and taking advantage of the platform's advertising options.
Useful Resources
Books
The Definitive Guide to TikTok Advertising: How to Access 1 Billion People in 10 Minutes!
TikTok Marketing for Viral Sales: A Young Girl's Guide to Blowing Customers' Minds