How to Use TikTok for Business and Engage Your Audience

In this video, Alyssa from the WebFX Social Media team shares some advice on how to use TikTok for business.

Transcript:

Hey everyone! In this Revenue Weekly video, you’re going to learn how to use TikTok for your business.

I’m going to explain how TikTok works, the benefits of using TikTok for marketing, and what you can do to take your strategy to the next level. Let’s go!

What is TikTok for business?

TikTok is a social media video sharing platform that lets both consumers and businesses upload and interact with short videos covering a number of different topics.

Since it launched in the late 2010s, TikTok has seen incredible growth. It now boasts over one billion users every month. That’s a lot of people.

On the platform, users can follow the creators they find interesting. TikTok also offers a For You feed that recommends videos based on factors like how you interact with other videos and your device settings.

You can become a TikToker for free — unless you’re investing in ads — but businesses have a little extra step to take when creating an account. When you sign up for TikTok, you’ll want to go to your settings and switch over to a Business Account.

After that, you’ll gain access to TikTok analytics, royalty-free audio, and other business resources.

So, it’s true that TikTok has a very large audience, and it’s fairly easy to create an account. Does that mean you have to use TikTok for your business?

Should you be using TikTok for marketing?

TikTok does have plenty of benefits for businesses. With its huge user base, you have plenty of opportunities to get eyes on your brand. One study shared that nearly 75% of TikTok users have learned more about a brand or product online because of the platform. But TikTok can help with more than brand awareness.

That same study revealed that TikTok drives consumers to action. 67% of TikTok users agree that the platform made them want to shop, even when they weren’t actively looking. 66% of users agreed that TikTok helped them make a purchase decision.

TikTok can drive some serious results, but that doesn’t mean you need it to be successful. Truthfully, only you can decide if you need TikTok for your marketing strategy. Some businesses may benefit from it, while others may be better off using other platforms.

The biggest consideration is your target audience. If they’re not on TikTok, you probably don’t need an account.

According to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults, 48% of 18-29 year olds, 22% of 30-49 year olds, 14% of 50-64 year olds, and 4% of those 65 and older report using TikTok.

So, in terms of audience, TikTok tends to be most popular with Gen Z and Millennials.

If you think this is the app for you, keep watching to get four tips on how to use TikTok for business.

4 tips for businesses on TikTok

1. Customize your TikTok business account

You have a business account. Good for you! Now, let’s make it personal.

You’re going to want a profile photo that represents your company. Many businesses stick with their logo, or a slightly modified version of it. You want people to recognize your business when they see your profile.

Remember that people will view your profile photo in a small bubble on their phones, so try to avoid hard-to-read text or graphics with a lot of detail. The simpler, the better.

Next, add a short bio that describes your business and add a link that directs people to your website (or another location if it suits your goals).

When you’re happy with your profile, you can start planning and sharing content.

2. Plan your content

Always know what you want to achieve with your content. If you want to increase sales, then some of your content should focus on your products or services. If you want to generate brand awareness, you might want to create educational videos that establish you as an expert.

Using your goals as a guide, you’ll want to create a calendar that outlines what you’ll post and when you’ll post it. However, TikTok moves at what feels like the speed of light. Trends come and go, new video filters pop up, and songs go viral.

You need to be flexible on TikTok, because hopping on an unexpected trend can get you some amazing results.

This means you need to set time aside to research trends. Just scrolling through your feed can give you an idea of what people are creating.

Go into the TikTok video editor to look at trending video effects and audio.

If you think a trend fits your business, why not give it a try? Remember to have fun!

3. Upload your videos

Again, hop on trends if they make sense for your business. TikTok offers lots of different features to make your videos stand out.

Businesses on TikTok can create their videos directly in the app, or you can upload a pre-made video. Just be cautious if you use a video with your own audio. Not all of the trending audio on the app is available to businesses due to licensing restrictions, so you may not be able to do all of what the non-business accounts are doing.

Your videos do not need to look like they were made by a professional film crew, but you should still keep production quality in mind. Here’s a quick quality checklist:

• The video is a good representation of your brand
• You can clearly see the footage without any video grain or artifacts
• The video has enough lighting for its subjects
• You didn’t leave any awkward pauses or cues in the edited video
• Anyone speaking on camera can be heard clearly without major echo or background noise
• All audio elements are balanced, meaning no audio element overpowers another (like music being louder than someone speaking)
• You have the rights to use any footage, photos, graphics, or audio that is not your own

You can also go live on TikTok if you have the audience for it.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your content! Try a silly filter, or get your team to appear on camera doing something fun.

Use TikTok’s analytics to review your top-performing content, and let that inform what you continue to do in the future.

4. Leverage TikTok advertising

In addition to using TikTok for marketing to users organically, you can invest in ads to reach your audience while they scroll through the app.

Through TikTok, you can create several different ad formats that engage users.

TopView Ads show when someone opens their app.

In-Feed Ads appear while someone scrolls through videos in the For You feed.

You can even pay to promote your regular TikToks if you choose that route.

You also have the option of making Branded Hashtag Challenges or Branded Effects.

A Branded Hashtag Challenge lets you sponsor a hashtag with the intention of getting creators to make a TikTok using the hashtag.

Branded Effects are filters and different augmented reality (AR) situations that incorporate your brand in some way.

I might sound like a broken record here, but the ads you use depend on your goals. You can always reach out to a digital marketing agency like WebFX for help with your TikTok strategy.

Besties, thanks for tuning in. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and our email newsletter, Revenue Weekly, to keep sharpening your digital marketing skills.

See ya!