If you want to grow your small business, you must connect with your audience where they are. With over 2 billion active users, it means about 23% of the world population is on TikTok. Additionally, around 73% of TikTok users are aged below 34. That means if you are a small business targeting Gen Zs and teens, there is no better place to market than on TikTok.

However, the platform is popular for funny videos and viral dance challenges, and businesses often struggle to be heard. Additionally, TikTok users prefer authentic content, so the brand's serious tone may not work on the platform. That is why you need to understand how small businesses can leverage the platform for growth through a good understanding of the TikTok content strategies for business.

Benefits of Using TikTok for Small Businesses

If you have a small business and are wondering if marketing on TikTok is worth it, here are some benefits you need to know:

• Access to young people. TikTok has a large Gen Z and millennial audience. If you want to hang out with younger audiences, this is the right platform. You can use the platform to increase customer loyalty and community.
• Versatile content that can be repurposed. TikTok videos can be reused on Instagram, websites, emails, and other platforms.
• Large organic reach. The TikTok algorithm favors small accounts. That means even if you have a small following, there's a chance your content will go viral.
• Higher engagement. Statistics indicate that TikTok users spend an average of over 24 hours on the app. Compared to other social media platforms, TikTok also has one of the highest engagements. By sharing organic content such as customer testimonials, product tutorials, and behind-the-scenes content, it becomes easier for them to connect with their target audience.
• Add an authentic brand personality. Short-form content gives a brand a chance to show its real, human, and relatable side, which audiences like.
• Affordable advertising option. Compared to other advertising options, TikTok is an advertising-friendly option. Even with a little investment, small businesses can achieve high visibility.

How TikTok Can Support Business Growth

As noted earlier, TikTok is more popular for viral challenges and funny videos. However, recent reports indicate that many users are also using the platform for inspiration when searching for new businesses with a USP. Other studies indicate that 81% of users say TikTok inspires them to shop. This happens even when they didn't have an initial purchasing intention when visiting the app.

When you consider that TikTok has an average daily user of 30.8 million, the potential for sales for your business are considerably big. Additionally, hashtags such as #SmallBusiness have attained over 33 million posts, which shows the platform has great potential for growing small businesses. 

How Small Businesses Can Use TikTok for Growth

There are several ways in which you can use TikTok to take your small business to the next level. These include:

Use TikTok for Lead Generation

Social media has emerged as a top tool for lead generation, and TikTok is no exception. To do that effectively, you need an actionable, scalable strategy. You want to begin by ensuring that you have outstanding content that can turn that casual user into a prospect. 

When creating TikTok videos for your small business, add a strong call to action that encourages your audience to take action, such as subscribing to your newsletter or signing up for your email list. 

Here are several ways in which small businesses can use TikTok for lead generation:

TikTok Lead Ads

You can use TikTok lead ads to generate leads through short, immersive short-form videos.  These ad formats can help small businesses connect with their target audience, thereby boosting revenue. These ads let your potential customers share their contact details directly on TikTok without leaving the app.

TikTok ads also allow users to filter their target audience by age, location, interests, and gender. By segmenting precisely, they can reach the right audience, thereby increasing their chances of meeting their goals. 

Depending on the goals, they can choose from different types of ads, such as:

• In-feed ads
• Spark ads
• Branded missions
• Promote

When using the ads, you can create an in-feed video linked to an instant form that's pre-populated with basic user information gathered from the TikTok profile. This can also be customized to your marketing, industry, and business needs. These ads are, therefore, a great choice for small businesses seeking to grow their reach and understand their audiences.

Add a Clickable Link

When a TikTok user sees your content and considers it interesting, the first thing they will do is take a look at your bio. Therefore, small businesses should use their bio as a business card, and thereafter add a clickable link to drive traffic to their landing page or domain. When well used, a clickable link can be a good choice for lead generation, adding email newsletter subscribers, and inviting users to your brand events.

Leverage the TikTok Challenge

Small businesses can also use TikTok for lead generation by joining TikTok challenges. They can also create their own branded challenges to increase their chances of going viral.  Branded hashtags offer businesses an opportunity to integrate into TikTok marketing, therefore increasing interaction. All they need to do is request their TikTok followers to share their challenges to increase their reach.

Partnering with TikTok Influencers

One way brands can leverage TikTok for lead generation is by partnering with influencers with larger audiences. According to reports, influencer marketing can deliver a 11% higher ROI than traditional marketing methods. However, when leveraging influencer marketing on TikTok, it's a good idea to work with micro-influencers because they drive higher engagement than mega influencers. 

Despite having small audiences, micro influencers have deeper relationships with their followers. They have more authentic followers, presenting better opportunities to generate higher-quality leads.

The good news is that finding an influencer on TikTok isn't hard, as there are over 100K influencers. These influencers have a fan base that trusts their recommendations. When you partner with creators, you can expand your reach, boost brand awareness, and drive conversions. When choosing a TikTok influencer, it is advisable to select one whose audience overlaps with yours. 

Share Brand Story

While the social media environment is fast-paced, consumers are still seeking meaningful connections with the brands they buy from. Creating a story around your brand can be a great way of connecting emotionally with your TikTok audience. Businesses that leverage storytelling in their marketing have seen higher conversion rates. According to one study, segmenting your email campaign narrative increased CTR by 41% and conversion rates by 23%.

Such an approach can provide a well-rounded view of your product offering. It can also help improve your relationship and build trust between the business and the end user. Therefore, when you adopt a video marketing strategy that highlights your brand's value and origin, your small business can connect more effectively with its audience. 

Some of the brand storytelling options to consider include:

• Conducting interviews with your team members.
• Creating some short explainer videos about the process of making your product.
• Creating videos of customers using the product or getting the service.

Connect with Target Audiences

Small businesses can repurpose existing content that their target audiences want to see to drive engagement on the platform. To do that, they need to understand the topics their target audience is searching for and brainstorm content ideas based on those conversations. To create effective TikTok videos, they need to maintain authenticity and creativity and ensure they are creating the kind of content their audiences need.

Some of the popular content formats for businesses can include:

• Customer testimonials.
• Behind-the-scenes content.
• Product demos, such as unboxing videos.

To better connect with their target customers, they should add relevant keywords and hashtags to their content to increase the likelihood of their videos appearing on the For You page. 

Other tips to help drive the video views of their content include:

• Add trending sounds and hashtags. By joining popular trends, brands can increase their chances of appearing on the For You Page, thereby significantly boosting their organic reach.
• Encourage user-generated content. Ask your customers to create a video using your brand, unboxing, etc.
• Be consistent. When you post regularly, you show the TikTok algorithm that your account is worth checking out, which increases its visibility. You can check the analytics to identify when your audience is most active and schedule your posts accordingly.
• Optimize your profile. You can add relevant keywords to the video captions, bio, and hashtags to improve searchability and reach the right audience.

In Conclusion

TikTok can be an invaluable tool for businesses to connect with their target audience, drive brand awareness, and increase conversion. However, with the playful nature of the platform's content, many businesses struggle to use it. Fortunately, by using our guide, it should be possible to do so.