There is a burning question on everyone's lips: should we be on TikTok as a B2B business? Okay then, let's chat about TikTok for businesss.
In terms of viral potential, it's the most popular social media platform. In the first quarter of 2022, TikTok had over 1 billion monthly active users. And it's not just a fad for Gen Z. TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world and a haven for advertising for companies.
TikTok is a video-based platform, and that’s good news for your business because TikTok videos are extremely easy to make. Creating fun video content for your audience doesn't require a large marketing team. All you need is a phone, the app and a drive to try something new.
Why TikTok is a great platform for B2B marketing
TikTok is the perfect platform if your business model is B2B. Consider it this way: every business that requires your product or service has people supporting them. Your TikTok content might just be seen by those people scrolling at 2:00 AM, develop an emotional connection with your brand, and decide your business is what they need.
Businesses must be willing to adapt to the ever-changing social media marketing landscape. Investing time and effort into building your B2B TikTok account will provide you with returns since TikTok has the highest engagement per post out of all social media platforms. You can engage with your audience in a real way, showcase your organisation's values, and have fun creating content. Embrace new, trendy, and sometimes silly approaches that contribute to overall engagement.
Source: hootsuite.com
TikTok is a place for businesses to have fun. If you are more conventional, you may hate the idea of TikTok, and the key to creating content on a platform like this is to be genuine. If you don’t have your heart in it, all you’ll end up doing is being a posting machine. People see right through that.
Consider TikTok if you could benefit from influencer marketing
As with Instagram, TikTok's ecosystem is heavily reliant on influencer marketing. Direct brand content isn't always a hit with Gen Z, but subtle nods to your product or service via influencers are. It’s why the most followed TikToker, Khaby Lame, is so sought after by big brands.
You can reach a new generation of consumers without using heavy-handed tactics when you use influencer marketing.
If quick tips are your thing, consider TikTok
Videos are a great way to capture quick tips for some brands. It is possible to do so in a number of ways. Are you manufacturing a green cleaning brand that can provide quick tips on efficient tidying? Would you like to sell food products that can be used in easy, visually appealing recipes? Is your skincare brand able to offer a moment of serenity while users scroll through videos?
It might be the perfect social media platform if you can show off your brand's efficacy quickly using a playful video.
But it’s for Gen Z only, you say?
Yes, it’s popular with Gen Z, but you might still find someone willing to engage with your content. Remember that when Facebook started, it was also once considered the place to be for the younger generation. Do not put TikTok in a box.
Its algorithm has changed since it started in 2016. At first, it would just send out content but soon realised that a younger audience was seeing content that wasn’t meant for them. What does that tell you? Gen Z aren’t the only ones on there.
In spite of TikTok's popularity among Gen Z users, the average user age is slowly shifting upward. As of June 2020, 64% of active US users were aged 10 to 29. But according to this March 2021 report, the 30 to 49 age group now accounts for 42% of active US users.
Our take on it
You can get great engagement and view numbers on TikTok, but you may not be able to talk to specific demographics. The algorithm does not work like Instagram’s where you create nature-related content and have nature-related people engaging. So Instagram is far more community-focused than TikTok. There are some communities that do well on TikTok, such as BookTok. So, stick to your content pillars and let the algorithm figure out who will want to see your content.
In a nutshell: Seeking a target audience will be harder to achieve. Perhaps TikTok will evolve and cater to businesses. But right now, the focus is on the users. Since you might not reach your target audience, you will have some people not interested in or unable to understand your brand or its message, so look out for comments that reflect that misalignment because it’s unavoidable on TikTok.
Overall thoughts on TikTok: There is no harm in trying.
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