TikTok, a short-form video social media platform, rose dramatically in popularity in 2020. In fact, the search interest on Google for “TikTok” grew by more than 300% between March and July of 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While lockdown and stay-at-home orders were factors in TikTok’s escalating success, data shows a steady rise in search interest for TikTok as early as 2019.
TikTok reaches a wide audience but doesn’t always reward the same content that Facebook and Instagram do, so it’s important to understand what type of content could perform best for your business on this platform. In this article, we’ll cover how TikTok works and how to use it to promote a local business using organic (non-paid) content.
How TikTok Works
One of TikTok’s hallmarks is the surprising (and unnerving) precision of its algorithm. In short, TikTok curates videos for users and features them in an endless stream of suggested content called the For You Page (FYP).
Over time, users’ FYPs adapt to their specific interests, habits, and even location.
How Local Businesses Can Use TikTok
With more than 1 billion users across the globe, TikTok’s algorithm reaches a lot of eyes. The questions local and small businesses need to ask, then, are how they can reach their customers on the platform—and whether it’s worth the effort.
Here are a few ways local businesses can venture into the world of TikTok content creation.
- Showcase products and services. Businesses can create videos featuring their products and services. This is a great way to show potential customers what you have to offer and engage with them.
- Share your brand. TikTok is an opportunity to tell your brand’s story. You could share videos of behind the scenes footage, customer stories, or activities related to the business that help you stand out from the competition.
- Connect with local customers. TikTok can be used to connect with potential customers in their geographic area and build relationships. You can post videos related to topics that interest your target market or engage with your community by commenting on other videos related to your audience.
- Promote events. TikTok can be used to promote events such as special deals, product launches, or limited offers.
- Run contests and giveaways. The interactive nature of TikTok allows businesses to run contests and giveaways for their followers. This is a great way to increase engagement with an existing audience.
