How to Use Tik Tok to Promote Your Business

Tik Tok is the newest social media platform to become a widespread phenomenon. The main users on the app are Gen Z, or anyone born after 1997, though there are people of all ages using the app. Many small businesses have found success on the app after viral videos of their products end up with thousands of views, likes, and comments. If you’re interested in using Tik Tok to promote your business, here are a few tips on using the app for virality.

Use the Algorithm

The algorithm on Tik Tok is one of the more unique parts of the experience. There are two tabs for viewing content when you open the app — a page made of exclusively pages you follow and your “For You Page,” which is often abbreviated as “FYP.” The app tracks the kind of videos that users like and comment on as well as the users they follow to create an idea of what kind of content a user is interested in. For example, if a certain user is interested in Taylor Swift, their For You Page will show them content about Taylor Swift.

So how do you use the algorithm to your advantage? Well, first you should make sure that you’re using the right hashtags on your content. Using tags like #womenownedbusiness and #smallbusiness will potentially make your video appear on the FYP of any users who are interested in women-owned, small businesses. You should also make sure to use hashtags that are relevant to your specific products.

Use Popular Sounds

One of the biggest features of Tik Tok is that users can use “sounds” that others have created. Sometimes these will be songs, but sometimes they come from short skit-like videos or edited sounds. You can easily find what sounds are popular when you’re posting by clicking on the “sounds” button when you are on the video creation screen. Even if you are adding your own voiceover to your video, you can bring down the volume of the added sound and bring up the volume of your voiceover (which you can add in the app) so you can have the trending sound as just background noise.

Brand Your Page

Make sure that you’re branding your page so that all of your content is consistent. For example, using a certain set of colors can increase your brand recognition by up to 80%, so make sure that you’re using a set color scheme for your business. Make your profile picture your business’s logo and make it clear that your account is for a business and not a personal account.

Utilize Your Bio

Your bio is something that you should make sure to take advantage of. Your bio should describe your business, and you should make sure to include a link to your site. When users are on google, 70-80% of users will be focusing on organic, or non-paid, results. The same is true on Tik Tok — some users pay attention to ads, but most traffic that you get out of the app will be from people checking your profile after watching your videos.

Make it Accessible

One thing that many Tik Tok users like in videos is when you include on-screen captions of any speaking you are doing in your video. For example, if you’re doing a voiceover in your video, make sure to add in blocks of text somewhere legible on the screen so that hard of hearing or deaf users can also enjoy your content. Even users who do not have problems with hearing like it when videos have captions. It may seem slightly time-consuming, but it can be very helpful for your videos.

Figure Out What Content You Want to Create

Many times, the way that small business’ videos end up on someone’s For You Page is with one of a few types of videos. Here are some of the most popular:

Packing Videos. Videos of small business owners personally packaging up orders is a huge trend on Tik Tok. If you think that your packaging is particularly pretty or unique, this is a great way to show it off! These videos often have voiceovers that describe what you’re doing and talk about what you’re packaging as well.
Videos Showing a “Day in the Life.” If you are running a small business, users are very interested in seeing what your typical day looks like while you run your business. Since videos can only be one minute long, you just need a few clips of your day. There are tons of examples of “day in the life” style videos on the app, so try to watch a few before creating your own to get an idea of the format and editing.
Story Videos. If your brand has an interesting story, you should definitely use that in your videos. Did you start the business alone but now you’ve grown? What inspired you to create your business? What makes your business unique? Answering these kinds of questions in a voiceover over a video of you working for your business can be a great way to get the message of your business out.
Product Creation Videos. If any of your products are hand-made or hand-designed, you should definitely show that off on your Tik Tok. Videos of artists creating their products or designers designing clothing are hugely popular on the app because people love to see a peek behind the curtain of the creation. These can either just be set to music or include a voiceover describing what you’re doing.
Show Off Your Product. Make sure that your entire page isn’t just this type of video, but it can be great when used in moderation. When you’re launching a new product or if you want to showcase a few products, this is a good video-type to create. If you, for example, make lapel pins, or small pins worn to show affiliation with an organization or cause, you can make a video showing them off and briefly describing them in a voiceover or with some on-screen text.

There are many video types that you can use to promote your business, and the longer that you’re on the app the more that you’ll understand the kind of content that fits best on it. Pay attention to what gets views and what doesn’t to help find what kind of content you should keep making in the future.

If you’re interested in using Tik Tok to promote your business, you’re on the right track. This up-and-coming app gets a lot of traffic and can be a great tool for your growth.