I mean, it seems like one day we were all just minding our own business, and then suddenly we’re seeing these videos with a little musical icon at the bottom infiltrating the internet. When you hear that this app gained 12 million new users during the month of MARCH, it makes sense why it is suddenly the talk of the town. Maybe you’ve already jumped on the TikTok wagon, or maybe you’re doing your best to avoid it altogether. If you’re like us, you’re curious as to what this whole app is about and how it can be used as a tool to grow your brand and business. Yep—you heard that right. There’s more to this app than sweet dance moves and catchy songs! We are finding so many businesses that are making waves- and it has nothing to do with Renegade.
Now, we are definitely no experts- just new users ourselves, but a lot of our clients have been asking us if their business should be on TikTok, and where to even start. So we did a little research and this is what we found out!
WHAT IS TIKTOK (IN A NUTSHELL):
TikTok is a video-sharing social network with short videos ranging from 15 seconds to 1 minute. It began as a lip syncing app, but as it’s gained popularity its transformed into a bit of a free-for-all. From comedy, to dance videos, to business tips, DIY’s, makeup, cooking…you name a niche, there’s probably a Tiktoker who’s doing it! This year, it’s already the #1 most downloaded app on IOS, and it’s popularity is only increasing.
BUT ISN’T TIKTOK FOR KIDS?
Sorry, but the myth that TikTok is for teenagers is old and played out- and I am not just talking about the influx of millennials who are making their mark, but even nursing homes are finding their place! You guys, a user named @omsteve Old Man Steve has 1.1 MILLION followers. If you can create content that makes people smile or serves them in some way, why WOULDN’T you at least try? According to demographics data, in less than 18 months, the number of US adult TikTok users has grown 5.5 times, and there are 800 million monthly active users.
THE BIG PICTURE:
At the end of the day, TikTok is a free marketing tool for you and your business. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen someone on TikTok, and soon found out they actually are a fashion blogger on a whole other platform, or they’ve got an amazing business page on Instagram. TikTok can be an effective source to bring people to your website or social media, and get your name out there… which will in turn bring you more engagement, more views, and more customers.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
First, find out if it is an app that you actually LIKE spending time on!
If you are like many of our clients who are trying to utilize Instagram for their businesses, yet still view it as a “necessary evil”- you probably shouldn’t create another avenue of work for yourself that you likely won’t stick to. So start off by perusing the app and deciding if you enjoy it and whether or not you see possibilities for content you can create for your business (I venture to guess that there IS a place for you).
Get over yourself and just post something! Haha, okay this might be easier said than done- but you have to do it eventually! Lurk a little, then snag an idea and make it your own. You can take “trends” and figure out a way to make them relevant to your business and your ideal customer. I found (and still find) that there is something fun and liberating about creating something when you don’t have a lot of followers. Then, if you like it or think it would be valuable, you can always download the video and post it on another platform where you have a larger following. So many of the accounts that I follow personally, I actually found from Instagram! The only way to learn is to try it out.
Braindump- how can you reuse content and reformat it into TikTok? Like, if you wrote a blog post, can you make a video using the same info- or can you cut it up into 10 TikToks? Probably! Try it out.
FIND YOUR BUSINESS NICHE:
Make it extremely clear what you are there to do and the value that you provide. Although it might be easy to get caught up in trends (and hopping on the bandwagon might be a great way to have fun and get discovered) but you want to make sure that it is circling back to your “main thing” at least every few videos. Which is probably not enchilada recipes if you are a wedding planner….right? Don’t get me wrong, if you are using TikTok for personal purposes- then do whatever you want. But if you are using it for business, you need to be providing the type of content that will lend to the growth of your account with the right types of followers.
So many businesses are blowing up on TikTok- and I am not even talking about all of the people who have blown up BECAUSE of TikTok and are now able to monetize with merch, pushing to other platforms, paid ad sponsorship etc etc etc! You guys, the coolest and most exciting thing about this app is that there is an influx of users but a need for content. So the possibility of your posts going viral is much higher than on Instagram or Facebook- which is really cool.
A FEW BUSINESSES THAT ARE KILLING IT ON TIKTOK:
Dr Leslie @drleslie – gives general health advice – currently 678.6k Followers & 15M+ Likes
Dr Dustin Portela @208skindoc – Dermatologist/Esthetics- currently 215.1k Followers & 2.4M+ Likes <— Boise Local!
Elizabeth Kupferman @advancedbitches – Counselor – currently 142.5k Followers & 2.5M+ Likes
Cassie Stephens @cassie_stephens – Elementary Art Teacher – currently 729.5k Followers & 14.9M+ Likes
Rachel Pedersen @themrspedersen – Social Media Manager – currently 246.9k Followers & 4.7M+ Likes
Jordi Koalitic @Jordi.Koalitic – Photographer – currently 15.9M Followers & 258.5M+ Likes
Maple Knoll Village @mapleknollvillage – Nursing Home – currently 33.6k Followers & 537.5k+ Likes
SO IF YOU ARE STILL ASKING IF YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD BE ON TIKTOK….
The short answer is: Duh, what do you have to lose!? The long answer is: adding another thing to your busy plate that feels like “something else you have to do” then, maybe leave it. But we are loving this down-to-earth, fresh, and fun new place and we would love to see you there. The even playing field and opportunity for your clients to see a new FUN side of you is why we are just loving every bit of it!