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Oct 10, 2024
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11
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Use TikTok for Business and Grow Your Brand

Get Fresh on TikTok: Get Your Business Set Up for Socials Success
Tiktok for business

Table of Contents

As of 2024, there are over 1 billion active TikTok users worldwide. Wrap your head around that number as best as you can, because that translates to a huge amount of opportunity for brands and businesses to showcase their products and services on TikTok's uber-popular platform!

TikTok's dynamic content format and huge reach really do make it an idea marketing tool. So let's dig into why it works, how to set up your TikTok for businesses and brands, and how to use features like TikTok ads, music, trends, your Fourthwall account, and more to conquer the TikTok app and get the most out of your TikTok account.

Why TikTok is Essential for Business Marketing

TikTok’s growth is undeniable. With its distinctive short form video content and highly personalized algorithm, TikTok for Business offers brands and businesses a way to connect directly with younger audiences, which has becoming increasingly more difficult to do on other platforms like Pinterest or Facebook, which are the favored social platforms of those aged 50 and older (71% of those 50+ reported using Facebook, according to the AARP. Great for grandma, not necessarily the best choice for your fresh new brand!)

By contrast, a 2024 YouGov paper (“Stop, Shop and Scroll: US TikTok Report”) showcased TikTok's impressive growth: 21% of U.S. adults use the TikTok app on a weekly basis, with the biggest demographics being the 18-24 and 24-34 age groups, many of who also comment or even post weekly, as well. 

The YouGov report also shared that movies, comedy and shopping are popular pastimes for this TikTok crowd, and that a whopping 47% of them said they would trust products recommended by influencers or celebrities.

TikTok Features That Make It Great for Brands and Businesses

Algorithm-Driven Discovery

TikTok's algorithm, or their "recommender system," as they call it, analyzes thousands of user interactions to choose what kind of content to feed back to each user. These interactions, which include who each user follows, what videos they like/share/comment on, device information, and much more, is collated to offer a more finely tuned reach, so that each person's "For You" page (the main feature page on TikTok) is different and shows predicted content that should appeal to that user. 

Any TikTok account has the chance to go viral by popping up on the For You page - even new TikTok accounts! - which provides brands, influencers, and businesses with a platform that has the potential to reach huge numbers of viewers.

Creative Opportunity

Thinking that your quirky beauty brand, eclectic furniture designs, niche little indie movie, or regional farm stand won't fit in on TikTok? You couldn't be more wrong! Part of the beauty of TikTok is that it's open to anyone - the only trick is that you do something that will help you, your brand, or your business really stand out on the app.

This is where your creativity comes in - instead of just holding up a product to camera and talking about it, how can you make your TikTok video visually beautiful, or hilariously funny, or aligning perfectly with a current meme? Your brand and business success on TikTok is only limited by what you put into it.

Youthful Appeal 

TikTok is particularly popular with Gen Z and Millennials (and a bit of Gen X, too), making it a real gold mine for businesses and brands who want to target those demographics. In addition to these users going on TikTok for entertainment, they're also using it more and more as a search engine of sorts for discovering things like new music, foodie recipes, trending fashion and other products; some users even use TikTok as a news source.

Many big brands have already started tapping into all of this potential. For instance, brands like Chipotle and e.l.f. Cosmetics have used TikTok’s engaging format to run successful challenges that really boosted their brands' visibility. 

e.l.f. Cosmetics created a wildly successful #eyeslipsface challenge on TikTok, with TikTokers - including celebrities like Jessica Alba, Patrick Starr, and Howie Mandel - to contribute almost 5 million videos that included e.l.f.’s custom “Eyes Lips Face” music track.

This is, in part, because most TikTok videos are short, snappy, and easy to watch anywhere, whether you're at home lounging, commuting on a train, or waiting in line. 

Regular TikTok users also frequently share videos they like, which again broadens your reach - you can even set up a TikTok feed on your Fourthwall site, to cross pollinate your Fourthwall fans with your new TikTok fans!

Setting Up Your TikTok Business Account in 3 Easy Steps

1. Download TikTok and Sign Up

Download the TikTok app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, then use your email, phone number, or other social media accounts to sign up and create a TikTok account (making sure you also create a secure password.)

Choose your TikTok username carefully! Make sure it's unique and accurately reflects your brand's identity; your TikTok username is your brand's first impression, so make it memorable and relevant, and as easy to read and type as possible!

2. Switch to a Business Account

Personal accounts are used by most people on TikTok, including general users, content creators, and celebs. But with a TikTok business account, you get access to your TikTok audience analytics and also the TikTok workspace, which includes promotional tools and a support section with creative ideas and info on how to grow your TikTok. You can also leverage TikTok marketing to boost sales with TikTok ads and other business opportunities.

To switch from a personal TikTok to a business account, open the TikTok app and go to the Profile button at the bottom. Then, tap the menu (hamburger) button at the top, selecting "Settings and Privacy." Tap "Account," tap "Switch to Business Account," and then follow the prompts to switch.

3. Optimize Your Profile

This is where you're going to polish up your TikTok for business account so it can make its best impressions! Start by choosing a high quality logo or a recognizable brand image for your TikTok profile picture, which will help set the foundation for your brand consistency.

Then, write an engaging, concise TikTok bio that describes your brand. Add a CTA (call to action) and a link to your website or online store to drive traffic, and you're ready to get started!

Let's Make TikToks! 

Whether you use your mobile phone, pro video editing programs like Adobe Premiere, or more consumer level video editors like CapCut, making your business TikTok succeed is all about creating TikTok content that's unique, eye catching, and tells a story. Here are some ways to do just that!

Create Pure Entertainment

Sometimes the best way to promote your brand is the indirect way! Focus on creating a witty, funny, or otherwise entertaining TikTok first - and then figure out how to work your brand in. This approach can capture your viewers' attention so well, they'll hardly realise you've essentially just showed them an ad - but the fact that you entertained them on TikTok first will make them more open to it, and maybe even excited to be part of what you're creating with your brand!

Go Behind the Scenes

Give your TikTok followers a glimpse into your business operations or product creation! This helps build authenticity and trust with your audience. Let's say you're designing a new mug for your Fourthwall shop - share the steps of that process, from your initial sketch to create the design in your graphics program, setting it up for printing on Fourthwall, and then getting the finished mug. Showing how your products are made can better connect your TikTok viewers to your brand; showing off your workspace is another way to make viewers feel like they're getting a real sneak peek behind the scenes of your TikTok for business account.

Share Product Demos

Short, engaging product demonstrations can be very effective on TikTok, to show the features and benefits of your products or services. As always on TikTok, keep things quick and concise, don't be afraid to use trending sounds, emoji, or other images, and think about using your video to show how your product can solve common problems or fill an "impulse purchase" desire of your new potential customers. If you want to do a longer-form video, you can try TikTok Live! And if you have a Fourthwall shop, you can connect it to TikTok shop so you can display your products directly on your TikTok profile, for even more sales!

Join Challenges and Trends

TikTok trends and challenges are huuuuge on the platform, and participating in them can really help boost your account to new audiences (make sure you hashtag any challenges correctly!) Hopping on a dance trend or a foodie trend - even if you don't do so "perfectly" - can endear you to viewers, and keep your TikTok for business account relevant, fresh, and on point.

Pick Great Sounds and Get Found

Music and hashtags are big parts of TikTok culture, too! For the music, choose tracks that work best with your brand and appeal to your demographic; TikTok business accounts can use TikTok's commercial music library, which only includes tracks licensed for commercial use for worry-free creating! And when hashtagging, be sure to mix unique/niche hashtags with trending hashtags, so you can hop on those trends while still appealing to your target audience.

Build Your Community

Encourage your existing customers to create content on TikTok featuring your products - and then repost their UGC (user generated content) on your own TikTok account to create a sense of community around your brand. This helps get people hyped about your products (maybe they'll get featured on your account next!) And be sure to engage with your TikTok comments section - reply to questions, address concerns, and just converse in a fun way with your TikTok audience.

Provide Informative Content

While your products and services are already valuable, adding even more value to your brand can't hurt! For this type of TikTok content, you'll share tips, how-to guides, and tutorials related to your niche. Providing this bonus content on TikTok helps establish your brand, gives your viewers something for free (who doesn't like free?) and also helps mark you as an expert in your field.

Collaborate!

Partnering with fellow content creators and influencers on TikTok is such a powerful way to build your brand and your TikTok account. Research influencers who align with both your own content style and your target market, with a heavy focus on engagement rates. High engagement generally ensures that their content is resonating with viewers, and those are the people you want to team up with! Reach out to TikTok influencers that you think would be a good match, referencing their content, what you like about it, and what your goals are - if they're interested, see what you can create on TikTok for business together!

Three TikTok Pro Tips 

1. Be Consistent

The TikTok app rewards consistent activity! To maximize your reach, post at optimal times like lunch hours or evenings. Regular, consistent posting can help your content appear on TikTok's pivotal "For You" page more often, as will your participation in TikTok trends, challenges, and hashtags. It can be especially helpful to create a TikTok content calendar for yourself, to plan your content ahead, and schedule those posts at the best times for your audience. Posting 3 to 5 times a week is said to be optimum for most TikTok accounts.

2. Engage!

The TikTok community is a close-knit one in spite of how big it is, and people notice quickly if an account responds to comments or not! Interact with your TikTok comment section using personalized comments (be yourself, and let your brand be approachable!); participate in TikTok features like Duets and Stitches; and get into the collaborating we mentioned earlier to really solidify yourself as part of the TikTok gang. 

3. Use Those Analytics

TikTok analytics tools are definitely one of your TikTok assets! Monitoring your key metrics on TikTok will help you refine your content strategy to see what type of your posts do best, so you can make more of them! Track how many times your videos or watched to gauge the level of interest in your brand; keep an eye on your followers (a steady increase in followers means growth!), and watch your comments section to collect information on how your audience feels about your and your products/services. Understanding your audience's age, location, and other demographics also helps you tweak your content so it better resonates with your target.

Supercharge Your TikTok with Fourthwall!

Connect your TikTok account to your Fourthwall homepage, and really give your TikTok for business customers and new TikTok followers a seamless experience! Fourthwall is an ecommerce site that lets your create your own customized website and online store, sell memberships to your fans, and so much more. 

Once you have your Fourthwall site set up, you can use Fourthwall's TikTok feed integration to display your latest TikTok videos directly on your homepage and link your Fourthwall shop to TikTok Shop! And when your TikTok followers make a purchase, you can show your appreciation with a Fourthwall thank-you video, which they can then share right back on TikTok! Get started on all of these fun features today!(Psst - Fourthwall is on TikTok, too!)

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