Leveraging social media trends is not always easy. The increasing popularity of small businesses on social media is a double-edged sword. It immensely pressures every small business owner to promote their work actively. Only then will the spotlight remain on you.
Of course, the platform choice significantly impacts the success of your marketing campaigns. But if you have the means to be present on just one platform, then we highly recommend it to be TikTok.
TikTok has turned out to be the biggest game-changer for a budding small business. And the platform knows this – the TikTok SMB hub was a major announcement last year and has been well-received by brands and creators alike.
So, let’s talk about some TikTok ideas for small businesses to try.
TikTok is no longer a niche platform, meant for dances, memes, challenges, and promoting music albums. This is a mainstream video marketing platform that marketers and audiences cannot have enough of. TikTok has brought significant revenue for businesses across industries. In fact, this is such a big phenomenon that Amazon has a #TikTokMademebuyit section.
TikTok has a monthly active user base of a billion users. It may trail behind Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, but the growth rate has been at least 200%. TikTok grew in three years as much as Instagram did in six years.
The engagement rates on TikTok have always been off the charts, making it one of the major reasons for brands to invest in influencer marketing here.
So now you know why everyone expects a small business to be active on TikTok: the numbers are great!
But it is all easier said than done. Not everyone is comfortable being on camera 24×7, and ideating, filming, editing, and promoting videos can be a lot for a budding business.
What if you had a list of TikTok ideas to help you fill your content calendar with videos easily for TikTok? Because creating videos that attract and engage your audience is important to drive awareness, sales, and engagement.
Sounds good? Then you are in the right place because that is exactly what our next section is about. Let’s get to it.
The key to growing on TikTok is to create content that your audience enjoys. The TikTok algorithm is such that this will fare much better than any paid advertisement you can do. If you have the right video, the algorithm will bring your audience to you.
So time to set up your brand’s TikTok account, run a quick analysis on your competitors and audience, and move on to creating videos.
Follow this list of TikTok ideas to make the video creation process a breeze.
Business TikTok is so popular you don’t have to shy away from showcasing your products on the platform. Customers are happy to engage with branded content when it brings something new and exciting.
Bring your products out and show your audience what they can do. Better yet, show the product in usage so that the video stands out in the realms of superficial content. Azur Fit’s CEO saw better traction on her videos when she started wearing her products instead of just showing them in catalogs or shelves.
For inspiration, take a look at what your favorite creators are doing and adopt the style that looks the best for you.
What do you do when you send the first email to your customer? You introduce yourself, talk about your brand’s story/features/offerings, and guide them to the next steps, right? Don’t you think that your TikTok account needs the same treatment?
Yes, it does, and that is why you should pin a video of you introducing yourself, your brand, and all you have to offer to your profile. So that when your videos go viral, and the audience comes knocking, they know who they are talking with.
A simple 60-second brand introduction video can save you from losing web traffic to your store or other socials.
Have you ever considered why social commerce is as big as it is now? What makes customers so happy with following brands and engaging with their content? Well, because Gen Z and Millennial audiences have long rejected traditional advertising methods. This younger audience base wants to know what goes on behind closed doors and is fascinated about seeing the real side of a business.
As a small business, you are in luck. Because this means you do not have to be as put-together as the larger brands. All you have to do is to be sincere and honest with your audience.
behind-the-schenes videos like these can really help you build an engaged and invested audience base.
This is a TikTok-specific video trend that is slowly seeping into Instagram Reels. Ever since short-form video took off, satisfying videos and ASMR content have increased exponentially. Right from cooking videos to organizing videos, you can see them everywhere.
One way for retail brands to leverage this trend is through packing videos. This, technically, qualifies as BTS content, but the treatment is so different that it deserves a separate section.
Even if you outsource packaging and dispatching orders, shoot one video for TikTok. This is your ticket to go viral, so do not miss it. And make sure that you have an aesthetic set up and shoot in a noise-free space to capture all the sounds.
Do you have a sale coming up? A new product launch? Then TikTok is the place to announce those for your customers. On this platform, you can build an engaged and qualified audience. Why not capitalize on it by driving this traffic to your website and attain commercial success?
Announcement videos are extremely shareable and can be gamified with giveaways and contests, not to mention they are the easiest to design. You do not need to be on camera, just hand over your static posters to a motion graphics designer, and they will create a video for you. Animated TikToks can be a huge win if done well – so do not put off this idea.
Just talking about your product in a promotional manner will only turn your customers away in the long run. You have to find different angles to explore in your content, while also talking about your product. And educational videos are the best way to do that.
Customers would love to know more about your product in a way that is actually helpful to them. Some ideas to explore within this category are :
Keep the explanation simple and focus on the aesthetics. Cutaway shots, transitions, and zoom-in/out shots can keep the audience engaged throughout the video duration. Try to include trending sounds in these videos for a wider reach. All of these little steps add value to your TikTok ideas.
TikTok is an amazing platform for businesses that want to champion user-generated content in their marketing campaigns. TikTok has two major features that make this possible: Duet and Stitch.
In duet, your customers, content creators, and influencers can recreate or react to your videos, which will be visible on a split-screen model. But with Stitch, customers can incorporate your content for up to 5 seconds and then add their own. This is an amazing way to work along with influencers or incorporate reviews from customers into your feed.
While this can work wonders for the reach of your content, ensure that you incorporate your brand’s visual identity and that the creators also adhere to branding guidelines, especially if it is a paid collaboration.
TikTok is a different beast. It forces brands to come out of their shell and face their audience. While it seems daunting at first, once you cross your first hurdle, the rewards are immense.
Small businesses with limited budgets should explore this platform and leverage this opportunity to connect with their audience instantly. So, make the most of these TikTok ideas to churn quality content regularly.
One way to ace the platform without blowing your budget will be to choose a long-term video plan like a video subscription. With a single video subscription, all your short-form social media videos are taken care of. Doesn’t that sound convenient? Give it a shot by choosing from one of the video design subscriptions from our list here.
