December 2021 - How to Start a Small Business

Wondering if you should include a"Tik Tok marketing strategy", in your marketing arsenal? Well, the verdict had been read, the pros overwhelmingly outweigh the cons. Regardless of the size of your business, brand, or company type, according to the online marketing experts, stats, data, and influencers, we can’t afford "NOT" to, implement at least one TikTok marketing strategy, to our marketing mix? TikTok Marketing Strategy Now I guess that leaves you to ponder how to formulate a TikTok marketing strategy now that’s a horse of a different color… we'll cover that and much More within the all-inclusive post! But just in case you’re still on the fence about whether to jump on the TikTok marketing bandwagon? The below astonishing statistics will blow you off the fence and the other SMM networks out of the water! TikTok has 1B monthly active users. Currently the #1 social media platform. It has even beat out YouTube in watch time. Tiktok is consistently compared to Facebook 2009. TikTok users visit the app every SINGLE day. 51% of global TikTok users are male and 49% are female. (Hootsuite) TikTok is now available in more than 200 countries. (Oberlo) As of December 2020, TikTok has 69.5 million monthly active users in the United States. (Statista) TikTok Marketing Strategies: What you Really Need to KNOW Still in doubt? Take a quick thumb stroll down the TikTok “foryoupage”. Here you’ll see TikTok videos from celebrities, Fortune 500 companies, and social media influencers. Better yet you’ll discover TikTok ads from large corporations. Still naive don’t be because this is called a clue. If you missed being the first to market on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media networks, today is your day to jump all in on TikTok. Especially, since you can try before you buy. Meaning you can create a business account, upload video, grow your brand, find your audience, or make sales. For “FREE”. TikTok for Business TikTok is here to stay at least until the next big thing comes along. As we all know, success leaves clues. So, based on the other social media platforms' past performances we should be expecting to be tik toking for a good while. As it stands at this moment, Tik Tok is the quickest, most direct route to increase visibility and engagement, boost sales, and drive traffic. You’ll want to read through to the end because it only takes one idea to go from zero to hero… or to become Tik Tok-ing famous or equally powerful to go viral!!! And here we share why it’s imperative to add tik tok to your marketing mix. Either way, if you’re hoping to better understand TikTok marketing and its importance, you’re at the right place. Let’s Dive In! What is TikTok Marketing? Many experts are touting that TikTok for Business is the answer to super galactic business growth. TikTok marketing is the hottest social media marketing advertising trend available today. You can’t turn on the TV, or scroll online without bumping into a TikTok ad, commercial, or a mention. Tik Tok marketing is simple, it’s very similar to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and the other earlier platforms. It’s a marketing channel that small, medium and large businesses use to gain visibility and grow sales with the quickness. The truth of the matter is marketing on Tik Tok can be easy, fun, and induce likability. How to Create a TikTok Marketing Strategy Ready to strategize your marketing plan? When marketing on TikTok the first factors to consider are simplicity and humor. Of course, you’d want to determine the purpose of your plan. As usual, start with the end in mind. What are your goals? What are you hoping to accomplish? As an example: more engagement, increase sales, or driving massive traffic to websites or other social media networks. Knowing your purpose will keep you on track. Be mindful that Tik-Tokers enjoy tutorials, dancing, skits, educational info, and how-tos. TikTok Marketing Pointers to Consider: Start with the end in mind Always include a CTA (call-to-action) at the end of each video Be unique Find your style Know your target market Post regularly Track your progress So, create a video that addresses your demographic problems or pain points, but with a twist. The key is in the delivery, it should be fun, entertaining, or educational. Be sure to add music and special effects. The more authentic the better. Why Use TikTok for Business Let’s start with the most overwhelming statistics. Tik Tok has over 1B, active users, it’s currently the number one social media network, its users visit their app EVERY SINGLE DAY for 45 minutes, AND IT’S AVAILABLE IN MORE THAN 150 COUNTRIES!... Mic Drop!!! Further, it’s on track to outperform Facebook and has even had more watch time than YouTube. TikTok's engagement rate dwarfs all the other major SMM networks combined, Tik Tok has done all the heavy lifting for us. So, if you want more bang for your buck, then it’s just maybe time to get jiggy. How to Create a TikTok Business Account: Go to your profile page. Tick the 3- horizontal lines at the top right Click on “Manage Account” Once there you can switch from a Personal to Business Account. Select the category that best defines your business. Here, you can add a business website and email to your profile. How to Advertise on TikTok After learning all stats, facts, and figures about TikTok, now let’s talk about how to or if you should run TikTok ads. For those that have the skills and know-how to run ads, this could be your big chance. But for those like me that watch Shark Tank, (TV program) the multi-billionaire business owners frown upon entrepreneurs who spend money on ads. They frequently say that we don’t have to pay for advertising if we can get creative enough, especially when using TikTok videos. The most common type of ad that most small business owners use is In-feed ads. These are the least expensive Tiktok ads and are the ones that are shown between videos as you are scrolling down your feed. So, you get creative enough to stop the visitors in their tracks to watch your 9-15 second video. Never -the-less, creating a successful ad on TikTok is a foolproof way to get more eyeballs on your content. Tik Tok Demographics Want to know the easiest way to determine who’s following you on Tik Tok? It’s called analytics. Just like all other SMM networks. Here you can visit your analytics of each video or metric of your entire account. To access your TikTok analytics: Go to your profile page Click on the three horizontal lines in the upper right. Tap Creator Tools, then Analytics. Delve into the analytics to view your audience behavior. The Best TikTok Marketing Strategy…Fall Fast!!! Since there’s no known formula for going viral, we suggest failing fast. Failure is the quickest way to determine what’s not working. This way you can put your marketing tactics in reverse to try something different. Many marketers are wondering is it too late to join the TikTok craze? According to some influencers called today’s TikTokers; Facebook 2009, right now is perfect timing. Yes, there is competition on TikTok but not nearly as much as it will be in the next 2-4 years. Getting on board now, even if you can barely hold on, will be an opportunity, you won't want to miss. What is TikTok Influencer Marketing Within the last few years, the term Influencer marketing has been swarming around. Let’s start with what is an influencer; an influencer is someone that can easily persuade, motivate, or encourage another person or group of people to act. So, in this case, influencer marketing is a marketer that has a large enough following that a company, brand, or big business desire to hire an influencer for the purpose to share or distribute a specific message. Business marketing 101 states that people buy from those they know, like, and trust. For this reason, is why influencer marketing is so effective. It doesn’t come across salesy, it’s just a friend telling a friend. Like the old Farm Fresh grocery slogan … Tell a Friend… They built an empire with that message. How Does TikTok Influencer Marketing Works How do you find these influencers and what to look for? There are two trains of thought. Some people say to find the influencer with the largest audience and others debate that option. Here you will have to do some research because all followers aren’t created equally. There are those influencers that the audience isn’t as targeted and more scattered across many sub-niches. And others who struck gold and went viral a few times in a topic totally unrelated to their niche or category. Here’s one tool you can use to find influencers: Influence Grid. Conclusion Hopefully, this article on TikTok marketing has piqued your interest. But just know that it was written to inspire you. Remember, we are only limited by our imagination. Addedly, the greatest thing about TikTok is its creativity, authenticity, and innovation, which are all designed to set you apart from the competition. Recap: Find your unique style. Post consistently and frequently Engage with your followers Incorporate silliness, fun, and edutainment. Keep videos short, sweet, and light. Periodically, check influencers to keep up with trends. Inspect your analytics and make necessary changes when needed. Now it’s time to hear from you. Will you start using TikTok to market your small business? Or do you not have enough info to get started? If you still have questions, check out this article <- it offers even more info about TikTok's marketing strategy! Let me know if you found this information useful…leave your comments now! Follow us on TikTok