25th January 2023
Initially launched in 2016, TikTok has surged in popularity since the pandemic. It is an entertainment hub where people can share and enjoy short-form video content.
Worldwide, there is 1.2 billion active monthly users on the platform, with 9.2 million active monthly users based in the UK. It is projected that there will be 15 million active monthly UK TikTok users by 2025.
Even though TikTok is thriving, there are still companies questioning whether it is worth making the platform a part of their overall communications strategy.
Before making a TikTok account for your business just for the sake of it, consider the below questions.
Is my target demographic using TikTok?
TikTok’s main audience in the UK is made up of people between 13 and 24 year olds (43%). The app is also popular in users aged between 25 – 34 (31.2%). Is your company trying to reach this demographic?
Can I provide value?
People go on TikTok to have a laugh, learn something new or relax. What kind of content could you create that would provide added-value to a user? Could you provide life hacks, saving tips or cooking inspo? Brainstorm and see if you can come up with enough ideas to make it worth downloading.
Do I have the time and resource?
TikTok requires a lot of time and attention. You need to get creative, hop on trends and make unique content. Check if you have a member of the team who is already familiar with the platform and would be willing to look after it.
If you’re still unsure if it’s worth having TikTok for your business, we’ve laid out some pros and cons of using the app.
Positives
Access to a new audience
As previously stated, 74.1% of TikTok users are under 34 years old. By ignoring TikTok, you are ignoring a huge pool of potential customers, especially those of the younger generation.
User-generated content
User-generated content (UGC) is any content created by people, rather than brands. It helps to establish greater trust within the brand as it’s produced by an unbiased person. If you manage to create a successful challenge on TikTok, your content is created for you.
To boost their audience engagement and promote Project Power, Netflix created the #WhatsYourPower filter for viewers to determine their superpowers. The campaign resulted in over 100,000 user-generated videos.
Potential to go viral
Unlike other social media platforms, users don’t have to follow your account for your content to come up on their feed. The TikTok algorithm also doesn’t recommend videos based on the number of followers an account has, so just about anyone has the potential to go viral.
Negatives
Time consuming
Learning how to use a new app, researching trends and creating new videos every day can take a lot of time. Before getting the app, make sure you can devote time to it as you must be consistent on the platform to do well.
Constant creativity
In order to get noticed, you need to be creative. It’s important to come up with new ideas that have the potential to go viral as well as add value to users. The word limit on captions is only 100 characters so you must be creative with your copywriting here too.
B2B organisations
TikTok isn’t just for consumer brands, 13.9% of B2B decision makers say that TikTok influences their purchase decisions. Additionally, videos using #Finance have 6.6 billion views. While it may not be the most obvious platform for direct B2B sales conversions, it provides a great space to build brand trust. Here are some unexpected B2B organisations we believe are thriving on TikTok!
With over 4 million likes, Adobe has mastered how they communicate with their audience. They post engaging how-to videos, share expert knowledge and create humorous content, which has clearly led to their success on the platform.
Accounting software company Sage has managed to gain over 35K followers on the app as well as 609.1K likes. They have provided added value to users by showing how to use their products and have thrived off of user-generated content.
Online graphic design tool Canva has gained a following of 136.8K followers and 432.9K likes by tapping into educational and entertaining content over promotional videos. They provide demos of their product as well as tips and tricks which people seem to love.
We hope this has given you a clearer idea on whether it’s worth getting TikTok for your business. If you need any further social media or communications advice, please reach out to info@mcecomms.com.