How to Use TikTok to Grow Your Business

Leveraging TikTok for Business Success

We all know TikTok is home to lip syncs, dances, and pranks that can leave you in splits (or angry, depending on your preference). But did you know it can also be a powerful business tool?

The average TikTok user spends about 58 minutes daily, and 92% of TikTok users take action after watching a video, whether it's clicking on a link or searching for more information about a product or service.These stats offer only a glimpse into the potential of TikTok as a marketing platform.

In this guide, we’ll explore how businesses can leverage TikTok for success.

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Understanding the Basics of TikTok

Before diving into marketing, let's familiarise ourselves with TikTok and its audience. With over 1 billion active users and a predominantly young user base (38.5% aged 18 to 24), this platform is buzzing with creativity and viral content.

Key Features:

Short-form Videos: TikTok allows videos to last between 3 seconds to three minutes. However, smaller accounts only average around 34 to 38 seconds per video, while larger accounts average around 50 seconds.
Hashtags: Similar to other social media platforms, TikTok uses hashtags to categorize content. However, hashtags also serve as a way to participate in trending challenges.
Algorithm: TikTok's algorithm is based on engagement and relevance, meaning it shows users content based on their preferences and viewing history.

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How TikTok is Helpful for Businesses

With a better feel for the platform, let's understand what TikTok brings to the table for businesses.

Huge, Diverse User Base

TikTok boasts a user base of over a billion people. While it initially attracted primarily Gen Z users, it has since expanded its appeal to millennials and older generations. Notably, 32.5% of its users are between the ages of 25 and 34, showing that the platform is no longer just for teenagers. This diverse audience presents businesses with a broad spectrum of potential customers to engage.

High Engagement Rates

TikTok has an average engagement rate of 2.65% by follower count, outperforming other social media platforms like Instagram, which averages just 0.70%. This means users aren't just loitering on the platform; they are actively participating and interacting with content.

Affects Purchasing Behaviours

Whether we like it or not, social media influences our purchasing decisions. TikTok is certainly no exception, with 71.2% of TikTok shop users having made a purchase after seeing it in their feed. The platform is a powerhouse for impulse buys, with 55% of users making spontaneous purchases, outperforming other platforms like Instagram (46%) and Facebook (45%).

Your Content Can Go Viral

TikTok's algorithm boosts content virality, spreading content that engages and entertains its audience. This means even small accounts can go viral, providing a level playing field for businesses of any size to reach a large audience.

High Returns on Ad Spend

TikTok ads are surprisingly budget-friendly. With costs starting at just $10 per CPM (Cost Per Mille, or thousand impressions) and a minimum campaign spend of $500, you can reach thousands of users without breaking the bank. These ads are designed to mimic the platform’s organic content, making them less intrusive and more engaging for viewers.

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How to Use TikTok To Grow Your Business

Use TikTok’s Search Function to Understand Your Target Audience

Start by taking a closer look at your target audience and their interests. See what content they engage with, how, and their preferred hashtags. This knowledge helps you produce top-quality content that resonates with them, leverage TikTok's ad tools to reach them, and start defining your brand's personality.

Engage with Your Audience

TikTok is a two-way street - it's not enough to just post content, you also have to engage with others. Here's how you can engage with your audience on TikTok:

Respond to comments and messages.
Host live sessions to interact with your audience in real-time.
Use TikTok’s interactive stickers for polls or Q&A sessions in your videos to encourage direct engagement.

Create Authentic Content that Stands Out

TikTok thrives on creativity, entertainment, and authenticity. Tutorials, product or service reviews, and personal stories are popular types of content that engage viewers. To make the most of TikTok's algorithm:

Use trending audio clips and join popular challenges.
Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business or post funny, relatable content.
Post at least 3-4 times a week to stay relevant without overwhelming your audience.

To further enhance your creative process, you can use our

Collaborate with The Right Influencers

Partner with influencers whose content and audience align with your brand. Collaborations can be through product placement, sponsored content, or influencer challenges. For example, Gymshark’s #GymsharkxAddisonRae campaign with Addison Rae generated over 200 million views and boosted sales by 20%, thanks to the unique hashtag and engaging challenges that excited her followers.

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How to Measure Your Success on TikTok

To really know if your efforts on TikTok are paying off, you need to measure your growth. TikTok analytics provide valuable insights such as:

Follower growth rate and demographics.
Video views and engagement (likes, comments, shares).
Profile views and clicks to your website. Focus on the metrics that align with your goals and regularly track them to see if you're making progress.

But don't stop there!

Keep an eye on how far your content is reaching and how often it's getting shared. When people share your videos, it means your content is hitting home with them. Also, check out how your hashtags are performing—some might be driving way more engagement than others. By focusing on the metrics that really matter to you and keeping track of them regularly, you'll get a better handle on your success and can tweak your TikTok strategy to keep things rolling.

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Add TikTok Advertising into The Mix to Reach a Wider Audience

If you want to up your game and reach a larger audience on TikTok, you can consider using paid advertising options.

TikTok Ad Formats:

In-Feed Ads: Native ads that appear in users' "For You" feed, just like regular TikTok videos. Aim for 15 seconds as that's optimal.
TopView Ads: Appear at the top of the TikTok feed when users open the app, lasting up to 60 seconds.
Brand Takeover Ads: Full-screen ads that play immediately when a user opens the app. Highly effective for increasing brand awareness.
Branded Hashtag Challenges: Encourage users to participate in a specific hashtag challenge created by a brand.
Branded Effects: Custom, interactive filters and stickers that users can apply to their videos.

When creating TikTok ads:

Define your goals, such as increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales.
Utilize user-generated content in your ads.
Use eye-catching visuals, witty captions, and trending hashtags.
Monitor key metrics like Click-Through Rate (CTR), Cost Per Click (CPC), and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

Key Takeaways

Huge Audience: Over 1 billion active users, with 38.5% aged 18 to 24, means plenty of potential customers.
High Engagement: Users spend 58 minutes daily on TikTok, with a 2.65% engagement rate, much higher than Instagram's 0.70%.
Buying Power: 71.2% of TikTok users make purchases after seeing a product, and 55% make impulse buys.
Affordable Ads: TikTok ads start at $10 per thousand impressions, with a minimum spend of $500. They blend well with organic content, making them more appealing.
Viral Potential: TikTok's algorithm helps even small accounts go viral, giving businesses a level playing field.
Creative Content: Use trending audio, join challenges, and post consistently (3-4 times a week) to engage your audience.
Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with influencers can boost your brand's visibility, like Fenty Beauty with James Charles.
Measure Success: Track metrics like follower growth, video views, and engagement rates to fine-tune your strategy.

How MagicBrief Helps Businesses Succeed on TikTok

Looking to up your TikTok game? MagicBrief is here to help. Here's how it can take your business on TikTok to the next level:

Unlimited Ad Inspiration: Dive into a massive library of top-performing TikTok ads. Get inspired by what’s trending and adapt successful strategies to your own campaigns.

Insightful Analytics: Connect your TikTok ad account to MagicBrief and unlock valuable, easy to read insights. Analyse your ad performance and gain insights on how to improve them.

Easy Brief Creation: MagicBrief’s block editor makes creating detailed briefs easy. Embed references, add storyboards, and use templates to jumpstart your projects. Collaborate with your team in real-time to keep everyone aligned.

AI-Powered Assistance: Let MagicAI do the heavy lifting. It transcribes video ads, tags key elements, and cuts video clips, making storyboard creation effortless. It's like having an extra set of hands for your creative process.

Seamless Collaboration: Share and collaborate effortlessly with your team, clients, and creators. MagicBrief’s multiplayer editing and easy sharing features make teamwork simple and efficient.

MagicBrief is designed to elevate your TikTok marketing efforts. Try it for free today and see how it can transform your creative workflow and boost your TikTok success.

Final Thoughts

TikTok offers a unique platform for businesses to engage with a diverse and highly engaged audience. By understanding the platform's basics, creating authentic content, collaborating with influencers, and utilising TikTok's advertising options, businesses can effectively leverage TikTok for growth and success. Start exploring TikTok today and unlock its potential for your business.

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