TikTok is used by nearly a fifth of all web users. Although a good chunk of those are under 19 years old, 53% are aged 29 and above. And that’s because its short-form videos play into the video content trend that’s currently capturing 82% of all internet traffic. So, it’s not surprising that its average 5.3% engagement rate dwarfs the 1.22% that Instagram and 0.045% that Twitter pulls in.
With its content being not just entertaining but also educational, the platform is attracting B2B marketers who continue to borrow tools from their B2C colleagues’ playbooks, to win the hearts and minds of modern audiences. Take, for example, Adobe’s user-generated content, creative tutorials and success stories which demonstrate the versatility of its tools to its engaged TikTok community. Or how Shopify shares success stories, business tips, and product demos to boost brand awareness among TikTok’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
These B2B global giants and smaller brands are also taking advantage of TikTok’s real-time insights into audience preferences, to refine and optimise their strategies and turbo-charge their impact.
The time is right for B2B marketers to get on board the TikTok train. So, here’s our countdown of the five best ways to power up success on the platform:
TikTok is a great opportunity for B2B brands to show off their more human side. You can do that by creating relevant and engaging videos that give your audience a peek behind the scenes of your business or showcase a day in the life of the people and faces behind the brand. How-to videos, case studies and quick, informative ‘take 5’ interviews will also bring the company’s culture to life in useful and interesting ways while ramping up awareness of your brand as a trusted authority.
TikTok is the home of homespun-looking content, so go native and make sure your films look authentic and less polished than the usual corporate video. And you can always try and piggyback on content trends – from songs to ASMR sounds or even ‘Silent Reviews’. Check out TikTok’s Creative Center page for more info on what’s trending at any given time.
P.S. It more than pays to get your content right: TikTok’s algorithm promotes content organically, which means if your videos resonate with your audience, they can quickly go viral. Meaning you can reach a massive audience without a massive advertising budget. Ker-ching!
When you’ve created your content, post it using relevant hashtags that will help increase viewability and discoverability. It’s also worth keeping in mind that corporate TikTok hashtags like #9to5 or #WorkFromHome rack up literally billions of views. Those threads are where you’ll find potential buyers letting loose about their everyday work hassles – which is your cue to solve them with relevant services and products. This leads us to…
Don’t make TikTok a one-way, brand-led download. Make sure it becomes a dialogue between you and your viewers. Building a community around your brand will deepen engagement, and loyalty and increase conversion. Responding to comments, answering questions, participating in industry discussions, and encouraging, and then amplifying user-generated content will all foster a sense of brand community.
Gaining a following doesn’t happen overnight. Take time to test out and understand what type of content works with your audience, to build even more engagement. Then stick with it: as ever, consistency will create even more recognition and loyalty over time.
Working with influencers will speed up your journey to building trust and credibility on TikTok as you’ll expand your brand reach by leveraging their fan following and amplification power. A 2023 survey by TopRank Marketing found that 63% of B2B marketers believe influencer marketing enhances brand credibility.
Influencer recommendations are also a great way to shorten the sales cycle which we know can be notoriously long for B2B brands. The key, as ever, is to be guided by your business objectives in terms of who you want to work with and what you want to achieve. Then, within those parameters, allow them the creative freedom to produce content that they know works well with their followers: authenticity is everything when it comes to building brand engagement.
As well as these organic opportunities, TikTok also offers a range of different ad formats to reach specific professional demographics – from in-feed ads that appear when a user scrolls through the app to branded effect ads that allow users to use custom filters, stickers, or effects created by the advertiser.
Like many social platforms, the benefits are there to reap, you’ve just got to test & learn. So, what are you waiting for? Utilise our top 5 TikTok tips for scaling your B2B marketing and attracting your ideal customer in a more human, fun and content lead way.
And if you’d like some more tips on how to tap into TikTok or other social media platform’s potential for your brand, drop us an email at [email protected] or visit https://street.agency/.