Does the idea of downloading TikTok fill you with dread? You're not alone. Ever since it crash-landed into the social media world, B2B marketers have beelined in the opposite direction, clinging to the safe confines of Instagram and LinkedIn.
However, there's no denying that TikTok has taken the world by storm.
Owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, TikTok has undoubtedly won the crown for short-form video.
However, TikTok has a stigma. TikTok's dominant audience has always been young adults and teenagers. Naturally, this puts off a lot of B2B companies from using it.
But even if the singing, dancing, and trend-inducing content is categorically the furthest thing from your business, that doesn't mean it should be ruled out completely. Actually, it's a powerful tool that all businesses can use to promote their products or services to wider audiences.
Ranging across multi-genres like dance, comedy, and education, the duration of TikTok content ranges from 15 seconds to several minutes. The ability to have conciseness of this content is designed to grapple-hook the watcher's attention into a rabbit hole.
The stats speak for themselves:
- As of May 2023, TikTok surpassed over 3.5 billion international mobile downloads.
- As of March 2023, the UK was the fifth-highest country in the world for TikTok users. There are an average of 3.7 million users in the UK alone.
- Active TikTok users in the UK are glued to the app for an average of 41 minutes daily.
Even if you don't have TikTok, you'll have heard of it.
Benefits of B2B marketing on TikTok
If you do decide to conquer the fear and finally dive into the app, here's what your business could benefit from:
- Massive reach: A wide reach to a global audience
- High engagement rates: The algorithm works in your favour, and it'll push to match and engage your content with the right audiences. This will help target your desired audience and build stronger relationships
- Authenticity: Opens the opportunity to be authentic and show a personalised side to your brand
But marketers might find TikTok too gimmicky for their business. And that's because it is. If your stomach churns at the thought of downloading the dance-filled app, then maybe it's just not the right thing for your business. But if you're still on the fence about going through with the download, consider whether it's suitable for your business - you could be missing an opportunity that you're not aware of yet.
Should I use TikTok?
Honestly, it depends.
Will using TikTok be a time-waster or a time-stamp in your marketing efforts? Here are a few criteria to consider first:
- Your audience are on TikTok
- You can provide value to your audience using TikTok
- You can use TikTok for things you can't do on your other socials
- TikTok aligns with your social media targets
Are your audience on TikTok?
Be a fly on the wall. Get stalking. Make a free personal account, and be a bit nosy. See if your competitors are on TikTok, and look at their engagement.
If you can't find a specific audience that matches your buyer persona? Go the other route, and identify what they'll be looking at. See who else in your industry is an active user.
This will help you figure out how much reach you've got on TikTok.
Can you provide value to your audience?
Which areas of your business can you communicate using short-form video?
The best B2B marketing campaigns on TikTok correctly blend together entertainment and education. Consider whether there's a window for this or not.
You might consider posting...
- How-to videos: Offer tutorials or demonstrations related to your industry
- Behind-the-scenes: Show the inner workings of your company to build trust and transparency
- User-generated content: Encourage customers to share their experiences with your product or service
- Case studies: Highlight successful projects or collaborations with other businesses
Pinpoint how your content can provide value to your audience.
If you've got something valuable to add to the conversation or the community that your audience already follows, then it's definitely worth a shot.
As correctly pointed out by Hootsuite,
'TikTok isn’t like other platforms - you won’t succeed by being overtly sales-forward or corporate-sounding'
This opens up an opportunity for you to post content that doesn't aim to sell specifically, but rather builds your brand and offers audiences education and entertainment.
Does TikTok align with your social targets?
What are your social targets? If your social marketing strictly streamlines along the social selling route, then you might want to spend more time using Facebook or Instagram.
If it's to raise brand awareness and increase your audience reach, then TikTok might be a great idea.
Would you benefit from TikTok Ads?
TikTok offers advertising options for B2B marketers, including In-Feed Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects. These paid features allow you to reach a broader audience and create more exposure for your campaigns.
In-feed ads appear in users' feeds, while Branded Hashtag Challenges encourage user participation. Branded Effects add interactive elements to your content, making it more engaging. These can be an effective way to reach a larger audience.
Still scared of TikTok? Use Instagram instead...
If the idea of using TikTok for your B2B marketing fills you with terror, then Instagram could be better suited for your business.
Instagram age ranges are broader than TikTok's, and there's a wide scope for engagement. Plus, if your audience aren't anywhere near TikTok, there's a good chance they'll be on Instagram. While TikTok gives you the chance to show a more 'authentic' side to your business, you can just as easily do this with Instagram. Instagram still allows you to hook interest with compelling content, and access the conversations that circulate around your industry.
And on the off-chance that your audiences are thousands of miles away from either of these two platforms, they'll be fully versed in LinkedIn.
Speaking of Instagram...
Give Method a follow on Instagram.
We post plenty of useful growth tips and marketing insights for you to scroll through while you're having a cuppa. We'll even chuck in the odd cheeky reel every now and then.
Check it out and give us a follow.
