While 41% of users may be aged between 16 and 24, that still leaves 59% above this age category, which includes professionals and business users.
Social media platforms can quickly fall in and out of fashion, but one which seems to have staying power is TikTok. With over two billion active users across the globe, it’s quickly become the go-to for creating and sharing entertaining video content. While 41% of users may be aged between 16 and 24, that still leaves 59% above this age category, which includes professionals and business users.
What sets TikTok apart from other social media sites is the informality of its content. Usually user-generated, its speedy, unedited, and seemingly spontaneous videos are what make the platform so appealing, offering an honesty and creativity that can seem fake elsewhere online. And while B2C marketing seems an obvious opportunity, TikTok can be just as effective for B2B advertising too.
The Benefits of Video Marketing
If your business has yet to discover the advantages of video, then make sure to add it to your social media strategy for the new year. As web users seek ever more inventive, interesting, and insightful content, the visual appeal of engaging videos continues to make it a powerful digital marketing tool.
Social media by its very nature is about starting conversations and creating communities, which video can really tap into. Rather than telling target customers what they think they want to hear, companies are instead using video to show their human side, their personalities, and their ability to form connections, which can be equally beneficial when used for B2B advertising as for B2C.
As the pandemic reduced face-to-face interactions, video became even more popular, with recent data proving that its usage as a marketing tool can lead to more shares and higher conversation rates than just copy and imagery. By being more creative and conversational, video also allows for experimentation during digital marketing campaigns and a chance for companies to find a niche.
What Makes TikTok Different
As many social media sites strive to offer everything for everyone, TikTok remains resolutely a short video platform – and that’s why many users prefer it. ‘Easy to make, easy to watch’, as we described it in our Bobble Digital guide to the top social media platforms of 2021. TikTok’s content is also user-generated and shared exclusively on mobile devices, making it feel more personal and relatable.
The platform’s algorithms are also capable of compiling highly individualised user feeds. As these are based on content rather than creators, marketing videos can have a wider appeal and a greater chance of being seen. The fact that many businesses remain sceptical of TikTok for marketing only adds to its potential, with less competition and more opportunity to create a larger user base.
Making the Most of Emotional Marketing
The possibilities of the social media site are huge, but when it comes to B2B marketing on TikTok, what’s the best strategy? The answer is to get personal. Emotional marketing is statistically more effective than a rational approach, particularly on social media with its emphasis on engagement.
For B2B businesses using social media, forming emotional links with prospective clients can help to establish trust, share common goals, and encourage authentic conversation early on. Whether you prefer to be informative and professional or try to be more social and amusing, the voice of your content needs to reflect the identity of your company and encourage greater brand awareness.
Video content offers the chance for prospective buyers to literally get inside a business, so TikTok is a great way to showcase products and services in new and innovative ways. Link your content to your company values, discuss the history and growth of your business, or introduce key members of your team – any theme that places importance on people and will evoke an emotional response.
Top Tips for B2B Marketing on TikTok
You have your TikTok account set up, you understand the benefits of emotional marketing, and you’ve made a start posting content. Great job! But where can you go from here and how can you ensure you’re creating B2B connections? Like all successful strategies, marketing on TikTok will take time to pay dividends, but here are some helpful ways to make your ROI more worthwhile.
- Networking – This is central to efficient B2B marketing across every social media platform, including TikTok. Once you’ve posted a video, pay attention to who interacts with it, when, and how. Keep track of your analytics and use them to improve your content.
- Hashtags – Spend some time researching the most popular hashtags used within your industry and by the local companies you want to connect with. As with other social media sites, TikTok’s hashtags help users to find content connected to their interests, so they’ll help to increase the chances of your videos being seen by the most beneficial businesses.
- Creativity – The most popular TikTok videos are those which combine fun with relatability. This is a rare opportunity for companies to demonstrate their individuality and stand out from the competition. Find ways of promoting the positive, uplifting, and inspiring elements of your business activity that will encourage other organisations to connect with you.
Adding Extra Value to Video Content
While marketing on TikTok can itself be valuable, creating video content will also help to boost your wider digital marketing strategy. As quick and simple snippets of expert advice and industry know-how, your video content will be just as useful repurposed across all your social media sites. You can also encourage call to actions, such as visiting a website, reading a blog, or sending an email.
The even better news is that there are plenty of companies already using TikTok for B2B marketing, so why not learn from them? Specialist software provider Sage, for example, launched two TikTok campaigns which gave cash prizes to companies using their hashtags, while computer software company Adobe came up with a ‘put a finger down’ challenge that received millions of views.
Ready to make the most of TikTok? Contact our team at Bobble Digital for support.
