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How To Use TikTok for Business

John Beaton
January 13, 2022
Last Updated On
December 21, 2022
TikTok for Business

TikTok is the most popular website on the Internet. In case you haven’t heard, TikTok surpassed Google as the most popular website in 2021, and it also surpassed Facebook as the most popular social media website. Google is often considered to be the front page of the Internet, and its crown being taken by the short-form video channel (that didn’t really explode in popularity until a few years ago) after a fifteen-year reign marks a striking shift in how consumers are using the Internet.

TikTok may be the most successful website of 2021, but it is far from the only notable company that is making a stake in social media entertainment this year. Another example is Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp, which is investing heavily in metaverse experiences that combine virtual reality, augmented reality, and gaming. 

Brands have been utilizing these channels for business for years, and TikTok is no different. 

How To Use TikTok for Business

In this new era, consumers go online (mostly using their phones) in order to be entertained. TikTok facilitates this more effectively than any other past form of entertainment by allowing users to scroll from video, to video, to video in the time it takes to press a button on a TV remote. Users can share their favorite videos with friends, and TikTok’s sophisticated algorithm takes the content that you engage with and uses it to recommend content it knows you will like, which means your feed is specially curated to keep you entertained at all times. 

So, how can you create a TikTok strategy for business? While there is no magic formula that will bring your brand instant success on TikTok, there are a couple of things you can do. First things first, convert your TikTok account to a business account. This will give you insights into how your content is performing as well as some other additional perks. Once your business account is up and running, start posting. Post frequency is just as important as post quality on TikTok. We recommend hopping onto the latest TikTok trends to give your account the best chance of exposure.

Do you think your brand is ready to use your business account on TikTok? Here are some ways to get the most out of your account: 

Optimize Your TikTok for Business Account

Now with your fresh, new business account, it’s time to ensure it’s fully optimized. This may sound daunting, but it’s quite easy. Start by refreshing your profile photo and feed. Make sure they represent your brand in a way that would make users want to click or visit your website. Next, focus on your bio. We recommend keeping it short and pairing it with the perfect link. While this could be a singular link to your website, a TikTok Link in bio is even more effective. This allows you to link to multiple things like your website, but also specific offerings or products.

Create Interesting Content with UGC and Influencers

This is the best part of TikTok. Creating great content that resonates with your brand. Once you hone in on your brand's niche, a great way to create interesting content is through UGC and influencers. With UGC, you can repost content that has been made by your customers, and with influencers, they can create content for your account which will bring over a whole new set of users. Community-generated entertainment is the future of TikTok. 

Advertise on TikTok

Beyond creating content for your account, businesses can also utilize advertisements on TikTok to really take things to the next level. All brands have to do is head to the creator tools section on their profile. Click the ‘Promote’ button to choose the content you want to promote and set your goals, audience and more. If you’re looking to create a more detailed campaign, head to TikTok Ads Manager. 

TikTok Strategy for Business in 2024

TikTok has single-handedly changed the way business is being done in 2024. Because of that, brands and users must know why. Below, we outline the 5 main reasons why TikTok has changed the game for brands everywhere.

1. TikTok’s Engagement Rate Is Astronomical

TikTok is known for being significantly more engaging, due to the ease of swiping from video to video, and the algorithms that serve users' videos based on what they’ve engaged with in the past. With an engagement rate that is 5x higher than other platforms, audiences are willing to forgo other forms of content to consume short-form videos.

Tapping into the highly engaged users found on TikTok will not just lead to more brand awareness or other intangible forms of goodwill—it will also directly translate into sales. TikTok is very good at inspiring people to buy things. If the viral TikTok Made Me Buy It trend isn’t enough, consider how 80% of TikTok users who bought something last Black Friday said TikTok played a role. Products are all over TikTok, whether brands are aware of it or not. You can link your social entertainment to direct sales by using a TikTok Link-In-Bio solution.

2. The Metaverse Is Already Here

While Meta brought the concept of the metaverse to the mainstream, mystifying marketers and leaving brands wondering what the metaverse means for them, it is a concept that has already found significant mainstream success. The metaverse can be loosely defined as an interactive, immersive digital ecosystem where users can have several shared experiences.

Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality also have roles to play in how users experience the metaverse, with the global metaverse market expected to increase from $44.7 billion in 2021, which is already fairly significant, to $596.5 billion in 2025. Brands such as Charlotte Tilbury and Balenciaga are already investing in virtual storefronts, where customers can shop for products in metaverse interfaces. Brand owners can expect this metaverse to translate to using TikTok for business marketing sooner, rather than later. 

3. Live Stream Shopping Events Are Everywhere

Live-streamed video is the fastest-growing source of engagement for top social channels like TikTok. Customers love how interactive live video is, and it has already grown into a significant market in China. Last year, creator Austin Li Jiaqi, known as “Lipstick King,” sold $1.7 billion worth of goods in a single 12-hour live stream with Alibaba, where customers were able to interact, comment, and purchase the products shown on screen in real-time.

Social media e-commerce has taken China by storm, where the market has brought in $300 billion in revenue in 2021 and will account for 11.7% of all e-commerce sales in the country.

Social channels are betting on shoppable live streams becoming an international sensation, as TikTok and other platforms are all making moves towards making shoppable live streams available to brands on their channels. While many of these features are only available to a select few brand partners, they will inevitably become more prevalent as brands invest more in social media entertainment and commerce.

4. Targeted Advertising Is Changing, and Entertainment Is More Important than Ever

TikTok becoming the most popular website on the Internet coincides with the gradual phasing out of third-party cookies, which is changing the nature of targeted advertising and spurring brands to invest more in content in order to drive sales via TikTok shopping. In many ways, TikTok’s sheer popularity is what is driving brand adoption, but a factor that should not be overlooked is how the world of targeted advertising that marketers have become so accustomed to is ending.

Brands are also investing more in content out of necessity. High-quality content will be essential to capturing consumer interest in the coming years, and the potential engagement and sales opportunities that this new entertainment era offers are too lucrative for brands to ignore.

5. Social Entertainment Is Participatory — And Fun

Social entertainment is at the heart of TikTok and TikTok for business, and it differs from traditional entertainment in one very important way: users are empowered to join in on the fun, whether it’s making their videos, participating in VR or AR experiences, or engaging with trending topics, videos, or sounds. Entertainment no longer just consists of brands speaking to customers—it is now a two-way street of interaction. Online communities are being formed over shared virtual experiences, and brands are forming connections with customers that are deeper and more meaningful than ever before.

Establishing your brand on TikTok is the next step for brands that are invested in other channels, and are looking for a way to further social media growth in the coming year. In this new era, your brand will be able to showcase its creative, video-focused strengths in order to win over audiences.

Insights for your TikTok Business Account by Dash Hudson

Needing a business account on TikTok means it’s time to go beyond the basic analytics that is provided within the native application. Dash Hudson provides TikTok insights that give users a holistic (or granular) view of account and content performance, the ability to create easy to understand downloadable reports, and even the opportunity to keep your brand up to date on trending sounds so you never have to miss out on a trend again. 

It’s time to take your business account on TikTok to the next level. 

FAQs

Is TikTok for business free?

Yes, it is completely free. With your business account, you have access to many great perks, such as TikTok analytics. These analytics will give you insight into how your TikTok's are performing, and how much engagement you are earning. You can also use your business account to set up advertising campaigns.

How do I create a business account on TikTok?

Setting up a business account is simple. You start by navigating to your profile. Once you’re there, select the menu in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Click ‘Manage Account,’ and under ‘Account Control’ you will see an option to switch to a business account. Choose your brand category, and that is all you need to do to get set up.

Should I make a TikTok business account?

If your brand is looking to promote itself on TikTok, then yes. Aside from general analytics and advertising capabilities, a business account will help you learn about your brand's customers, give you access to exclusive sounds, let you in on new features, and provide inspiration through the Business Creative Hub. 

If you make the switch and realize it’s not for you, it’s easy to switch back to a personal account by following the same steps as above.

Is TikTok worth it for a business?

To keep it short and sweet, yes. The sign of a successful business or brand is seen as agile and that can easily adapt to trends. And the trend right now is TikTok. It’s an assumption that if you’re considering TikTok, you likely have an Instagram or even Facebook that is tended to regularly. Now it’s time to work TikTok into the mix.


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