Well-known as an effective B2C marketing tool, TikTok has a reputation for being influential for brands seeking to connect with a younger audience. After all, more than 60% of TikTok’s user base is under 30 years old (and almost all of it, save about 7%, is under 50). But the platform can be effective for B2B brands as well, especially since a growing number of B2B buyers are millennials.
Wondering how to get the most out of TikTok as a B2B brand? Read on.
TikTok for B2B Marketing
There are many ways for B2B brands to leverage TikTok to create a community, build authority, and promote products and services. We’ll discuss B2B TikTok strategies and tips in a moment, but first, you need to know how a brand gets a business account on TikTok.
How to Get a Business Account on TikTok
TikTok offers both business and personal accounts. As a B2B, you’ll want to ensure you enroll your account as a business to take advantage of the extra features and metrics available. For example, TikTok business accounts offer downloadable analytics reports, access to Promote (TikTok’s advertising tool), restrictions to only commercially-available sounds, and an in-app creative hub that offers tips on content strategy, video shooting, and best practices for the app.
According to TikTok’s FAQ, to switch your account to a business type, follow these steps:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
2. Tap the Menu button at the top.
3. Tap Settings and privacy.
4. Tap Manage account.
5. Tap Switch to Business Account and follow the instructions provided to finish.
How can B2B brands leverage TikTok?
TikTok drives awareness by building community.
TikTok is known for its random challenges. One user posts it, and suddenly everyone is trying to master a dance, sample a catchy audio, or trying to hold a plank for a very long time…ouch. Luckily, you don’t need to subject your brand to a silly dance routines or aggressive exercise maneuvers to find success on TikTok.
As a B2B on TikTok, you have the opportunity to create your own versions of popular videos that relate to your brand and audience. But you also have the opportunity to create something completely different that is only relevant to your niche audience. For example, if your brand creates productivity software, try posting little “hacks” that your customers can use to improve the functionality of your software. To target prospects, consider a comparison video that shows an average workday without your software as compared to a workday with your software.
Valuable content that is relevant to your audience is the name of the game in TikTok. Even if you don’t think that TikTok is the key platform for your audience, if you post valuable branded content, you can drive brand awareness with users who may fall into your target audience but with whom you’ve never been able to engage previously because you haven’t been present where they are. (In this case, on TikTok!) Plus, while B2Cs dominate TikTok currently, we believe it’s only a matter of time until B2B buyers begin using TikTok en masse to learn about the products, services, and brands they are considering.
Brands can connect more authentically with their audience.
Sprout Social found the most engaging in-feed content to be short-form videos. So it’s no wonder why engagement rates on TikTok are a great indicator of building a relationship with your audience. And because TikTok’s ranking isn’t affected by an account’s follower numbers or previous video engagements, it’s a more level playing field for newcomers than almost any other platform.
B2Bs on TikTok have an opportunity to demonstrate how their product works, answer questions in real time, and build authority by sharing quick tips and tricks relevant to their industry.
When all else fails, get funky with it.
B2B brands may feel they need to maintain a perfectly polished image at all times. But the truth is that buyers are looking for authenticity in the brands they transact with—and perfectly polished doesn’t lend itself to being relatable, engaging, and real.
TikTok is a place designed for people to let their hair down, so to speak. It’s fun and entertaining, not business suits and case studies. You don’t want to throw away your brand voice entirely, but tailoring your brand voice to TikTok—as you would on any other social platform—means being more casual and funny. In fact, a Semrush study found that humorous videos outperformed other genres of content, and 58% of “viral” TikToks inspired happiness over other emotions.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with B2B content. Your brand has a lot more to gain than to lose.
B2B Brands on TikTok
If you aren’t yet convinced that B2Bs can be successful on TikTok, maybe Adobe and Shopify can change your mind. Adobe launched its campaign for CoCreate: Small Business on TikTok, where it matched creators with small businesses based on craft, need, and services to create mutually beneficial partnerships. This campaign was successful for a variety of reasons; it leveraged the TikTok networks of creators to promote applications and played into the purpose of TikTok itself: connecting and empowering creators.
Likewise, Shopify has a TikTok series with productivity tips, often highlighting other brands. By sharing something useful with their audience while simultaneously promoting their brand, Shopify shows B2Bs how to capture an audience, build awareness, and share the wealth—all in one series.
Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to TikTok SEO
FAQs about TikTok and B2Bs
Can TikTok be used in B2B marketing?
Absolutely! Although we see B2Cs dominating on TikTok, there is still plenty of room for B2Bs to find success with their audiences.
How can TikTok help your business?
TikTok can help businesses create and engage with a community, build authority and credibility, and promote products and services. Additionally, brands can partner with creators on TikTok to take advantage of in-platform networking and TikTok influencer marketing.
Why should B2B brands use TikTok?
This is a bit of a trick question. The real question should be:
“Should my brand use TikTok?”
And that, dear reader, is entirely dependent on your business, audience, and goals for the future. Certainly, B2Bs can find a lot of value in TikTok for the reasons mentioned above, but whether or not to invest time and effort into building a presence on the platform is a question that is individual to every business.
How can I make my business go viral on TikTok?
Well, there’s no surefire way to make anything “go viral,” brands and creators on TikTok have an advantage over other platforms. TikTok’s content ranking is not influenced by follower count or previous video impressions, meaning brands who are new to the platform or simply haven’t garnered a large following can still compete. By creating timely, on-brand, and relatable content, B2Bs have every opportunity to help themselves go viral.
As a B2B organization, your TikTok approach may vary a bit from a B2C approach—and that is perfectly fine. Don’t be afraid to creatively share statistics or news in your industry to reach the right audiences. Give value and have fun doing it. TikTok for B2B marketing is growing, so hop on this platform now to avoid being late to the party. Wondering where to get started? Reach out.
