Does Your Business Need TikTok? The Real Pros and Cons
Gone are the days when TikTok was a platform purely for dance trends and viral pranks. It’s become one of the most powerful platforms for brands looking to reach a highly engaged and most often younger audience.
Before you grab the camera and round up the team though, it’s important to ask: “Is TikTok the right fit for my business?”
Let’s dive into it!
The Positives
Massive Organic Reach
One of TikTok’s most significant advantages, but also one of the hardest things to crack, is its algorithm.
TikTok’s algorithm is one of the most powerful engines among social media platforms. Followers do not matter when it comes to TikTok; accounts with zero followers can get more engagement than an influencer with a million followers.
This is great for smaller companies looking for that golden opportunity to spread their brand awareness.
Relatable and Authentic Content
One of the exciting things about TikTok is that you don’t need to be polished. Some of the best brands on TikTok show the raw, authentic side of the business. These often outperform the polished, traditional ads you see everywhere else. Some of our favourite brands to look out for on TikTok:
- Sult
- Odd Muse
- Sisters and Seekers
- Currys and PC World
Younger, Highly Engaged Demographic
Is your audience Gen Z or younger millennials? TikTok is the place to be. They consume a huge amount of content every day, and the average user spends 90 minutes per day on the app. That is the equivalent of watching the entire Hotel Transylvania film…a firm favourite in the office!
Instant Visibility With Trends
Jumping on trending audio, challenges, or video formats can massively increase your exposure. If done correctly, it can catapult your brand in front of thousands and sometimes millions of eyes within minutes.
The Negatives
Consistent Creativity
To be successful on TikTok, you must post multiple times a week, if not numerous times a day. If you don’t have the time to be consistent, you will quickly fall behind and your account and content could be missed.
Trends Move Fast
What’s trending today might be old news tomorrow. You have to be on it; for smaller creative teams, this can become exhausting and add immense pressure.
Limited Reach for Certain Companies
Some industries just don’t click with TikTok, and that is okay! As we mentioned in our Beginner’s Guide to Building a Social Strategy, knowing your audience is key to creating the foundations of your social content.
No Clear CTA’s
As quickly as your video can go viral, you can disappear just as fast. It can be difficult to track conversions or tie performance directly back to sales or leads. The quick exposure could vanish without having any impact.
TikTok is a rewarding platform, but it comes with high demands. The payoff could be huge if you are up for the challenge and have the capacity. However, if you are already stretched thin and are chasing the wrong audience, it might drain more than it delivers.
Need help deciding if TikTok fits into your wider marketing strategy? Let’s talk
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