4 Questions to Help You Decide
Even if you’re not one of its 15.4 million daily users, we bet you’ve watched one or two TikToks since its major popularity boom in 2020. Originally a lip-syncing app, TikTok has experienced a meteoric rise in the last five years. In 2017, the app clocked 65 million annual users; in 2021, the app saw a reported 1 billion annual users. And today, an estimated 650,000 users create accounts and start scrolling every day.
Unsurprisingly, savvy business owners saw an opportunity on TikTok. Companies big and small began creating accounts to market their products and services. And while some have seen major success, like The Washington Post, Amazon, and Chipotle, others haven’t seen the traction they expected.
Not every social media platform is suitable for every business, and TikTok is no exception. When deciding whether it’s time to create an account for your company, take a moment to ask yourself these four questions:
- What’s Your Strategy?
We know it might be tempting to fire up your camera and start shooting fun video content. But first, consider how a TikTok account would benefit your overall marketing strategy.
Asking who you’re trying to reach is a great place to start. The app is currently dominated by people aged 20 – 40, with Gen Z leading the way. If your products and services fit right in that sweet spot, TikTok might be the place to be for you. But don’t be discouraged if you’re looking for the over 50 crowds, who only make up 7% of TikTok’s users. The app’s user base continues to grow, and the average user age is now trending older. Plus, TikToks routinely get shared on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram, opening your account to different audiences.
Once you nail down who you’re targeting, think about what you’re offering and what that can look like on a highly visual video platform. For example, artists and restaurants can share time-lapses of creating their finished pieces or dishes. How-to videos can be an excellent format for dog trainers and mechanics alike. Whether you’re a bed and breakfast in Ireland or Google’s California headquarters, there’s an audience who would love a tour of your space. What can you offer that will be most intriguing and valuable for your digital audience?
The last strategy question to ask yourself is often the hardest to answer – can you keep your account going? Your TikTok account, like your other social media accounts, is an extension of your brand. It’s not a good reflection of your business if you can’t post consistently or if what you’re posting lacks direction or quality.
- How Much Time Can You Commit?
This question goes hand-in-hand with what we just discussed. High-quality video content takes time. Even the most straightforward-looking videos have often undergone hours of work before being published.
Do you have someone (or ones) on your team that can devote time each week to creating a new video? This process could include some (or all) of the following steps:
- Creating a concept and a shot list
- Choosing actors
- Finding the necessary props
- Writing a script
- Finding a shooting location
- Recording voiceovers
Then there’s editing the video itself. Many content creators on TikTok use external applications to perfect their videos, such as Final Cut or Adobe Premiere Pro. Even if you’re using the TikTok app or your phone to edit your content, it can still be a time commitment to ensure the lighting, sound, timing, and subtitles are all in order.
TikTok’s time commitment doesn’t end at uploading video content. To maximize your account’s potential, it’s essential to understand the platform and its capabilities. Your team should be spending time familiarizing itself with the latest trends – this could include certain sound bites, challenges, or filters. Also, it’s a good idea to practice editing video content on the app, as it can be a little tricky at first.
If you have a social media person or you’re working with a marketing team who can take on the lion’s share of these projects, a TikTok account could be an asset to your marketing strategy. But if not, these tasks may be too much to squeeze into your weekly operations.
- What Equipment Do You Have?
TikToks can be made on everything from professional cameras to your phone – that’s what makes the app so accessible. So even if you’re new to filming videos, you can still create content on your phone.
But, of course, additional products can help take your videos to the next level. This could include lighting kits, ring lights, green screens, microphones, and more. If you have access to these tools, your team can start creating more complex, eye-catching video content.
Additionally, we previously mentioned editing software like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro, which both require subscriptions or purchases. While it’s a boon to have platforms like that to increase your editing abilities, you can still find helpful apps for free (or at reasonable prices) to get your videos ready to be published.
While you don’t need the fanciest accessories on the market to create quality content, it’s still important to ask what equipment you have at your disposal. And, to take it one step further, whether you’re willing to invest in additional resources for your videos.
- What’s Your Budget?
As you’re creating your TikToks, you may need some of the production tools or software licenses we mentioned above. Are you willing to put aside money in your marketing budget to pay for these instruments?
Plus, many businesses choose to boost their content by paying for ads or promotions for their videos. TikTok ads start at $10 per CPM (cost per 1000 views) but they require a minimum campaign budget of $500. For a more affordable option, you can promote a single video to boost engagement, website visits, or followers for as low as $5 for one day or $1000 for seven days.
If your marketing budget is already tight, it may not be the right time to consider purchasing a slew of new video production equipment or devote that budget to advertising on a new platform.
Who’s Making Your Video Content?
After asking yourself these questions, you should have a better idea of whether TikTok is right for your business.
If you have any questions about general marketing videos for your business, give us a call. We’re always excited to talk about video production and editing, and how they can help your business.