Has TikTok helped your small business reach new customers?

[danielmartinhq]

I’ve been hearing a lot about small businesses using TikTok to showcase their products and connect with new audiences. Some people say it’s been a game changer for sales and visibility, while others feel it takes too much time without much return.

For those of you who’ve tried it — has TikTok made a real difference for your business? Do you focus on creating content yourself, or do you hire someone to handle it? And if you haven’t used TikTok yet, what’s holding you back?

[isabelle]

Tagging @DinaLRosenberg ! Tiktok biz queeeen! Also I've seen @sugarlab on there too! 

[danielmartinhq]

Thanks for tagging them, Isabelle! I’ll definitely check out what @DinaLRosenberg and @sugarlab have shared. It’s always helpful to hear directly from people who are actually using TikTok for business instead of just reading general advice.

[sugarlab]

@danielmartinhq Oh great question! Tiktok can feel like the Wild West but it can be a great tool for small businesses. 

I did a Q&A about this a couple years ago: https://community.squareup.com/t5/Event-Discussions/Ask-a-Square-Champion-Anything-Candid-Experience... 

Of course, things change so quickly in the social media landscape. My business has also changed. I don't have a retail shop anymore, my focus is on weddings and classes. TikTok has more of a national reach than Instagram; so I use TikTok for anything I'm wanting for national reach (like when I was shipping cake slice boxes and went beyond viral last year, or for education purposes on cake decorating, etc). And then Instagram is more for my local clients/community. 

I would say TikTok has made a real difference for my business, but not necessarily a sustained one. By my own design though because it was overwhelming. It can feel like it takes a lot of time, but you also have to remember that marketing isn't just flipping on a switch. It takes time and more importantly consistency to see results. And the results may happen months after the initial marketing push. 

I have learned about so many other small businesses because of TikTok. So I definitely think it's worth exploring!

If you have any specific question, I'm happy to help! You can check out my tiktok: tiktok.com/ali.sugarlab

[danielmartinhq]

I think a lot of us underestimate how long consistency takes to pay off. Do you think you’d still recommend TikTok for a business that’s just starting out, or is it better once you already have some momentum?

[DinaLRosenberg]

@danielmartinhq We LOVVEEE social media at Amityville Apothecary.

We started TikTok in 2020; at the time Gary Vee (Gary Vaynerchuck) said if we produced content on TikTok we'd get more attention than we deserved because there were more consumer of content than content producers. Of course, that's since changed but we got a ton of attention in the beginning and went viral a few times with some products (before TikTok shop even existed). 

We produce different content in TT than we do on Instagram. And as Ali said TT is def more national. 

We have a TikTok shop which does great for us.. it's been a life saver on slow days. 

Re: producing your own content versus paying someone- we've tried to lighten our load and have someone else do it- and it never works for us - people crave authentic brand voice- and having someone else produce for you often misses the mark.

[Mels8]

I got a win last night and it was real, I played on the JO777 site