Launched in 2016; it didn't take long for TikTok to become an integral part of our lives. Today, you cannot complete the list of top social media platforms without mentioning this brand name.
The snackable format of videos posted on TikTok checks all the boxes as far as the attention span of human beings is concerned. No one has enough time on their hands to sit and watch videos that are anything more than 2 minutes long. Allowing a video length of up to 60 seconds maximum, TikTok ensures that those even with busy schedules can consume content quickly and easily.
With the amount of attraction and engagement the videos got on TikTok, it didn't take long for businesses to get on board and leverage this platform as one of the major tools in their video marketing strategies.
Restaurants can be seen showcasing their dishes with cheese oozing out, eCommerce brands can be seen leveraging transition videos, while there are a few brand takeovers by influencers to further boost the engagement.
But the good thing is that it was realized this platform is not just a great asset for B2C brands.
From one of the largest American injury law firms named Morgan & Morgan to the most popular eCommerce platform named Shopify, you will find plenty of B2B brands using and winning at their TikTok game.
We know these examples won't be enough to make you pull your socks up and get on the platform. That's why we have compiled a list of reasons why you should be on TikTok and what you should be learning from the top B2B brands. Find them below.
6 Reasons Why Your B2B Brand Needs TikTok
TikTok is a platform that B2B brands often overlook but you shouldn't. Read on to know why.
● Adds a human touch to your brand
People buy from people, irrespective of whether we are talking about a B2B brand or B2C. TikTok has proven to be an excellent platform that can help you transform from being just another business to a business with a human face.
It was inherently built for one-to-one interaction between humans, and thus, is an amazing platform to assert brand presence from personal accounts.
For example, the CEO or the marketing manager can take over the brand's TikTok account and promote their leadership or expertise. You can showcase a fun personality, share a few knowledge bites, or prepare your comedic yet educational skits and give your brand a personality that is more relatable to the audience.
● Reach the younger generation easily
TikTok is among the top platforms that you should be using if your target audience is the younger population of the world. This is because around 48% of users that you will find on TikTok are below the age of 30. The age group ranges from 18 to 29.
Nowadays, catching hold of the younger generation, in this hustle culture, is a tad bit tricky. This is where TikTok can prove to be just the right tool for you and your business.
In fact, this is an era where you will find plenty of young adults trying to run their own businesses. This means they might just require your software or other product that you are offering. And the young people are on TikTok. A LOT. It makes sense to use this platform if your audience is present there.
You are literally missing out on a lot if you are not on this platform.
● Great way to showcase company culture
It can take months or even years to build a dream team and establish trust. You need a team that thinks that they can rely on you and finds you trustworthy.
The best thing about TikTok is that you can do all of this without actually making things complicated. It is often suggested to take a step back from any sort of promotional activity and instead, create content where you only focus on ensuring transparency and showcasing truthfulness of what's behind those glass doors of your office. You really don't always have to ask for your audience's contact information, it's a recipe for pushing them away.
You can use your website to show the serious side of your business and TikTok to promote the company's fun and engaging culture. This also makes it easy to recruit a team by attracting the right candidates for the job.
To do this, you can give your access to one of your team members who can record daily activities that take place at the office. Or, you can ask each of your employees to takeover and show 'a day in my life' video.
● Outshine others in the crowd
Just like you, there are other B2B brands that are pretty skeptical about using TikTok as a part of their marketing strategy. They are not sure if they would find the decision-makers on this platform since it's predominantly filled with the younger generation.
But on the brighter side, this also means that this is the platform where the competition is still under the bridge, unlike other social platforms. It is not overflowing with unnecessary competition.
Yes, there are a couple of leading names in the B2B industry that are using TikTok, but it is still the right time for you to lay down the foundation and let the odds be in your favor long before any of your competitors.
This will ensure that you have a TikTok presence by the time your competitors are starting.
● Offer what your audience wants
TikTok is where you can simply skip pretending and show the real you, the real brand. Pretense never leads you to any good place. Ever.
This is a platform that applauds realness and authenticity. Yes, you will be using this platform to sell your product or service but you don't have to actually make it that obvious. This is a platform where your audience is looking for something they can relate to, something that resonates with them.
You can share some fun behind-the-scenes, educational videos, or maybe a few brand-related yet humorous scripts. Your main TikTok strategy would aim to showcase the true personality and the identity of your brand. That's exactly what helps make your brand look more than just any other business and makes your name stand out.
You can offer your audience what they truly are looking for, at the platform they spend their time on.
● A platform to engage with the audience
TikTok is a great platform to indulge in some informal and fun conversations with your audience in real-time.
This is a social media channel where you will have to move on from promoting a faceless brand in the hopes of generating a few leads. This is a platform that is all for humans and when you strategize, you will also learn how to keep everything user-centric.
B2B brands are seen using this platform to cultivate a long-term relationship with their audience. This is where when you share the right and relevant content, it won't feel like a sales pitch. But in the hindsight, it will be.
Brands try to incorporate human-to-human interaction and promote employee advocacy using TikTok. In fact, to keep the users engaged, they bring a subject matter expert from their leadership on board to conduct a Q/A and answer user queries in real-time.
You should not waste this opportunity by thinking TikTok is just another social platform for the younger generation. It can be a lot more than that if you want it to be.
Top Brands With An Excellent TikTok Presence
If the reasons weren't enough, here is a list of a few of the leading brands that are performing brilliantly on TikTok as we speak. You can pick a few tips and tricks from these rockstars and try to incorporate them into your strategy.
● Shopify
Shopify is one of the top eCommerce platforms that allow entrepreneurs to start their digital shop without many hindrances. You can find Shopify leveraging TikTok to the fullest. This brand posts such great content that it has become one of the leading B2B brands on the social platform.
For Shopify, TikTok is not a tool to talk about the product. Instead, they are more focused on creating educational content. This content circles entrepreneurship stories and past inventions. These inventions are a mix of interesting, creative, and fun that are put forth in front of the audience in the form of storytelling.
They have managed to leverage the emotions of humans; emotions that help make a sale.
The things that you get to learn from this platform are just too many!
● Morning Brew
A leading media company, Morning Brew is doing everything right with its brand. They have managed to create content that is an ideal blend of digestible and engaging. They mainly focus on the news landscape of the business world on their TikTok account.
You can find satirical content covering varied niches including but not limited to tech startups and big boys as well as investing. They are known for their "Become smarter in 60 seconds" on TikTok. They might not be a regular start-up but they still have a great following in the B2B segment - a true example of a leader!
● Morgan & Morgan
Morgan & Morgan is a law firm based in the United States Of America. When you think of an injury law firm, formal and seriousness are the two adjectives that strike your mind.
But this firm is proving everyone wrong and breaking the myth that B2B businesses are not meant to have fun. With TikTok, Morgan & Morgan has managed to let go of their corporate aspect and embrace their human side.
They have managed to combine education and humor to make their content more appealing to the users. When you visit their account, you will come across varied forms of content where they unravel tips and tricks. But their most trending pieces are when their founder, John Morgan takes over and share humorous tidbits on "60 seconds with John".
● Adobe
Adobe is a popular suite of computer software. It is often considered a bible for designers to share digital experiences with users from across the globe. But it is not just limited to that. Adobe has managed to incorporate TikTok in its marketing strategies in a fun and engaging way.
The best thing about Adobe is that it knows how to keep up with the trend. They use their creative bent of mind to mold the trends and relate them to their brand in a way that only looks natural.
Using TikTok, Adobe has managed to attract creative individuals - basically, their target audience. They are offering them a space where they can learn more about the field and even connect with fellow creatives.
The top-performing content by Adobe is the stories that they share about other creators and a few tips they share to help the creators learn.
● Square
Square is one of the most reliable and credible digital payment platforms. It is trusted by several businesses and makes their lives easier.
Now, this B2B brand has managed to use TikTok to its full capacity and build its own little community on the platform. They interact and engage with their audience using this social platform, thus further making it easier for the audience to put trust in them.
The top-performing content by Square is the user-generated content that they repost. You will find several small businesses using and posting videos about Square on their TikTok channels. Talk about the reach expansion they are getting!
If you are a small business, you should definitely consider using this product and connecting with them over TikTok. It will give your brand more exposure and help you reach a wider audience. It's a win-win situation, to be honest.
● Canva
The way Canva has made lives convenient and easy for marketers especially, we don't think any other tool ever has. This is a platform that offers a plethora of elements, templates, typography options, stock photos, and much more, making graphic design a less time-consuming task.
Several non-designers have managed to learn the art of color palettes and combinations with the help of Canva. It is pretty straightforward and simplified.
The best thing they have managed to do is leverage TikTok. While they were already popular among those who knew about the product, it is now famous even among those who are new to this field - and it's all thanks to TikTok.
You can find videos related to tips, tricks, and tutorials on their TikTok account. The best thing about them is that they stay updated and try to incorporate their brand elements somewhere in between the trending videos.
Canva has managed to win hearts outside of TikTok and on the platform both.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, we can now see that TikTok is a platform that has been created for all types of businesses, irrespective of whether they cater directly to the customers or other businesses. Of course, the type of content that you post and the audience that you are targeting will differ, but the basic fundamentals of using this platform remain the same.
TikTok is a platform just for B2C brands is a myth. You can easily engage with the younger generation, develop a competitive edge, and add a human touch to your business using this platform. All you need is the right strategy and you are good to go. I hope we were able to entice you enough to try this platform out!
