TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that allows users to create and share 15-second videos on any topic. Where TikTok shines is in generating brand awareness and engagement. So, it’s no surprise thatTikTok For Business can drastically help your brand or company acquire new customers and clients.
Create a TikTok for Business Profile
Creating a business profile for TikTok is relatively straightforward. The key consideration when putting this profile together is brand consistency. Your profile photo should be consistent with other social media platforms, and the bio should match your brand standards.
Here are the simple steps for creating a TikTok profile for your business:
Download the app to a mobile device.
Log in with an email and password that’s meant to be shared with your team (not a personal account).
Once you’ve added an account, you’ll get a prompt to create your username. Choose a name that isn’t already in use by another brand, and get it as close to your brand’s name as possible. The app will let you know when you’ve landed on an available username. Click Sign Up to move to the next step.
If you have an existing personal account but would like to start a business account, navigate to your Manage Account screen and click Add Account.
Next, you’ll get a view of your brand-new, empty profile. The basic screen layout displays your name, username, profile picture, number of followers, number of accounts you follow, likes, and videos. Click the three dots in the upper right corner to get to your settings–you’ll need this to set up a Pro account.
Once you’ve made it to the Manage Account menu, tap “Switch to Pro Account” to create a business-specific account that will allow you to monitor your analytics.
Then, you’ll be asked to select an account type. You can choose between Creator and Business. Creator accounts are great for public figures, influencers, and personal brands that are geared toward the arts and content creation. Business profiles are best for service providers, organizations, retailers, and brands. Once you’ve decided which profile is best for you, tap the icon to move to the next step.
Now, choose your category. You’ll see a list of industries and niches to choose from. Select the one that fits best with your brand. If you don’t see a good fit, just tap Other.
Under your Settings and Privacy menu, you’ll now see an option for Analytics. You can return to this screen to view your video stats at a later date, once you’ve begun uploading content and gathering followers.
Now, you can start making your profile your own. If you’re setting up a TikTok profile for a corporate business, use your brand’s logo for the profile picture. If you’re a personal brand, opt for a professional headshot.
Once you’ve set up a profile, take some time to go through the feed and interact with brands or individuals within your niche and network. This process will help develop the algorithm for your needs and build awareness. Follow other prominent brands on TikTok, suggested social media influencers, and develop a realistic content strategy with your social media manager.
If you want to start sharing ads on your business profile, you’ll need to set up a business account. The ads platform allows you to reach the right followers based on a variety of targeting options. To ensure that your ads have sufficient budget, the minimum budget at the campaign level is $50, and the minimum budget at the ad group level is $20.
Hashtags Aren’t Just for Instagram
Hashtags help you reach a larger audience and are great for branding. Create a unique hashtag for your business and ask your followers to use it whenever they post something on TikTok about your brand. This is called a branded hashtag.
Branded Hashtag Challenges
A branded hashtag challenge is when a company creates a hashtag and asks followers to submit videos that are related to that hashtag and that feature the hashtag. There are many reasons why branded hashtag challenges are effective as a TikTok marketing strategy.
#1 – Branded hashtag challenges have the potential to attract a lot of attention and go viral.
Elf Cosmetics was able to get over 3 million user-generated videos and over 4 billion views for its #eyeslipsface branded hashtag challenge. This challenge encouraged people to submit their own videos for a song called “Eyes, Lips, Face” that went along with the challenge. This branded hashtag challenge became the most viral campaign in TikTok US history.
#2 – In addition to having viral potential, branded hashtag challenges are an excellent TikTok marketing strategy because they create fun experiences for followers.
They also engage followers in a highly effective way.
#3 – Branded hashtag challenges can help draw people to your brand who may not have even heard of your brand.
They can come for the hashtag challenge and end up following your company because they discover that they like your brand after checking out the hashtag challenge.
In addition to branded hashtags, you’ll want to use relevant trending hashtags. TikTok makes it pretty easy to know which hashtags are trending. When you search for hashtags, TikTok will show you how many views each hashtag has and indicate which ones are currently trending with a little fire icon🔥. Use trending yet relevant hashtags in every single TikTok caption to increase your video views.
TikTok Do’s and Don’ts
Do be candid. Keep it light and fun. Businesses should stick to lighter, more humorous videos. The idea is to jump straight to the point since you are limited on time. You also want to make sure that you are showing the fun side of your brand in the process.
Do use music. Music is and has been a huge part of TikTok. The original purpose of the app was to create fun or humorous music videos to popular songs. While it has come a long way since then, it’s a good idea to incorporate music into your videos.
Do use a challenge. Create a campaign that challenges users to create and upload TikTok videos related to the challenge, using the hashtag #HashtagChallenge, and tag three of their friends to also attempt the challenge.
Do respond to other brand challenges. In addition to kicking off your own challenge, also participate in challenges established by other companies.
Do collaborate with influencers and partners. Tapping into the established following that a TikTok influencer has built can boost engagement and awareness quickly.
Don’t make a hard-sell ad. Anything that feels like an overt ad is not going to perform well on TikTok. Incorporate your product or service into your video but try to avoid the obvious call to action we’re used to in traditional marketing.
TikTok For Business is where you can unleash your brand’s creative side. No matter how big or small your business, it may definitely increase your brand awareness. Chipotle is one of those brands killing it on TikTok – with 1.5 million followers. They recently created a contest that went viral. Check out the video below and you may get some great ideas to create your own challenges.
At Social Creative, we help businesses creatively use social media to help build their brand. We don’t believe in inconsistently posting ordinary content. That won’t work. We strategically develop a social media plan for your business. We create highly effective visual content – photos, videos, graphics – to share on your channels. We help you connect with your followers and build lasting relationships.
As a small business owner, posting daily on multiple social media platforms can be overwhelming.
Coming up with social media content may not be at the top of your list.
If you’re having trouble coming up with good social media content ideas, or if the content you are sharing isn’t reaching your target audience, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Here are 10 social media content ideas for your small business to help jumpstart your online presence.
Articles and blog posts.
If you have a company blog, share the articles to your social media feeds with direct links. You can even repurpose old blog posts and apply them to different platforms.
Photos of people in your company.
Photos are a great way to show company culture. Plus, visuals help customers relate in a way that text simply just can’t. Sharing behind-the-scenes content is a fantastic way to build your brand via social media.
Contests and giveaways.
Running contests on social media is ideal for raising brand awareness and attracting potential customers. These do require a prize (which usually isn’t free). But, if you’ve got enough time to promote them, these types of posts can do very well—especially if you’ve got a reasonably large audience.
Polls and surveys.
Polls and surveys are very popular. Why? People love to be asked their opinion! Plus, asking your followers questions is an easy way to get more users interacting with your pages. And many social media platforms make it easy to do now. We suggest trying to incorporate one poll a week into your feeds.
Think about how you can make these polls and surveys fun. Ask your followers to vote on an upcoming product feature, for example. Make the input feel meaningful.
Videos/Reels.
Social media loves videos. You don’t need to post lengthy videos; short clips are highly effective.
Instagram recently created Reels, which allow you to create 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. Check out our Guide to Instagram Reels to learn how to create a reel on Instagram, and discover how to use Instagram Reels for your business.
Customer feedback.
One of the best social media features is interaction with customers. We are in a customer-centric economy, where customer opinion is held at the highest standard of value. When a customer says something nice about your business, showcase it!
Product announcement.
In today’s world, social media has become a source of influence on consumers and their buying behavior. If you have a new product on the horizon, announce it on various social media platforms to reach potential customers.
Product tutorial.
Tutorials often end up selling more stuff than straight promotions. Read that again.
Tips and tricks.
Be useful. Then be even more useful. Entire companies have been built on this premise.
Announce an event or award.
If you do any charity work, definitely mention it on social media. Include a photo, too. If you go to an event, take a photo and post it. Win an award? That’s definitely worth a post!
Unlock Your Creativity
Having a hard time creatively using social media to build your brand? We got you. At Social Creative, we help you stand out on social media and take your brand to the next level. Social media is our specialty; however, we are experienced in website design, Google My Business management, blog writing, graphic design, and launching new brands. Social media is just one part of the plan. We put it all together! Connect with us.
LinkedIn is an amazing networking tool. It presents many opportunities and benefits to business professionals, like helping to build awareness of your brand.
Your brand is the essence of your business. In this blog, we are going to show you how to use LinkedIn like a boss! So, get ready to make the most out of your LinkedIn profile and start building your brand.
How to Be a Boss on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is said to be “the world’s largest professional network with nearly 740 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.” So, it’s time to get serious about using LinkedIn to grow your brand.
#1 Complete Your LinkedIn Profile
Your profile can be a powerful part of your brand. Social media profiles, like LinkedIn, almost always show up on the first page of search engine results for a business’s (or individual’s) name. Therefore, it’s important to put in the effort to complete and optimize your LinkedIn Page.
Here are some key points to make your profile stand out:
Add a Professional Profile Picture. People are more likely to view and interact with profiles that have a professional headshot as a profile picture. You’ll also want to add a background image (often called a “banner”) that reflects your personality and your profession.
Use Keywords.Keywords are the words and phrases users and industry leaders search for online. Use keywords in your headline, summary, and experience for an added advantage, especially for networking. To determine which keywords should be featured on your LinkedIn Page, think about your key offerings. Your industry, location, and specialties are all important keywords to make prevalent throughout your LinkedIn Page.
Write a Strong ‘About’ Section. Your LinkedIn profile is like your resume, so make sure you have a strong headline conveying what you do and who you serve. Include your previous work history, education details, and at least four skills or areas of expertise. Be sure to include your website URL on your LinkedIn Page to drive traffic to your site.
#2 Start Connecting and Engaging
After your profile is complete, you need to start connecting and engaging with other users. The more connected you are, the more likely you are to appear in search results and the higher you are to appear in search rankings.
LinkedIn displays the number of connections you have on your profile, with a cap of 500. Having 500+ connections on LinkedIn gives you a greater chance of users being directed to your blog or website (this is why it is important to include your website URL on your LinkedIn Page).
If you have a Premium account, you can also use InMail. InMail allows you to send private messages to (most) LinkedIn members without any prior introduction or additional contact information.
#3 Join LinkedIn Groups – And Stay Active
Participating in LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your industry can be a valuable source of information, ideas, and support. Communicating regularly with other group members is a great way to develop your professional network.
To find relevant LinkedIn groups, you can use the search bar at the top of your profile page or find new groups via the ones you’ve already joined.
#4 Share Quality Content
Post high-quality content regularly! Why? Because consistent fresh content gets indexed and helps the search engine recognize your LinkedIn Page as “active” and as a valuable source of information.
We want to emphasize that LinkedIn is for business professionals, so make sure that your content is useful, informative, and relevant to your profession and professional connections.
Let Us Help You Stand Out
LinkedIn should be a part of your business’s social media marketing strategy if it’s not already. If you need help building or optimizing your LinkedIn profile, we’d love to chat!
At Social Creative, we help businesses creatively use social media to help build their brand. We don’t believe in inconsistently posting ordinary content. That won’t work. We strategically develop a social media plan for your business. Let’s get social!
If you’re not already using Linktree for Instagram, it could be the one link you’ll ever need! “Linktree makes your online content more discoverable, easier to manage, and more likely to convert.”
You may have seen Instagramers mentioning a bio link or using the hashtag #linkinbio. That’s because Instagram only allows you to place weblinks in one place: your bio. In other words, you can’t link from an individual post or in a comment. That’s where a bio link tool, like Linktree, comes in handy! It allows you to host multiple links in your Instagram bio. Instead of updating your bio link every time you publish a new blog post or start a promotion, you can update your Linktree landing page in just a few clicks.
Create a Linktree Account and Add to Your Instagram Profile
To add Linktree to your Instagram profile, visit Linktr.ee and click the Get Started For Free button, shown below:
Follow the instructions to create a free account.
After you create and verify your account, go to your Linktree dashboard and click the Add New Link button to begin adding your links.
When the My Links area opens, enter the link titleon the first line. This title is the text users will see in your list such as a blog post title or “Join Our Email List.”
On the second line, add the destination URL. Use the toggle on the right to set your new link to visible or hidden. If you want to include additional links, click Add New Button/Link and repeat these steps.
You can rearrange the order of the links and view the number of link clicks all from your Linktree dashboard. On the far right of the screen, you’ll see a live preview that shows how your links will look on Instagram after a visitor clicks the Linktree link in your bio.
Don’t forget to personalize your Linktree!
You can now add an extra personal touch by choosing from a number of themes. You’ll notice some of them are locked – that’s because there is a PRO version, for a monthly fee, that gives you additional customization options, like premium themes and more if you subscribe. However, subscription is not required.
Now, copy and paste your unique URL in your Instagram bio. It will look something like this:
When users click your custom link, they see a page with multiple links you want to share, such as links to your email signup, products, a blog post, and so on. You can share up to five links with Linktree.
How to Add a Link to Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a fun way to post content that only lasts for 24 hours. More and more Instagramers are getting on to view Stories versus scrolling through the feed. You can add stickers or Gifs to your Story that say “link in bio” – it lets the viewers know that they can find your content by clicking the link on your profile.
Linktree for Other Social Media Platforms
Once you’ve created a Linktree, you can use it anywhere! Instagram isn’t the only place that allows you to have a bio link. You could also use it on:
A LinkedIn profile to link to your portfolio, previous work, email and social profiles
Twitter bio to guide your audience to follow you across other platforms
Your business card
Posters and advertising
Your email signature
As your TikTok, Snapchat or Twitch bio link
As a link on your Whatsapp status
We’re Here to Help!
With Linktree you can share multiple links and drive more traffic to your business. Still have questions about how to use Linktree for Instagram or how you can benefit from using a bio link tool? We’re here to help!
Head over to our Instagram profile and click our link in our bio to see all the ways we can help you drive more traffic to your business. Or feel free to contact us – we’d love to chat!
It’s no secret, 2020 changed the way people and businesses use social media. In fact, since the coronavirus pandemic, social media is arguably the most instrumental channel for businesses.
So, what’s in store for 2021 and how will we use social networks?
We researched social media trends for 2021 and here’s what you need to know.
Maximize the Benefits
As social media takes center stage in a post-pandemic marketing world, it needs to integrate seamlessly with your broader marketing strategy in order to maximize the benefits. In a social media world, businesses must be willing to re-evaluate their social media strategies at the drop of a hat to minimize risk and maximize the opportunity to connect with consumers.
So, how can you build upon this growing trend to better plan your social media marketing strategies for a post-pandemic future?
In 2021, social ads, social experiences, and platform selection will be key to driving Return on Investment (ROI) from new customers.
Social Ads
Social ads are a quick way to reach the audience you want. With social ads, you can target brand new customers or returning ones. However, it’s important to understand which social networks perform well organically for your brand. The targeting and reporting that comes with social ads ensure you deliver relevant content to the right people on social media.
The Pew Research Center recently outlined a snapshot of the preferred platform of different demographics. We encourage you to take a look at the data, as it could greatly help you in your advertising strategy.
Social Experiences
Social experiences help build relationships and brand loyalty. According to the Harvard Business Review, in the Special Edition of The CMO Survey, consumers indicated that a “trusting relationship” is most important to them in a brand (beating out low price, product quality, and even innovation).
Smart businesses will understand that being transparent, authentic, and even vulnerable is smart marketing in 2021. As we’ve mentioned before in our previous blog, people connect with people. This means you should personify your brand in a way that reveals who and what you stand for so that it is clear to your followers.
Get more faces out there, create more video, and talk about what is important to your brand.
Platform Selection
It is important to consider how the platform you choose impacts consumers’ perception of your brand. It is equally important to consider marketing budgets and how that will impact your social platform effectiveness.
With trimmed marketing budgets in 2021, the most effective social platforms will likely be Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest.
Social media trends for 2021 will have a massive impact on users and brands alike. If you haven’t adapted to these new trends, it’s time you think about doing so to leverage your brand on social media.
If you need help keeping up with the social media trends during 2021, give us a shout.
Specific goal-setting is an absolute must-do for marketers. If you don’t know what you want, how are you supposed to achieve it? This goes for anything in life.
Not sure where to start? You’re not alone. We’ve compiled some tips to setting and achieving your social media goals.
Writing down your goals is paramount if you want to reach them. According to Forbes, people who vividly describe or picture their goals by simply writing them on a piece of paper are anywhere from 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to successfully accomplish their goals. That’s a significant difference in goal achievement!
Begin with a Big-Picture Objective
It’s important to set goals that you can achieve. Setting a goal often starts with an idea of the “big picture” — the result you want to achieve. Plus, beginning with a big-picture objective makes the goal-setting process less intimidating.
Here are some examples for reference:
Small business: engage local followers and grow a greater community presence.
Startup: build awareness for a new product and generate leads for it.
Enterprise company: provide a timely customer service channel to boost customer loyalty.
With a big-picture objective in mind, you can start to break down your goals into smaller action steps that will directly inspire and affect your day-to-day social activities.
Set SMART Goals
Here’s where we get into the nitty-gritty.
Once you’ve gotten your big-picture goals figured out, it’s time to outline your SMART social media objectives.
The SMART approach has been around since the early 1980’s and it’s still a commonly used method today. SMART goals aren’t just labeled with this adjective because of their effectiveness — each letter corresponds with a different requirement of the goal itself. Not only is this an easy way to outline your aspirations, but it challenges you to think critically about why you’re making this goal, how you’ll do it, and when you’ll accomplish it.
So what does the SMART acronym stand for?
Specific: Your goals should be clear, simple, and defined.
Measurable: This is where analytics come in. You want a goal that has one or more metrics.
Achievable: Is it achievable, or is it not possible within your resources?
Realistic: With your current resources of time and money, is it possible to achieve your goals?
Time-bound: Every goal needs a timeframe, whether it’s one year or several months.
See how that works? This approach to goal-setting results in direct action that’s backed up by data.
Track Your Results Over Time
Whether or not you’re reaching your goals depends on your ability to monitor your data over time.
Are you generating more clicks and getting better engagement? Is your audience growing?
Whether the answer is “yes” or “no,” you’ll know for sure if your action plan is working. For our Social Creative clients, we use an automated reporting system called dashthis. The reports are straightforward and allow us to see what is working well and where we can improve. Monitoring your metrics is a must if you want to reach goals.
What are your social media goals? Let Social Creative help!
Goal-setting is the common trend between marketers who are successful on social media. From brand awareness to boosting revenue and beyond, we encourage marketers to set specific, achievable social media goals. With our help, you can reach those goals sooner rather than later!
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