4 Pitfalls to Avoid When Using TikTok for Marketing Your Small Business

Marketing is not what it used to be. Today, you have to understand several different social media platforms and the tools they offer to effectively advertise your business. This can be a steep learning curve for many people, particularly in the dynamic realm of digital marketing innovations.

TikTok is one platform that many people use to market their businesses, products, and services. You do have to understand some things about this social media platform to effectively use it for your marketing. You will need to avoid these four potential pitfalls to get the most out of your TikTok marketing plan. Consider the following common mistakes that you should avoid.

     1. Making Boring Videos

TikTok is all about entertainment and you only have about 15 to 60 seconds to make a point with your audience. They are going to want to participate on the platform, not just watch the videos. This means that you should take the time to plan out your videos.

Look at popular videos in your industry. What makes these work? Why do so many people enjoy them? Do they encourage followers to participate as well? Are they funny? What makes the videos different? Use your creative skills and try to tap into your potential audience.

You need to remember once you start putting out a boring video or two, you won’t get the following and show up on people’s For You Page. This will make it harder for you to effectively market with your TikTok account in the future. 

     2. Not Using Music In Your Videos

TikTok makes it extremely easy to use music with your videos. This is because it started out as a music app. If you are putting videos out there but aren’t adding music, you aren’t using the platform to your advantage. Young people on the platform expect to hear music in the videos they watch. Music also makes videos more entertaining to watch.

It is easy to find trending songs or songs that are popular on TikTok. This will not only make your video more interesting, but it will also help you gain a following on TikTok. You can choose music from trending or viral videos or just choose pre-cleared music from TikTok’s Creative Center.

     3. Being Too Sales-Driven On The Platform

Everyone gets a bad feeling when they think someone is just trying to sell them something. This applies to most users on social media platforms but especially to TikTok users. Don’t use pushy sales tactics and the typical calls-to-action. This will annoy TikTok followers and make it hard for you to get more followers.

Instead, opt for more subtle ways of getting your products sold and try to avoid being sales-driven. Get your audience engaged with your brand instead. Once they’re familiar with your brand, potential customers may be more open to trying your products and services.

You can also use your products to create an entertaining and fun video and highlight unique ways these products can be used. Doing so will keep your audience engaged and they will want to try the product as well.

Once your TikTok audience is highly engaged, you can try the platform’s live shopping feature. Through this feature, you can showcase your products to an audience who’s watching in real-time through livestreaming. This way, you can interact with customers and answer their questions during the shopping process. 

     4. Not Utilizing All the Tools

TikTok is a platform that was developed for the creation of entertaining videos. There are tons of tools for editing the videos and making them more entertaining. From editing your video to adding special effects, there are dozens of ways you can enhance your video to make it more entertaining and convey your message better.

Look for trending special effects and start there if you are at a loss for ideas. There are effects like face filters and speeding the video up. Any of the effects can add depth to your video and increase your following, thus helping to grow your business.