TikTok is introducing a new series featuring how small business owners have found unexpected success using the platform’s powerful marketing tools.
TikTok is launching “Small Wins,” a new initiative aimed at helping small business owners to connect with TikTok audiences and drive business.
The initiative highlights small businesses from across the globe in a new series of videos to educate small business owners on how to best use the power of TikTok marketing. “From the bakery owner who turned 3,000 followers into two million, to the candlemaker who went viral without even trying, small businesses of all kinds are showing that on TikTok, small does win.”
The platform has previously shown support to small businesses by providing them with a $100 million ad credit fund, setting up a grant program for Latinx small business owners, and launching a series of educational workshops.
Whether setting up their first account or creating their 50th video, TikTok’s small business tools make it easy to get the job done—and get results. Smart technology, data-driven insights, and key partnerships come together to form a next-level marketing strategy.
TikTok equips its Business Accounts, with valuable tools, like access to its content management platform, Commercial Music Library, and internal data analytics. In addition, brands can launch paid campaigns in minutes on TikTok Ads Manager.
Features like Smart Video Soundtrack and TikTok Ad Studio make it easy for busy small business owners to set up ads quickly and sell their products on Shopify, thanks to TikTok’s partnership with the e-commerce platform.
Businesses taking part in Small Wins don’t need big budgets or celebrity endorsements, as marketing on TikTok is about being authentic and matching your content to your brand’s identity in a genuine way.
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For example, Carpet Repair Guys, a Bay Area carpet repair business that has turned the easily-overlooked art of carpet repair into a true TikTok phenomenon, gathered 762,000 followers and 19.6 million likes after a series of trials and errors.
Its founder Josh Nolan explains, “I was doing no stories or narration—more effects to try to make it like a 10-15-20 second pan of the repair with some little slider/camera trick effects or whatever, and then I started seeing some other videos where I was talking do better with the numbers, so then I just started talking more, and then that’s kind of my format for the most part now.”
Some of the most successful small businesses have discovered their authentic style by accident. For example, Natural Annie Essentials, a Connecticut-based soy candle company with Jamaican roots, had its first viral hit when its owner accidentally recorded herself trying to figure out the app. Since then, Brown has become a prolific TikTok creator, frequently posting candid videos about her life and business.
As TikTok explains in a recent post, the platform “connects people and businesses in a way that other platforms can’t. Its uniquely engaging format allows users to find and interact with niche brands that they would never have known about before. This leads to the discovery of new brands and products.”
For example, a Tokyo-based chicken joint, Yakitori Don, was discovered by the TikTok community when its charismatic owner realized that many young people have experience working in the food and beverage industry, and they might appreciate funny videos about life at a restaurant.
This relatable concept, combined with Hiroaki’s natural sense of humor, led this TikTok account to 173k+ followers.