TikTok has launched a new initiative aimed at small businesses called “Follow Me,” with the goal of helping them get to grips with TikTok tools you can use to market your business.
Social media management can be a thorn in the side of many businesses — especially small ones without tech-savvy employees — so more support from apps like TikTok will lower the barrier of access to thousands.
With Facebook no longer the epicenter of social media marketing (at least not for Gen Z), it’s no surprise that apps like TikTok are looking to make their app more amenable to business audiences.
The Lowdown on Follow Me
The Follow Me program will offer businesses a crash course in the variety of functions, features, and tools that TikTok currently provides, and how they could be utilized in your company’s social media strategy.
TikTok describes the program — which runs for six weeks from July 11 to August 19 — as a “multi-channel educational experience” that will “drive real-world results.”
The program will include a guide to setting up a free business account, access to the creative center, and most importantly “insights into how TikTok’s Ads Manager and Promotion features can be leveraged to further reinforce campaign outcomes.”
The skills learned through the program will help small businesses get a slice of the $11.6 billion of advertising revenue being made through TikTok.
TikTok’s Small Business Ambassadors
TikTok also referenced two “Small Business Ambassadors” — Tassel Amor founder Cassie Sorensen and Feel your Soul owner Jacob Zander — who will share their journeys and let you in on all the tips and tricks you need to know to get ahead on the platform.
A lot of small businesses have already found success promoting themselves on TikTok, with some even becoming internationally renowned via the platform. Having real-world examples to refer to in the shape of ambassadors aligns with the app’s community-orientated approach.
Since the mid-2010s, it’s provided something different to Facebook pages or Twitter accounts which, for all their marketing and promotional pros, don’t quite capture the reality of products, experiences or simply working life for employees in the way TikTok does.
Program Comes Amid Scrutiny
TikTok’s desire to attract more small businesses to the platform comes amid one of the most testing times for the app since it was launched.
TikTok is a subsidiary of ByteDance, a Chinese company. Recently, Buzzfeed revealed via 80 secret video recordings that staff had reportedly been accessing US user data, despite a TikTok executive appearing in front of Congress and testifying that that was not the case.
The entire saga has made the status of TikTok in the US uncertain, for both businesses and consumers. But for now, it still remains one of the best places to digitally market your business, and, with the Follow Me program, managing your social media on the app has never been easier.
