Is it possible for service providers to use TikTok to grow their business?
The short answer is yes! For the more detailed answer, along with some tips you can put into practice today, you’ll want to keep reading.
Love it or hate it, TikTok has grown immensely since it was raised from the ashes of the lip-syncing app Musical.ly. As a service provider, it makes sense that you are curious about how to grow your business using the app that has garnered over 3 billion downloads and offers a new way to get more attention.
Fellow Video Marketing & Social Media Strategist Keenya Kelly agreed to share her million-dollar expertise with us to outline the vital info you need to learn to leverage TikTok to reach your audience and fill your client schedule.
Not all apps are alike
Just because TikTok is another social media platform doesn’t mean you should apply your same exact Instagram strategy here.
“The biggest hurdle is understanding that TikTok is not Instagram or Facebook,” Keenya warned service providers and product sellers alike. “But it’s not a place where you have to be goofy and dance in order to market your business.”
TikTok is a platform unique in its own right. Underestimating it or thinking that you can copy-paste a strategy for another platform is going to backfire on you. But so will going off brand.
What’s a business to do?!
“Treat the platform like its own thing,” Keenya advised. “Understand that you’re new to the platform and don’t have an audience yet; don’t expect crazy success immediately.”
When you are starting to dive into marketing your services on TikTok, you’ll need to find the in-between by creating a plan that is unique both to you and the platform.
“Service providers can truly benefit from just creating content on TikTok. I feel like 90% of service providers are not creating content there at all and if they’d just get started they would have a lot of success.” – Keenya Kelly, @keenyakelly
The nitty-gritty: Get your account in shape
Whether you are selling products or consuming content you have heard someone talk about the app’s algorithm.
It’s like a social media god, dictating who sees what and for how long.
TikTok, while unique, does still have an algorithm that considers your profile along with the quality and content of your…well, content. Getting your account on point and making sure you have the right tools for the job will help set you up for success from the start.
1. Clean up that profile. A well-made and on-brand profile is vital on every platform. Make sure to keep these details in mind:
- Make sure you have a business account as it gives you access to a variety of tools and data that can help you thrive on the app.
- Create a bio that sets the tone for who you are and what you do. Don’t forget a good Call to Action!
- Include a link to your website and test to make sure it works. Remember if you are growing your audience that you won’t be able to add that link until you hit 1,000 followers which our next tip can help you with….
Build a Strong Relationship With Your Followers
2. Open your DMs. “You can’t put clickable links on your content but you can send people into your DM where you can always send them a link,” Keenya pointed out. “Yes we have the clickable link in our bio but the software doesn’t like it when we say ‘link in bio.’ Iit doesn’t mind though when I tell you to go into my DMs.”
3. Get familiar with CapCut: TikTok and CapCut are besties, meaning you need to get to know the tool as well. “CapCut is such an easy editing tool,” Keenya said. “You can add captions and there’s amazing Trends there and so many different features.”
4. Create a realistic posting schedule based on your current workload: If you are a one-person show, you likely won’t have the resources to post every day while still managing clients. Figure out a schedule that allows you to create quality content regularly without sending you to the madhouse. For example, in the first month you can post two times a week and then increase to three times a week the second month. Quality is always better than quantity and you can always up your production later when you have more time, people, and cash.
The content: Creating the right stuff for TikTok and your business
The better you know your brand, whether it is consulting, one-on-one yoga lessons or even, ya know, marketing services, the easier it is to create TikTok content that works for the platform, for your audience, and your business too. It will also help to keep these best practices in mind.
1. Stick to your brand. Okay so this one is important across the board. Going off brand confuses your audience. Don’t switch your brand imagery or tone just to fit a trend. Stick to what your brand is about and you will find the right audience sooner than you think.
2. Create content for the right audience. Cards on the table, this platform may not always be the right one for every audience. Consider the ages of the people that are on TikTok and make sure you really need to put your time and energy into the platform before you do. If your audience is here, make content for them.
3. Keep your nose clean on and off the app. We’ve all seen people wreck their reputation by posting a bad video or being caught in public acting out. Don’t let that be you. “You’ve got to be a good human on that platform, “ Keenya emphasized. “If you are not a good human–you’re lying about things, taking advantage of people, not paying people or whatever–you are going to get exposed. It is going to ruin your business and brand for quite some time, not just on TikTok, but on all social media.” At the end of the day, being a good person is always the better option.
4. Don’t re-use content from other platforms. Good ol’ TikTok doesn’t like content made for other platforms. Does TikTok need to feel special? Eh, maybe. Fact is, when you want to create for TikTok it can’t be a repost from another platform. As Keenya advised, “Never repost Instagram reels to TikTok. The software is so sensitive that it knows that that video is from Instagram because of the metadata so that video will not perform at all.”
5 Video ideas to use to sell services on TikTok
Service providers we hear you! You don’t have a product to showcase so how can you show off what you are trying to sell. We are going to give you a few ideas to help you get in the groove of creating content that gives your growing TikTok audience the right idea of what you have to offer.
1. Showcase your service in “action”: Massages, nail art, physical training, these are all the kinds of services that you can show in action. Grab a coworker or get verbal and written permission from your clients to capture video of what you do in real time. Don’t have a service that provides a lot of physical movement? You can also try something like a “talking head” video where you or one of your team talks to the camera directly and tells a story or talks on a subject that emphasizes you are the expert you claim to be.
2. Show before-and-afters: Contrast speaks volumes. Short contrasting videos that clearly show what a person, place, or item looked like before and after you worked with them can really grab your audience’s attention like getting short dyed hair after a break-up.
3. Get testimonials or reviews: Don’t knock testimonials! Let the people who love your brand already do some of the talking for you. There’s no shame in it and it can actually carry you further than your own boasting might. Consumers actually put more weight on the reviews of other consumers so, if your clients are willing, give them the mic!
4. Build your brand recognition. Not everything that happens on TikTok has to be geared toward selling. Customer retention is just as important as the initial conversion. Make sure to create content that gives viewers a look at what your brand represents so that you are at the front of their mind for future service needs again and again.
5. Look for what TikTok boosts: Algorithms will always be something to consider. While you do want to stay true to your brand, it doesn’t hurt to jump on some trends when they jive with what you offer. As Keenya said, “One thing that TikTok loves is when you use any new feature that they’re highlighting. Like right now they are really focused on videos over one minute long or videos that are shot horizontally.”
With TikTok changing all the time, it can be tough to keep up. It may also be rough to try to create the quantity and quality of content needed to be heard above the competition. There’s no reason to struggle with it alone when a team of pros is just a click away! We are here to get the spotlight on your business, big or small.
Contact RM Creative Services by sending a message to rachael@rmcsofficial.com or visiting our Contact page.
Written by Brianna Fries, a California-based writer, editor, bookworm, and mother of two. You can contact her at brianna@rmcsofficial.com and discover more of her work at briwritesthings.com.
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