TikTok Marketing
How to Leverage TikTok for Local Businesses
If you're a local business owner, you're likely tired of relying on the same old marketing channels that don't deliver the results you need. You've tried Facebook Ads, Google My Business, and local SEO, but you're still struggling to attract new customers. It's time to think outside the box and explore the latest social media platform that's taking the world by storm: TikTok.
500M↑
Active TikTok Users
Source: Statista, 2024
2B↑
Daily TikTok Views
Source: Hootsuite, 2024
10M↑
Local Businesses on TikTok
Source: AdEspresso, 2024
100%↑
Year-over-Year Growth
Source: Statista, 2024
As a local business owner, you might be wondering how TikTok can help you reach your target audience. The answer is simple: TikTok's massive reach and engagement offer the perfect opportunity to showcase your business and attract new customers.
Now, let's dive into the details of how to leverage TikTok for your local business.
Creating a TikTok Account for Your Local Business
Creating a TikTok account for your local business is the first step to leveraging the platform's massive reach and engagement. Here are the steps to follow:
- Download the TikTok app and sign up for an account.
- Complete your profile with a profile picture, bio, and contact information.
- Start creating content that showcases your business and appeals to your target audience.
Choosing the Right Content for Your Local Business
When it comes to creating content for your local business on TikTok, you need to choose the right type of content that resonates with your target audience. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Showcase your products or services: Use high-quality visuals and videos to showcase your products or services.
- Share customer testimonials: Encourage your satisfied customers to share their experiences with your business.
- Share behind-the-scenes content: Give your followers a glimpse into the inner workings of your business.
- Use humor and creativity: Use humor and creativity to make your content stand out.
Using Hashtags to Reach a Wider Audience
Hashtags are a great way to reach a wider audience on TikTok. Here are some tips on how to use hashtags effectively:
- Research relevant hashtags: Use tools like Hashtagify or RiteTag to research relevant hashtags for your business.
- Use a mix of niche and broad hashtags: Use a mix of niche and broad hashtags to reach both specific and general audiences.
- Don't overdo it: Use 3-5 hashtags per post to avoid looking spammy.
Collaborating with Influencers to Reach a Wider Audience
Collaborating with influencers is a great way to reach a wider audience on TikTok. Here are some tips on how to collaborate with influencers effectively:
- Research influencers: Research influencers who have a following that aligns with your target audience.
- Reach out to influencers: Reach out to influencers and propose a collaboration.
- Set clear expectations: Set clear expectations for the collaboration, including the type of content and the promotion of your business.
TikTok Influencer Engagement
Nano-InfluencersBest
80%Micro-Influencers
70%Mid-Tier Influencers
60%Macro-Influencers
50%Source: AspireIQ, 2024
As you can see from the chart above, nano-influencers have the highest engagement rates on TikTok. This is because nano-influencers have a highly engaged audience that is more likely to interact with their content.
Pro Tip
Use TikTok's Duet feature to collaborate with influencers and create engaging content for your followers.
Watch Out
Be cautious when collaborating with influencers, as some influencers may have a fake following or engage in spammy behavior.
Measuring the Success of Your TikTok Campaign
Measuring the success of your TikTok campaign is crucial to understanding what's working and what's not. Here are some metrics to track:
- Engagement rate: Track the engagement rate of your posts to see how well they're performing.
- Reach: Track the reach of your posts to see how many people are seeing your content.
- Website traffic: Track the website traffic generated by your TikTok campaign to see how well it's driving sales.
DataLatte Take
DataLatte's TikTok experts can help you create a customized campaign that drives real results for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is TikTok, and how can it help my local business?
A: TikTok is a social media platform that allows you to create and share short-form videos. It can help your local business by reaching a wider audience and increasing engagement.
Q: How do I create a TikTok account for my local business?
A: To create a TikTok account for your local business, download the TikTok app and sign up for an account. Complete your profile with a profile picture, bio, and contact information.
Q: What type of content should I create for my local business on TikTok?
A: Create content that showcases your products or services, shares customer testimonials, and gives a glimpse into the inner workings of your business.
Q: How can I collaborate with influencers on TikTok?
A: Research influencers who have a following that aligns with your target audience and reach out to them to propose a collaboration.
Conclusion
TikTok is a powerful social media platform that can help your local business reach a wider audience and increase engagement. By creating a TikTok account, choosing the right content, using hashtags, collaborating with influencers, and measuring the success of your campaign, you can drive real results for your business.
If you're ready to take your local business to the next level, contact DataLatte today to schedule a free audit and learn how to leverage TikTok for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Isn't TikTok for teenagers? My customers are 35–60. Should I even bother?
TikTok's largest user demographic in the US is now 25–44. That's 35% of the user base. The 18–24 demographic dropped to 25%. Your customers are already there — they're just not telling you. A dentist in Austin posted about teeth whitening and her 45-year-old patients started asking about it. She didn't tell them she was on TikTok. They found her themselves.
Q: How much time does this actually take per day? I run my business, I'm not a content creator.
15 minutes. Seriously. Film three clips of whatever is happening in your business. A customer walking in. A product being made. A funny moment. Upload them. Write a caption that sounds like you talking to a friend. That's it. The people who spend hours editing get worse results because it looks overproduced.
Q: Do I need to buy a fancy camera or lighting?
No. The most successful local business TikToks on my client list were shot on an iPhone 11 with a cracked screen. TikTok compresses video quality anyway. Natural light from a window or your shop's regular lighting is fine. If you're worried, hold your phone still and clean the lens with your shirt. That's your entire production budget.
Q: What if I get a negative comment or a troll?
Ignore it or reply with "thanks for the feedback" and nothing else. Do not engage. Do not delete it unless it's hate speech. One negative comment often drives more engagement because your real customers will defend you. I've seen a bakery get 500 more views because someone said their cookies looked dry and 30 regulars jumped in to say they were wrong.
Q: Should I use trending audio or create my own?
Use trending audio if it fits your content naturally. But don't force it. I've seen a dog groomer use a sad slow song for a before-and-after grooming video and it got 200,000 views. The audio wasn't "trending" — it just worked. The algorithm cares more about whether people watch your video for 3 seconds than whether you used the right sound.
Q: How do I know if TikTok is actually bringing me customers?
Put a unique link in your bio — a Google Form, a landing page on Mailchimp, a Booksy booking link. Then ask every new customer how they found you. You can also run a simple poll on TikTok asking "how did you find us?" People will answer. Or just track foot traffic on your Square or Toast system and compare it to your posting frequency. If you post consistently for two weeks and sales don't budge, your content is the problem, not the platform.
I ran digital campaigns for a decade at agencies that charged clients $50,000 a month for strategies written by 24-year-olds who had never met a small business owner. The truth is, TikTok works for local businesses not because it's sophisticated, but because it's the first platform where showing up as yourself is actually the right strategy.
You don't need a marketing degree. You need a phone, a willingness to look slightly awkward in front of your own shop, and about 15 minutes a day. The customers are already scrolling. They're waiting to see something real.
If you want me to look at your current TikTok and tell you which videos are wasting your time and which ones could actually drive revenue, I'll buy the coffee. Book a free consultation
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Nataliia
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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