TikTok Dives Deeper Into Corporate Marketing

TikTok for business?

It may have a faithful teen following, but the fast-growing video-sharing platform wants users to know it’s not just for antsy 14-year-olds, but also for adults in general and marketing specialists in particular.

Owned by Beijing-based tech giant ByteDance, TikTok on Thursday (June 25) rolled out TikTok For Business, which it describes as “our global brand and platform that is home to all current and future marketing solutions for brands.”

“TikTok For Business solutions are designed to give brands and marketers the tools to be creative storytellers and meaningfully engage with the TikTok community,” wrote Katie Puris, TikTok’s managing director for global business marketing, in a press release.

The TikTok For Business website offers an extended pitch to companies, detailing the advantages of rolling out social media and ad campaigns using the video-sharing app.

Companies that use TikTok to promote their products can “turn culture into a cult-like following” and “engage with users who are at the forefront of the latest trends and movements,” according to the company’s website.

The site also offers some short case studies of companies that have used TikTok for various promotions, such as Universal Pictures, Clean & Clear and Guess.

Guess issued an #InMyDenim Hashtag Challenge on TikTok that encouraged users to post and share videos featuring their favorite denim outfits on the theme of “transforming your looks.”

Not included, but very pertinent, is a new Burger King promotion that lets customers buy Whoppers for $1 if they post videos on TikTok featuring a specialized BK soundtrack.

According to Hootsuite, half of all TikTok users are between 18-24 years of age, with another 27 percent in the 13-17-year-old age group. A smaller number, 15 percent, are 35 and older.

“Brands are an important part of the TikTok experience,” Puris noted. “Whether they are starting trends, connecting communities or bringing awareness to critical public service initiatives, brands are creating authentic audiences built on the foundation of sharing joy.”