The TikTok social media platform has been around since 2016, but it really seems to have come into its own during the pandemic. There are now some 800 million users worldwide who spend an average of almost an hour a day creating or watching TikTok’s 15 second self-made music videos (BusinessofApps).  TikTok is now the most downloaded app in the Apple App Store.

There may be an opportunity for your shop to use TikTok to reach new customers – especially if you  are aiming for a young demographic.  According to Statistica, 62 percent of TikTok users in the U.S. are between 10 and 29. (Only about 7% are over the age of 50.) The app allows users to share videos of themselves dancing, lip-syncing or singing – and to follow others whose videos they admire. Ever heard of Charli De’Amelio? She has over 100 million TikTok followers. 

You can shoot, edit and upload a video within the app, using music that TikTok provides. Like Instagram, the app uses hashtags to help viewers find the content of interest to them. Selecting music and topics that are popular draws a wider audience.  

There are not many retail shops using TikTok yet for paid advertising, and the company is trying to remedy that.  They have announced that they are partnering with local organizations to present a new series of Small Biz Block Parties “for small businesses ready to find new customers and grow on TikTok.”  They hope that these workshops will help small businesses create content that appeals for their customer base – and that some will go viral to attract a wide audience.

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroede