In my last blog post, I talked about how you can prepare for a video shoot, but what is the point of creating content when you don't have a strategy. Click here if you haven't read my "How to prepare for a video shoot" blog post. Sure random content will fill your channels with content but it won't get you clients, followers, or engagement.

It is crucial to create content that aligns with your content strategy, but what do you do if you don't have a strategy in place? Don't worry, I got you covered. This blog post breaks down how to approach TikTok so you don't post random content with no purpose.

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Enrollment is open 〰️

The doors are open to enrolling in my online course. This course is for everyone who wants to learn how to leverage the power of content marketing to attract, engage and convert clients. I did not create this course for business owners only. I also created it for everyone who wants to shift towards a digital marketing career, to get better paid, or finally make money with your skill.

Keep on reading if you want to know how to reach your ideal audience on TikTok with an authentic short-form video.

Why business owners should consider TikTok

Everyone is using social media. Whether you are using TikTok or not, you have seen TikTok content to a certain extent. It did not take long for TikTok's content to appear on other social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Tiktok content is basically spreading like wildfire but in a good way. Regardless of which platform your audience uses, they've seen a TikTok video.

But that's not the only reason why you should create short-form videos on TikTok. Another huge aspect is the amount of time a user spends on the platform. A user spends roughly 112 minutes consuming video content. That's 112 minutes of scrolling the For You Page, checking out newly discovered creators, watching playlists, and sharing videos with friends. That's almost two hours of opportunities for your product or service.

The only other comparable platform would be YouTube, but it is not as easy as TikTok to be discovered by users.

Additionally, TikTok is known for its fantastic reach for content creators. Countless people went viral with just one video, which changed their entire lives simply because the video had the right message, was posted at the right time, and drove thousands of users to the profile. Going viral on TikTok is not a once in a blue moon situation. It happens daily.

When it comes to incorporating TikTik into your daily routine, that's a no-brainer. The potential massive reach and cross-pollination of videos to other platforms make TikTok truly unique.

#1 Storytelling

Storytelling is more important than ever, and storytelling on TikTok might look a bit different. In the traditional sense, the viewer would either see or read a story, but on TikTok, storytelling includes not only the caption, the words you are saying but also the background music, the words on the screen, the movements, and the expressions. Storytelling on TikTok is a whole experience, and when executed correctly, it will be rewarded with views.
Apart from the views, storytelling builds credibility and positions yourself as someone knowledgeable in your niche. Remember those 112 minutes spent on the platform? 112 minutes roughly correlate to 120+ videos, and after watching 100+ videos, who do you think will be remembered? The video that talks about being a business owner or the video that connects on an emotional level with the viewer?

#2 Use all the character limits to perfect your captions

This one might surprise you, but hashtags are basically useless in Tiktok. I see so many creators use the limited amount of characters in the caption to fill them up with hashtags. That's the wrong approach for your content to be seen by thousands of people.

The reason why hashtags are useless is because TikTok's algorithm is extremely sophisticated. The algorithm can identify what you are talking about in your video and what you are doing in your video. This means hashtags are not needed to categorize your content and reach your audience. Users don't open the app to type in a hashtag to consume content, or did you ever use TikTok that way?

Instead of writing, "My favorite tools. #businessowner #fyp #entreprenur #tools #toolsforbusiness you should write "My top five business tools to work more effectively so you can spend more time with your family." The second is more powerful and relatable.

Again, hashtags used to be more necessary but nowadays, you should focus more on the keywords you are using in your caption to tell a story.

#3 Create viral content

I would say that applies to all social media platforms out there, quality over quantity. Don't publish content just to publish, especially when it comes to videos.

Don't publish videos that have poor audio quality or look bad. You should publish 5 stellar videos than 30 mediocre ones. Another thing you want to avoid as well is reading off scripts. I've seen so many business owners do this, and it sounds like a robot. Memorizing or reading a script does not sound genuine. Most of the time, when you are trying so hard to remember the words, your facial expression shows that. Your body language changes when you are simply reading a script. Words that are supposed to be exciting come across as not dull and emotionless. Viewers will catch on to this and not go back to watch more of your videos.

Search your niche on TikTok and look at all the top-performing videos. Don't look at them in a way where you would judge them but rather dissect the video. Where was the video filmed, what music was used, and what transitions were made? Be intentional when you review those videos. How can you structure your videos to be similar but different at the same time?

#4 Don't use a business account

Another shocker! If you are just starting out and want to build a following on TikTok, I recommend creating your account as a personal account. This will give you more opportunities to use trending sounds since the majority of them are not licensed for business use.

The biggest difference between a personal and a business account is the ability to include an email and website prompt.

Once you build a decent-sized following, you can convert your account into a business account. By that time, you have created trust and credibility with your followers, making it easier to direct them to your website.