I’ve managed at least $10M in ad spend. But, I’ve never ran an ad on TikTok.
In 2023, TikTok is where ad dollars are going. At least, for B2C brands. But for B2B? I was curious about whether brands are having success.
So, I asked the marketing experts at Terkel. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences with TikTok ads for B2B.
Does TikTok work for B2B? why or why not?
From providing opportunities to encouraging more engagement with audiences, here are 11 answers to the questions, “Does TikTok work for B2B? Why or why not?”
- Yes, It Provides Opportunities and Strategies
- Yes, Invest in TikTok for B2B Marketing
- No, Not Ideal for Most Industries
- No, It Only Works for a Younger Target Market
- Yes, It Lets You Get Your Message Across in a Fun Way
- Yes, However, It Might Not Be Worth the Time
- Yes, It Works to Reach a General Audience
- No, TikTok is Not a Viable Platform
- Yes, The Platform Can Reach Everywhere These Days
- Yes, Branding & Trust Signals = Increased Sales Conversions
- Yes, Allows for More Engagement with Audiences
Yes, It Provides Opportunities and Strategies
TikTok is mostly a B2C platform, as we primarily use it for entertainment and personal content. However, B2B companies can still use the platform to reach their target audience. For example, a B2B company that sells technology solutions to other businesses could create a TikTok account and post videos that showcase their products and explain how they can benefit other businesses.Another example could be a B2B company that provides services for other companies, such as marketing or consulting, which could create a TikTok account and post videos that provide helpful tips and advice for other businesses.
It might not be the most effective platform for B2B, but we can use it as an additional channel to reach potential customers and create brand awareness.
Brandon Brown, CEO, GRIN
Yes, Invest in TikTok for B2B Marketing
In fact, TikTok is a powerful tool for promoting B2B businesses. B2B can operate somewhat differently than B2C, where seizing trends and regularly distributing materials are essential. As a B2B brand, you may share videos on a range of subjects, including product tutorials, market analysis, rapid interviews with internal experts, problem-solving advice, and quick tips and tricks that show off your leadership.
They mostly made TikTok for natural discovery. But sometimes it makes sense to invest in buying advertisements. You should set aside a small amount of cash for the initial push if you are new to TikTok. This can help you establish a connection with them that perhaps biological methods can’t. Not to mention that paid advertisements let you experiment with different ad language and creative approaches to see which ads work best for your company.
Timothy Woods, Director, Carnivore Style
No, Not Ideal for Most Industries
TikTok can work for B2B, but it’s not an ideal platform for most industries. It’s best for consumer brands that want to reach a younger audience.In fact, most of the videos posted by B2B companies are informational sales videos that don’t really resonate with a younger audience. The best example I can think of is a company that sells outdoor equipment. They do a great job of creating informational sales videos, but they don’t really fit in with the vibe of the platform. It’s not surprising that they have a relatively small following on TikTok.
Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely
No, It Only Works for a Younger Target Market
TikTok is not the most effective platform for many B2B companies or products. TikTok is primarily a consumer-focused platform, and the user base is primarily made up of younger audiences, therefore it will mostly work for B2B companies whose market is younger.B2B companies that sell products or services to other businesses, such as industrial equipment or professional services, may find it more challenging to connect with their target audience on TikTok. Here, platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter may be more effective for B2B marketing.
Georgi Todorov, Founder, ThriveMyWay
Yes, It Lets You Get Your Message Across in a Fun Way
I’ve found TikTok to be very effective for B2B. It’s a great way to get your message across in an engaging, fun way. For example, recently we had a client who needed to reach out to potential clients who were interested in their services but hadn’t yet signed on. They wanted to get the word out about how their services could help companies and make them happier, more efficient businesses. We used TikTok to create short videos that talked about the benefits of our client’s product or service, then posted them on our client’s account and on individual accounts of people who had already signed up with us and were excited about what we could do for them.
Rengie Wisper, Marketing Manager, Check CPS
Yes, However, It Might Not Be Worth the Time
TikTok does work for B2B, but it is not the best platform available for your B2B marketing efforts. If your business runs a TikTok account and it shows off the fun side of your company and helps you build some reputation as being social—the people within the business can occasionally see it, which will help you in the long run by embedding that persona with that individual. It is more like a byproduct, however, rather than the more targeted marketing you can do with other, more business-friendly platforms. I still find LinkedIn to be the best for B2B, and I don’t see that changing soon.
Kate Kandefer, CEO, SEOwind
Yes, It Works to Reach a General Audience
TikTok works for B2B, but you need to be very strategic in how you use it. If you’re trying to reach a general audience and just want to have fun, TikTok can be a great way to connect with people and build your brand. However, if you’re trying to sell B2B products or services directly, TikTok can be a bit more challenging.
For example, if you’re a software company and you want to talk about how your software can help businesses automate their social media posting, you will not find many people on TikTok who are interested in hearing about that.Instead, you’ll need to talk about automation and marketing in a way that feels authentic to the TikTok community or connects with people who are interested in marketing and automation.
Luciano Colos, Founder and CEO, PitchGrade
No, TikTok Is Not a Viable Platform
TikTok is not a viable platform for B2B companies. They focus their primary user base on the Gen Z and Millennial demographics, which may not represent a typical B2B audience. That said, there are some exceptions to this rule. If your company or product has an appeal that speaks specifically to the young, tech-savvy demographic, then a B2B presence on TikTok may be worthwhile.
For example, HP recently launched a campaign on TikTok that showcases the versatility of its products and equipment for businesses. They used influencers to showcase how business owners and entrepreneurs can use HP products in various settings, like making videos for marketing or creating digital art. By leveraging influencers and the TikTok platform, HP could showcase its products in a fun, engaging way that resonated with its intended audience.
Martin Seeley, CEO, Mattress Next Day
Yes, The Platform Can Reach Everywhere These Days
TikTok seems to work for everything right now, because of its popularity and engagement levels. It’s incredible! B2B marketing differs from B2C marketing strategies, but we can use many of the same principles in both. For example, you’re trying to reach people and platforms like TikTok are where people congregate.Even in B2B marketing, it’s people who decide, so getting in front of them is an effective way to increase conversions. You may need to adjust messaging and the approach, but you can still reach the people who make the important decisions in B2B companies. TikTok is a major marketing tool right now and it can certainly work in B2B situations!
Shaun Connell, Founder and CEO, Credit Building Tips
Yes, Branding & Trust Signals = Increased Sales Conversions
Social media marketing is a powerful tool in helping to create increased brand awareness and trust in your business. For example, many B2B businesses have used TikTok’s influencer marketing capabilities to raise awareness of their products and services, and even to generate leads. By collaborating with influencers and creating engaging content, B2B businesses can build trust by showing off their expertise in a field and showing their commitment to their customers’ needs. This can ultimately lead to increased loyalty and improved sales performance.
Mark McShane, Marketing Director, Leeds First Aid Courses
Yes, Allows for More Engagement With Audiences
Unlike other social media platforms filled with bots that run most business accounts, on TikTok, your B2B venture will engage with a real person behind the account. This feature makes B2B marketing campaigns on TikTok more effective and more likely to boost ROI.A good example is when you start a challenge or join in on one, you engage directly with other businesses and create relationships that may help improve conversions.
Alvin Wei, Co-Founder and CMO, SEOAnt
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