Your Step-by-Step Guide to Using TikTok as a Brand
TikTok is a social media platform known for short-form video content. It boasts a massive user base that exceeds one billion users globally. Brand owners utilize TikTok’s viral potential and creative features to effectively promote and sell their products.
This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to create a TikTok business account. We also provide instructions on how to optimize your TikTok bio. Furthermore, it guides you on how to use TikTok business manager as well as how to create engaging content on TikTok. Lastly, you get a section that provides insight on how to turn off your TikTok business account as well as a frequently asked questions (FAQs) section.
Table of Contents
5 Steps to Create a TikTok Business Account
Creating a TikTok Business Account involves five steps: download and install the TikTok app, sign up with your email or social media, switch to a Business Account in settings, choose a business category, and optimize your profile with a clear picture, concise bio, and relevant links. These steps help businesses establish their presence and access specialized features on TikTok.
1. Download and Install TikTok
Begin by downloading the TikTok app from your smartphone’s app store. Ensure your device is compatible and has sufficient storage. Install the app, then open it to start the account creation process.
2. Sign Up for a TikTok Account
Choose the ‘Sign Up’ option on the app. You can sign up using your email, phone number, or a linked social media account. Follow the prompts, entering the required information accurately to ensure a smooth setup.
3. Switch to a Business Account
Once your personal account is active, go to your profile and access ‘Settings and Privacy’. Here, select ‘Manage Account’, then tap on ‘Switch to Business Account’. This change allows access to business-specific features.
4. Select Your Business Category
After switching, TikTok will prompt you to choose a business category. Select one that best represents your business. This categorization helps TikTok tailor your experience and recommend relevant content.
5. Optimize Your Profile
Finally, optimize your business profile. Add a clear profile picture, a concise bio, and links to your website or other social media. This information is crucial for branding and helps users understand your business at a glance.
Now that we know how to create a TikTok business account, let’s dig into how you can optimize it for the best traffic.
15 Things to Consider to Optimize Your TikTok Bio
To optimize your TikTok bio, use clear, concise language for relatability and a positive first impression. Include industry keywords, unique selling points, a compelling call-to-action, emojis for personality, and endorsements for credibility. Personalize, update, link to other platforms, and include contact info. Use relevant hashtags, mention collaborations and achievements, and reflect your brand’s values for a like-minded audience and deeper connection.
1. Use Clear and Concise Language
When crafting your TikTok bio, prioritize simplicity and clarity. Avoid jargon or overly complex phrases, as your bio is often the first interaction users have with your brand. Aim for a balance between professionalism and the informal, engaging tone typical of TikTok. This approach ensures that your brand’s message is easily understood by a wide audience, making it more approachable and relatable. A clear and concise bio helps in creating a positive first impression, crucial in building a lasting relationship with your audience.
2. Incorporate Relevant Keywords
Including relevant keywords in your bio is vital for searchability and relevance. Research keywords that are trending in your industry or are commonly associated with your products or services. Use these keywords naturally in your bio, making it more likely for your profile to appear in search results when users look for content related to your niche. This strategy not only increases your visibility on the platform but also attracts a more targeted audience, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
3. Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs)
Your bio should succinctly communicate what makes your brand unique. Identify the key aspects of your products or services that differentiate you from competitors. This could include exceptional quality, innovative features, or a unique brand story. Articulating these USPs clearly in your bio helps to capture the attention of potential customers. It communicates the value you offer, encouraging users to explore your content further and engage with your brand, thereby fostering brand loyalty and customer retention.
4. Include a Call-to-Action (CTA)
A strong call-to-action in your bio can significantly influence user engagement. Encourage visitors to take a specific action, like visiting your website, checking out a new product, or following your profile. This directive should be clear and compelling, guiding users on what to do next after they discover your profile. By including a CTA, you actively guide potential customers towards deeper engagement with your brand, increasing the likelihood of conversions and building a more interactive follower base.
5. Utilize Emojis and Visual Elements
Emojis can add personality and visual appeal to your bio, making it more engaging and memorable. Choose emojis that align with your brand personality and the tone of your content. They can also be used to highlight key points or break up text for easier readability. This visual element makes your bio more attractive and can help convey your brand’s personality in a more relatable and humanized manner, appealing to the TikTok audience’s preference for visual storytelling.
6. Update Regularly with Relevant Information
Keep your bio updated with current information, such as new product launches, upcoming events, or special promotions. This keeps your profile fresh and relevant, and gives followers and new visitors a reason to engage with your content regularly. Regular updates also show that your brand is active and evolving, which can help in building trust and credibility with your audience. An updated bio ensures that your audience is always informed about the latest happenings with your brand, fostering continuous engagement.
7. Link to Other Platforms or Websites
Utilize the limited space in your bio to provide a link to your business website, online store, or other social media platforms. This not only drives traffic to these sites but also offers a more comprehensive view of your brand and its offerings. Including a link is particularly effective for conversion, as it provides a direct pathway for potential customers to make purchases or learn more about your services. This strategy helps in bridging the gap between your TikTok presence and other business platforms, creating a cohesive online presence.
8. Showcase Social Proof or Endorsements
If applicable, mention any notable awards, recognitions, or endorsements in your bio. This could include media features, celebrity endorsements, or industry accolades. Highlighting these achievements lends credibility and prestige to your brand. It helps in building trust with your audience, as social proof is a powerful influencer in consumer decision-making. By showcasing these endorsements, you’re not only enhancing your brand’s reputation but also encouraging new users to take your brand more seriously.
9. Personalize with Brand Voice and Tone
Ensure that your bio reflects your brand’s unique voice and tone. Whether your brand is playful, professional, edgy, or inspirational, your bio should be a reflection of these characteristics. This consistency in voice and tone helps in establishing a strong brand identity and makes your profile more relatable to your target audience. A bio that resonates with your brand’s personality can create a more engaging and authentic experience for users, fostering a stronger emotional connection with your audience.
10. Monitor and Adapt Based on Performance
Regularly review the performance of your bio in terms of engagement and conversions. Use analytics to understand how changes in your bio affect your profile’s performance. Be willing to adapt and tweak your bio based on what resonates best with your audience. This continuous improvement approach ensures that your bio remains effective and relevant, maximizing its potential as a tool for brand promotion and audience engagement on TikTok.
11. Highlight Contact Information
If your business model relies on direct communication with customers, include contact information in your bio. This can be an email address, phone number, or a link to a contact form. Making it easy for users to reach out to you enhances customer service and can lead to increased business inquiries. Clear contact information is particularly important for service-based businesses or B2B companies where direct communication is key to the sales process.
12. Use Hashtags Strategically
Incorporate relevant hashtags into your bio. Choose hashtags that are popular within your industry, as well as any branded hashtags unique to your company. This can improve discoverability not only for your profile but also for your content. Hashtags act like keywords, making your profile more likely to be found by users interested in those specific topics or themes.
13. Mention Collaborations or Partnerships
If you’ve collaborated with other brands or influencers, mention this in your bio. This can increase your brand’s credibility and appeal, especially if the collaborations are with well-known entities. It also shows that your brand is connected and active within the industry or community, which can attract new followers who are interested in those specific collaborations or partners.
14. Showcase Achievements or Milestones
If your brand has reached significant milestones, such as a certain number of followers, years in business, or customer success stories, mention these in your bio. Celebrating achievements humanizes your brand and can create a sense of shared success with your followers. It also provides social proof to new visitors, indicating the growth and stability of your brand.
15. Reflect Your Brand’s Values or Mission
Briefly state or imply your brand’s core values or mission in your bio. This helps in attracting a like-minded audience who shares or supports those values. A bio that communicates what your brand stands for can foster a deeper connection with your audience, as it goes beyond just selling a product or service and touches on the broader impact or purpose of your brand.
Now that we’ve discussed how to optimize your TikTok bio, let’s discuss how you can utilize TikTok business manager to its fullest potential.
12 Steps to Use TikTok Business Manager
To manage your brand effectively on TikTok Business Manager, create a Business Account, set up the dashboard, customize it, add assets, and collaborate with your team. Use TikTok Ads Manager for ad campaigns, optimize objectives, audience, and budget. Utilize creative tools, Audience Insights, and TikTok Pixel for tracking. Manage e-commerce catalogs on TikTok. Stay responsive to trends, schedule content, engage with your audience, and build a loyal community.
1. Create a TikTok Business Account
To use TikTok Business Manager, you first need to create a TikTok Business Account. Navigate to the TikTok Business website and sign up using your business details. This account is different from your regular TikTok profile, as it provides access to advanced business tools and analytics. For example, a clothing brand can use the business account to track the performance of its promotional videos, gaining insights into customer preferences and engagement.
2. Set Up Your Business Manager
Once you have a Business Account, access the TikTok Business Manager. This is a dashboard where you can manage your advertising campaigns, assets, and data. You’ll need to input your business information and configure settings according to your needs. A local bakery, for example, can use the Business Manager to create targeted advertising campaigns for their new pastry line, reaching local customers effectively.
3. Add Assets and Team Members
In Business Manager, you can add assets like ad accounts, catalogs, and pixels. You can also invite team members and assign them roles and permissions. This step is crucial for collaborative work and managing multiple aspects of your marketing strategy. A tech startup, for instance, could assign different team members to handle different product campaigns, ensuring specialized focus and better campaign management.
4. Create and Manage Ad Campaigns
Utilize the TikTok Ads Manager within the Business Manager to create and manage your ad campaigns. Here, you can set your campaign objectives, target audience, budget, and schedule. A detailed analysis of campaign performance is also available. For instance, a fitness app could create a campaign targeting young adults interested in fitness, optimizing the ad spend to maximize app downloads.
5. Analyze Performance Data
Regularly check the analytics provided by TikTok Business Manager. This data includes engagement rates, reach, and conversion metrics. Analyzing this data helps in understanding the effectiveness of your campaigns and making informed decisions. A fashion retailer, for instance, can track which ads are leading to the most online sales and adjust their strategy accordingly for better ROI.
6. Leverage TikTok’s Creative Tools
TikTok Business Manager offers various creative tools and resources to enhance your content. Use these tools to create engaging and platform-specific content that resonates with your audience. For example, a beauty brand can use trending music and effects to create eye-catching product demonstration videos, increasing brand visibility and customer engagement.
7. Explore Audience Insights
Dive into the Audience Insights feature in the TikTok Business Manager. This tool provides detailed information about your audience’s demographics, interests, and behavior on the platform. Utilizing these insights helps in tailoring your content and ads to better match your audience’s preferences. For instance, a gaming company can identify popular trends among their followers and create content or ads that align with these interests, increasing user engagement and brand loyalty.
8. Utilize the Pixel for Website Tracking
Install the TikTok Pixel on your website, available through the Business Manager. This pixel tracks user actions on your website, allowing for more targeted and effective advertising. For example, an online bookstore can track which books visitors view the most and retarget those visitors with ads for those specific books on TikTok, enhancing the likelihood of purchase.
9. Manage Your Catalog
If you’re an e-commerce business, use the Business Manager to manage your product catalog. This feature allows you to showcase your products directly on TikTok, facilitating easier discovery and purchase. A clothing retailer, for example, can upload their product catalog to TikTok, making it simple for users to browse and shop their collection directly through the app.
10. Respond to Trends and Adapt Strategies
Regularly monitor the latest trends on TikTok and adapt your marketing strategies accordingly. Use the Business Manager to quickly respond to these trends by updating your campaigns or content. A food and beverage company, for instance, can capitalize on a viral food trend by creating related content or ads, tapping into the trend’s popularity to increase brand exposure.
11. Schedule Content and Campaigns
Plan and schedule your content and campaigns in advance using the Business Manager. This helps in maintaining a consistent presence on the platform without the need for daily manual updates. A travel agency can schedule posts about different destinations, ensuring a steady stream of engaging content that keeps their audience interested and informed.
12. Engage with Your Audience
Use the Business Manager to track comments and messages, and engage with your audience. Responding to comments and messages can build a strong community and increase customer loyalty. A beauty brand, for example, can use these interactions to answer product queries or thank users for their feedback, fostering a positive brand image and customer relationship.
Now that we’ve delved into how you can use TikTok business manager, let’s discuss how you can create engaging content on your TikTok account.
4 Steps Turn Off a Business Account on TikTok
To deactivate a business account on TikTok, open the app, access your profile, and tap the ‘Settings and Privacy’ icon in the top right corner. Select ‘Manage Account’ within these settings, and look for the option to switch back to a personal account. Confirm the switch, and your account will become personal, retaining content and followers but losing business features like analytics and ad tools. This change won’t impact existing content or followers, only the available tools and settings on the platform.
Here are the steps in more detail:
1. Open TikTok and Access Your Profile
Start by opening the TikTok app on your device. Once the app is open, navigate to your profile by tapping the profile icon, usually located at the bottom right of the screen. This action takes you to your personal TikTok page, where you can manage various aspects of your account. It’s important to ensure you’re logged into the correct account before proceeding to the next steps.
2. Go to Settings and Privacy
In your profile, look for the three dots or lines icon that represents the ‘Settings and Privacy’ menu. This icon is typically found in the top right corner of your profile page. Tapping this icon will open a new menu where you can adjust various settings related to your TikTok account. This area allows you to control your privacy, account settings, and other important features.
3. Select ‘Manage Account’ Option
Within the ‘Settings and Privacy’ menu, find and select the option labeled ‘Manage Account’. This section is dedicated to core account settings, including information about your login details, security, and account type. The ‘Manage Account’ section is crucial for making changes to the fundamental aspects of your TikTok account, including switching account types.
4. Switch to a Personal Account
In the ‘Manage Account’ settings, look for an option to switch to a personal account. This option allows you to change your account type from a business account back to a personal account. Once you select this option, TikTok might ask you to confirm your choice. Confirm the switch, and your account will revert to a personal account, removing business-specific features like analytics and ad tools. This change does not affect your existing content or followers but alters the tools and settings available to you on the platform.
Now that we know how to turn off a TikTok business account, let’s answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a TikTok Business Account?
A TikTok Business Account is a type of profile on TikTok specifically designed for businesses, offering advanced features like analytics and advertising tools. Unlike a personal account, it provides insights into your audience and the performance of your content, crucial for marketing strategies.
What are the benefits of switching to a TikTok Business Account?
Switching to a TikTok Business Account benefits businesses by providing access to detailed analytics, advertising options, and additional tools for audience engagement. These features are essential for effective social media marketing and audience analysis.
Is there a cost associated with creating a TikTok Business Account?
No, there is no cost associated with creating a TikTok business account. However, additional costs may be incurred for advertising and promotional activities on the platform. The account itself does not require any subscription or payment.
Can I switch back to a personal account after creating a TikTok Business Account?
Yes, you can switch back to a personal account from a TikTok Business Account at any time. This can be done through the ‘Manage Account’ section in the ‘Settings and Privacy’ menu, allowing flexibility in how you use TikTok.
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating a TikTok Business Account is a straightforward process that unlocks a wealth of features beneficial for businesses, such as detailed analytics, targeted advertising, and enhanced audience engagement tools. While the account itself is free, it offers significant value for brand promotion and market analysis, making it an essential tool for modern digital marketing strategies.
