To celebrate National Small Business Week, TikTok has announced new initiatives to promote small businesses on its platform.
It's National Small Business Week and we're recognizing the impact of small businesses all month long! Small businesses are the core of our community, both on TikTok and beyond, and we're committed to helping them bounce back after a challenging year. https://t.co/vyvbsz6KJa
— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) May 4, 2021
Becca Sawyer – the Head of SMB, Operations, & Global Business Solutions at TikTok – stated that TikTok aims to help small businesses that have suffered massive losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic:
“Like many of you, we consider small businesses to be a critical part of our community — both on TikTok and beyond, and we’re committed to helping them bounce back after a challenging year”.
To stay true to its promise, TikTok has launched two hashtags: #SupportSmallBusinesses and #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt to help small businesses increase their reach and target future customers.
The hashtag #SupportSmallBusinesses is specifically meant to help small businesses share their product launches, behind-the-scenes footage and much more in order to promote their products. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt – on the other hand – is meant to motivate users to share their favourite products that were purchased from small businesses.
@ceo.liv Young entrepreneur! #smallbusiness #jewelry #youngentrepreneur #fashion #handmade #art #story #dayinmylife
TikTok has also partnered with the firm Nielsen to help small businesses develop TikTok ads that will help them reach their target audience based on their Designated Market Areas or geolocations:
“DMA geo-targeting provides businesses who want to reach customers and users in the United States with more granular location targeting options, tapping into more opportunities across enterprise, mid-market, and SMB businesses. DMA geo-targeting uses standardized geographic areas so businesses can share more relevant, interesting and impactful content with their customers in geo-targeted areas, saving them time and resources.”
Additionally, TikTok will run a four-part discussion series focused on small businesses that will premiere on Clubhouse every Friday at 11:00am EST. Featured speakers for the first discussion panel include: Marlene Robinson of Mrs. Robinson’s Tea, Tina Sapia of Sapia’s Barber Shop, Javier Juarez of Jay’s Fresh Pressed Lemonade and Glenn Poole of Izola’s Country Cooking.
This Friday, we're kicking off our 4-part Clubhouse series where we'll chat with some of our favorite SMBs on TikTok. Join us as they share what it's been like to go from Main Street to Mainstreaming. #SupportSmallBusiness https://t.co/9ak1LqwQG8 pic.twitter.com/zXBwwsbkEb
— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) May 5, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a massive incentive for businesses to go digital. Due to present circumstances, TikTok has become an important example of how social media companies can motivate and help small businesses to switch to online mediums in order to reach their target audience.