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TikTok for Business: How to Use the Fastest-Growing Platform for Your Business

Nico FreitagSocial Media

TikTok is no longer just for dance videos and Gen Z. With over 1.5 billion active users, the platform is a serious marketing channel – for businesses too. The organic reach is enormous, creative possibilities are vast, and audience targeting through TikTok Ads is surprisingly precise.

Why TikTok Is Relevant for Businesses

TikTok has fundamentally changed. The platform is no longer just entertainment – it's a discovery engine: - 65% of Gen Z have used TikTok for search, though only ~4% report preferring it over Google as their primary search tool. - Average session time is 95 minutes per day – more than any other app. - Organic reach is 5-10x higher than Instagram or Facebook. - TikTok Shop enables in-app commerce with impressive conversion rates. - Demographics have shifted: 40% of users are over 30.

Content Strategy for TikTok

TikTok works differently than other platforms. The success principles: Hook in the first 2 seconds: Attention spans are brutally short. Start with a question, surprising statement, or visual trigger. Authenticity over perfection: Polished advertising doesn't work. Real people, real situations, real mistakes. Use trends – with a twist: Adapt trending sounds and formats but with industry relevance. An IT company filling a trend with cybersecurity content stands out. Edutainment: Share knowledge entertainingly. '3 things you need to know about data protection' works better than a whitepaper. Storytelling: Mini-stories in 60 seconds. Before/after, problems and solutions, day-in-the-life.

TikTok Ads: Ad Formats and Targeting

TikTok Ads offer powerful formats: In-Feed Ads: Appear in the For-You feed. Should look like organic content – this is mandatory. TopView: The first content users see when opening the app. Premium placement, premium price. Branded Hashtag Challenge: Users create content with your hashtag. High participation rates but expensive. Spark Ads: Promote organic posts (your own or creator posts). Authentic and high-performing. Targeting options: Age, gender, location, interests, behavior, custom audiences, lookalike audiences. Data quality has improved massively.

TikTok for B2B: Does It Work?

Surprisingly yes – with the right strategy: Employer Branding: Show your team, culture, and office. Recruiting via TikTok works excellently. Thought Leadership: Explaining complex B2B topics in 60 seconds. Those who master this position themselves as experts. Behind-the-Scenes: How is your software built? What does a security audit look like? Process insights fascinate. Success stories: SAP, Salesforce, and HubSpot have proven B2B works on TikTok. The key: being entertaining without sacrificing expertise. Reality Check: Not every B2B company needs TikTok. But if your target audience is (also) there, you're leaving potential on the table.

Success Measurement and Best Practices

The most important TikTok KPIs and tips: Video Views: From 500 views per video, it's worth analyzing which hooks worked. Completion Rate: How many watch the video to the end? Over 30% is good. Engagement Rate: 4-8% is the benchmark. Below 2%, reconsider your content format. Best Practices: - Post 1-3 videos per day in the first weeks, then 3-5 per week. - Use TikTok-native editing tools – videos created on the platform perform better. - Respond to comments with video replies – this boosts reach. - Test different posting times: midday (12-2 PM) and evening (6-9 PM) often work best.

Conclusion

TikTok offers businesses a unique opportunity for organic reach that's not possible at this scale on any other platform. The key is authenticity, fast hooks, and edutainment. Not every business needs TikTok – but those who do it right can achieve maximum attention with minimal budget.

About the Author

Axis/Port.

Nico Freitag

Founder & Geschäftsführer

Nico Freitag is the founder and CEO of Axis/Port. With expertise in AI consulting, software development, and IT security, he helps businesses with their digital transformation.

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