Yes, you read that title right, Napier is trying out TikTok. Are we nuts?
Not quite.
Napier has a reputation of delivering results, not jumping on the latest trends and TikTok dances, so why is it worth our time?
Well, with 42% of TikTok users aged 30 and above, the mainstream view of TikTok being only for teenagers, and wacky dances isn’t quite correct. Although there’s no denying that this is a significant part of the platform, there is a world of B2B, albeit quite small, which is beginning to grow a presence within TikTok.
With a quick glance through the platform focusing on search terms such as ‘marketing’, you can see some key business players already making an impact.
Gary Vaynerchuck is a prime example. With 9 million followers, Gary’s content ranges from providing tips and insights into how to run a business to repurposing content from podcast interviews that provide an ‘insider’ view into the decisions and culture at Vaynermedia. Using a mixture of useful, informative videos as well personal content which links to trending hashtags, Gary walks the line between business and TikTok ‘fun’ to achieve credibility and views on the platform.
Grant Cardone is another good example. Although only featuring 1.2 million followers on TikTok (significantly less than Vaynerchuck), Gary has found a format that results in 600K views plus on the majority of his videos. His approach although similar to Vaynerchuck in terms of reusing podcast interviews for content differs in the way each video answers a specific question highlighted clearly in a branded subtitle box in both the thumbnail and beginning of the video.
As for B2B companies, Tiktok offers the opportunity for marketing teams to be bold, clever and even a little bit weird with content strategies. Sage was a prime example of this, running the UK’s first B2B campaign on TikTok, inviting TikTok’s SMB community to share videos on how they were ‘bossing it’ in 2020. Making full use of TikTok’s advertising forms to maximise impact, including a branded hashtag challenge, and a premium TopView placement, the campaign received 8.2 billion views and one million entries into the challenge.
B2B agencies are already making the move to the platform too, with Leadit marketing a good example as a company that is achieving between 200-600 views per post with only 86 followers. Content includes helpful tips and tricks on different areas of B2B technology marketing and focuses on key topics such as sales and marketing alignment, as well as integrated campaigns and content marketing.
So, although there are some B2B brands on TikTok making an impact, the truth is that creating B2B content on TikTok is mostly uncharted territory. There’s no guarantee that TikTok will be super successful for B2B, or that it will become more mainstream, and are we a little bit crazy for giving it a go? Probably. But TikTok does allow B2B companies the opportunity to share content in a unique format, and who knows perhaps it will be a trustworthy platform in the future to reach key personas. Only time will tell…