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What can TikTok do for your business?
You can’t ignore it anymore, TikTok has completely transformed the social media landscape in recent years. This explosive growth (particularly among younger audiences) also presents opportunities for businesses. But how can marketers capitalize on this trend effectively?
In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to the platform, explore best practices for organic success, and dive into the various advertising options available.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a free app that allows users to upload short videos (up to 15 seconds) featuring music or creative sketches. ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has a mission to inspire creativity globally. This is where TikTok stands apart from platforms like Instagram. While Instagram primarily focuses on lifestyle and following people, TikTok is all about pure creativity and entertainment.
The number of TikTok users is massive and continues to grow. Globally, TikTok boasts 1.5 billion users, making it the fastest-growing social media platform. In 2019, the app was downloaded approximately 100,000 times per month, surpassing both Snapchat and even Instagram!
How does TikTok work?
Videos on TikTok can appear in two primary sections:
‘For You’ Page: This page showcases videos that are either very popular or selected based on your previously watched content. Appearing on the ‘For You’ page is crucial because it allows your videos to reach TikTok users who don’t already follow you.
‘Following’ Page: This page features videos from all the people you follow.
How businesses can appear on TikTok
As a business, there are three main ways to establish a presence on TikTok:
- Create your own account to upload original videos.
- Collaborate with influencers to spread content to a wider audience.
- Pay TikTok to display advertisements for your business.
You can also combine these approaches for maximum reach.
The TikTok audience
TikTok is often misunderstood as an app meant only for children—a major misconception!
On average, TikTok users, also known as TikTokkers, are between 18 and 34 years old, with Millennials and Generation Z being the primary demographics. Statistics show that women are more likely to download the app than men, with 60–65% of global users being female.
In the Benelux region, TikTok boasts 2.2 million users in Belgium and 3.5 million in the Netherlands. Flemish users spend an average of 62 minutes per day on the app.
How to get featured on the ‘For You’ page
To increase the likelihood of your videos appearing on TikTok’s ‘For You’ page, consider the following factors:
- High-quality content: As with any social media platform, better quality content performs better. TikTokkers prefer clear, high-quality videos.
- Engaging content: The video’s content is crucial. Humor, uniqueness, and a personal touch help your video stand out.
- Leverage trends and challenges: Using popular trends and challenges can increase your reach, but make sure they’re still relevant (e.g., the ice bucket challenge is outdated).
- Trendy music: Videos featuring popular music tend to perform better.
- Use relevant hashtags: Include trend-sensitive and topic-relevant hashtags. Popular hashtags like #foryoupage and #foryou increase your chances of appearing on the ‘For You’ page.
How TikTok curates the ‘For You’ page
TikTok prioritizes a personalized ‘For You’ page experience, tailoring video recommendations to individual users. This personalization is achieved through:
- Preferences and behavior: How do you interact with TikTok? What types of content do you prefer?
- Location and environment: Where are you located? What time and day is it there?
- Similar interests: TikTok uses demographic data and search interests to recommend content. For example, what kind of videos do 20-year-old men typically watch or search for?
Advertising on TikTok
Just like Instagram, TikTok allows you to advertise by bidding per click (CPC), per impression (CPM), or per view (CPV). You can target your audience based on age, gender, and location, enabling you to reach relevant groups. Unfortunately, targeting based on interests (as you can on Facebook) is not yet available.

- TopView
TopView is a video-based ad format displayed when opening the app. It grabs users’ attention immediately and delivers a strong visual impact for your business. This ad type is still relatively new and is undergoing testing. - Brand Takeover
Similar to TopView, but here it’s a static image or GIF displayed for 3 to 5 seconds upon opening the app. Like TopView, it immediately captures users’ attention and creates a strong visual impact for your brand. - In-Feed Ads
These are ads displayed between videos on the ‘For You’ page. This format is ideal for including a call-to-action. - Branded Hashtag Challenge
This ad format challenges users to perform specific actions (e.g., a dance or activity), record themselves, and tag your business. TikTok promotes the challenge, ensuring your brand is featured on the ‘For You’ page for six days, maximizing reach and engagement. A notable example is Guess, one of the first companies to use this format. - Branded Effects/Lens
These ads involve creating effects, stickers, filters, etc., that users can try out. This ad type fosters a connection with users and promotes your product in a fun, interactive way. - Custom Influencer
Similar to Instagram, TikTok features influencers with large followings who can significantly impact other users. Collaborating with the right TikTok influencer can help you achieve greater reach. Select influencers that align with your brand and target audience
Tips for using TikTok effectively for your business
Here are some tips to make the most of TikTok for your business:
- Get a Pro Account: This free account gives you access to detailed analytics, including video views, profile views, trending videos, and insights into your followers’ demographics (e.g., gender and location).
- Limit Hashtags: Use only the most relevant hashtags to boost your video to the ‘For You’ page. Consider creating a campaign-specific hashtag to organize posts under a unified theme.
- Include Subtitles: Subtitles are useful for users watching videos without sound or for audiences who speak different languages.
- Link Your Instagram Account: While you can’t yet add a direct website link to TikTok, you can link your Instagram or YouTube accounts to redirect users to your website.
TikTok ads in Belgium
Unfortunately, advertising on TikTok is not yet available in Belgium. Currently, it’s limited to several European countries: Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, and Russia. Once the ad platform becomes available in Belgium, you’ll need to submit an application on the TikTok website. TikTok will then review your account and decide if you qualify to advertise on their platform.
To Do or Not to Do?
While TikTok certainly has potential for building brand awareness, its effectiveness for conversion-focused objectives—something we prioritize as a performance agency—remains unclear. Should you jump into advertising on TikTok as soon as it launches in Belgium? We think not, at least not immediately. As always, we stay intrigued by the latest trends and developments.
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