Is TikTok Advertising Right for Your Business Growth?

TikTok isn’t just teenagers dancing anymore. It’s become a serious place to find customers. But should your business be advertising there?

The answer isn’t simple. TikTok works brilliantly for some businesses. For others, it’s a waste of money. The trick is knowing which category you fall into.

Let’s work out if TikTok advertising could help grow your business.

What Makes TikTok Different

TikTok is all about short videos. People scroll through hundreds of them every day. The content feels natural and unpolished. It’s more like watching your friend’s videos than traditional TV ads.

Here’s what makes TikTok unique:

The Algorithm is Powerful TikTok is extremely good at showing people content they’ll like. Even new accounts can reach thousands of people if the content hits the right notes.

People Watch the Whole Video Unlike other platforms where people scroll past quickly, TikTok users often watch entire videos. This gives you more time to make an impression.

It Feels Less Like Advertising Good TikTok ads don’t look like ads. They look like regular content. This means people don’t immediately skip them.

Young People Love It If your customers are under 35, there’s a good chance they use TikTok regularly.

Who Should Consider TikTok Advertising

Businesses Targeting Young People If your customers are mostly under 35, TikTok could work well. This includes fashion brands, restaurants, fitness businesses, and tech companies.

Visual Businesses If your product or service looks good on video, TikTok is perfect. Restaurants showing food, hairdressers showing transformations, or gyms showing workouts all work well.

Local Businesses with Young Customers Cafes, bars, shops, and services that attract younger locals often do well on TikTok.

Businesses That Can Be Educational TikTok loves “how-to” content. If you can teach something in 30 seconds, you might find success.

Companies with Personality TikTok rewards businesses that show their human side. If your brand has character, this platform lets you show it.

Who Should Probably Skip TikTok

B2B Companies If you sell to other businesses, TikTok probably isn’t right. Business owners don’t usually look for suppliers on TikTok.

Businesses Targeting Older People If your customers are over 50, they probably aren’t on TikTok. Don’t waste money advertising where your customers don’t spend time.

Highly Professional Services Law firms, accountants, and medical practices might struggle. TikTok’s casual style doesn’t match what people expect from these services.

Complex Products If your product needs lots of explanation, TikTok’s short format won’t work well.

How TikTok Advertising Actually Works

In-Feed Ads These appear between regular videos as people scroll. They look like normal TikTok content but have a small “Ad” label.

Branded Hashtag Challenges You create a challenge and encourage people to make videos using your hashtag. This can spread quickly if it catches on.

Branded Effects You create special filters or effects that people can use in their videos. Your brand gets seen every time someone uses them.

TopView Ads These are the first thing people see when they open TikTok. They’re expensive but get lots of attention.

Spark Ads You can promote existing TikTok videos that mention your business. This feels more natural than creating new ads.

Common TikTok Advertising Mistakes

Making Videos That Look Like Traditional Ads TikTok users skip anything that looks too polished or sales-focused. Your ads need to feel like regular TikTok content.

Not Understanding the Platform Jumping into TikTok without understanding how it works usually leads to poor results. Spend time watching content before you start advertising.

Using the Wrong Targeting TikTok’s audience is specific. Make sure your targeting matches who actually uses the platform.

Ignoring Trends TikTok moves fast. What’s popular changes weekly. Your content needs to feel current.

Poor Video Quality Whilst TikTok isn’t about perfect production, your videos still need good lighting and clear audio.

Not Testing Different Approaches What works on other platforms might not work on TikTok. Test different styles to see what your audience likes.

Creating TikTok Ads That Work

Keep It Simple You have seconds to grab attention. Start with something interesting and get to the point quickly.

Use Trending Sounds TikTok loves videos that use popular music or sounds. Check what’s trending and see if it fits your message.

Show, Don’t Tell Instead of talking about your product, show it in action. A restaurant should show delicious food, not just talk about it.

Make It Feel Native Your ad should look like something a regular user might post. Avoid overly professional-looking content.

Include a Clear Call to Action Tell people exactly what to do next. “Visit our website,” “Book today,” or “Try this” work well.

Use Text Overlays Many people watch TikTok with the sound off. Add text to make sure your message gets across either way.

Measuring TikTok Success

View Completion Rate How many people watch your entire video? High completion rates mean your content is engaging.

Click-Through Rate How many people click on your ad? This shows if your call to action is working.

Cost Per Click How much do you pay for each click? Lower costs mean more efficient advertising.

Conversion Rate How many clicks turn into customers? This is the most important number for your business.

Engagement Rate How many people like, comment, or share your videos? High engagement helps your content reach more people.

How Echelon Media Approaches TikTok Advertising

We don’t just copy what works on other platforms. TikTok needs its own strategy.

We Research Your Audience Before creating anything, we check if your customers actually use TikTok. There’s no point advertising where your customers don’t spend time.

We Study What Works We look at successful content in your industry to understand what TikTok users respond to.

We Create Native-Feeling Content Our ads look like regular TikTok videos, not traditional advertisements. This gets better results.

We Test Different Approaches We try different styles, sounds, and messages to see what works best for your specific business.

We Track Everything We monitor which ads bring in customers and which ones waste money. This helps us improve your campaigns over time.

We Stay Current TikTok trends change quickly. We keep up with what’s popular to make sure your content feels fresh.

Getting Started with TikTok Advertising

Start small. TikTok advertising can be powerful, but it’s different from other platforms. Begin with a small budget whilst you learn what works.

Set Clear Goals What do you want TikTok advertising to achieve? More website visitors? Phone calls? Sales? Clear goals help measure success.

Understand Your Audience Make sure you know who you’re trying to reach and whether they actually use TikTok.

Learn the Platform Spend time watching TikTok content before you start advertising. Understanding the platform is crucial for success.

Start Simple Begin with basic in-feed ads before trying more complex formats. Learn what works before getting fancy.

The Reality of TikTok Advertising

TikTok can be incredibly effective, but it’s not magic. Success depends on having the right audience, good content, and realistic expectations.

Many businesses see great results, but others waste money because they don’t understand the platform or their audience isn’t there.

Budget Expectations TikTok advertising costs vary widely. You might spend £5 per day or £500. It depends on your audience and competition.

Time Investment Creating good TikTok content takes time. Even simple videos need planning, filming, and editing.

Learning Curve TikTok is different from other advertising platforms. Expect to spend time learning what works.

Making the Decision

TikTok advertising isn’t right for every business. But for the right companies with the right audience, it can drive real growth.

Ask yourself:

• Are my customers on TikTok?
• Can I show my product or service effectively in short videos?
• Am I willing to create content that feels natural on the platform?
• Do I have budget to test and learn?

If you answered yes to these questions, TikTok advertising might work for you.

Getting Professional Help

TikTok advertising is complex. The platform changes quickly, and what works varies between industries.

At Echelon Media, we help businesses decide if TikTok is right for them. If it is, we create campaigns that actually bring in customers.

We don’t just follow generic advice. We study your specific business and audience to create a strategy that works.

Your Next Step

Don’t jump into TikTok advertising without a plan. And don’t dismiss it without considering if it could work for your business.

If you think TikTok might help grow your business, let’s talk. We’ll help you work out if it’s right for you and create a strategy that gets results.

Contact Echelon Media today. Let’s explore whether TikTok advertising could be your next growth opportunity.