Blog

By Alexis Miller

It’s no secret that the app TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. What started off as a way for people to connect socially has turned into a platform businesses around the world utilize to reach new customers. However, does the hotness of TikTok make it the right platform for all small businesses?

In this blog post, we’ll look at the pros and cons of using TikTok as well as some customer demographics.

First, let’s look at the pros of using TikTok for business purposes.

1. Reach a younger audience

TikTok is particularly popular among Gen Z and Millennial users, which makes it an ideal platform for businesses that want to target these demographics.

2. Highly engaging content

TikTok is all about short, snappy videos that are easy to consume and share. This type of content is perfect for businesses looking to capture attention quickly and engage their audience.

3. Affordable advertising

TikTok’s advertising platform is relatively new, which means that ad rates are still low compared to other social media platforms. This makes it an excellent opportunity for small businesses looking to advertise on a budget.

4. Viral potential

TikTok videos can quickly go viral and reach a massive audience. This is because TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes content that is engaging and shareable, which means that businesses have the potential to reach a large audience quickly.

Now, let’s take a look at the cons of using TikTok for business purposes

1. Limited targeting options

TikTok’s advertising platform is still in its early stages, which means that targeting options are limited compared to other social media platforms. This could make it challenging for businesses to reach their desired audience.

2. Short lifespan of content

TikTok’s focus on short-form videos means that content has a relatively short lifespan. This means that businesses need to create and post new content frequently to keep their audience engaged.

3. Limited audience diversity

While TikTok is popular among younger demographics, it is less popular among older age groups. This means that businesses targeting an older demographic may struggle to reach their audience on TikTok.

Now, let’s take a look at some demographic information on who uses TikTok.

According to Statista, as of January 2021, TikTok had approximately 689 million active users worldwide. Here’s a breakdown of TikTok’s user demographics:

• 60% of TikTok users are between the ages of 16 and 24.
• 26% of TikTok users are between the ages of 25 and 44.
• 8% of TikTok users are over the age of 45.
• 60% of TikTok users are female.

Based on this information, it’s clear that TikTok is most popular among younger demographics, with a significant gender skew toward females.

TikTok has become a popular platform for users to share videos on a variety of topics, including government affairs, aliens, illegal issues, and political scandals. Some of this content has been censored on other platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, due to concerns about its safety or legality. However, TikTok has a more permissive approach to content moderation, which has allowed users to share more controversial or sensitive content.

For example, in 2020, TikTok was one of the few platforms where users could find videos about the protests in Hong Kong. These videos were censored on Facebook and Twitter, but they were allowed to stay on TikTok. This allowed users to stay informed about the protests and to share their views on the situation.

TikTok’s more permissive approach to content moderation has also allowed users to share videos about topics that are often ignored by the mainstream media. For example, there are many videos on TikTok about UFO sightings and government conspiracies. These videos are often dismissed by the mainstream media, but they are given a platform on TikTok.

This has led to some concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the content on TikTok. However, it has also allowed users to share more diverse and unfiltered information than is available on other platforms. As a result, TikTok has become a valuable source of information for users who are looking for content that has been censored or ignored by the mainstream media.