TikTok to launch workshops to assist small companies

Diving letter:

  • As more and more small businesses build a following on TikTok, the short-form video sharing app will launch a 20-event virtual workshop to help small and medium-sized businesses reach new audiences and grow their businesses.
  • The series, dubbed the Small Biz Block Party, is free, according to a company announcement, and is open to SMB owners and employees interested in learning about industry-leading tools and tactics.
  • The Small Biz Block Party begins August 5th with an event for all businesses, regardless of size, and is co-hosted by the Main Street America nonprofit, TikTok said.

Dive Insight:

After a financially devastating year for SMBs, a number of small businesses have gone viral on TikTok, showing videos showing their products, the manufacturing process, or just packing orders.

With the Small Biz Block Party, the app seems to attract more small businesses to participate. Running these workshops can also help TikTok build relationships with small business owners and their teams.

“Small businesses across the country have shown incredible ingenuity when faced with the challenges of last year, and we are delighted to offer this support to help them thrive in the next phase of the recovery,” said Patrice Frey, Main Street America President and CEO said in a statement.

TikTok has recently taken a focused move to attract marketers to advertise on the platform – a move that is similar to the development of many social media platforms.

Just this week, TikTok partnered with Vimeo to Integrate video creation tools into the TikTok ad manager and potentially attract more SMB marketers. In September, the app launched the Marketing Affiliate Program to showcase approved advertising services on the platform.

The search for SMB ad money could signal that TikTok is well on its way to becoming a digital advertising giant like Facebook and Snapchat. The majority of the millions of Facebook advertisers are SMEs.

“Businesses of all sizes are using the magic of the TikTok community to reach new audiences and grow their business – be it a startup or an iconic local company,” said Becca Sawyer, global head of SMB at TikTok. “Our goal is to provide every business owner in America with the same opportunities as the biggest brands and to help them make their dreams come true.”

Comments are closed.