by Seth Stacey
Why TikTok matters for small businesses in Alaska
TikTok shows your videos to people based on what they like to watch, not just who they already follow. That means a brand new account from Soldotna or Kenai can get seen by people who have never heard of you.
A lot of people also use TikTok to look things up. Where to eat in Anchorage, what to do on the Kenai Peninsula, how to get something fixed. If your videos answer those questions, you're the one they find.
That's rare. On most platforms you have to build a following before anyone sees your posts. On TikTok, a good video can reach people on day one.
You don't have to dance or chase trends
This is the part that stops most owners before they start. You don't have to do dances, lip sync or copy whatever is popular this week.
The videos that work for a small business are the ones that show what you know. How a job gets done. What to look for when you're buying something. What a day at your business actually looks like. People like watching somebody who is good at their work.
What your TikTok account needs first
- A business account, so you can see how your videos are doing
- A name people can find, like your business name
- One clear line in your bio that says what you do and where, like "Fishing gear and guided trips in Kenai"
- A link to your website once your account can add one
- A profile photo that matches your branding everywhere else
What to post on TikTok
- Show how it's done. A repair, a build, a recipe, a setup. Start to finish, sped up if it needs to be.
- Answer the questions you hear all the time. One question, one short video, a straight answer.
- Show the place. For lodges, charters and anything tourism, show what people will see when they get here.
- Show the people. You and your team at work. People want to know who they're dealing with.
Film it on your phone, held up tall. Find good light, make sure people can hear you, and get to the point right away. People decide in the first couple of seconds whether to keep watching.
Posting steady matters more than polish
A video shot on your phone in the shop can do better than one somebody spent a week editing. What matters is showing up.
Pick a number of videos a week you can actually keep, even in the middle of your busy season. A few a week, every week, will teach you more than a burst of ten and then nothing for two months.
Keep track of what's working
Views feel good, but views don't pay the bills. Watch a few things that do.
- How many messages and calls came from TikTok
- How many people went to your website from your profile
- Which videos got people asking questions in the comments
- How many customers say "I saw you on TikTok"
If a kind of video keeps bringing in questions, make more of it. If something gets views and never brings in a customer, don't let it fool you.
TikTok is one piece of the system
The same short video can go on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube too, so one afternoon of filming can cover all of them. Our posts on Instagram and YouTube cover those sides.
TikTok works best when it's connected to everything else. Your videos send people to your website. The messages that come in get answered and followed up on, instead of getting lost.
That's what we help small businesses in Soldotna, Kenai, Anchorage and across Alaska put together with our social media work. We run a small business too, so we know what it's like to find time for video on top of everything else.
We'll never promise you'll go viral. What we will do is tell you the truth about what's worth filming and help you build something you can keep up with.
If you'd like help getting started on TikTok, reach out below. We reply personally.
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