In our recent post How to Use TikTok for Business we explained why building your brand on TikTok is a good business move, and gave some general ideas on how you can get started. In this post, we’d like to provide some practical ideas and inspiration, so you can start creating viral-worthy TikTok content for your brand.

Remember: TikTok has a lighter, more fun, more musical vibe than other social media platforms. Even brands with very serious tones make the platform work for them by using TikTok to show the softer, lighter, funnier side of their business. You can always post short inspirational videos, too, but the content that does best on TikTok is generally somewhere along the spectrum between fun, cute, and silly.

Here are 7 TikTok ideas to inspire your small business’ content.

1. Use music to showcase your product in a new way

TikTok started out as a lip-syncing app, and it’s still all about the music. And there are so many ways to leverage this.

Take Chipotle for example. They made this hilarious video by setting up a tortilla chip on a guacamole “podium” and arranging an “audience” of more chips, then overlaying a dramatic live performance from an Adele concert with perfect comedic timing:

@chipotle

The internet is wild #oneyearoftiktok

♬ –

It’s highly entertaining, and it showcases some of their products in an unexpected and fresh way.

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for how to do this, our advice to you is: start with the music. Find a song you love that feels related to your brand and see what interesting visuals you might be able to create to accompany it.

2. Give a quick tip, tutorial, or how-to

Put together a little video showing your followers how to do something or giving them advice. But make it fun: add background music and special effects, and don’t be afraid to get a little goofy.

Photographer Brandon Woelfel recently shared a cool how-to clip:

@brandon_woelfel

How to create rainbows in your photos!🌈✨ I have all of these items linked in my bio #foryou

♬ original sound – radiancelabs

3. Start a hashtag challenge

Hashtag challenges, when done well, are a fantastic way to spread awareness of your brand and get people to engage with you. Be sure to make it more creative than just challenging people to video themselves with your product or service — add a fun element or twist.

For example, Guess’s #inmydenim hashtag challenged people to film a “transformation” video that starts out with them wearing plain, boring, or ugly clothes, and then showing off how great they look in denim:

@ourfire

Don’t you wish getting ready was this easy? 😂❤️🔥 #inmydenim #sponsored @guess

♬ #inmydenim I’m a Mess – Bebe Rexha

It was highly successful — it was actually the first branded hashtag challenge to go viral on TikTok.

4. Follow a hashtag challenge

Don’t feel like starting your own hashtag challenge? Just jump on somebody else’s bandwagon. People love to see brands participating in fun contests and challenges.

Keep an eye on what’s trending and if you see a hashtag challenge going around that looks fun and like it would fit your business — go for it!

5. Show your process

TikTok videos are short, so you’re not going to post a whole play-by-play of a process. But you can certainly create a “before and after” video (sort of like the #inmydenim transformation videos as shown in the example from idea #3) or a quick timelapse. Once again, make sure to pick some fun background music and effects to give it a fun vibe.

Get inspired by DIY-er Amanda Mercantile’s before and after clip:

@amandasmercantile

Tryin to stay busy #xzybca #beforeandafterchallenge #myheartwentoops #fyp #diy #newlook #anthropologie #foryoupage #makeover #quarantinelife #xyz

♬ My Heart Went Oops – Tiagz

6. Make a funny skit

If you have a little time, some creativity, and some willing accomplices, make a funny little skit that takes place in your work station, studio, or office, or otherwise has something to do with your product or service. You can base it on funny interactions you’ve had with your colleagues or clients, or experiences with your work in general. Everyday life is a neverending source of comedy.

7. Create a duet

Another way to engage with other TikTok accounts is to make a duet. The duet feature allows you to record your own video alongside a video someone else has already posted. The San Diego Zoo used it to stage a penguin duet with another animal-focused account, the Monterey Aquarium, to excellent and adorable effect:

@sandiegozoo

#pengwinning #duet with @montereyaq #penguins #happyholidays

♬ Walk This Way – RUN DMC

These are just a few ideas to give you some inspiration. TikTok is a great platform for getting silly and creative, so let those creative juices flow and have fun with it!

Action Items:

• Create a TikTok account if you haven’t already.
• Pick one of these ideas and create a video based on it.
• Post it to your account and see how it goes!