How to Get Your Small Business Featured on TikTok’s For You Page

In the world of social media, TikTok is currently skyrocketing in popularity. Although the social platform was launched back in 2016, it has only recently begun to gain momentum.

With its entertaining video content, its high potential to go viral and its trending music options, TikTok has become a hit with users around the world. Because it’s a new and growing platform there’s much to discover and enjoy (including acquiring the coveted TikTok blue check mark).

As a small business owner, there has never been a better time to get started in TikTok. Here’s everything you need to know.

Some Background to TikTok

With 800 million users worldwide, TikTok is growing in both popularity and demand. 

Learning from other established social networks, TikTok recently launched TikTok for Business, a new platform for brands looking to advertise on TikTok. For more insights on this topic, check out our Small Business TikTok Advertising Guide.

You don’t necessarily need to invest in advertising in order to see results on the site. You can also try to get your business verified on TikTokthis will gain you both credibility and status with users.

The best way to boost your brand on TikTok is to get featured on the For You Page (FYP), which we will delve into below.

The Importance of TikTok

Taking a step back, it’s important to think about why your small business should have a social media presence in the first place.

There are a number of valuable reasons, including:

  • Reaching out to new and existing fans/users/customers
  • Sharing your unique content with the world
  • Sharing your brand’s story
  • Driving sales
  • Keeping on top of trends
  • Staying relevant
  • Raising brand awareness

Brand awareness and increasing sales are generally at the top of the priority list for small business owners. TikTok, when done right, can be a cost-effective way to reach audiences.

It’s therefore no surprise that brands want to rank highly on TikTok and have their content seen by the most amount of people as possible. 

Before you get started with creating TikTok content, it’s important to have a strategy in place. The profile of the average TikTok user is quite young, with 41% of users aged between 16-24 years old. Keep that in mind for the videos that you plan to curate and share.

Ranking Highly

On most sites, including Instagram, the algorithm takes a number of factors into account when finding content to share with its audiences. TikTok’s algorithm works a bit differently.

The ambition for most people and businesses on TikTok is to get featured on the For You Page. This is the landing page that users see when they first open the app. It has a lot of potential people tend to scroll the FYP page for a while, discovering more content. For your business, getting featured on the For You Page means more views, interactions and likes; helping you  grow your page’s presence.

As you’d expect, the stream of content on the FYP isn’t random it relies upon TikTok’s complex algorithm.

The brand itself says that it’s powered by a “recommendation system that delivers content to each user that is likely to be of interest to that particular user.” They also go on to say that part of the magic is that everyone’s ‘For You’ feed is different, depending on their specific preferences revealing that content is indeed tailored to its audience.

Here are ten different factors that can help boost your small business’ chances of appearing on the FYP:

1. Quality content

It’s a no-brainer when you think about it: good content ranks. This means investing in the best equipment possible to produce watchable content. Generally, a smartphone with a high-quality camera will do. Sharp footage, audible sound effects or voiceovers, as well as a clever and concise video description all contribute to the user experience.

2. Tap into music

One of the joys of TikTok is the vast catalogue of music that you’re able to access. Use this to your advantage by creating videos for your brand using trending sounds. If you opt for these types of tracks, you will see your content rank higher as a result.

3. Show off your personality

First and foremost, TikTok is a fun platform that encourages you to share your personality with the world. Spend some time getting a feel for the type of content that you see on your FYP. You will soon understand what ranks and what people enjoy watching.

As a brand, this is the platform to let your personality shine through. Be funny, be yourself and be authentic to your brand.

4. Stay relevant

When you look at brands that are killing it on TikTok right now, they all have one thing in common: relevant content. It’s an acquired skill to create content that’s both engaging and ranks highly with users. 

At its core, it’s about having a relevant voice within your industry. Consumers have become very smart very quickly and appreciate authenticity in brands that they follow. For this reason, it’s best to stick to themes that are associated with your business. 

Spikeball is a great brand to look to on TikTok they consistently share fun footage that shows their product in action:

5. Use hashtags 

The rules of social media dictate that using the right hashtags is one of the best ways to get discovered and increase your reach. This is true of Tiktok too.

When you open up TikTok, you’ll be presented with a plethora of trending hashtags to consider. Check out our guide to hashtags on TikTok for more insights on the topic. 

tiktok hashtag

6. Join challenges

A great way to gain TikTok fame is to start a new hashtag challenge, or to get involved in an already existing one. There are a ton of great dance or lip sync challenges on the platform to get inspired by. Challenges are also a great way to tap into new audiences.

tiktok hashtag challenge

Additionally, TikTok favors challenge posts and often features them on the FYP, so it’s beneficial for visibility too. Keep your eyes open and don’t be afraid to jump in!

7. Engage with others

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the key to social networking is being social! That means taking the time to converse and engage with others on the platform. Interacting on comments and videos will help illicit more engagement in return.  

8. Collaborating with others

Have you tried out Duets? Duets allow users to occupy a split screen with a loved one, or even a celebrity. This feature will help open up new audiences and break into new markets. However, it’s not always practical for businesses.

Here’s a recent duet by TikTok queen Charli D’Ameilo:

@charlidamelio

#duet with @andiesjourney ! i love you!!! 💕💕

♬ Better When I’m Dancin’ – Meghan Trainor

9. Work with influencers

Another way of getting your content noticed is by collaborating with an influencer, or bringing an ambassador on board. This way your content can be shared on their platforms too helping your chances of going viral.

10. Keep it short 

Just looking at other videos on TikTok is a timely reminder that this is a social platform like no other. From the funny to the extraordinary, from the odd to the audacious, there’s something for everyone.

Keep in mind: most content on the platform is short, which works well for the transient nature of TikTok. Most TikTok videos are no longer than 15 seconds long!

Device and account settings

Finally, do keep in mind that factors such as your language preference and country setting all have an impact on where your information is shared, so make sure you complete this part of your profile.


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