How I Grew My Enterprise’ TikTok Accounts to Over 40K Followers in a Few Months

Like so many founders who’re dealing with the daunting activity of studying yet one more new social media platform, I used to be overwhelmed by the concept of beginning a TikTok for my enterprise.

Coming from the world of finance, I don’t have a background in content material creation, and I wouldn’t even take into account myself a very inventive particular person. The considered arising with contemporary and attention-grabbing content material day after day that may compete with individuals who actually do that for a dwelling felt not possible.

And but, I had a hunch that my firm—Tandem, an app that helps {couples} handle their shared funds—might join with new customers on the platform. As a D2C cellular app, we’ve seen that one of the simplest ways to accumulate customers is once they’re already on their telephones and subsequently have the best intent. And with a goal market of 25-35 12 months olds, I knew {that a} good chunk of that cellphone time was now spent on TikTok. (For some context, TikTok customers within the U.S. spent a mean of 25.6 hours per 30 days on the app as of January 2022, and nearly all of these customers are 34 or youthful.)

So, I took the leap and launched Tandem’s TikTok account in August 2022. Inside just some weeks, the account had amassed over 13,000 followers and over 1 million natural impressions and, months later, that quantity retains on rising. It’s been so profitable that I not too long ago added a second account—@missmoneymichelle—to turn into a finance influencer in my very own proper and bypass costly influencer advertising and marketing for my model. In just some weeks, I gained over 17,000 followers.

Higher than followers, although, are the enterprise outcomes. Whereas I’ve been aware of not pushing Tandem too arduous within the early days, as an alternative opting to convey worth and construct a trusting relationship with my followers earlier than I begin promoting to them, I’ve already seen some movies translate into new web site guests and app customers. I additionally know that in the long term, having our personal viewers is essential in a world the place digital promoting is more and more costly. Plus, studying from the content material that the majority connects with individuals will inform Tandem’s product roadmap as we take into account new choices to assist {couples} grasp their funds collectively.

After all, I’ve been doing all of this whereas additionally working my enterprise. For some other founders who really feel like TikTok is a thriller or that they merely don’t have time for it, right here’s the precise schedule and technique I’ve used to construct up our accounts so rapidly.

I discovered from different profitable TikTokers

I ought to begin by saying I didn’t plot out a profitable technique all alone. To kick off my TikTok journey, I spent a couple of weeks immersed within the Secret Socials course, which helped me study the ins and outs of the algorithm and finest practices for making participating brief type video.

Considered one of my key learnings was that every video must have an preliminary “hook.” Primarily, the TikTok algorithm pays consideration to engagement metrics like how lengthy customers are watching your movies, likes, feedback, and shares to find out what to share extra extensively.

However you’re not going to get traction on any of these metrics if individuals don’t watch your video lengthy sufficient to even work out what it’s about. These first few seconds are essential, and I discovered to speak rapidly, add a headline with textual content on display screen, and be a bit dramatic with my titles to actually catch a viewer’s consideration. (For example, “three things that saved me $1,000 that no one knows about,” is far more eye-catching than “three money-saving tips.”)

I additionally discovered how you can use TikTok’s information to tell my content material. Utilizing the app’s search bar, you’ll be able to browse matters associated to your area of interest, after which filter by current, most preferred movies. I’ll search for all the things from generic “finance” movies to extra particular matters like “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday,” scroll by way of what’s working for different creators, after which take into account how I can put my very own spin on that matter to leap on a pattern and create one thing invaluable for my viewers.

I used a sequence to assist me experiment and achieve traction

Along with following TikTok finest practices, the technique that’s most helped my profiles develop is putting a fragile stability between amount, consistency, and high quality.

Amount is vital as a result of, to be able to develop a following rapidly, it is advisable give your self as many possibilities to go viral as attainable. I made a decision to goal for posting 3 times a day, seven days every week, so I might quickly perceive what’s working and what flops.

Consistency, in each kind of content material and frequency, is vital so that folks know what to anticipate from you. If somebody lands in your profile and sees 20-30 movies on a subject they’re concerned with, versus a couple of disjointed posts, they’re more likely to comply with your profile. I discovered that launching with a sequence—in my case, monetary suggestions for {couples} beneath the umbrella of “Things Power Couples Do”—helped me preserve that consistency early on.

Lastly, to develop an engaged following, it’s important to place out high quality content material that gives actual worth. I’ve had a couple of purely humorous or entertaining movies go viral, however they’ve not often translated to followers or new customers. In the meantime, I’ve discovered that essentially the most profitable movies are after I share distinctive suggestions which have made an actual influence in my relationship, akin to making a shared e mail tackle or getting on every others’ insurance coverage as home companions.

Now that my accounts are extra established, I take advantage of a five-video sequence to experiment with new matters, particularly ones which can be extra time certain. For example, I created a brief sequence about successful the lottery when the main Powerball was taking place, and one about Journey Tuesday offers throughout Black Friday weekend. Creating a couple of movies for every matter permits me to attempt barely completely different hooks and canopy extra info with none one video getting too lengthy. Normally at the least one or two inside a sequence will go viral, however I can not often predict which, so it’s essential to attempt a number of approaches.

I created a schedule and appeared for shortcuts

Content material creation can take up a number of your time when you let it—and as a founder, I don’t have a number of it. I’ve discovered one of the simplest ways to constantly put up at my splendid frequency is to batch my content material creation efforts.

Usually, I reserve Monday afternoons for brainstorming and ideation. I’ll take a look at trending TikTok information and metrics from my very own posts to see what kind of content material is performing properly. I’ll additionally take into consideration upcoming holidays or present occasions. Then, I’ll checklist out all the matters I wish to cowl that week and what the hooks might be. Typically I’ll loosely script out a video, and different instances I’ll plan on simply speaking on the fly, relying on the subject.

Then, on Tuesdays, I spend 4-5 hours doing my filming for the week. That is doable as a result of I’ve discovered a couple of key shortcuts to be extra environment friendly. For one, I’ll all the time use the inexperienced display screen function, which permits me to drop in any background I’d like. This helps create some selection even when I’m filming all of my movies in the identical place, and likewise means I can create from wherever if I must be out and about on filming day. (I’ve undoubtedly recorded movies from my automobile!.) I additionally invested in a mini microphone to make sure high-quality sound regardless of the place I’m filming. And a last bizarre hack: I put on massive sun shades in all my movies so I don’t really feel stress to do my make-up. It saves me time and has turn into a part of the model look. I additionally attempt to edit on Tuesdays so I’ll have a full lineup of finalized movies to put up all through the week. I sometimes spend at the least a couple of hours making edits to make sure the posts are participating, together with issues like reducing out useless house and including in captions.

I’m not going to lie—TikTok continues to be overwhelming to me typically. Persistently placing out new content material isn’t straightforward, and it requires displaying up even after I’m not feeling it. Plus, since TikTok is all the time altering, I can’t simply discover what works and keep it up. I’ve to continually be taking note of the information together with what’s working for different creators, experimenting, and iterating.

However, with some easy methods and a schedule I can comply with week after week, I’ve discovered a solution to make TikTok work for me. And the consequence—a deep, ongoing connection to my viewers—makes the hassle greater than price it.