Alright y'all, I finally caved and started a TikTok! In the short 3ish months I've invested in TikTok, I've already surpassed my Instagram following and connected with a completely new audience.
Until now, I hadn't told anyone from other social platforms I use TikTok, so this is a fresh, newly engaged audience!
The even more exciting news for you, is I have mastered TikTok to share with you how you can utilize it effectively in your business as a creative entrepreneur or as an author or blogger.
The biggest mistake I see creative entrepreneurs make on social media is making it about them. Social media isn't about you, it's about the person you're serving.
If you're an author or blogger, your content should be clearly for and about your reader. If you're a creative entrepreneur it should be for your ideal customer or client.
For example, I use the hashtag #ChristianBlogger not because I am a Christian blogger, but because I want Christian bloggers to see my posts. I love working with them as clients, so that's who I'm creating content for.
Let's apply this to TikTok with some examples:
TikTok for nonfiction Christian Living Authors:
Let's say you're a nonfiction Christian living author and you have a new book coming out this year.
Don't:
Create TikToks that are about random stuff you like to do, like your hobbies
Create TikToks that are "you" focused. Anything that's saying, "Hey, look! I wrote a book!" will cause your audience to simply say, "who cares?"
Share overly general TikToks copying other authors in your field (spoiler alert: a lot of authors are not good marketers...)
Do:
Create TikToks about your ideal readers needs/desires/pain
Create TikToks that show your reader you can guide them to the transformation your book promises, always answer the question your reader is asking "why should I care?"
Share specific TikToks that relate to a niche your ideal reader is in. Instead of making TikToks about how you love coffee, make a TikTok about a belief your reader might hold prior to reading your book and how your book will change that belief
TikTok for Fiction Authors:
Sometimes our fiction authors feel forgotten or think social media just isn't for them. Not true! Here's how to use TikTok if you're a fiction writer:
Don't:
Share random TikToks about your personal life
Share TikToks about topics that your reader wouldn't care about
Make TikToks that are too broad
Do:
Share TikToks about other fiction books that are similar to yours
Create content your reader would be into. Example: if you're writing a book that takes place in a certain part of the world, share all about that culture or about your research process
Share the writing process! Writers are readers and vice versa
Talk about your book as if it's actually happening to get people hooked on the story
TikTok for Bloggers and Platform Building:
If you aren't working on a a book yet (or ever!) but you want to grow your email list or build up a community of devoted readers, here's what to do:
Don't:
Make TikToks about random stuff that interests you
Create TikToks that don't have a clear call to action
Make TikToks that are ambiguous about why people should connect with you
Do:
Use TikTok to show your audience how your blog or content will serve them
Create TikToks that solve a problem for your people
Make content that teases your audience. Use TikTok as a funnel showing them that if they subscribe to your newsletter, follow your blog, or follow you on social media they will get even more from connecting with you
TikTok for Creative Entrepreneurs (product based business):
Don't:
Make TikToks that aren't related to your business at all (you can show parts of your personal life, but always talk about it in the context of your business.)
Create TikToks just showing off your product without any context
Make it unclear how to purchase from you
Do:
Make TikToks that show how your product will serve and transform your customer
Make content that relates to other interests/products your ideal client might purchase or be interested in
Make TikToks that clearly show how your product is part of a greater lifestyle transformation
Make it super clear how someone can purchase your product, you won't increase sales if you don't show the customer what to do next
TikTok for Creative Entrepreneurs (service based business):
Don't:
Just make TikToks talking about your services
Make random TikToks so your audience can "get to know you"
Use buzz words or industry jargon in TikToks
Do:
Be generous! Create value in your TikToks for your viewers so they can decide if your service might be a good fit for them
Make content that aligns with the values your ideal client would have and focus on them in your content rather than you
"Show don't tell"- Don't just call yourself an expert or introduce yourself as a florist. Show off the behind the scenes of your business, how you help and serve current clients, and how your service has impacted other people's lives
If you only take away one thing from this post, it should be this:
Your social media accounts aren't about you.
To grow and serve an audience on TikTok, you have to start by knowing the needs and wants of your ideal customer, client or reader, and make content that serves them and makes them the hero.
Want to know more about how to leverage social media as a creative entrepreneur?