I looked into b2b creators on TikTok and HERE’s what I found…
B2b influencer marketing is getting a lot of ‘surface’ buzz lately. I see a lot of posts on LinkedIn about how it’s going to be the ‘next big thing’.. but not a lot of people talking about how it’s actually taking place across social platforms at present. Hype is great, but we all need a little more substance.
So let’s talk about TikTok. I have researched how b2b creator marketing is and is not happening on TikTok so you don’t have to. Learn with me:
Are b2b creators using TikTok?
In short, the answer is yes – because business people and communities are on TikTok. When, you say? Pretty much all of the time. TikTok’s unique way of delivering content to its users means that you don’t need to have a prior social connection with someone on TikTok to see their content. The algorithm is based on content that you will find interesting and then adapts dynamically and in real time. It is not based on a social graph like LinkedIn or Instagram. This means that content recommendation is not categorically biased to either your personal or professional life – it simply blends the two together based on your declared interests and behavioural history on the platform. Traditionally on social channels people may have had their ‘business’ hat on during the 9-5 hours, using Linkedin and listening to business and tech podcasts during commuting times. Post-work they’d turn to places like Instagram, Facebook or Youtube. In the TikTok era, we see these boundaries blur because users see both business and lifestyle content organically in the same place, all the time. The implications of this mean that for creators, the playing field is more level. You don’t have to be a seasoned keynote speaker with loads of connections or to be a celebrity on Dragon’s Den to see success on TikTok (although, admittedly, that may help!)
5 business creators who are killing it on TikTok:
There is a huge opportunity for b2b creators to get started on TikTok in 2023, but who is already paving the way for others? Look to these people to see how they bring business content & concepts to life:
Crystal Lim Lange (Leadership and Company Culture)
Robert Mayhew (Media, Creativity, Marketing)
Jade Tambini (B2B Marketing & Marketing Advice)
Aydan Al-Saad (Pay Transparency & Start-Ups)
Ronald Van Loon (Analytics, Data Science, Cloud Computing & AI)
Chris Donnelly (Entrepreneurship & Start-Ups)
One thing that cannot be understated with the people above is that they are all comfortable being in front of a camera. If I had to highlight one reason aspiring b2b creators may find it challenging to get on TikTok, it would be that creating engaging video content is a much different beast than other b2b creator mediums like blogs, text-only social posts or audio-only podcasts. Although researching and forming opinions on industry news and technologies may look like the same process at the outset, the skill set required to record and edit video vs. writing is different. Great video content also takes time and originality. Not every thought leader can or should be a Tiktok creator, but those who are getting it right are seeing their audiences grow exponentially as professional audiences spend more time consuming video content.
Is there a difference between b2b brand accounts on TikTok and b2b creator accounts?
Yes, and this mirrors what we see in consumer and lifestyle content on TikTok as well. During my research I have read many articles on how b2b brands should approach leveraging the platform, but there is next to nothing available discussing b2b creator strategy.
My observation is that b2b brand accounts on TikTok exist to creatively raise brand awareness, engage with prospects and understand and respond to customer needs with educational and ‘how-to’ content. B2b creators on other hand, should focus on building a unique point of view and content style that is not brand or company-specific, but rather reflects their industry, professional experience and personal brand.
B2B creators may capitalise on TikTok trends such as ‘a day in the life videos’ where users can virtually walk a mile in someone else’s shoes via short form video clips. Others create content on how to break industries like finance or tech. There are even career-related tiktok hashtags that some audiences may follow, such as #codetok. The nature of TikTok merging an individual’s personal and professional life also means that using humour and memes is more acceptable.
The approach for b2b creators vs. b2b brands on TikTok will no doubt be different, but in both cases the content strategy is still a live experiment playing out in real time. Smart marketers should partner with creators who can introduce their content to new audiences or creatively transform strandard product or company updates into memorable online moments. This is especially true for brands that don’t currently have a strong presence on the platform.
Can I use the TikTok Creator Marketplace to find b2b creators?
TikTok is an outlier in terms of social media platforms in that they have a platform-owned ‘creator marketplace’ which exists to help brands discover and select the best creators to partner with. It is probably the closest thing a social media platform has developed to an influencer marketing platform, but from our experience it definitely isn’t a turnkey solution for the b2b marketing world. Search queries and filters on the Creator Marketplace still leave a lot to be desired, and we recommend brands use additional resources and technology for creator discovery, influencer relations and campaign management.
Are b2b TikTok creators getting paid for partnerships?
Yes, sponsored TikToks are live currently across a number of industries and we at Custom Influence have watched this grow with excitement this year as well as planned activity for a number of our own clients. Pricing for brand partnership deals can range from a couple hundred pounds up to the tens of thousands depending on the creator, but unlike biddable media channels there is a human element required for deal negotiation. Many TikTok collaborations may also be a part of larger campaigns that include LinkedIn, podcasts or Youtube. We recommend testing TikTok as well as other channels to understand the use cases for each platform.
Are Affiliate Marketing programs available for b2b creators?
We often get asked if b2b influencer marketing is the same thing as affiliate marketing. There are indeed many affiliate programs available for influencers to take advantage of, whether that be on Youtube or on TikTok. The main difference, however, between affiliate programs and creator partnerships is that in creator partnerships the brand is paying the creator a set fee based on posts or content output, whereas affiliates only pay out when a product is purchased or a defined and trackable conversion takes place. Affiliates is more of a performance marketing tactic if you will, whereas creator is more brand and consideration led. In the context of b2b marketing it’s also important to point out that most brands won’t necessarily have an e-commerce-style product with a quick sales cycle. Influencing purchase decisions using creator affiliate programs is only particularly effective when the creator is influencing one person. (Think: b2b saas companies such like Notion or smb tools like Fiverr.) In summary, b2b creators taking part in affiliate marketing programs on TikTok are not the same as creator partnerships, although the content format (a promoted TikTok video, for example) may look the same to the end user.
But isn’t it only Gen Z’s part of the workforce that’s on TikTok?
In terms of who is using TikTok most, it is true that the demographic with the highest percentage of TikTok users is those 16-24 years old. That said, according to OfCom in the UK alone there are 23.3 million people using the platform, with over half of 25-34 year olds using it, over a third of the 35-44’s and a quarter still of 45-54 year olds. The assumption that TikTok is ‘just’ a distraction for teenagers to watch viral dance trends is now outdated, with business, entrepreneurship and industry-focussed content growing daily. And if you aren’t yet using TikTok, we encourage you to download the app and try it out for yourself.
Is there anything else I should know about b2b creator marketing on TikTok?
In summary, using short form video as a content marketing strategy is super engaging, and TikTok can be the perfect medium to experiment by establishing well thought-out, strategic creator partnerships. B2B brands should be ready for content that may not encapsulate the highly designed ‘hero’ marketing content used with other channels, but rather a progressive and of-the-moment strategy for driving brand awareness and demand generation.
