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

Like so many founders who’re going through the daunting process 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 contemplate myself a very inventive particular person. The considered arising with contemporary and fascinating content material day after day that will compete with individuals who actually do that for a residing felt unimaginable.

And but, I had a hunch that my firm—Tandem, an app that helps {couples} handle their shared funds—may join with new customers on the platform. As a D2C cell app, we’ve seen that one of the simplest ways to accumulate customers is after they’re already on their telephones and subsequently have the very best intent. And with a goal market of 25-35 12 months olds, I knew {that a} good chunk of that telephone time was now spent on TikTok. (For some context, TikTok customers within the U.S. spent a mean of 25.6 hours monthly 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 only a few 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 just lately added a second account—@missmoneymichelle—to turn out to be a finance influencer in my very own proper and bypass costly influencer advertising for my model. In only a few weeks, I gained over 17,000 followers.

Higher than followers, although, are the enterprise outcomes. Whereas I’ve been conscious of not pushing Tandem too exhausting within the early days, as a substitute 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 contemplate new choices to assist {couples} grasp their funds collectively.

After all, I’ve been doing all of this whereas additionally working my enterprise. For another 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 shortly.

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 greatest practices for making partaking quick kind video.

Certainly 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 shortly, 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 issues that saved me $1,000 that nobody is aware of about,” is far more eye-catching than “three money-saving ideas.”)

I additionally discovered the right way to use TikTok’s knowledge 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 latest, most preferred movies. I’ll search for all the pieces 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 contemplate how I can put my very own spin on that subject to leap on a development and create one thing helpful for my viewers.

I used a collection to assist me experiment and acquire traction

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

Amount is vital as a result of, with a view to develop a following shortly, you might want to give your self as many possibilities to go viral as doable. I made a decision to intention for posting thrice a day, seven days per week, so I may quickly perceive what’s working and what flops.

Consistency, in each kind of content material and frequency, is vital so that individuals know what to anticipate from you. If somebody lands in your profile and sees 20-30 movies on a subject they’re all for, versus a couple of disjointed posts, they’re more likely to comply with your profile. I discovered that launching with a collection—in my case, monetary ideas for {couples} beneath the umbrella of “Issues Energy {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 hardly ever translated to followers or new customers. In the meantime, I’ve discovered that essentially the most profitable movies are after I share distinctive ideas which have made an actual impression in my relationship, akin to making a shared electronic mail handle or getting on every others’ insurance coverage as home companions.

Now that my accounts are extra established, I exploit a five-video collection to experiment with new matters, particularly ones which might be extra time sure. For example, I created a brief collection about profitable the lottery when the most important Powerball was occurring, and one about Journey Tuesday offers throughout Black Friday weekend. Creating a couple of movies for every subject permits me to strive barely completely different hooks and canopy extra data with none one video getting too lengthy. Often not less than one or two inside a collection will go viral, however I can hardly ever predict which, so it’s essential to strive a number of approaches.

I created a schedule and seemed for shortcuts

Content material creation can take up a variety of your time if you happen to let it—and as a founder, I don’t have a variety of it. I’ve discovered one of the simplest ways to constantly put up at my best 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 knowledge and metrics from my very own posts to see what kind of content material is performing effectively. I’ll additionally take into consideration upcoming holidays or present occasions. Then, I’ll listing out the entire matters I wish to cowl that week and what the hooks shall be. Generally I’ll loosely script out a video, and different occasions 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 anyplace if I must be out and about on filming day. (I’ve positively recorded movies from my automobile!.) I additionally invested in a mini microphone to make sure high-quality sound irrespective of the place I’m filming. And a remaining bizarre hack: I put on massive sun shades in all my movies so I don’t really feel strain to do my make-up. It saves me time and has turn out to be 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 not less than a couple of hours making edits to make sure the posts are partaking, together with issues like reducing out useless house and including in captions.

I’m not going to lie—TikTok remains to be overwhelming to me generally. Constantly 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 continuously be taking note of the info 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 option to make TikTok work for me. And the end result—a deep, ongoing connection to my viewers—makes the hassle greater than value it.