For many brands, TikTok is a scary, unknown place. What do you post? How do you use the trending sounds? I\u2019ve rounded up small businesses that have generated thousands of likes and followers on their TikTok profiles alone.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n In this article, we not only list successful small businesses on TikTok with a breakdown of their strategies but also hear from some directly on what influenced their success.<\/p>\n Note: <\/strong>In this article, we define small businesses as those with one to 25 employees.<\/p>\n Founded by influencer and content creator Cassey Ho, POPFLEX has amassed 2.5 million likes and 116K followers since first posting in May 2020.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the key to its success? Leveraging Ho\u2019s loyal community and telling honest stories.<\/p>\n @popflexactive<\/a> Time for a gym bag upgrade? Meet the all-in-one Valentina Duffle \ud83d\udc90 Ho grew in popularity on YouTube as a fitness instructor sharing pilates workouts and advice, hence the name @blogilates. After years of success, Ho launched the apparel brand, POPFLEX.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s such a huge benefit to work with a social media personality like Cassey, who already has not only a fanbase but a loyal community that she has built trust with,\u201d says Lexi King<\/a>, PopFlex\u2019s social media lead. \u201cWe are an extension of that at POPFLEX.\u201d<\/p>\n Knowing that these two brands are deeply connected, King says they focused on sharing the behind-the-scenes journey of building and growing POPFLEX.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026People love seeing the \u2018why\u2019 and the process behind our products,\u201d says King, \u201cit makes the brand relationship less transactional and more of a relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n She says that instead of selling a product, they sell a story about finding a solution to a problem. On TikTok, each account feeds the other, creating what King calls an ecosystem.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you happen to be scrolling TikTok and come across Blogilates\u2019 video promoting a product, that will likely lead you to check out POPFLEX where you can then see the product on different bodies through our try-on videos or see more of the functionality behind the product,\u201d she says.\u201d It’s about creating an ecosystem of content, it\u2019s like telling one big story.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to storytelling and leveraging their founder, King shares that the brand invests in building relationships with diverse content creators, through partnerships and gifting.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing our products promoted on external influencer\/creator accounts helps build our awareness and trust with the consumer while also giving our customer real, raw, and unpaid reviews,\u201d says King on gifting products to influencers.<\/p>\n Unlike many other brands on TikTok, POPFLEX doesn\u2019t only rely on trending dances to gain traction.<\/p>\n \u201cDoing trendy dance moves doesn\u2019t always need to be your answer to increasing your reach,\u201d says King. \u201cYou can find a unique way to utilize a trending audio to push your product and educate your audience about your brand.\u201d<\/p>\n She continues, \u201cIn fact, being different and interpreting trends in unique ways has been some of our best performing content.\u201d<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one piece of advice King could offer other small businesses, it\u2019s this: Succeeding on TikTok involves trial and error.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to find what brings your audience in, weeding through what works and what doesn\u2019t,\u201d says King. \u201cThe only way to figure that out is by posting and by not being afraid to test new things \u2014 new creators, posting at different times, new angles, trends versus storytelling, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n While some brands steer away from pushing their products on TikTok, others find great success in doubling down on this strategy. Faces Cosmetics is one of them.<\/p>\n About 90% of the TikTok videos this brand posts on TikTok are directly related to its product, specifically the quality, performance, and durability.<\/p>\n The reason this strategy works so well is that in just a few seconds, the video addresses user pain points and shows how the product solves them \u2013 all while leveraging trending sounds.<\/p>\n @facescosmetics<\/a> And it\u2019s latex free \ud83d\ude1c Secure those lashes baby! Here\u2019s another tactic that\u2019s worked exceptionally well for Faces Cosmetics on TikTok: Building up a story surrounding the product, hooking in viewers, then revealing the truth at the end.<\/p>\n While this may sound like a risky approach, it\u2019s one that brought the brand 3.1 million views in a single video and a host of new customers.<\/p>\n For instance, in the video posted below, the brand\u2019s founder posed as a content creator trying a new product that\u2019s been making its rounds on social media. Spoiler alert: It\u2019s her product.<\/p>\n @facescosmetics<\/a> I wish i knew about this sooner omg! She tries it on, addresses common customer pain points with this product line, then ends the video with the big reveal and a restock announcement.<\/p>\n The takeaway here is to tell stories that will resonate with your audience.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for inspiration on how to capitalize on trending sounds on TikTok, take a look at Hoodjabi.<\/p>\n From the outside looking in, this brand has figured out which trends to hop on and which ones to skip.<\/p>\n @hoodjabishop<\/a> A lifechanging experience \ud83e\udd79\ud83e\udd79 Although every video features Hoodjabi products, the videos don\u2019t focus on the products themselves. Instead, they focus on the person wearing them and their lifestyle. From navigating the world as a hijabi to life with this product \u2013 always in a funny, engaging way.<\/p>\n TikTok accounts like Bobbie Goods show us that simplicity can go a long way on social media.<\/p>\n What once was a drawing account from an artist evolved into a brand selling coloring books, stickers, and more.<\/p>\n What\u2019s most interesting here is noting how the content in this account shifted once it became a brand. In the early days, the videos had little focus, allowing viewers to simply enjoy the drawings as they came alive on screen.<\/p>\n Over time, the brand started incorporating more behind-the-scenes content, from packing orders to creating new products.<\/p>\n @bobbiegoods<\/a> add eco friendly gift wrapping to your next order! available now in my shop \u263a\ufe0f @noissueco Another interesting note? Bobbie Goods doesn\u2019t rely on trending sounds to make or break their content, showing once again that there are multiple roads leading to success on TikTok.<\/p>\n Food brand Omsom isn\u2019t just on TikTok to promote its products. After perusing just a few videos, you\u2019ll find that there\u2019s an emphasis on celebrating Asian, and specifically Vietnamese, culture.<\/p>\n Omsom invites its viewers to gain knowledge of the history behind Vietnamese cuisine as well as challenge longstanding myths related to Asian foods.<\/p>\n @weareomsom<\/a> PSA: there are no proven harms of consuming MSG!!! <\/p>\n But that\u2019s not all you\u2019ll find scrolling down their profile.<\/p>\n Omsom also shares tons of food recipes, behind-the-scenes content from the founders, and relatable lifestyle content.<\/p>\n @weareomsom<\/a> <\/p>\n The Omsom team has HAD IT with these red flags \ud83e\udd23\ud83d\udea9<\/p>\n \u266c Whatcha Say – Jason Derulo<\/a> <\/p>\n Having this content mix ensures they appeal to a range of buyer personas, from Vietnamese consumers looking for a taste of home to curious eaters.<\/p>\n When your product is as good as SplayTray\u2019s, there\u2019s no fancy strategy needed (although that never hurts).<\/p>\n On TikTok, all it takes is finding the right trending sounds to show off your product\u2019s most impressive features.<\/p>\n Take this video below, which earned nearly 270K views.<\/p>\n @splaytray<\/a> <\/p>\n You definitely need it.<\/p>\n1. POPFLEX<\/a><\/h3>\n
\n #dufflebag<\/a>
\n #duffle<\/a>
\n #functionalfashion<\/a>
\n #blogilates<\/a>
\n #bags<\/a>
\n #gymbag<\/a>
\n #ShowOffLandOFrost<\/a>
\n \u266c Classical Music – Classical Music<\/a> <\/p>\n2. Faces Cosmetics<\/a> <\/span><\/h3>\n
\n #makeup<\/a>
\n #mua<\/a>
\n #lashes<\/a>
\n #facescosmetics<\/a>
\n #lashessecured<\/a>
\n \u266c original sound – IT GIRL \ud83d\udc95<\/a> <\/p>\n
\n #lashes<\/a>
\n #makeup<\/a>
\n #ulta<\/a>
\n #facescosmetics<\/a>
\n #lashessecured<\/a>
\n \u266c original sound – Faces Cosmetics<\/a> <\/p>\n3. Hoodjabi<\/a><\/h3>\n
\n #hoodjabishop<\/a>
\n #modestfashion<\/a>
\n #hijabessentials<\/a>
\n #hoodiehijab<\/a>
\n \u266c The sound of love – Mandy & Boots- Viral \ud83d\udd08Creator<\/a> <\/p>\n4. Bobbie Goods <\/a><\/h3>\n
\n #noissuepackaging<\/a>
\n #fyp<\/a>
\n #packingorders<\/a>
\n #smallbusiness<\/a>
\n #etsy<\/a>
\n \u266c Real Love Baby – Father John Misty<\/a> <\/p>\n5. Omsom<\/a> <\/span><\/h3>\n
\n #msg<\/a>
\n #asiancuisine<\/a>
\n #asianfood<\/a>
\n #immigrantstories<\/a>
\n #stigma<\/a>
\n \u266c original sound – Omsom<\/a> <\/p>\n6. SplayTray<\/a><\/h3>\n