TikTok Launches Education Program To Prepare SMBs To Advertise On Its Platform

TikTok announced a free program on Monday that aims to educate small businesses and ultimately prepare them to become advertisers on the popular short-video platform via guides and coaching modules. 

“Follow Me” showcases TikTok’s intention to become a leading social advertising giant for its user base, which is younger than that of Facebook. A shift in consumer interests may trigger a new marketing landscape.

TikTok’s ad revenue is now only a fraction of Meta’s, which garnered $115 billion in 2021 from SMBs. However, TikTok is predicted to see a massive boost over the next year, thought to reach $11.6 billion by the end of 2022, surpassing Snap and Twitter. 

“Follow Me” is predicated on convincing SMBs to get on board with pitching their brand on TikTok’s feed. The program uses various roadmaps to walk SMBs through running their first campaigns and how to successfully create a branded story in a video format. 

Brands will also learn how to access TikTok’s Creative Center, set up their Business accounts, and use an assortment of tools such as Ads Manager. 

“Small Business Ambassadors” have also been designated to help. Those recruited include owner and founder of Tassel Armor, Cassie Sorensen, and Jacob Zander who owns Feel Your Soul. 

Although the program launched Monday, the timing is not ideal. 

TikTok is currently experiencing widespread scrutiny for its ties to China. In June, BuzzFeed News broke a story about ByteDance employees (TikTok’s parent company) having access to U.S. user data. 

Since then, multiple investigations have transpired around TikTok. Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate whether the company misled lawmakers about user data, and the E.U. is looking into privacy policy changes surrounding user consent for personalized advertising. 

Next story loading loading..