TikTok has changed how people discover content, products and brands. But for businesses, especially small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the opportunity goes far beyond creating entertaining videos or following the latest trend.
But how can SMBs make the most of TikTok without large advertising budgets or dedicated creative teams?
That was the focus of the first episode of The Growth Signal, Leadzai's webinar series exploring the people, platforms and ideas shaping digital advertising.
Hosted by Nuno Campos, the session featured Simon Fowler, Channel Partnerships Lead for EMEA at TikTok, who works with advertisers, merchants and partners to help them grow through TikTok’s partner ecosystem.
Here's what businesses can learn from the conversation and how they can apply these insights to their TikTok strategy.
Watch the full webinar: The Growth Signal — Episode 1
Watch the full conversation to hear Simon's perspective on where TikTok is heading and how businesses can start putting these opportunities into practice.
01. TikTok is more than entertainment, it’s a discovery channel
One of the first misconceptions Simon addressed was the idea that TikTok is primarily a platform for younger audiences or a place where businesses need to produce entertaining, highly polished videos to get noticed. That perception doesn't reflect the full potential of the platform.
Simon explained that TikTok’s audience and advertising offering have evolved considerably. Businesses can connect with different audiences and pursue a wider range of marketing objectives.
For SMBs, this opens up opportunities to introduce their brand to new audiences, showcase what they offer and support wider marketing goals, from building awareness to generating leads and driving sales.
He also emphasised the importance of starting with a clear objective. Rather than creating content simply because TikTok is popular, businesses should define whether they want to build awareness, encourage discovery, drive sales or generate leads and shape their strategy accordingly.
02. The search opportunity: 20% of users go straight to TikTok’s search bar
One notable shift in TikTok usage is the growing role of search. Simon shared that 20% of users open the app and go straight to its search function, showing that people aren't only consuming recommended content but also actively looking for information.
Unlike traditional text-based search results, TikTok allows people to discover information through videos. They can see products in use, explore places and get a feel for what a business offers, helping them make more informed decisions.
For SMBs, this creates an opportunity to make their expertise, products and services easier to discover through relevant content.
A restaurant could show its dishes and atmosphere. A local service provider could demonstrate its work. A specialist B2B company could explain a complex topic or answer questions its customers regularly ask. Rather than assuming every user is ready to buy, businesses should recognise TikTok’s role throughout the discovery journey, from initial interest to researching specific solutions.
What businesses can do: Identify the questions customers ask before making a decision and create useful content that answers them clearly.
The numbers behind the opportunity
03. Local discovery and communities
Not every business needs to reach a large audience to grow. For many SMBs, the most valuable customers are closer to home.
Simon highlighted the importance of local discovery, explaining how TikTok can surface content based on users’ interests and location. Whether searching for nearby businesses and services or travelling to a new city, users can discover local recommendations, places to visit and experiences to explore, helping them make the most of their surroundings. For businesses whose success depends on local visibility, this creates an opportunity to reach people who are actively exploring their area.
But local relevance isn't only about geography, it’s also about shared interests.
TikTok communities bring together people interested in particular subjects, activities and types of content. Simon specifically mentioned:
- BookTok: a community centred on books and reading.
- FilmTok: a community focused on films and cinema.
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These examples illustrate how businesses can connect with audiences around a shared interest rather than relying exclusively on broad demographic targeting.
A local bookshop, for example, could create content around reading recommendations and new releases. A cinema or independent film business could contribute to conversations about genres, reviews or upcoming releases. A specialist business could educate its audience around a particular industry or interest.
For SMBs, these communities offer a way to connect their products, services and expertise with interests people already care about.
04. Authentic content for greater impact
A recurring theme throughout the webinar was that businesses don't need to approach TikTok like a traditional advertising production.
TikTok's video-first format offers businesses a different way to showcase what they do. As Simon explained, effective creative doesn't have to be highly polished or follow every trend. It needs to capture attention, communicate a clear message and feel relevant to the audience.
Businesses can start with a few simple principles:
- Show the product, don’t just talk about it. Demonstrate what you offer and how it fits into people's lives.
- Keep content authentic. Focus on content that feels natural to your brand and audience, rather than trying to imitate every trend.
- Adapt to the platform. Use vertical 9:16 video, sound and formats that fit naturally into the TikTok feed to make your content feel relevant and engaging.
For smaller businesses, limited production budgets don’t have to restrict creativity. By making the most of the assets they already have, businesses can create content that reflects their identity and shows what makes them different.
“It's about being authentic, about starting with those things that you have.”
— Simon Fowler, TikTok
05. How Leadzai's TikTok integration helps SMBs get started
Leadzai's TikTok integration brings AI-powered video creation into the advertising workflow, helping businesses turn existing assets into video ads without needing a full production setup.
During the session, Nuno explained how Leadzai’s TikTok integration makes video advertising more accessible, allowing businesses to generate video ads using AI by starting with an image and an optional prompt. This makes it easier to turn existing materials into video creatives without needing a full production setup.
AI as a tool, not a replacement for the business’s creativity
AI can help businesses produce creative assets more efficiently, but it doesn't replace the people behind the brand. Their ideas, expertise and understanding of their customers remain essential to creating meaningful content.
As Nuno Campos, Leadzai’s Go-to-Market Strategist added:
“AI can help businesses bring their ideas to life, but the creativity, the knowledge of their audience and what makes their brand unique still come from the people behind the business.”
This is where Leadzai's approach fits into the broader opportunity Simon described: making the process of getting started less daunting for SMBs.
“What I'm very excited about is the success that SMBs have already found by using Leadzai’s platform to create and manage their TikTok ads campaigns.”
— Simon Fowler, TikTok
06. Looking beyond B2C: Unlocking TikTok’s potential for B2B
TikTok is often associated with consumer products, but B2B businesses can also use the platform to reach potential customers and build credibility. As Nuno and Simon discussed, the opportunity lies in creating content that informs, educates and addresses real customer needs.
For B2B businesses, this can mean:
- Explaining complex products or services in a simple, accessible way.
- Sharing expertise and practical knowledge to answer questions potential customers may have.
- Demonstrating solutions in action to show how a product or service solves a real problem.
- Connecting with professional communities through relevant topics and shared interests.
Simon also highlighted TikTok's lead-generation advertising tools, which allow businesses to capture potential customers' details through native forms and, depending on the setup, send those leads to a CRM or by email.
The takeaway: B2B businesses can use TikTok not only to build awareness, but also to communicate their value and create opportunities for potential customers to take the next step.
07. Getting started on TikTok: a checklist for businesses
As Simon explained, businesses can build their presence on TikTok by testing different approaches, identifying what resonates with their audience and refining their campaigns based on performance.
Here's a practical checklist for SMBs looking to explore the platform:
- Define your objective - decide whether you want to build awareness, drive sales or generate leads before creating your campaign.
- Start small - test a campaign with a clear goal before expanding your investment.
- Make the most of your assets - use existing brand materials as a starting point for your creative.
- Show what makes you different - demonstrate your product, service or expertise in a way that feels natural to TikTok.
- Identify your audience - consider the communities, interests and local needs relevant to your business.
- Choose the right tools and formats - explore options such as Carousel Ads and AI-powered video creation to support your campaign.
- Plan the next step - give interested viewers a clear way to purchase, enquire or share their details, depending on your objective.
The takeaways: Start with what you have
TikTok offers businesses new ways to connect with audiences, but success starts with understanding what you want to achieve and how you can deliver value.
As Simon Fowler's conversation with Nuno Campos highlighted, businesses don't need to have everything figured out before they begin. They can start small, experiment with different approaches and use what they learn to improve.
With Leadzai's TikTok integration, AI-powered creative tools can help make that first step towards video advertising more accessible.
Ultimately, getting started on TikTok isn't about having the perfect strategy from day one. It's about taking the first step, understanding your audience and building on what works.
For businesses ready to explore TikTok advertising, the message is simple: start with the assets you have, set a clear objective and learn from the results.
Want to see how Leadzai can help you get started?
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