TikTok - The B2B SaaS brands nailing it & why

With almost half (48%) of the platform’s users aged between 18-29 years old you’d be forgiven for thinking your brand might not be right for the platform. I’m here to tell you that is not true. 

Over the past 12 months we have seen more and more B2B SaaS marketers engage with the platform to scale their marketing efforts and connect with their target audience. This is due not only to the high-reach potential of the platform but the emotional connection it establishes with brands and the consequent influence this has on consumer behaviour - 67% of users say they are inspired to shop when scrolling through TikTok even when they weren’t looking to do so.

If your business model is B2B, TikTok is one platform you should absolutely consider. Think of it this way: every single business that needs your service is supported by people. Those people might come across your TikTok content on their commute or while they’re scrolling at home and develop an emotional connection that leads them to decide their business requires your service to achieve success. Yes, getting this right takes time but finding the right angle and knowing what makes sense for your brand will enable you to authentically showcase your organisation while creating and nurturing out-of-market demand for your service.

Even if you feel ready to start incorporating TikTok into your B2B SaaS marketing strategy, it can be challenging to know where to start. The platform is unique, and so is the content that performs well. To help you get a head start, here are the best practices for B2B SaaS marketing on TikTok. 

Think Like a Creator, Not a Brand 

Jumping on viral TikTok trends is one of the easiest ways to broaden the reach of your service and humanise your brand. Not only can it help potential customers quickly understand your proposition, it also demonstrates the value offered by your service. An example of a SaaS brand who does this exceptionally well is Adobe who used their first-ever post on TikTok to jump on the popular “put a finger down if you…” trend. The content focused on the needs of their target audience, helping Adobe establish itself as a tool for businesses of all sizes to learn how to express themselves through design, video, and animation. 

What’s more, when content is trending on TikTok the platform actively pushes similar content to a wider audience, making it an excellent way for SaaS B2B brands to expand their reach.  

Keep It Relevant

As a B2B SaaS organisation your content will undoubtedly vary from that of a business marketing directly to customers - and that is fine. But don’t be afraid to have fun. TikTok can be used to creatively share statistics, industry news and even demo the service you provide. Relevant content like this does extremely well, just look at Shopify. Their “TikTok Effect” series explored the real-world economic impact of the biggest TikTok trends while demonstrating the value of social commerce (i.e.their product) to entrepreneurs (i.e their target audience). Adobe is another great example of a brand using the platform to demonstrate its capability and functions in a fun and engaging way for users. For example, they regularly use trending sounds over their ‘how to’ videos.  

Be Authentic

TikTok users are looking for brands to showcase the real side of who they are and what they do. Sharing the “why” behind your service (i.e. your brand’s story, vision, mission and values) can help to capture the attention of potential customers, drive product discovery and purchase consideration. Why not put a face to a name and assert your brand presence on TikTok by leveraging the power of your founders, CEO or even team members in the content you create? 

User-Generated Content (UGC)

It is likely that there are already users creating and sharing content featuring your service. While UGC is always handy for fluffing out your content calendar or incorporating into paid ads on social media, it is a great way to promote the benefits of your service to different businesses and make your brand feel less branded. In fact, 74% of users on TikTok agree that the best brands on TikTok are ones that not only share their ideas but work together with users. Again, Shopify is again a good example of a B2B SaaS brand doing this well. 

Cracking the TikTok code as a SaaS B2B marketer might take time but with some individuality, creativity, and a little help from users it is possible. Here are some examples of B2B SaaS brands who have successfully opened their business up to new opportunities using TikTok. 

‍Shopify‍

Shopify is absolutely nailing TikTok. Yes, being the official e-commerce partner for the platform helps but their content demonstrates a solid understanding of their target audience - entrepreneurs and small businesses. Their account, which has over 113,000 subscribers and a million likes, offers users a mix of success stories, helpful advice and relevant industry news and insights. 

‍Adobe‍

Adobe uses TikTok to share productivity tips, business tips and product demos. The brand also does a great job of engaging with their audience to create and share product demos. With over 324,000 followers on the platform, Adobe continues to create value for its customers and encourage new businesses to consider its services.

‍Zoom

Zoom is another brand using TikTok to nurture demand for its service. Their page focuses on sharing product updates, myth busting and poking fun about workplace gripes as well as the usual work-from-home tropes. 

Canva

The graphic design platform targets businesses with tips and tutorials on everything from how to build a top-notch presentation to how to ensure strong engagement with posts on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. They also have their finger on the pulse when it comes to content trending on the platform. For example, the team at Canva were quick to jump on the Vogue Challenge earlier this year seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities.

So, what have we learnt?

• TikTok is all about authenticity making it a great platform to humanise your B2B SaaS brand
• Don’t be afraid to have fun, the best performing content on TikTok is trend-led 
• Add value. Remember you’re selling a service so offer insightful and relevant tips and tricks to demonstrate the value you offer
• Engage with users - TikTok is all about building authentic connections so why not use this to your advantage and share UGC to demonstrate the value offered by your service