6 Small Businesses Crushing It on TikTok (And What You Can Learn From Them)

TikTok has quickly become one of the most powerful platforms for businesses to reach new audiences and drive impressive results. With over 1 billion monthly active users globally and an incredibly engaged userbase, the potential for small businesses on TikTok is massive.

In fact, 67% of TikTok users say the platform inspired them to shop even when they weren‘t looking to do so. Videos with the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag have racked up over 40 billion views. For small businesses looking to get discovered, grow a following, and generate sales, TikTok presents a huge opportunity.

But finding success on a new and ever-evolving platform like TikTok isn‘t always easy. It requires understanding the unique culture, experimenting with different types of content, and engaging authentically.

To give you some inspiration and a head start, we‘ve rounded up examples of small businesses that are absolutely killing it on TikTok. These accounts have generated millions of views and hundreds of thousands of followers with their creative, entertaining, and highly effective approaches.

Even better, we spoke with some of the business owners and social media managers behind these accounts to get their best tips and lessons learned. Keep reading to see the strategies in action and learn how you can apply them to your own small business.

Keys to TikTok Success for Small Businesses

Before we dive into the examples, let‘s review some of the key factors that go into an effective TikTok strategy for small businesses:

1. Understand the platform and audience. Take time to scroll through the For You Page, explore different trends and content styles, and get a feel for what performs well. Pay attention to what other businesses in your niche are doing. Most importantly, know your target audience and what kind of content they want to see.

2. Post consistently and iterate. TikTok favors frequent posting and engagement, so aim to publish new videos on a regular schedule. Don‘t get too hung up on production quality in the beginning – the key is to put out content and see what resonates. You can always refine and improve over time based on performance.

3. Leverage trends and sounds creatively. Using popular songs, memes, filters, and hashtags is a great way to expand your reach on TikTok. But don‘t just copy what everyone else is doing. Find unique spins that relate to your brand and showcase your personality.

4. Tell authentic, relatable stories. Users come to TikTok for entertainment, but they also crave real and raw content from brands. Share your founding story, behind-the-scenes moments, and the ups and downs of running a small business. Don‘t be afraid to show your human side!

5. Showcase products in engaging ways. Product videos can absolutely crush it on TikTok when done right. Focus on the lifestyle and transformation rather than dry specs. Help viewers imagine how your product fits into their lives and solves their problems. Unboxings, demos, and customer testimonials are all great options.

6. Build a community. As with any social platform, TikTok is all about the community. Interact with other users who engage with your content, respond to comments, and support other creators in your niche. Building relationships is key to long-term TikTok growth.

With those overarching tips in mind, let‘s take a look at how some small businesses have put them into practice with amazing results.

PopFlex: Leveraging an Engaged Community

Founded by influencer and Blogilates creator Cassey Ho, the PopFlex fitness apparel brand has amassed over 116,000 followers and 2.5 million likes on TikTok since launching in May 2020. Their secret weapon? Cassey‘s highly engaged community.

"It‘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," says Lexi King, PopFlex‘s social media lead. "We are an extension of that at PopFlex."

The PopFlex TikTok account showcases their apparel while also giving a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the brand. "People love seeing the ‘why‘ and the process behind our products," explains King. "It makes the brand relationship less transactional."

For example, this video announcing a restock of their bestselling leggings generated over 67,000 views:

@popflexactive The wait is over! Dual Pocket Leggings are back in all colors💙💗💜 Which color are you most excited for? #leggings #gymclothes #popflexactive ♬ original sound – POPFLEX Active

Rather than just a standard product shot, the video shows Cassey modeling the leggings and speaks directly to viewers about how they were designed based on feedback. This creates an instant connection and communicates the brand‘s commitment to its community.

PopFlex also makes a point to engage diverse creators to model and review their products. "Seeing 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," notes King.

Faces Cosmetics: Demonstrating Product Effectiveness

Faces Cosmetics takes a product-focused approach to TikTok that has helped them earn millions of views while driving sales and brand awareness. About 90% of their posted videos directly demonstrate how their face prosthetics stand up to various conditions like workouts, rain, swimming and more.

According to founder Carrie Carver, this strategy works because it quickly addresses potential objections and shows how the products solve common problems. In this viral video with over 1 million views, she shows how well the lashes stay on even after a shower:

@facescosmetics Just showered and they‘re still SECURE🌟 #makeup #mua #lashes #facescosmetics #lashessecured ♬ original sound – 😩

"People want to see proof that a product works before they buy, especially with beauty products," says Carver. "When we can demonstrate the features like water resistance in a fun way using trending sounds, it checks all the boxes."

Another highly effective tactic Faces Cosmetics uses is creating "story" videos that hook viewers until the final product reveal. In one video that got 3.1 million views, Carver posed as a regular customer testing out an exciting new product that turned out to be from her own brand.

The suspense creates intrigue and mimics the style of organic customer review content, while still allowing the brand to control the narrative. It‘s an approach that clearly pays off.

Omsom: Centering Culture and Education

Vietnamese food brand Omsom takes a different tack, building an audience of over 45,000 followers by creating content that celebrates Asian culture and educates viewers on the origins of different dishes.

"Our mission as a brand is to reclaim and celebrate Asian flavors and stories," say co-founders Kim and Vanessa Pham. "We use TikTok to highlight real stories of Asian cuisine and communities, going deeper than the products themselves."

Their most popular videos tackle cultural topics like the stigma surrounding MSG, the diversity of Asian cuisine, and appreciating immigrant food traditions.

@weareomsom Let‘s get loco with four Asian taco night ideas: Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and Korean. #tacotuesday #taconight #koreantacos #asiancooking ♬ original sound – Omsom

These videos aren‘t overtly promotional, but they attract the right target audience and position Omsom as an authentic, trusted voice. "By building that affinity first, people naturally become curious about our products," the Phams say. "It all ladders up."

Of course, they also create plenty of fun, trend-driven content to keep things light, like their "Leftover Glow-up" recipe series. The mix of education and entertainment has been the key.

Hoodjabi: Standing Out with Humor

Proof that you don‘t need a huge production budget to succeed on TikTok, humorous hijab brand Hoodjabi consistently goes viral with lo-fi videos leaning into relatable moments and reactions.

With over 125,000 followers and 4.3 million likes, founder Kady Meite says her strategy is simply to put a humorous spin on everyday experiences wearing her company‘s hoodies and accessories.

"Whenever I hear an audio, based on the wording of the song or theme of the trend, I automatically think ‘How can this apply to my brand?‘" Meite explains. "There‘s always a way to tie it back creatively."

Take this video using a trending sound to poke fun at the struggles of unwanted male attention:

@hoodjabishop When he can‘t even see your beauty >>>>> #hoodjabishop #hijabthings ♬ original sound – PDiddy💗👑

The self-deprecating tone and shared experience instantly connect with Hoodjabi‘s core audience, while putting the focus subtly on how her products make life easier. The video got over 472,000 views and hundreds of comments from excited customers and followers.

In addition to finding creative angles on trends, Meite says consistency is the key to growing on TikTok. "Just post and post consistently – the right audience will find you."

SplayTray: Letting the Product Speak

Some products are so useful that you can drive massive sales from TikTok with straightforward demos set to trending sounds. Makeup organizer brand SplayTray is the perfect example.

Most of their videos simply show off the features and functionality of their signature trays in action, like this one that got over 270,000 views:

@splaytray The only makeup organizer you‘ll ever need ✨ #makeuporganizer #makeupstorage #organizedhome #organizeit ♬ original sound – SplayTray

The caption directly invites users to "duet and show how you would organize your SplayTray" – a smart way to drive further exposure through user-generated content.

Another top SplayTray video uses the "Things in My House That Just Make Sense" trend to quickly highlight why their organizer is a must-have:

@splaytray 5 things I love about my @SplayTray 💕 #thingsinmyhouse #amazonfinds #makeuporganization #splaying ♬ Things in My House That Just Make Sense – Kyle Scheele

By keeping it simple and emphasizing the product benefits in a clear, compelling way, SplayTray turns views into engaged fans and customers ready to buy. The lesson? When you have a standout item, let it shine on its own.

Bobbie Goods: Sharing the Journey

Artist Bobbie Goods shows how a personal brand can evolve into a successful product business on TikTok by inviting followers along for the ride. What started as an account sharing her drawing process videos has now grown to over 580,000 followers and an online storefront selling enamel pins, stationery, and more.

As the account transformed, Bobbie began sprinkling in more content about running her small business alongside the art videos. She takes followers behind the scenes of packing orders, creating new products, designing packaging, and other relatable founder moments.

@bobbiegoods I‘m a small business owner and I make enamel pins 🌿✨ #smallbusinesstiktok #enamelapins #artistsoftiktok ♬ original sound – Bobbie

Her most popular videos use trending filters and sounds to give sneak peeks and fun updates, like this one about a new product drop that got over 3 million views:

@bobbiegoods Coming soon!! 👀 #enamelapins #smallbusinesscheck #tiktokartist ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE – Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

By sharing an authentic look at all aspects of running her small business with a positive attitude, Bobbie has built a loyal community eager to support her brand and buy her latest creations.

Her success is evidence that you don‘t need a big budget or complicated strategy to make an impact on TikTok. Consistently posting engaging content that showcases your unique personality and invites viewers into your world can be incredibly effective.

The Takeaway

The small businesses featured here are using TikTok in diverse ways to incredible effect – racking up millions of views, growing sizable followings, and generating real revenue. While their tactics may vary, the common threads are understanding the platform, showcasing authentic personality, and providing value to their target audiences.

As a small business owner, it‘s easy to feel intimidated by TikTok or assume you need special resources to succeed. But these examples prove that businesses of any size or industry can drive serious results by committing to creating engaging content consistently.

TikTok offers unparalleled opportunity to reach massive new audiences, build relationships with customers, and grow your brand. There‘s no better time than now to start experimenting and see what works for you. Hopefully these inspiring small business stories give you the motivation and practical guidance to get started on your own TikTok journey.

Ready to dive deeper into TikTok marketing? Download the Ultimate Marketer‘s Guide to TikTok for Business for even more tips, best practices, and success stories.