By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter
TRAINING and financial assistance are needed to help small businesses leverage new digital platforms for growth, TikTok agency partner Huskee Digital said.
Platforms like TikTok have their own sets of features, algorithms, and user behaviors that many businesses struggle to deal with, Huskee Digital said.
“Many businesses lack the internal expertise to navigate these complexities effectively,” the company said in an e-mail to BusinessWorld.
“Without a deep understanding of how TikTok operates, brands may struggle to create content that resonates with their target audience,” it added.
Small businesses are also being challenged to put in financial investment to capacitate themselves to make use and take advantage of the features offered by digital platforms, it said.
These investments are necessary in purchasing tools and software for content creation and analytics, as well as for hiring new talent or agencies that specialize in TikTok marketing, Huskee Digital said.
“For many businesses, particularly smaller ones, these costs can be prohibitive, and because they already don’t know how the platform works, these investments don’t make a lot of sense to them,” it added.
To address these challenges, both the public and private sectors need to make training and education programs, financial support and grants, and mentorship and consulting services available to small businesses, Huskee Digital said.
“Both the government and private companies can offer training and workshops to educate small businesses on effective TikTok strategies,” it said.
These workshops should include courses on content creation, managing an online storefront, and understanding the required financial investments.
Financial assistance and grants for small businesses will help them invest in the necessary tools and resources to succeed on platforms like TikTok, Huskee Digital added.
“Public sector initiatives can focus on offering subsidies or low-interest loans for digital transformation projects,” it said.
For the private sector, companies can offer consulting services tailored towards small businesses’ needs, it added.
Huskee Digital is a creator commerce marketing agency that specializes in transforming stories into sales through platforms like TikTok.
Last month, it launched its official training arm called TRENDS, which offers workshops designed to enhance marketing strategies and drive business success on TikTok.
TikTok is now the second largest social media platform in the Philippines is predicted to become the country’s leading marketplace in the next three to four years, Huskee Digital said.
