Is TikTok worth it for my shop?
Updated 18 June·6 min read
Yes, if…
- ✓Your product or process looks good on camera
- ✓You can post one clip a day for two weeks
- ✓Your customers are local and on the app
No, if…
- ✕You can't commit to regular posting
- ✕Your audience isn't really on TikTok
- ✕Your Google and local basics aren't done yet
The reasoning
Reach on TikTok is genuinely free, but it rewards consistency. One clip won't move the needle; a fortnight of daily clips tells you whether there's anything there.
Treat it as an experiment with a number attached: track who mentions it at the till or uses a code. Vanity metrics like views don't pay wages.
If the test works, lean in. If it doesn't, you've lost two weeks of phone clips - and you'll know to spend the time elsewhere.
What’s new on this question
24 Jun 2026Platform adds a clearer local-business profile and map link
9 Jun 2026Small-merchant ad minimums lowered
21 May 2026New rules on labelling paid promotion take effect
What you can do this week
- ✓Block 15 minutes a day for two weeks of filming
- ✓Pick one local hashtag and a clear call to action
- ✓Count mentions and decide with the numbers
Related decisions
Luca Bonura
Founder & Editor
Self-taught marketer who started selling online at 17 and went on to freelance for brands across Europe before founding Adlarion. He writes The Small Business Digest in plain English - the news he wishes he'd had when he was starting out.
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