TikTok emerges as new launchpad for small Pak businesses

ISLAMABAD: As a new study has revealed that small businesses are finding their home on TikTok around the world, the Chinese video-sharing platform has also proven to be a critical tool for small business owners in Pakistan to reach customers and grow their businesses.
TikTok worked with Hello Alice, a leading organization dedicated to supporting small businesses, to understand that SMBs are navigating today’s digital world. It invited 750,000 SMBs into their network for the study and found that “SMBs are leveraging TikTok” to find new audiences, build community and generate real-world results. In Pakistan, apart from well-known brands promoting their products on TikTok, the owners of small businesses have started using the platform to attract customers and enlarge their businesses. For example, “Qurbani..2k22”, an account with over two thousand followers, sells sacrificial animals on TikTok. The account, in just five days, received 34.8 likes. Customers in the comments section interact with the owner of the animals about their pricing and delivery procedures. A TikToker Taim Alam, from Peshawar, has been sharing short videos on TikTok about different restaurants and guides foodies on where to find their best food. Similarly, Aisha projects homemade food in the southern city of Karachi. “We are providing all over Karachi home food service,” according to her TikTok page. –Agencies