phone in grass with TikTok app open

Should Your Home Services Business Be on TikTok?

TikTok may be an untapped marketing goldmine. The app has over 500 million active users, yet only 4% of social media marketing firms have begun to take advantage of this massive, built-in audience.

Part of this is due to the presence of older, more recognizable social media giants. After all, we've been using Facebook as a marketing tool for over a decade. More recently, Instagram and Twitter also joined the ranks.

It is no secret that TikTok has become one of the hottest social media platforms lately, but that doesn't mean that it makes sense for every type of business to jump on the bandwagon, especially businesses in the home services industry.

The question we keep getting asked: is TikTok good for business? What about for a home services business? What are the advantages and disadvantages of creating a TikTok advertising strategy?

If you have ever wondered if your HVAC business should be posting on TikTok, read on.

For Starters - How Does TikTok Work?

Traditionally, TikTok videos are 15 seconds long. However, in recent months, the app has added a feature that allows users to string together multiple clips to create a 60-second video. In addition, you can upload long-form videos that were recorded outside of the app, itself.

We've discussed the best video marketing practices in the past, and TikTok has great short-form video marketing potential. That being said, there are a few things users expect from TikTok videos. Even if you're using the app for marketing purposes, there are three cardinal rules you should always follow.

1. Use Music

Music has been built into the app's use since the beginning. In fact, the original purpose of the app was to create fun or humorous music videos to popular songs. While it has come a long way since then, you still need to incorporate music--preferably something popular--into your videos.

2. Go For Humor and Candidness

While some use TikTok to create educational content, businesses should stick to lighter, more humorous videos. The idea is to jump straight to the point since you are limited on time. You also want to make sure that you are showing the fun side of your brand in the process.

3. Don't Use TikTok for Your Hard Sell

Anything that feels like an overt ad is not going to perform well on TikTok. As of right now, the app is designed for entertainment purposes. Incorporate your product or service into your video but try to avoid the obvious call to action we're used to in traditional marketing.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using TikTok for Business

You've now got a sense of how TikTok works. Like Instagram, your content should be image-focused, as captions are considered secondary. Other users can interact with your content through things like following, liking, and ranking, not unlike most other social media platforms we're used to.

It's important to look beyond TikTok's similarities to existing, familiar platforms. What are the pros and cons of TikTok for business purposes? Let's take a look.

Advantage: TikTok Videos Are Easy to Make and Easy to Share

The app is considered extremely user-friendly. You can create videos either on your device or through the app's filming and editing tools. Plus, TikToks transfer well to other social media websites, which means you can cross-market your TikToks and other users can easily share your work.

Disadvantage: Minimal Linking Opportunities

Unlike Twitter and Facebook, TikTok does not allow you to place links in your individual posts. In other words, users won't have the quick satisfaction of clicking through to your website from the post they're looking at.

However, you can place a link in your bio. Websites like Linktree create the opportunity to link to multiple service pages or product pages from a single parent link.

The Youth Factor

Who, exactly, is using TikTok right now? A recent report found that while only 4% of the total US population is using TikTok, a whopping 47% of US teenagers have downloaded the app. The primary age range of users on TikTok is between 16-24 years old.

So if your target demographic includes teens, sure the platform could be extremely valuable to sell your products, but if you are in the home services or HVAC industry, you know that this demographic falls below the demographic of homeowners and people who are making home service based decisions.

Is TikTok Good for Business or Do the Social Media Giants Win?

Where does TikTok rank amongst the social media giants? Which platforms are best for business?

The truth is that Facebook is still the top contender, with more adult users than platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and, yes, TikTok. Plus, people spend more time on average scrolling through their Facebook feed than any other platform.

So if you are looking for the best social media platforms to market your heating, cooling or plumbing business, you can breathe easy knowing you don't need to make the jump to yet another platform. Instead, stick to Facebook as it remains the #1 social media platform for home services business.

On top of Facebook's winning statistics, Facebook's format makes it arguably the best for any business. Facebook allows you to switch between a video, photo, graphic, and text block seamlessly. If you want, you can combine all of these formats in a single post.

Plus, Facebook has a more interactive interface. Customers and clients can do more than follow your page. They can leave reviews that inform future customers' purchasing decisions.

As you know in the HVAC world, online reviews are extremely important and Facebook is the first place consumers are going to leave and read reviews.

Does that mean that you should ignore all other social media platforms? Absolutely not! In fact, Facebook allows you to share just about any other social media post on your Facebook page, maximizing the views and success rate of all of your social media marketing campaigns.

How to Boost Your Social Media Presence

Sometimes, trying to answer questions like, "Is TikTok good for business?" is difficult. The answer depends on everything from your product or service to the amount of time and resources you can devote to social media.

But when it comes to companies in the home services industry, the answer is easy. Instead of worrying about how you can become the next biggest TikTok influencer, focused your efforts on growing your reviews and recommendations on Facebook where you will see the biggest benefit to your business.

As a full-service marketing agency specializing in the home services industry, Optic Marketing Group can take a look at your business and your current digital marketing plan, overall. We can put together a custom social media strategy that makes the most sense for your business.

Interested in how our business can help your business? Contact us today to find out more.


Paper with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on a table

A Business Owner's Guide to ADA Compliance

At least 54% of online users live with a disability. Not every single users' disability relates to web compliance. You still need ADA compliance for your business website.

But what does an ADA compliant website look like? And how can you ensure you meet every standard for your website?

Read the guide below to learn all about implementing accessibility compliance into your website.

A Guide to ADA Website Compliance

Web accessibility is one of the more modern accommodations established by the ADA. The ADA itself only formed in 1990. Making sure policies are updated to accommodate disabilities in every type of user experience is difficult. This makes it a challenge to uphold ADA requirements for websites.

What Is ADA Compliance?

As of 2018, the Department of Justice mandated ADA compliance for accommodation on public websites. Historically, accommodations only applied to physical public locations.

ADA compliance for websites mostly comes from the DOJ's interpretation of Title III. It requires that "the goods, services, privileges, or activities provided by places of public accommodation be equally accessible to people with disabilities." Specifically, it protects from discrimination relative to:

  • Public accommodations
  • Commercial facilities
  • Transportation
  • State and local government
  • Telecommunications
  • Employment

The use of online space is progressively increasing. This makes it important to include persons of all abilities for more than legal reasons.

This process is not something you want to rush. It is an involved process you should invest time and resources into as a caring business owner.

Why Do I Care as a Business Owner?

As a business owner, there are several benefits to including accessibility compliance in your website's design. Unfortunately, many sites are noncompliant. Beyond ease of use for the disabled community, ADA compliance benefits all end-users. 

  • You'll get exposure to new demographics, which means more clients!
  • Your SEO strategy will be optimized on an ADA compliant website.
  • You significantly decrease your risk of a lawsuit from noncompliance.
  • Corporate diversity naturally increases in unexpected ways.

These benefits are not even the main reason to implement web accessibility on your website. They are certainly good incentives. Your primary reason for compliance should be about doing the moral and ethical thing for your clients.

What Is the Difference Between ADA vs. 508 Compliance vs. WCAG?

ADA compliance is based on civil rights law that prohibits discrimination. This includes public spaces of online interaction. 508 compliance is a federal law for the use of information and communications technology by governmental bodies to include persons with disabilities. WCAG is a set of guidelines set by the ISO.

ADA Compliance

ADA compliance requires general terms of accessibility. Its policies directly affect state and local governments, nonprofit agencies, and businesses. Some critical items to address:

  • Your website needs to have complete keyboard functionality.
  • Any form fields need coded labels that a screen reader will voice aloud.
  • Your alt text for anchors and external links has to be descriptive.
  • Content headings should be adequately nested. This prevents interrupting user experience (e.g., taking users to the wrong landing page or section.)

The terms of ADA compliance have set financial consequences for the private and public sectors. Fines increase for repeat offenses, and federally funded projects can even be revoked. WCAG guidelines can help you build an ADA compliant website, as well as a plugin or web design service.

508 Compliance

508 compliance is a section of the Rehabilitation Act. It focuses on the use of information and communications technology between federal agencies and departments.

It applies to these federal bodies. It also applies to people who use resources provided by federal entities (e.g., citizens or employees).  Examples of such technologies include:

  • Call centers (e.g., telephones)
  • Websites
  • Software

Its consequences entail formal complaints or civil lawsuits. Following 508 compliance can be done by turning to WCAG for guidelines. You can also consult a web design agency that specializes in this form of accessibility compliance.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

Focusing on web accessibility for any device, WCAG works as a guideline for web developers to concentrate on accessible content. WCAG is a reference point for ADA compliance and 508 compliance. It uses four principles to set accessibility compliance standards.

  1. Perception: alt-text, captions, multiformat content with assistive tech, visual and audible content 
  2. Operation: keyboard functionality, navigation aid, reasonable caption timing
  3. Understanding: legible text, predictable content, mistake correction and aid
  4. Robust: compatibility with current and future tools

These principles are measured with success criteria on three levels, A, AA, and AAA. The success criteria determine how accessible a website is under WCAG.

Why Do I Need to Hire a Web Design Agency for ADA Compliance?

You might be asking why you need to hire a web design agency for accessibility compliance for when you can just reference WCAG. Although an excellent reference for general accessibility compliance, with so many regulations, it's easy to overlook a single detail. It is also an overwhelming, technical process that requires a certain level of expertise.

It's also quite challenging to alter the coding settings, which impact your compliance. For example, see this video in adjusting the contrast on one single header. There are several website features to include in for an ADA compliant website. 

Where to Turn for Accessibility Testing Design

Now that you know the ins and outs of ADA compliance, it's time to consider your options. There are several web design agencies for you to find. You need a full service marketing agency experienced in accessible web design services.

Optic Marketing Group can audit your current site or build you an entirely new website to support ADA compliance guidelines. After we have completed a site audit for accessibility, we'll walk you through the necessary steps. Contact us today so we can discuss optimizing your business to the best possible standards for accessible user experience.