10 Years of TikTok: What Small Businesses Can Learn

Ten years ago, TikTok was just getting started. Today, it has changed the way we create content, discover businesses and spend our time online. But what can small businesses learn from its incredible rise?

Cast your mind back to 2016.

Instagram was all about beautifully filtered photographs, Facebook was still the place to keep up with friends and family, and most businesses were only beginning to understand the potential of social media marketing.

Meanwhile, over in China, a little app called Douyin was preparing to shake things up.

Fast forward to 2026, and TikTok has celebrated its 10th birthday. What started as a short-form video platform has become one of the biggest influences on digital marketing, changing not just how people consume content but how businesses connect with potential customers.

And whether you love TikTok, avoid it like the plague or still can't quite understand why everyone is dancing in their kitchens, there's no denying its impact.

So, let's look back at TikTok's first decade and, more importantly, explore what small business owners can learn from it.

From Humble Beginnings to a Global Phenomenon

TikTok's story began on 20 September 2016, when technology company ByteDance launched Douyin in China.

The international version, TikTok, followed in 2017, and things really took off when ByteDance acquired Musical.ly and merged the two platforms in August 2018.

Suddenly, millions of people were creating short videos featuring music, comedy, challenges and everyday moments.

Then came 2020.

With much of the world stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok became a source of entertainment, connection and creativity.

People who had never considered making a video were suddenly learning dance routines, sharing cooking disasters and discovering new hobbies.

By April 2020, TikTok had surpassed two billion downloads worldwide.

But something much bigger was happening behind the scenes.

TikTok was changing the rules of social media.

The Algorithm That Changed Everything

Before TikTok, social media largely revolved around the people and businesses you chose to follow.

If you followed a business on Facebook or Instagram, there was a chance its content would appear in your feed.

TikTok approached things differently.

Its famous For You Page focused heavily on what users actually enjoyed watching rather than simply showing posts from accounts they already followed.

Watch a few videos about gardening? You'll probably see more gardening content.

Enjoy videos featuring dogs doing ridiculous things? Prepare yourself for a never-ending supply of canine chaos.

This recommendation-led approach transformed how content could reach new audiences.

And here's why that matters for small businesses.

You no longer necessarily need thousands of followers to reach thousands of potential customers.

A small independent business can create a genuinely useful, entertaining or interesting video and have it discovered by people who have never heard of the company before.

That's a huge opportunity, particularly for businesses without enormous marketing budgets.

Of course, there's no guarantee that every video will reach a large audience. But TikTok helped demonstrate that good content can sometimes outperform a large follower count.

TikTok by the Numbers: A Decade of Growth

To appreciate just how influential TikTok has become, consider some of the figures highlighted in Metricool's October 2026 newsletter.

• 2 billion monthly users: TikTok has reportedly reached an audience of around two billion people worldwide.

• 23 million videos shared daily: An extraordinary amount of content competing for attention.

• Over 160 million followers: Khaby Lame remains one of TikTok's biggest personalities.

• More than 90 minutes daily: Metricool reports that users spend an average of over an hour and a half on the platform.

• 44% of smaller accounts experienced growth: According to Metricool's TikTok Study, 44% of accounts with fewer than 100,000 followers grew between 2025 and 2026.

These numbers tell us something important.

People aren't simply opening TikTok, watching one video and leaving. They're spending significant amounts of time discovering content, learning new things and engaging with creators.

For businesses, that creates opportunities to become part of those conversations.

But only if they're producing content people actually want to watch.

Five Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn from TikTok

1. Authenticity Beats Perfection

One of TikTok's biggest contributions to social media marketing has been showing businesses that content doesn't always need to look like a television advert.

In fact, some of the most engaging videos are filmed on smartphones, feature real people and capture genuine everyday moments.

Think about a local café showing how its cakes are made, a tradesperson explaining a common household problem or a shop owner sharing the excitement of a new delivery.

These moments help customers see the people behind the business.

Our advice: Stop worrying about making everything perfect. Focus on making content that's useful, relatable and genuinely reflects your business.

2. You Have Seconds to Grab Attention

TikTok has helped shape an online environment where people make incredibly quick decisions about what deserves their attention.

If your video doesn't spark curiosity almost immediately, viewers may simply scroll past.

That's why the opening few seconds are so important.

Instead of beginning with:

"Hello, we're ABC Plumbing, and today we're going to talk about..."

Try:

"Three warning signs your boiler might be about to break down!"

The second example gives viewers an immediate reason to keep watching.

Our advice: Start your videos with a question, surprising fact, common problem or clear benefit.

3. You Don't Have to Dance to Succeed

Let's clear something up.

You absolutely do not need to dance on TikTok to market your business.

Unless you're a professional dance instructor, in which case, crack on!

For most small businesses, valuable content is far more important than jumping on every trending challenge.

Educational videos, behind-the-scenes footage, customer questions, demonstrations and helpful tips can all play a part in a successful strategy.

A financial adviser might explain a commonly misunderstood term.

A gardener could demonstrate how to prepare plants for winter.

A restaurant might show the preparation behind its most popular dish.

Our advice: Think about the questions your customers regularly ask. Each one could become a short video.

4. Consistency Matters More Than Going Viral

We've all heard stories about businesses that posted one video, attracted millions of views and suddenly found themselves overwhelmed with orders.

Those stories are exciting, but they aren't a sensible foundation for a marketing strategy.

For most small businesses, sustainable growth comes from showing up consistently, understanding their audience and gradually building trust.

A video that reaches 500 relevant local people could be considerably more valuable than one that attracts 50,000 viewers who will never become customers.

Remember, views don't automatically pay the bills.

Our advice: Focus on attracting the right audience rather than chasing viral fame.

5. Social Media Is About Discovery, Not Just Followers

Perhaps TikTok's greatest lesson is that social media marketing has evolved beyond simply building a following.

People increasingly use social platforms to discover products, research services, learn new skills and find businesses.

That means your content needs to do more than announce what you're selling.

It should answer questions, demonstrate expertise, build confidence and help potential customers understand why they should choose you.

Our advice: Create content around what your ideal customers want to know, not just what you want to tell them.

TikTok's Influence Goes Far Beyond TikTok

Even if your business has absolutely no intention of joining TikTok, its influence still matters.

Look at what's happened across the wider social media landscape.

Instagram introduced Reels, YouTube launched Shorts and Facebook increasingly features short-form video content.

These platforms have developed their own recommendation systems, but TikTok helped accelerate the shift towards video-led discovery.

In October 2026, Instagram has also been reported to be testing ways for users to open the app directly into Reels, highlighting just how central short-form video has become.

Meanwhile, YouTube continues to refine how Shorts are recommended, including its approach to original content.

The message for businesses is clear.

Short-form video isn't simply a passing trend. It's an established part of how people discover and consume content online.

That doesn't mean every business needs to abandon photographs, graphics or written posts.

Far from it.

A successful social media strategy should use the formats that work best for your audience, your message and your business goals.

But ignoring video altogether could mean missing valuable opportunities.

What About TikTok Shop and Social Commerce?

Another major development has been the growth of shopping directly through social media.

TikTok Shop has helped blur the boundaries between discovering a product, researching it and purchasing it.

Rather than seeing an advert and visiting a separate website, customers can discover products through videos, demonstrations and creator recommendations before making a purchase within the platform.

TikTok is also developing AI-powered shopping features designed to help users search for products and find answers to their questions.

For small retailers and product-based businesses, this creates interesting possibilities.

However, social commerce isn't automatically right for everyone.

Businesses need to consider their profit margins, fulfilment arrangements, customer service and whether their target audience actually shops through these platforms.

The opportunity is exciting, but the fundamentals of running a profitable business still matter.

Should Your Small Business Be on TikTok?

Here's the question we get asked whenever a new platform or feature starts attracting attention.

"Do I need to be using it?"

And the answer is always the same.

It depends on your business, your customers and what you're trying to achieve.

TikTok can be an excellent platform for reaching new audiences, demonstrating products, building personality and sharing expertise.

But that doesn't mean every small business should immediately start creating videos.

If your customers primarily use Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, those platforms might deserve more of your attention.

The biggest mistake businesses make is trying to be everywhere without having the time or resources to do any of it properly.

It's far better to have a consistent, effective presence on two relevant platforms than a neglected account on six.

At Donut Pig Digital Marketing, we believe social media should support your business, not become another full-time job.

And that means choosing the right platforms, creating the right content and having a strategy that makes sense.

The Next Ten Years of Social Media

If TikTok has taught us anything over the past decade, it's that social media never stands still.

Ten years ago, few people could have predicted how influential short-form video would become.

Today, we're seeing artificial intelligence, social commerce, increasingly personalised recommendations and new content formats changing the landscape again.

What will social media look like in 2036?

Who knows!

Perhaps we'll all be creating holographic videos from our living rooms while AI assistants do our weekly shopping.

But one thing is unlikely to change.

People will still want to connect with people.

They'll still appreciate helpful information, entertaining stories and businesses they can trust.

And small businesses that understand their customers and communicate authentically will continue to have opportunities to grow.

Technology will change. Platforms will come and go.

But good marketing will always be about building relationships.

Donut Worry, We've Got Your Social Media Covered!

Keeping up with changing algorithms, new platforms and the latest social media trends can feel like a full-time job.

That's because, well, it pretty much is!

As a small business owner, you've already got enough on your plate without worrying about what Instagram, Facebook or TikTok might change next.

At Donut Pig Digital Marketing, we help small businesses across the UK take the stress out of social media.

From developing a clear strategy to creating engaging content and managing your social media presence, we make sure your marketing works for your business.

No confusing jargon. No unnecessary complications. Just straightforward, affordable social media support from a team that understands small businesses.

Ready to spend less time worrying about social media and more time growing your business?

Get in touch with Donut Pig Digital Marketing and let's have a chat about how we can help.

Because great social media shouldn't drive you round the bend. It should help drive your business forward!