TikTok continues to make great strides in its support of the Hispanic market. The recent release of their first-time economic impact report takes a deep dive look at the influence TikTok has on Hispanic-owned SMBs, creators and Hispanic entrepreneurs across the country.

The study also includes big picture insights and case studies around the economic importance of the platform to diverse communities more broadly across the U.S., with a lens on what’s at stake for Hispanic business owners, creators and underrepresented communities across the US, if TikTok is banned. Below are some of the highlights.

Latino owned The Local Motel  in St. Augustine credits a viral TikTok post with boosting brand awareness and generating a 10 time increase in website traffic.

Hispanic-Owned Businesses on TikTok
TikTok has transformed the ability of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) to identify, connect, and grow their consumer base.Hispanic-owned SMBs on TikTok have leveraged the platform’s wide reach and high engagement among its user base to promote their brands and create awareness of products and services.
This outreach extends to more than 170 million active users in the United States, encompassing over 7 million businesses spanning all 50 states.

Role of TikTok for Hispanic-Owned SMBs
● 42% say their business needs to continue to use and improve on TikTok marketing content in order to stay competitive
● 59% say a meaningful portion of my business’s success and/or growth is attributable directly to our TikTok marketing efforts
● 37% say they have been able to generate supplemental or even principal incomes directly from their use of TikTok
● 43% say TikTok is critical to their business’ existence
● 67% have hired an employee directly through TikTok, 74% have attracted anew investor, 63% sold out of aproduct, and 89% say their sales increased after promoting on TikTok

How Hispanic-Owned SMBs on TikTok Reach Their Audiences
● 93% say TikTok improves my business’ ability to reach new, diverse audiences within the US
● 85% say TikTok improves their business’ ability to expand the business’s reach within geographies where it is already active
● 70% say TikTok grants them the opportunity to connect with diverse communities who would otherwise be unreachable
Among Hispanic-owned SMBs on TikTok, 39% say they are less likely to support a politician who wants to ban TikTok.

The personalities listed below have used TikTok to increase the reach of their Hispanic-owned businesses and enhance their voice within the community.

• Annie Leal, (@ilovechamoy) is the founder of I Love Chamoy. She created a product to combat the high rate of diabetes in Latino communities, using Monk Fruit as a sugar replacement.

• Carlos Eduardo Espina, (@carlos_eduardo_espina) is a nonprofit director, activist, and studying lawyer who works to uplift the immigrant community through social media content, community organizing, and charitable causes.

  

• Giovanna Gonzalez, (@thefirstgenmentor) is a creator based in Chicago, IL, who combines her passion for teaching financial literacy and sharing career tips through videos on TikTok. She was awarded a $50K TikTok Latinx Creatives Grant to cover the publishing costs of her bestselling book, Cultura & Cash, a personal finance book for First Gen Latinas and other First Gen professionals.

  

• Alexandra Lourdes, (@alexandra_lourdes) runs multiple restaurants and cafes in the Las Vegas area, including Saint Honoré Doughnuts and Cafe Lola. The success of her day-in-the-life and behind-the-scenes content has allowed her to open up multiple new locations, including an expansion of Cafe Lola at Caesars Palace. Saint Honoré was one of five winners of the TikTok Gridiron Grub Contest. TikTok has helped Alexandra launch multiple new locations + a new restaurant concept in the Las Vegas area.

  

• Ruben Trujillo, Founder of Cafe Emporos (@cafeemporos), had a dream of establishing his own coffee shop. However, the initial stages proved challenging as he struggled to gain traction and connect with potential customers. Through TikTok, Ruben’s first few videos generated $25,000 in sales within a span of two weeks. Since then, Ruben has attracted investors winning $12,000 in grants between last September and then this past January alone. As a result of TikTok, Ruben has been able to use TikTok to discover new audiences, expand his products to include coffee grams for weddings.

  

• Leila and Adam Bedoian, owners of The Local Motel – St. Augustine (@thelocal_motel), transformed a roadside motel into their dream boutique hotel, all while sharing their experience on TikTok. The pair credit ONE viral post on TikTok with boosting brand awareness and generating a 10X increase in website traffic. Since then, the small hotel has accumulated more than 40K followers on TikTok, expanding their reach far beyond Florida and leading to an increase in direct bookings. In 2022, The Local Motel was name the #1 roadside motel in the nation in USA Today poll.