In the past five years, local small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States have been rapidly transforming and growing with the help of digital marketing. According to Statista data, digital advertising spending in the United States will reach $209 billion in 2023, among which short video platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have the fastest growth rate, with an annual growth rate of more than 22%. But what is really worth paying attention to is not the operations of the giants, but the popularity of a small town bakery, which reveals how digital marketing affects the economic destiny of individuals.
How does an unknown bakery attract 3 million views with short videos?
Jenny’s Bakes, a family bakery in Aurora, Illinois, was on the verge of closing in early 2022. The high rent and the deserted store almost made the owner give up. In March 2022, an intern suggested that they try short video platform promotion, so they uploaded the first video of only 12 seconds: "Freshly baked chocolate brownie cutting screen".
In just 48 hours, this video received more than 300,000 views. In the following month, "Jenny’s Bakes" insisted on uploading 1-2 short videos every day, including:
▪︎Behind-the-scenes baking production screen (real, unedited)
▪︎Customer tasting reaction clips
▪︎Special event previews and flash sales
As a result, their account exceeded 50,000 followers in 3 months, and the average daily customer flow of the store increased by 300%, even attracting interviews from local media in Chicago.
The data tells you: What kind of content is most likely to attract fans?
According to Hootsuite's 2024 US market report, the following types of content perform most stably on TikTok:
▪︎Realistic behind-the-scenes → Average viewing rate increased by 38%
▪︎"Problem-solving" structured short videos (e.g., how to learn xx in 5 minutes) → Interaction rate increased by 47%
▪︎Clear character settings + memorable points → Highest fan stickiness, suitable for building long-term account assets
The three most common mistakes small businesses make when marketing
▪︎Thinking that people will watch ads
TikTok users prefer "like friends" content, and ads that directly "sell things" will be quickly swiped away.
▪︎No character setting
Without a character, the account lacks recognition, and it is difficult to remember even if there are many videos.
▪︎Ignoring the content rhythm and cover
The cover is not eye-catching and the first 3 seconds have no focus, which is the reason why most videos "fail".
Trend Insight: Has TikTok Search Become the New Generation of Google?
According to Google's official confirmation in 2022, more than 40% of Generation Z (18-24 years old) prefer to search for restaurants, products, and brands on TikTok or Instagram rather than traditional search engines. This means that any brand or individual who wants to be "seen" cannot ignore TikTok's search entry logic.
Keyword coverage + popular tag layout + comment area guidance have become the key to conversion.
If you want to do digital marketing well, start with the following 3 points:
Set up account character settings and content positioning (for example: the kitchen diary of a post-90s baker)
Use short videos to show the "sense of process" and "sense of contrast" to attract attention
Use keyword coverage layout to improve search reach