TikTok will be super keen to highlight its successes on this front.

May is Small Business Month, and TikTok has announced a range of activations and opportunities for SMB, including a chance to win a share of $1 million in TikTok ad credits.

As per TikTok:

“Small businesses are the heart of innovation, culture, and community across the United States, and on TikTok, their impact is bigger than ever. Among the 170 million users in the U.S., more than 7.5 million businesses, from family-run shops to emerging brands, are leveraging TikTok to grow and connect with new audiences.”

Yeah, TikTok’s been looking for any opportunity that it can to highlight its broader impact on the U.S. economy, as part of its pushback against the proposed sell-off of the app in the nation.

Which is still, at present, going ahead. The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” which went into effect in January, dictates that TikTok has to be sold to a U.S.-owned entity, or cease operations in the nation. That hasn’t been enforced as yet, because President Trump has issued executive orders to hold off on enacting the law (and he’s said that he’ll issue more if necessary), but technically, TikTok is operating illegally in America right now.

Whether a deal to keep the app active can be arranged remains to be seen, with U.S.-China tensions simmering amid tariff talks. But as the negotiations go on, TikTok has been keen to showcase its benefits for Americans, seemingly as a means to soften opposition to the app.

Which is an aside from the actual reasons for the TikTok sell-off push, but TikTok’s been doing it anyway, so…

But back to Small Business Month. TikTok is launching a range of initiatives for the event, including:

Small Biz Fest TikTok Academy Webinars: Starting May 15, join us for a weekly webinar series offering expert guidance and cutting-edge strategies to launch effective campaigns and make the most of TikTok’s business tools.
100 Ways to Grow on TikTok: Check out our video podcast series featuring stories and insights from small business owners and brands, designed to inspire and inform.
Small Biz Fest Roadshows: Open to small business owners, join TikTok in LA, NYC, and Austin to learn how to maximize your small business presence on the platform.

And as noted, TikTok’s also giving away $1 million in ad credits, split into $2,000 across 500 businesses.

To be eligible, your business must have fewer than 500 employees, and be based in the U.S. Winner, as noted, will get $2,000 in ad credit, as well as a meeting with a TikTok ads expert.

Though if you do win, you’ll have to push your ads out pretty quick:

“Provided all requirements and obligations are met, the ad credits will be applied to your TikTok Ads Manager account on or before June 14, 2025. If the ad credits are not fully utilized, they will automatically expire on July 14, 2025.”

So you’ll have a month to spend a couple of grand on TikTok ads. Expect to see a heap of SMB promotions in June.

TikTok’s outlined all of this on a new Small Biz Fest mini site, where you can also apply to win its ad credits offer, and sign up to is various webinars and info sessions.

It could be worth a look. Despite the broader concerns about its status in the U.S., TikTok remains one of the most popular apps, especially for younger audiences, and as such, a key conduit for branding and promotions.

A few key tips could help to advance your TikTok efforts.

You can check out TikTok’s Small Business Month programming here.