“If you're not where your audience is, you're not in the market.”
In boardrooms across the country, I still hear it: “TikTok? That’s for kids.” In 2025, that mindset is no longer just outdated, it’s costly. Businesses that are unwilling to adapt to evolving communication platforms risk losing visibility with the next generation of customers, workers, and cultural relevance.
I say this not as a digital marketer, but as a health and inclusion consultant working at the intersection of corporate strategy and community advocacy. And I have one unexpected platform to thank: TikTok.
When Accessibility Meets Authenticity
Eight months ago, I posted a short-form video explaining a vision condition called Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD). It’s a niche topic, but the delivery mattered. It was neuroaffirming, direct, and designed to be accessible for viewers who are often left out of medical discussions.
I didn’t rely on flashy branding or advertising budgets. I relied on relevance and lived experience.
The outcome?
· 5.7 million views in under 8 months
· 231 thousand likes
· 26 thousand comments
· 29 thousand shares
· 5,000+ formal diagnoses
Beyond numbers, people got answers. Health professionals reached out. Collaborations formed. And yes, business followed, organically, not forcefully.
Lessons for Businesses Willing to Listen
This isn’t about algorithms. It’s about accessibility, trust, and clarity.
Here’s what businesses can take away from this:
· Marketing is no longer a broadcast, it’s a conversation
· Accessibility in content delivery is no longer optional, it’s essential
· Future audiences will choose relatable over polished, and clarity over complexity
TikTok is not just a Gen Z platform. Its fastest-growing user base is now aged 30–49. Its reach influences decisions around health, spending, employment, and trust.
More Than Content. It’s Adaptability.
Transformation is a popular word in strategy decks. But it only means something when businesses embrace the tools that drive real change.
Platforms like TikTok are no longer side projects. They’re central to:
· Recruitment strategies for younger and diverse talent
· Market research that actually reflects lived experience
· Community trust building in industries facing reputational barriers
· Education and training delivery that is scalable, direct, and accessible
When businesses dismiss these platforms, they risk disconnecting from the very people they claim to serve.
What We’re Building at Cattarin Cohort
At Cattarin Cohort, we’re working with forward-thinking businesses who recognise that inclusion, accessibility, and communication styles are all business decisions.
· We train businesses on accessibility in the digital age
· We support neurodivergent and disabled staff through inclusive practices
· We help redesign internal and external messaging to be human-centred, relevant, and clear
That TikTok success? It wasn’t luck. It was accessibility in action.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
If platforms like TikTok still seem irrelevant, the real question is: irrelevant to whom?
Because for more than 5,000 people who found answers and support through accessible, relatable content, it made a life-changing difference. And for businesses aiming to lead with impact, the path forward starts with curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to meet people where they are.
The opportunity isn’t in chasing trends, it’s in reshaping how we listen, how we show up, and how we communicate in a world that’s already changed.
