TikTok introduced its Local Feed in the U.S. earlier this year, creating a dedicated place for people to discover nearby businesses, services, events, restaurants, and local creators. TikTok says Local Feed recommendations can be influenced by a video's location, topic, and when it was posted. That makes TikTok increasingly relevant to businesses that depend on customers within a specific geographic area, including welding shops, fabrication businesses, contractors, and other trades. TikTok Newsroom
This is part of a larger shift happening on TikTok. The platform is increasingly functioning as a discovery and search tool, not simply a place for entertainment. TikTok reported in May that searches for "small business" increased 479% during Q1 2026, while highlighting businesses using the platform to build customers and communities. TikTok Newsroom For a trade business, that means a video showing an actual project can potentially reach someone who is interested in that type of work and lives nearby. The content does not have to go viral nationally to be valuable.
What this means for your business
Start putting your location and service into the actual content, not just your profile. Instead of saying, "Here's a cool railing we built," try something like, "Here's a custom railing we fabricated for a customer in Canonsburg, PA." Show the work, say what you did, and make it obvious what kind of business you are and where you work. You are giving TikTok more information to understand who might find the video useful.
Follow Slag Tag Media
Follow Slag Tag Media on TikTok
The social media landscape continues to move toward discovery. People are increasingly using platforms to find businesses, learn how things work, and decide who they want to hire. Slag Tag Media watches those changes with the goal of turning them into practical information that a small business can actually use.