While lockdowns and regulations to stop the spread of Covid-19 have gripped the world, leaving small businesses especially vulnerable, TikTok thinks it may be able to help.

The social media platform kept many entertained in the first few months of the pandemic and wants to go a step further by helping businesses to get back on their feet.

This week it launched the SMB Knowledge Hub to provide tools for businesses to help them keep their clients and bring in new customers. 

It also pledged to match any ad spend on their service, up to £1,800 (about R32,500), for all those wanting to try it for the first time until December 15.

This is one of several initiatives around the world to help small businesses hit hardest by the pandemic.

Locally, the department of small business development and Nedbank recently launched an initiative to empower 40,000 small businesses by giving informal traders R1,000 relief each.

“In a total contribution of R40m, qualifying traders will receive grants of R1,000 each. The money will be used to buy stock,” small business development minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Monday.

Traders must have a SA identity document, valid municipal trading permit and register and fill in an application form on the national small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) website.