A new wave of DIY marketing: Small businesses take to TikTok – Euronews.com

Report on Digital Platforms and their Role in Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through Traditional Crafts

Introduction

This report analyzes the intersection of modern digital platforms, specifically TikTok, and traditional craftsmanship, evaluating its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The increasing popularity of craft-related content, evidenced by over 900 million video publications under the #craft hashtag, highlights a significant trend where digital tools are empowering artisans, fostering sustainable economic models, and preserving cultural heritage.

Contribution to Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

Digital platforms serve as a critical engine for promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth for small-scale entrepreneurs in the craft sector.

• Empowerment of Small-Scale Entrepreneurs: Social media provides artisans with essential tools for business operations, growth, and advertising, enabling them to establish and expand their enterprises with minimal capital investment.
• Global Market Access: These platforms dismantle geographical barriers, allowing artisans from local communities, such as those in Poland, to connect with a global customer base. This fosters international trade opportunities for small businesses, directly contributing to economic growth.
• Creation of Decent Work: By building a direct-to-consumer channel, digital platforms help create viable and sustainable livelihoods for craftspeople, ensuring their skills provide full and productive employment.

Fostering Innovation and Sustainable Industrialization (SDG 9)

The integration of digital technology into the traditional craft industry represents a form of innovation that supports inclusive and sustainable industrialization.

• Digital Innovation in Traditional Sectors: The use of platforms like TikTok to showcase the creative process in a craftsman’s workshop is an innovative application of digital infrastructure that revitalizes a traditional industry.
• Market Intelligence and Adaptation: Direct interaction with a global digital audience allows artisans to gather immediate feedback on customer needs and opinions, fostering innovation in product design and business strategy.
• Building Resilient Enterprises: By diversifying their market reach and customer base, artisans can build more resilient businesses that are less dependent on local economic conditions.

Promotion of Sustainable Production and Cultural Heritage (SDG 11 & SDG 12)

The visibility afforded to artisans on social media directly supports the safeguarding of cultural heritage and promotes patterns of responsible consumption and production.

1. Safeguarding Cultural Heritage (SDG 11.4): By showcasing the intricate processes of craftsmanship, these platforms play a vital role in protecting and safeguarding the world’s intangible cultural heritage, transmitting traditional skills to a new generation.
2. Promoting Responsible Production Patterns (SDG 12): Craftsmanship often embodies sustainable production methods, utilizing raw materials and creating durable goods. Highlighting these practices encourages a shift in consumer consciousness towards more sustainable consumption.
3. Educating Consumers for Sustainability (SDG 4 & SDG 12): The “behind-the-scenes” content builds a bond between the consumer and the creator, educating the audience on the value of skilled labor and sustainable production, which fosters an appreciation for non-mass-produced goods.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article highlights issues connected to several Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on how traditional craftspeople use modern digital platforms to sustain and grow their businesses. The relevant SDGs are:

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The core theme of the article is how artisans, as small-scale entrepreneurs, are using TikTok as a tool to “run, grow, and advertise their businesses.” This directly relates to promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and entrepreneurship.
   • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article discusses the use of a digital platform (TikTok) by a traditional industry (crafts). This represents an innovative approach to business, leveraging modern digital infrastructure to “look beyond Poland’s borders” and help “small businesses to go global,” thereby integrating them into new markets.
   • SDG 4: Quality Education: The article notes that TikTok serves as a “resource for small-scale entrepreneurs to learn about customer needs and opinions.” This points to informal education and skills development for entrepreneurship. The sharing of craft processes also contributes to the preservation and transmission of traditional skills.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

   • Target 8.3: “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises…” The article is a case study of this target in action, showing how a platform like TikTok supports entrepreneurship (artisans running their own businesses), creativity (showcasing the “creative process”), and the growth of small-sized enterprises by helping them reach a global audience.
   • Target 9.3: “Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises… to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.” The article directly addresses the integration of small-scale enterprises into markets. It explains how TikTok “makes it easier to reach people from all over the world” and “builds an opportunity for small businesses to go global with their products,” thus integrating them into global value chains and markets.
   • Target 4.4: “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.” The article implies that artisans are developing relevant digital marketing and business skills by using the platform to “learn about customer needs and opinions.” The platform itself acts as a medium for showcasing and potentially teaching vocational craft skills to a wide digital audience.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   Yes, the article mentions one explicit indicator and implies others that could be used to measure progress:

   • Mentioned Indicator: The article explicitly states, “More than 900 million videos have been published on TikTok under #craft.” This figure serves as a direct quantitative indicator of the level of engagement and promotion of creative and cultural entrepreneurship (related to Target 8.3) on digital platforms.
   • Implied Indicator: The article’s emphasis on how TikTok “builds an opportunity for small businesses to go global” suggests an indicator such as the number or proportion of small-scale enterprises using digital platforms to access international markets. This would help measure progress towards Target 9.3.
   • Implied Indicator: The description of TikTok as an “important tool for them to run, grow, and advertise their businesses” implies an indicator related to the growth rate or revenue increase of small businesses that utilize digital marketing tools. This could be used to track progress for Target 8.3.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: euronews.com