‘TikTok is your billboard’: Social media platform means big business in Nevada

Marsean Nelson used to work seven days a week and a minimum of 14 hours a day until his business went viral on TikTok.

Nelson, co-owner of TasteBudz Creole Kitchen with his wife Latricsha Nelson, received a visit from Keith Lee, famous Las Vegas-based TikToker, when they were just a food truck. When the video went viral — receiving over 4.1 million views — the food truck had over an hour wait to get a taste of the “Keith Lee Approved” restaurant.

Since then, the restaurant has received visits from other celebrities, including popular internet streamer Kai Cenat, and opened two other locations: a brick-and-mortar in Centennial Hills, a location inside Elevate Lounge on West Flamingo and their food truck.

“TikTok is your billboard,” Marsean Nelson said.

The name of the game

Nowadays, for small business owners in Nevada, TikTok has become the name of the game.

TikTok, the shortform video entertainment platform, has 170 million users across the country, with 7 million business profiles. In Nevada alone, there are 1.1 million users and 70,000 business who use the platform.

According to a study from TikTok and Oxford Economics, 35 percent of businesses in Nevada say TikTok has become “critical” to their business. The vast majority, 81 percent, say their sales increased after promotion on the platform, with 53 percent selling out of a product after promoting.

The study, published in March 2024, surveyed 1,050 small-to-mid-sized businesses and 7,500 users across the state. In Nevada, 40 businesses and 96 consumers were surveyed.

In 2023, the use of TikTok’s advertising and marketing contributed $200 million in gross domestic product in Nevada, which supported 1,900 jobs. In turn, business activity contributed to $46 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.

On Monday, five Las Vegas small business owners gathered for a round table discussion with U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford D-Las Vegas. Tiktok, and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, are hoping a federal appeals court overturns a law that will ban the social media platform in the U.S. next year. Lawmakers have argued the app could pose a national security threat.

The business owners spoke about how TikTok has revolutionized their day to day and become a vital part of their business operations. The owners all agreed: it just takes one video to get started and potentially go viral.

There’s nothing like it

Alexandra Lourdes, owner of Cafe Lola, Saint Honoré Doughnuts & Beignets and Three Little Chicks with her husband, said the video she never expected to go viral did, which led to lines out the door.

Lourdes, who has amassed 2.2 million followers on the platform, said when she opened Saint Honore, the now viral gourmet doughnut shop, she was throwing away donuts everyday at their first location on West Flamingo Road in Spring Valley. Now, after garnering a following and community, she makes “hundreds” of donuts a day at their two locations.

“There’s nothing like it,” said Lourdes of the platform.

On Sunday, Lourdes teased another restaurant in Las Vegas on the platform, which has already gained 15,000 likes.

Kari Garcia, owner of Tsp. Baking Company located off North Decatur Boulevard and the I-215, had a similar experience to Nelson. When a video of someone trying Garcia’s cookies in their car went viral, she received orders for over 300 dozen cookies.

Garcia is known on TikTok for her mohawk, shiny eyeshadow and bright attitude, telling followers and business owners to “be themselves.”

“Be your business through your camera,” said Garcia, who has over 140,000 followers on the platform.

Vanessa Barreat, owner of La Vecindad located in the Historic Commerical Center District, has grown her business from four employees to 60 and opened another storefront through her use of TikTok.

“(COVID-19) closed our doors, but (TikTok) opened success for us,” said Barreat.

Barreat, who has over 90,000 followers on the platform, has been featured on the Cooking Channel and was able to put her son through college, she announced tearfully.

Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.