Although we’re usually reporting on Instagram introducing features to keep up with TikTok, this one is the other way around. Not to be bested by Instagram’s in-app shopping capabilities, TikTok has now launched TikTok Shop: a way for users to discover and buy products without ever leaving the app.
What is TikTok Shop?
TikTok has always been a place for users to discover products. In fact, the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has over 17 billion views. There’s always a new must-have item going viral on the app, from sunset lamps and yoga leggings to handheld fans and press-on nails.
Now with TikTok Shop, brands can make discoveries and purchases even easier. In short, it’s the app’s answer to social commerce where, similar to Instagram shopping, users can shop without ever having to leave the TikTok app and navigate to external websites.
For brands, it has been a game changer. By eliminating that extra step, it’s easier to ensure customers complete their sales journey rather than just saving the TikTok video for later and forgetting about it.
We all know that TikTok’s algorithm and discovery system is an incredibly powerful way to get your brand in front of new users and TikTok Shop is simply taking it one step further.
How can you make the most of your TikTok Storefront?
The first step is ensuring to include TikTok Shop's three main pillars in your strategy. This’ll let you set yourself up for success from the get-go.
These pillars include:
1. In-feed and live videos
Share videos showing of your product with a shop-able link and host live videos that let users purchase as they watch.
2. Creator collaborations
Partner with creators in your niche to leverage their communities and help spread the word about your products. (More on this in a minute.)
3. Campaigns and promotions
TikTok Shop hosts monthly promotions for brands to participate in and boost their products.
Optimising your product listings for TikTok
Optimising our social strategies shouldn’t stop when it comes to your TikTok product listing, but simply plugging and playing content from your website won’t suffice. Brands should be making a conscious effort to rewrite and repurpose content for their TikTok audience.
Think visuals first. Your Storefront should contain eye-catching images that align with the videos you’ve created to promote them. While your copy should be kept short and snappy — no more than a sentence.
Tag products in your TikTok videos
Any time you share a video that features one of your products, be sure to tag it. This way, when your video pops up in a user’s For You Page, they’ll be able to tap the product sticker and be taken directly to your storefront to complete the purchase.
Don't forget to promote your products in your own brand videos
Once your Shop is set up, it’s time to spread the word by mentioning your products in all the content that you share.
Not all your videos have to be straightforward sales pitches. Even if you’re just jumping on trending audios with a silly lip-sync, be sure to reference your brand and products in the caption. After all, these videos tend to get a higher reach, so don’t waste the opportunity to get in front of a new audience.
Partner with influencers
It’s almost impossible to really succeed on TikTok if you don’t partner with creators within your niche — particularly if you’re just starting out on the app. If you’re not deep in the subculture of TikTok and across its trends, recruiting the people who are can make all the difference.
However, you don’t have to work with mega-influencers that boast millions of followers. The most important thing is finding creators who align with your brand and even use your products. In fact, micro-influencers with fewer than 50k followers often have much higher engagement rates than bigger accounts.
Giving these creators total freedom to create the kind of content they think will work best is the best way to end up with genuine content that barely feels like an ad. TRIBE makes it easier than ever before to build a community of talented creators who can help grow your brand.
Ready to discover how the TRIBE platform can level up your influencer marketing strategy?
