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TikTok can be a wild world where dance crazes, lip-syncing, and viral trends reign supreme. It can be daunting for entrepreneurs to think about jumping in and creating some content of their own.
However, TikTok also can be a place where brands gain recognition and creators see their products take off. According to TikTok research, 4 in 10 users will buy a product after seeing it on the short-form video platform.
TikTok ecommerce has become a veritable goldmine for brands seeking to connect with Gen Z and millennial consumers, but navigating this new sales channel takes more than just knowing what hashtags to use.
Let’s dive into the nuances of the TikTok economy, including how to find a winning product, creating content that’s more likely to go viral, mastering the TikTok algorithm, and avoiding common pitfalls.
Get to know the TikTok Gen Z audience
The first step for ecommerce success on TikTok is finding a product that will garner a lot of attention and revenue. The product you sell should be suitable for the TikTok demographic, so start by finding out what’s trending on TikTok. Understanding the platform and the demographic using it is key.
One in four TikTok users is under 20, and over half of the users are female. These statistics must be considered when developing a product or content for the site.
The products that go viral on TikTok need to be trendy, fun, problem-solving, and easy to create content around. Ideally, creating content around a product should take less than 30 minutes — after all, time is money!
Creators should search TikTok for viral hashtags like #tiktokmademebuyit or #amazonfinds. Use these hashtags to find products that have fall into the viral category with more than 500,000 views, over 50,000 likes, and over 1,000 comments.
By spending time on the platform, watching what others are doing, and having success with it, you can start to build your own strategy for breaking into the TikTok economy.
Ecommerce on TikTok: Content creation & marketing
E-commerce in the TikTok era caters to short attention spans and short-form video creation. TikTok is such a powerhouse platform because its users are highly engaged, which drives sales and brand awareness in a whole new way.
TikTok users have a way of turning products into viral sensations seemingly overnight. From quirky gadgets to funny stuffed animals, a well-executed piece of content can turn ordinary items into must-haves.
The algorithm on TikTok is also helpful for e-commerce entrepreneurs because, unlike other platforms, it prioritizes content based on the number of views, rather than the number of followers someone has. This gives new entrepreneurs with great content the same chance at gathering an engaged audience as those who have built a large following.
When using TikTok to promote a product, be sure to make it easy for those engaging with your content to buy it by providing direct links to your e-commerce site or Linktree in your bio.
One of the most game-changing aspects of TikTok for e-commerce sellers is the seamless integration of shopping features available on the platform.
Shoppable ads, product tags, and in-app checkout functionality make growing an ecommerce business on TikTok simple.
Click into the power of UGC marketing on TikTok
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Mastering the TikTok algorithm
Like any business strategy, one should expect a mix of successes and missteps on the road to establishing an ecommerce presence on TikTok.
But there are some things to know about TikTok that can help entrepreneurs avoid pitfalls:
- Engagement rules. The more engagement one can garner on a video, the more the mysterious TikTok algorithm will push the content to get even more views.
- The “For You” page is prime real estate on TikTok. If your product can land on someone’s “For You” page, you can grab a lot of views without having a single follower.
- Quality over quantity. Many believe that posting extremely frequently is necessary to go viral on TikTok. The truth is that you don’t have to post five or more times daily to get good engagement. Focus on creating viral content, then you don’t have to worry about posting a lot of content, just quality content.
- Hashtags are overrated. A mistake many newbie TikTok entrepreneurs make is stacking too many hashtags into their TikTok content. There’s zero evidence that more hashtags increases the chances of going viral. Again, it’s a quality versus quantity issue. Focus on creating good content, and you won’t need piles of hashtags to get noticed.
Entrepreneurs will want to learn how to examine the average watch time and other analytics provided by TikTok to see what’s working — and what ideas may need to be abandoned.
Going viral for e-commerce success
TikTok has represented a seismic shift in how brands communicate with and engage with their audience. The platform has an unparalleled ability to turn products into viral triumphs, and ecommerce has played a central role in the platform’s continued evolution.
As e-commerce entrepreneurs continue to bend their strategies to fit the platform, they will become better positioned to thrive in this age of viral trends.
