TikTok hasn’t been around as long as other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, but it can still be valuable for eCommerce businesses. While the majority of TikTok users belong to Gen Z, there are plenty of Millennials and even Baby Boomers joining monthly. This means that there is a chance that the target audience for your brand can be found on this popular platform.
If you’re interested in using TikTok to grow your eCommerce brand, we’re offering a few tried-and-true tips that will help you learn how to promote your products and make the most out of the platform.
1. Grow Your Account
One of the fastest ways for brands to gain visibility on TikTok is by partnering with influencers. In 2021, 42% of US marketers used TikTok for influencer marketing. This number is expected to keep increasing as TikTok continues to close the gap with the largest social platform Facebook for influencer marketing use. Partnering with influencers allows you to rapidly build brand awareness and reach massive numbers of potential customers.
For even faster results, consider using a TikTok booster, i.e. a TikTok growth service. A good growth service will help you grow your account quickly, organically, and with more advanced targeting. This, on the other hand, will lead to increased levels of engagement and possibly earn you a spotlight on the #ForYou page where brands can tap into a huge audience that is interested and ready to make purchases.
2. Share Creative Content
eCommerce brands can increase the number of views and boost brand awareness by creating short how-to videos that show how their products can be used. Videos featuring FAQs also do well on the platform. Think about the questions your potential customers might want to ask you and answer them in an entertaining, light-hearted way.
You can also share behind-the-scenes videos to develop personal connections with your customers and generate brand loyalty. Other types of content to take into consideration include new product announcements, in-store displays, inspirational messages from the founder, and user-generated content.
3. Create a Viral Challenge
TikTok challenges are an affordable way to generate UGC (user-generated content) which serves as valuable social proof. When creating one for your brand, make sure it is easy enough for people to get involved in. For instance, you can simply encourage them to post pictures of themselves with one of your products in an unusual location.
Be sure to set clear terms and submission guidelines, and create a hashtag to make the content more visible. Consider also offering a reward as an extra incentive for users to get involved. With proper planning, this strategy can boost brand awareness, bring in customers, and provide you with tons of fresh content.
4. Use Hashtags
While TikTok allows brands to reach new audiences, its huge popularity also makes it hard for your content to stand out. For this reason, you should consider using popular hashtags. Hashtags give life to TikTok challenges, storytelling, and memes but most importantly, they help with discoverability. Some of the most popular hashtags on the platform are #tiktok, #foryoupage, #fyp, #viral, #love, and #funny.
You should also bear in mind that music tracks also work like hashtags. By adding a trending music track to your posts, you get the opportunity to reach users who have seen videos with the same music.
5. Use TikTok Ads
Ads on TikTok work like paid ads on any other social media site and can include branded effects, brand takeovers, in-feed ads, top views, and branded hashtag challenges. TikTok ads reach nearly 18% of all internet users aged 18 and over. That’s 884 million people or 15.9% of the worldwide population of people over 18.
As with any social platform, TikTok ads require experimentation. Every brand is unique, so in order to figure out what works best for your business and your audience, be sure to test several different types of ads and learn from the data.
Final Thoughts
With its fast growth and unique appeal, TikTok can be a great place to promote your products, cultivate brand loyalty, and grow your eCommerce business. There are many different ways in which the platform can be used, and it can be an especially attractive option for those with a tight budget. TikTok has a lot of untapped potential, and now is the best time to start using it.
