TikTok feels like a self-sufficient internet. Think about it – you can find literally everything there, from super-popular internet celebrities blowing up trends to niche weirdos whining about their hyper-specific obsessions. There is joy, drama, passion, a common language and a lot of community. And as in any other corner of the internet, there are many opportunities to sell products.
Yes, the growth and cultural ubiquity of TikTok means it’s the perfect place for your brand. We’ve already learned how TikTok marketing can help you reach new audiences and grow your customer base, but the app is much more powerful than that. If you learn the ins and outs, you can learn how to sell on TikTok in 7 easy steps.
Can you sell products on TikTok?
In the past, brands would just fill the stream and hope TikTokers would organically switch apps to search for their products. Then, last year, TikTok streamlined the process by partnering with Shopify to launch TikTok Shopping.
TikTok Shopping allows users to browse, select and purchase products securely without ever leaving the app. It’s a seamless e-commerce integration that’s already making huge waves on the platform.
“Our community has created unique opportunities for brands to engage consumers by transforming shopping into an experience based on discovery, connection and entertainment,” TikTok’s Blake Chandlee said at the launch.
“TikTok is uniquely placed at the center of content and commerce, and these new solutions make it even easier for businesses of all sizes to create engaging content that drives consumers straight to the digital point of purchase.”
If you set up your page correctly (and meet TikTok’s requirements), you can seamlessly add a shop tab to your TikTok page. The integration allows users to view products in your online store without leaving the app.
Since its launch last year, TikTok Shopping is no longer just for Shopify users. It also works with Prestashop, Base, Square, BigCommerce, OpenCart, Ecwid, Shopline and Wix eCommerce.
TikTok Shopping was first launched for users in the US, UK, and Canada, but is now available to users in most countries around the world.
Source: Ecwid
Why are you selling on TikTok?
Too much people use it
Simply put, TikTok is the epicenter of culture. Most trends—fashion, music, food, movies, or pretty much anything else—start in the app before traveling anywhere else. TikTok is a really cool kids club.
But to be clear, it’s not just for kids. TikTok has about 1 billion monthly active users. This is 20% of all internet users worldwide and one-eighth of the entire world’s population. And the average daily usage time is more than one hour.
In other words, if you have a state-of-the-art product or even something that you think will attract a little shine, TikTok is an incredible place to get your foot in the door.
You don’t need a huge budget
It’s not just influence that makes TikTok unique. Users tend to dislike overly slick ads rather than opting for organically interesting material.
So you don’t really need a big budget or team to make fun of TikTok. The app takes a truly democratic approach to content, often promoting the best public videos to its coveted For You Page (or #fyp).
This means that the access possibilities are essentially unlimited, especially if you know what you’re doing. When you finish reading our guide, you will understand.
Source: TikTok
How to sell on TikTok
1. Identify your niche
It goes without saying that the largest user base on TikTok is made up of teenagers, followed by those aged 20-29, followed by those aged 30-39. That’s a lot of information to help you tailor your marketing, and that doesn’t mean you can’t reach older people if that’s your goal.
Authenticity helps with this network, so make sure you’re familiar with the app and its various communities.
For example, let’s say you want to sell a reading lamp. Dig deeper into the #BookTok hashtag and learn about the types of videos the app book aficionados post. You can join conversations more organically if you learn their language.
2. Set up your business account
Once you have the order of the digital world, it’s time to set your TikTok account for success. Whether you’ve already signed up or are starting from scratch, you need to make sure you have a TikTok for Business account (and switching is as easy as opening one). manage account and touching Switch to Business Account).
Naturally, you’ll want to prepare your account to have all your relevant brand information and views, and then it’s time to integrate your e-commerce platform (the instructions should be available on the e-commerce platform site you are using).
When all is said and done, your page will have a TikTok Shopping tag displaying your products. There are two integration points to choose from – you can have the entire retail experience built into the app, or you can have the finishing action happen on your website.
3. Start creating
Of course, it’s not enough to just set up a page and just sit there. To thrive on TikTok, you need to create content. Too much content.
When it comes to TikTok, quantity definitely surpasses quality. But the most important thing to remember is that you don’t want to be a “salesman”. TikTok users will sniff an ad from miles away, so if you want to attract attention, you should stay calm about it. Make sure you’re really having fun because your audience can tell if you’re real.
Your best bet is to go back to your niche research and join the trends and challenges in this space. Whether it’s a dance craze or a viral meme, you can join the trend by humbly promoting your product.
Once you’ve created a voice and followers, you can even try starting your own TikTok challenge with a unique hashtag. Such a move, with the right amount of creativity and luck, can yield results in ways unimaginable.
4. Tag your videos with products
One of the easiest, most important steps in this process is to properly tag the elements in your videos. Yes, the TikTok Shopping feature includes the ability to tag a product with a simple tap.
Not only is this key to keeping your brand awareness strong, it also means you can advertise ad-free – your videos can be in any format and the products you feature will still be tagged. This is a great way to sneak some product placements in front of users who pride themselves on not being deceived by advertisements.
5. Leverage effect
Whether or not you’ve found success by tapping into TikTok trends yourself, there’s always the option of influencer marketing. Yes, TikTok is full of influencers from all walks of life and they all have one thing in common: They will support your product for a price.
Of course, as with anything, you need to do your research. You’ll want an influencer that fits perfectly into the niche you identified in step 1, and you’ll also want an influencer that has a real impact. Look at their followers and posts to make sure they fit perfectly with your brand, then reach out and identify a partnership.
Working with an influencer can be a great way to increase your reach, but you definitely have to be strategic because it can get expensive pretty quickly.
As an example, Kylie Cosmetics often works with influencers to promote their makeup products on TikTok.
@kylie Cosmetics @makeupbyalissiac favorite lip gloss polish shades: 90s bby, you’re cute jeans and don’t @me! 💋
♬ original voice – Kylie Cosmetics
6. Promote UGC
If you’re smart (and lucky of course), working with influencers and using original hashtags can invite unexpected UGC (user-generated content). This is the ultimate snowball effect that can result in an unimaginable global reach for your brand.
UGC can take the form of a TikTok challenge or meme, or it can be a single video that goes viral. It could be something you invite as a brand, or it could be a matter of taking advantage of an organic opportunity when it pops up.
The most infamous example of this was Nathan Apodaca’s hugely viral TikTok, which he saw skateboarding while sipping Ocean Spray cranberry juice and listening to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” The video received worldwide attention and has been remade by many celebrities (including Fleetwood Mac members).
@420doggface208 ♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) – Fleetwood Mac
Most importantly, Ocean Spray integrated it into their marketing materials and capitalized on it by promoting the #DreamsChallenge. The original TikTok now has 13.2 million views. Imagine what would have happened if they had labeled their products directly in the video.
7. Promote posts
Again – TikTok users are not eligible to respond to traditional advertising. But that doesn’t mean you can’t promote an organic post. Actually, getting a video in front of more people with TikTok Promote is quite simple.
Here are the steps to promote a video and drive traffic to your storefront:
1. tap I Click on the bottom right to go to your profile.
2. Tap the 3-line icon in the top right to go to your settings.
3. Tap Creator toolsTap , then Promotion.
4. promotions Tap the video you want to promote on the page (must be public and cannot contain copyrighted music).
5. Choose one of the following destinations for your video:
• View more videos.
• More website visits.
• more followers.
6. If you choose More website visits, you add a URL and select a call-to-action button (for example: Learn More, Shop Now, or Sign Up). then tap Save.
7. Tap the circle next to the audience you want to reach, then Next. You can choose from:
• Automatic. TikTok will choose the target audience for you.
• Tradition. Target the specific genders, age ranges, and interests you want to reach.
8. Set your budget and duration, then tap . Next.
9. Add payment information (Android) or recharge your coins (iPhone).
10. tap start promotion.
