Small Businesses Make Serious Selling on TikTok, Thanks to New Feature

If you haven’t brought your business to TikTok yet, you might be missing out on a serious sales opportunity.

You already know that the video sharing app, which recently surpassed 1 billion users, mostly Gen Z users, is popular, but you might not know that it has also recently expanded. to social commerce. End of August, Shopify became the first commerce platform to partner with TikTok to launch in-app purchases. A month later, Square announced a similar partnership. Both integrations, currently in beta testing, will allow companies that use the platforms to seamlessly link their products into videos on TikTok, where viewers can purchase them directly without having to visit a web browser.

Companies can request access to features by applying through Shopify’s TikTok and Square website, respectively. Similar shopping features exist on social media like Facebook and Instagram, but even businesses that have used these features say they don’t quite compare to the rapid growth in customer base they’ve seen on TikTok. .

“We saw an immediate response,” said Kyle Jiang, founder of San Francisco-based skin care brand Gen Z. Junon & Cie., which started using the Shopify integration upon launch. “Our sales on TikTok are 10 times greater than what we have earned on Instagram and Facebook.”

Jessica Thompson, Founder of Dexter, Mich., Zero Waste Consumer Products Store happy bee, which started using TikTok’s Square integration in late September, saw its first in-app sale in about 24 hours. “I followed the sales of the products that I presented in videos [with the integration] and they increased, ”she says. “I’ve especially noticed an increase in sales of products that aren’t normally top sellers, like our lotion bars, but people are buying them on TikTok. “

Of course, functionality has its limits. The platform cannot accommodate all products, for example. Angie Tebbe, CEO and Founder of Minneapolis Well-being Rae, found out that after signing up for the Shopify integration, she couldn’t add her core product line of supplements because they have an age restriction of 18+. The brand is licensed to sell one product on the app – its vegan collagen capsules – but makes extensive use of the platform to direct customers to its website and to Target stores, where its products are sold.

Still, for many brands, the ability for viewers to shop directly in TikTok holds promise. And a big part of the key to successful in-app integration is nailing TikTok. With that in mind, here are three tips:

The key to success with TikTok’s in-app integration, according to successful small businesses: don’t go too hard in the sales pitch. “It’s really about making it look organic and not trying to tell people to buy the product – it’s more about presenting them with the opportunity to do so,” says Maria Wilkes, founder of the London-based brand. Candid beauty. Wilkes uses the Shopify integration on her personal TikTok account, which has over 46,000 subscribers, where she shares occasional videos, in front of the camera, often showing how her flagship product – brow balm works.

Thompson agrees that a tough sale is not necessary. “My philosophy on TikTok is that I don’t sell, I share how it’s going to help you or the planet,” she says, noting that she often leans on education and suggests viewers little ways to change their minds. routines to make them more eco-responsible. An example: viewers can use the brand’s beeswax wrappers instead of plastic wrap.

“The fun thing about the platform is you don’t know what’s going to take off or go viral,” Thompson said. “I try to have a mix of fun, trendy and informative things.” Since TikTok’s algorithm is highly personalized, diversifying your content (especially when you are first starting out) while using in-app shopping integrations can help you increase your sales because different videos can be shown to different TikTok users.

Another way for brands to try to increase sales is to stay on top of trends “before they go away,” says Wilkes. Because TikTok trends, which may relate to an audio sample or a mass-market editing technique, evolve rapidly, Wilkes has an assistant who helps him stay on top of the platform and follows the accounts that document the trends. TikTok as they grow older.

When it comes to brand success, authenticity is a constant buzzword – and on TikTok, that translates to videos that feel more personal or casual than a traditional ad. Wilkes gives his followers a behind-the-scenes look at product making and his journey as a business owner, while Thompson frequently syncs with the sound clips that are all the rage on the app. They realized that when viewers feel personally connected to them, they are more likely to turn into customers.