With over a million monthly searches, TikTok is more than just an entertainment hub; it's an evolving marketplace where consumers are increasingly discovering new brands and products.
In fact, statistics reveal that 62% of users say they have been prompted to find out more about a product or brand after seeing it on TikTok. With the advent of TikTok Commerce and Shopping features, this platform is rapidly becoming an essential channel for every eCommerce brand.
What is TikTok Commerce and Why is it Important?
TikTok eCommerce marries social media entertainment with instant online shopping. By turning their TikTok profiles into interactive storefronts, sellers enable users to easily buy products directly in the app. This is made more convenient with integrations for platforms like Shopify, allowing for quick web store setups that complement their TikTok channels.
Every TikTok video can serve as a shopping opportunity with clickable product links, leading to instant purchases through an in-app browser. Take Kaja Beauty, for example—nearly 2 million followers strong, they’ve mastered TikTok eCommerce by combining direct shopping tools, bio links, paid ads, and engaging content to showcase their products effectively.
Source : Kaja
TikTok shopping and commerce features
TikTok Shopping transforms the social experience into an immersive retail opportunity. Here's a glimpse into the innovative features that make shopping on TikTok not just convenient but also incredibly engaging for users:
1. In-Feed Product Links
Brands can tag products in their TikTok videos, turning any post into an interactive shopping experience. Users can click on these tags to buy products directly, marrying entertainment with instant purchasing power.
2. TikTok Shop
This feature acts as a mini digital storefront, displayed on a brand's profile. Sellers can list their products, manage orders, and interact with customers without ever leaving the TikTok ecosystem.
3. Live Shopping
A fusion of live streaming and retail, this feature allows sellers to showcase and sell products during a live broadcast, engaging with the audience in real-time and offering an immediate purchase option.
4. Shoppable Ads
TikTok's Collection Ads give users a browsing experience akin to flipping through a catalog, where they can tap and shop from a curated collection of products within the app.
5. Hashtag Challenges
Brands can sponsor hashtag challenges that encourage user-generated content around their products, promoting engagement and leveraging user creativity to drive sales.
6. TikTok Rewards
This gamified feature encourages users to shop by offering them points for engaging with brands, which can be redeemed for various benefits, enhancing customer loyalty and repeat purchases.
7. Video Shopping Carts
Some videos feature a shopping cart icon that users can tap to see a list of products featured in the video, making it easier for users to browse and select items they are interested in.
8. Dynamic Showcase Ads
These ads automatically personalize product promotions to target users based on their interests and past interactions, ensuring that the right products are shown to the right people at the right time.
9. Product Anchors
Brands can place product anchors in their content, which when tapped, will take users to a page with more information about the product, often including a compelling call-to-action like "Shop Now."
10. Creator Collaborations
A feature that allows influencers and creators to tag and promote a brand's products within their content, facilitating a more organic reach and authenticity to potential customers.
11. Seamless Checkout
TikTok is working on providing a seamless in-app checkout experience in some regions, allowing users to make purchases without leaving the app, streamlining the path to purchase, and reducing cart abandonment.
12. TikTok’s Creator Marketplace API
This allows brands to tap into third-party platforms to connect with creators for collaborations, providing a more automated way to find and work with influencers who can promote their products.
How to set up TikTok shops
Setting up a TikTok Shop is a straightforward process, designed to integrate seamlessly into your current business operations. Here's a step-by-step guide to getting your TikTok Shop up and running:
Step 1: Meet the Requirements
Before you begin, ensure that your business meets TikTok’s eligibility criteria. You should have a TikTok Business account and adhere to the platform’s merchant policies. Additionally, check if TikTok Shopping is available in your region.
Step 2: Apply for TikTok Shop
Navigate to the TikTok Shop Seller Center and apply to become a seller. You'll need to provide the necessary business information and documentation for verification.
Step 3: Set Up Your Profile
Once approved, set up your seller profile. This involves customizing your TikTok Shop page with your brand logo, description, and contact information, creating a recognizable and trustworthy storefront.
Step 4: Integrate Your Catalog
Connect your eCommerce platform (e.g., Shopify, Square) with TikTok to import your product catalog. Alternatively, you can manually add products to your TikTok Shop, complete with descriptions, images, and prices.
Step 5: Optimize Product Listings
For each product, use high-quality images and compelling descriptions. Include relevant keywords to improve searchability and add tags to link your products to TikTok videos.
Step 6: Launch and Promote
With your Shop set up, create a launch strategy. Use TikTok's promotional tools, such as ads and hashtag challenges, to drive traffic to your Shop. Collaborate with TikTok creators to reach a broader audience.
Step 7: Monitor and Fulfill Orders
Keep an eye on your Shop's dashboard to manage and fulfill orders promptly. Excellent customer service and quick shipping will encourage repeat business.
Step 8: Analyze and Optimize
Regularly review your TikTok analytics to understand customer behavior. Use these insights to refine your strategy, optimize listings, and create content that converts to sales.
Remember to comply with TikTok’s content guidelines throughout this process to ensure your Shop remains in good standing. With your TikTok Shop in place, you’re well-equipped to tap into the vast TikTok audience and grow your eCommerce business.
How to boost your brand’s presence on TikTok
Boosting your brand on TikTok involves a combination of strategic content creation, community engagement, and leveraging the platform’s unique eCommerce features. Here's a checklist to guide you through the process:
1. Embrace Hashtags and Keywords
Leverage the power of hashtags and keywords to enhance discoverability. Use a mix of trending, niche, and branded hashtags to maximize reach. Keywords relevant to your products and industry should be naturally integrated into your video captions and content.
2. Invest in Ads
Utilize TikTok’s paid advertising options to extend your content's reach beyond your current followers. Target your ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors to ensure they reach potential customers who are most likely to be interested in your products.
Graas Pro tip: Using Marketing Deep Dive on Graas, you can benchmark your ad campaigns to see which campaign and ad format performs the best and double down on the strategy. See how!
3. Create Engaging Ads with a Strong Intro Hook
Your ad’s opening seconds are crucial. Grab attention with a compelling hook—be it a question, a surprising fact, or an engaging visual—to prevent users from scrolling past. The aim is to pique curiosity or offer value right from the start.
4. Collaborate with Creators and Influencers
Collaborate with TikTok influencers who resonate with your target audience. Their endorsement can provide credibility and tap into their follower base, potentially leading to a higher engagement rate and conversion.
5. Keep an Eye on Trends
Stay up-to-date with TikTok trends and participate in them to ensure your content feels relevant and engaging. Blending in doesn’t mean losing your brand’s identity; it means presenting it in a way that speaks the language of TikTok users.
6. Add Product Links to Videos and Your Bio
Make it as easy as possible for viewers to become customers by including product links in your video posts and bio. This direct path to purchase can significantly increase conversion rates from viewer to buyer.
7. Add Calls to Action (CTAs) to Your Ads
Guide users on what to do next with clear CTAs in your ads. Whether it's "Shop Now," "Learn More," or "Sign Up," a compelling CTA is a key driver for converting interest into action.
8. Monitor Performance and Optimize
Constantly review the performance of your content and ads. TikTok provides analytics that can help you understand what’s working and what isn’t. Use these insights to tweak your approach, test different strategies, and optimize your future campaigns for better performance.
Graas Pro tip: Remember to also look into which ad copies and ad creatives perform the best using Graas Marketing Deep Dive. Get started now!
Key TikTok Metrics Brands Must Measure
When measuring the success of your TikTok marketing efforts, there are several key metrics to consider. Here’s a list with a brief description of each:
1. Overview Tab Metrics
Video Views: The total number of views across all your videos in a specified period, indicating content reach.
Profile Views: Tracks how many times users have visited your profile, a good indicator of growing brand interest.
Likes: The cumulative likes received on your videos, reflecting content engagement and approval.
Comments: The total comments on your videos, showing audience engagement and interaction.
Shares: How often your videos have been shared, highlighting content virality potential.
Followers: Your account's total follower count and any growth within the selected timeframe.
Content: The number of videos you’ve posted, showing content frequency.
LIVE: Tracks the number of live video sessions you've conducted, measuring live engagement.
2. Content Tab Metrics
Trending Videos: Identifies top-performing videos with the most rapid view increases, spotlighting viral content.
Total Video Views: A count of views per video, gauging individual video reach.
Total Like Count of a Post: Indicates popularity and viewer enjoyment.
Total Number of Comments: Measures audience interaction on a per-post basis.
Total Shares: The shareability of a single post, indicating potential for wider organic reach.
Total Play Time: The sum duration that viewers have spent watching your video, assessing content stickiness.
Average Watch Time: Reflects how long viewers watch your video on average, a measure of content engagement.
Watched Full Video: Counts full video views, indicating content retention effectiveness.
Reached Audience: The distinct number of users who have seen your video, measuring the breadth of your reach.
Video Views by Section: Analyzes traffic sources for your video, indicating the most effective discovery paths.
Video Views by Region: Shows geographical distribution of your video views, essential for location-targeted strategies.
3. Followers Tab Metrics
Gender Distribution: Breakdown of followers by gender, useful for gender-targeted content.
Top Territories: Shows where your followers are located, informing potential local content and campaigns.
Follower Activity: Details when your followers are most active, helping to optimize post timings.
Videos Your Followers Watched: Provides insight into your followers’ other interests, guiding content inspiration.
Sounds Your Followers Listened To: Indicates trending audio among your followers, offering content creation cues.
Videos Your Followers Watched: Get insights on the videos being watched and interacted with the most with TikTok Business account.
Sounds Your Followers Listened To: Identify the audios that are trending and being engaged with the most on TikTok Business.
By closely monitoring these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into your TikTok campaign performance, refine your marketing strategies, and better align with your audience's preferences.
Wrapping up
While TikTok offers a range of metrics to gauge the success of your eCommerce strategy on the platform, brands should not view these in isolation.
True insight comes from comparing these figures against the performance of other marketing channels you employ.
How does your TikTok engagement stack up against Instagram or Facebook? Are TikTok-driven conversions outpacing those from email campaigns? Benchmarking across platforms offers a holistic view of where your efforts are most fruitful.
If you're looking to elevate your TikTok marketing strategy and see how it fits into your omnichannel approach, consider booking a demo with Graas.
Our comprehensive analytics tools can help you understand the big picture, ensuring every TikTok dance and duet is a step towards greater brand success. Book a demo with Graas today.