As we step into 2024, the rise of TikTok Shop stands as a testament to the evolving social commerce. Since its launch only a few months ago, it has flourished into a vibrant marketplace, reshaping the way users engage with content and brands. TikTok Social commerce sales experienced a remarkable surge of 34.4% in 2023, reaching an astounding $53.10 billion, according to Insider Intelligence. This means users are not just scrolling for entertainment anymore, they are actively shopping.
TikTok Shop has become a beacon of discovery for 1B+ users, offering a seamlessly integrated e-commerce solution where brands can showcase and sell products through a complete in-app shopping experience. This article marks the first part of a TikTok Shop series where we’ll delve deep into its great potential. It serves as your 101 guide, laying the foundation for navigating TikTok Shop and unlocking its potential, propelling your brand to new heights as we kick off 2024!
How to set up TikTok Shop
1. Set Up Your TikTok Business Account
In order to start listing your products, make sure you have a TikTok Business account. If you already have one, you can skip this step.
Open TikTok on your mobile device, tap the three lines at the top right, select ‘Settings and privacy’ > ‘Account’ > ‘Switch to Business Account.’ Then follow the on-screen instructions to transition to a TikTok Business Account.
2. Create a TikTok Shop seller account
To register your account, head to https://seller-us.tiktok.com, click on “Start Selling Now,” and ensure your location is set to the US. After signing up, your account will be verified in the specified country. Fill in all the required business information, and then click Submit. The audit results should be delivered within 3-5 days; once approved, you can start selling!
3. Upload your products
Upload your first product to TikTok Shop by clicking the “Upload Now” button. Fill in your shop warehouse pickup address and phone number for smooth logistics. You can set your return address to be the same as the pickup address, or you can fill in a different one.
Just like the content you deliver, your products on TikTok Shop are a reflection of your brand, so make sure that they are uploaded correctly, with high quality descriptions and images.
Tips to boost your TikTok Shop
As you embark on your selling journey, let’s explore effective strategies to make a strong entrance into the TikTok marketplace.
Engage with the right audience
Targeting your ideal audience is crucial for TikTok Shop success, as it will allow you to foster genuine connections and meaningful engagement. Ensure your audience is your actual target customers, and that they follow you for the right reasons. Start by defining your unique value proposition and reflect your business’s core values in your TikTok bio for authentic follower connections.
Next comes the content. You have to create relevant content, but to make it thrive in your select audience you have to make content that aligns with your brand theme and resonates with your audience. Leverage successful strategies from similar categories and fit them to your brand, addressing customer pain points and showcasing product solutions for a more engaging experience.
As your content gains traction, seize the opportunity to actively engage with your community by responding to comments and participating in discussions. This proactive approach not only fosters a sense of connection but also strengthens your presence on TikTok.
Craft a content calendar and stay relevant
Staying relevant in the kaleidoscope of content that is TikTok can be a hassle. To avoid this, create a content calendar to plan strategically, ensuring you show up for social shopping moments.
For optimal TikTok Shop success, strike a balance between quantity and quality. Post 1-4 times daily and aim for 7-14 shoppable videos per week. To achieve this content volume, employ the following strategies:
- Leverage batch production for efficiency. Simplify your workflow by filming multiple videos at once, saving them as drafts for staggered posting throughout the week.
- Align your content strategy with seasonal opportunities, explore Creative Center trends to maximize the power of latest sounds and hashtags driving engagement, and enhance your content with inspiration from fellow TikTok Shop accounts.
- Consider partnering with Social Native—we’re an excellent resource for scaling content creation through UGC and strategic creator partnerships. This approach can not only ease the workload but also infuse diverse and authentic perspectives into your TikTok Shop strategy. Go to the next tip to discover how Creators can help you stay relevant!
Remember, getting started is the first step—establish a schedule that suits you and capitalize on trending topics. Engage with comments, make video responses, and integrate popular trends to boost your TikTok Shop presence.
Partner with the right creators
Leveraging the passion of creators and influencers who genuinely love your brand is a powerful strategy. A remarkable 78% of TikTok users have purchased a product after watching TikTok creator content on it¹. Their authentic touch elevates brand collaborations, seamlessly integrating products into engaging narratives while providing genuine reviews. To find the most suitable influencers and storytellers aligned with your brand, Social Native’s Creator Discovery is the key.
As mentioned, creating content regularly without falling into creative exhaustion is challenging, and that’s where Creators can help brands! Not only do they bring authenticity and storytelling, but can also help with scaling content creation and bringing in a creative approach.
This collaboration goes beyond mere content creation; it’s a strategic move to diversify your product images, adding immense value. By engaging influencers to showcase how products cater to various body types or partnering with creators to spotlight different benefits, you ensure a more comprehensive representation of your product.
Diversify your content
There are 3 different types of short videos that can boost TikTok sales, and you should leverage all of them:
- Audience Growth Videos: The goal is to increase engagement and followers without direct product links. You can do this through informative, entertaining and inspirational content.
- Shoppable Videos: Drive conversions with direct product links. Showcase your products excellence by highlighting its design, detailing its features and articulating why it stands out as the best choice.
- Livestream Teaser Videos: They channel traffic towards your livestream events. Get your audience to know you’re about to go LIVE or to join your LIVE by creating buzz and using highlight reels to provide a glimpse into a livestream content.
If your videos always show the same type of content, viewers will easily get bored and switch off. Keep things compelling by diversifying your content. Fos can incorporate behind-the-scenes footage, unboxing videos, how-to guides, and demonstrations of how your products are made—these types of videos resonate well with users and add an interesting dynamic to your content.
Elevate Your TikTok Shop Experience
In conclusion, 2024 holds immense potential for TikTok Shop success. Implement these strategies to navigate TikTok Shop, captivate your audience, and drive meaningful engagement for a prosperous 2024. Stay tuned for the upcoming parts of this series, where we’ll dive into the potential of Livestreaming and Shoppable videos. We’ll explore how these features can further elevate your TikTok Shop experience, providing even more opportunities for success!
As an official TikTok marketing partner, Social Native offers additional support to enhance your TikTok Shop journey. If you find the setup overwhelming and aren’t sure where to begin, we can guide you through the onboarding process. Feeling unsure about finding the right creators for your brand? We’ve got you covered too! Leverage our cutting-edge technology and expertise to tap into our vast creator network, ensuring authentic, high-performance content tailored for TikTok. With Social Native by your side, unlocking the full potential of TikTok Shop has never been more accessible.
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Source: Creators on TikTok Research (Thailand Results) conducted by Kantar Consulting, 2022 (n=744)
