Learning how to sell on TikTok is essential for any business. After all, the platform is currently one of the most popular social networks in the world, with just over 1 billion monthly active users.
However, to find the right audience and make a positive impact, you need to understand how this social network works and develop effective communication and marketing strategies that can capture the audience’s attention and sell.
With that in mind, we have prepared a guide that will teach you everything you need to start selling on the platform, as well as tips on how to promote your business and increase your revenue.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a social network launched in 2016 by Chinese company ByteDance, where users can record, edit, and publish videos ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes using the platform’s built-in editing tool.
In addition to video editing, users have access to other popular features, such as special effects, filters, stickers, transitions, and the ability to use popular music and audio in videos to participate in challenges and viral trends.
To keep its users engaged and provide an immersive and addictive user experience, TikTok uses an algorithm that personalizes content according to user preferences.
Advantages of learning how to sell on TikTok
There are several advantages to selling your products or services on a platform like this. Here are some of the main ones:
Greater reach and engagement
Due to its huge user base, TikTok enables companies to reach consumers from different cultures and regions around the world. As a result, brands are able to build a community of loyal followers who actively consume and interact with content.
Viral potential
Among all the social networks available on the market, TikTok is the one with the greatest viral potential. Content on this network can go viral in a matter of hours, increasing brand visibility and sales organically.
That’s why brands that learn how to go viral and how to sell on TikTok stand out from the rest, because in addition to increasing their sales, they also significantly strengthen their digital presence.
Reports and insights
By creating a TikTok Business account, companies can access comprehensive reports on video performance, with information such as the number of views on the video and profile, follower growth curve, etc.
This tool also provides demographic data on the audience that consumes your content and some insights that help you understand the best time to post on TikTok. All of this is available in the “Analytics” section.
Tips on how to sell on TikTok
Now that we’ve shown you the advantages of advertising your products and services on the platform, let’s take a look at the main strategies for boosting your sales on TikTok:
1. Create a TikTok Business account
The first step to start selling and advertising on the social network is to create a TikTok Business account. Here is the step-by-step guide:
- Open the TikTok app and create an account or log in with an existing account.
- Then tap “Profile” to access your profile.
- In the upper right corner, tap the menu icon and then “Settings and privacy.”
- Next, tap “Account” and in the account control options, tap “Switch to Business Account”;
- Now, simply select the category that best fits your business and select “Next” to complete the change.
In this type of profile, content creators and companies can access a wide range of reports with performance data for the profile and publications.
2. Integrate your online store with TikTok
After registering, it’s time to integrate your online store with your TikTok Business/Ads profile. Check if the e-commerce platform you use offers this feature.
With this feature, you can automatically connect and update your online store’s product catalog to your Business profile, facilitating both the process of advertising on the platform and the sales process.
3. Study and learn how to use social media
Before you start producing any type of content and advertising your products or services, it is essential that you test and learn how to use the tools, features, and key resources that TikTok offers.
If you have a good budget available, consider hiring an agency or marketing and communications professional to be responsible for the entire content creation and promotion strategy.
4. Know your audience
Understanding who your followers are and what they like to consume is crucial for you to be able to create engaging content that resonates with them. This can be done using TikTok’s analytics tools.
Be sure to research and observe which videos your followers tend to interact with and which trends or hashtags are popular among them, as this can serve as a starting point and increase your chances of success.
5. Create authentic and creative content
To create attractive content, it is essential to use all your creativity and always showcase your products in an original way. Break away from the ordinary, stay on top of trends, and create relevant content that makes sense and adds value.
A good strategy is to analyze what other companies in the industry are doing and explore the “Discover” tab to find hashtags, trends, and challenges that make sense for your business and can be used to engage your audience.
6. Collaborate with influencers in your niche
Partnering and collaborating with relevant digital influencers is one of the best strategies for those who still don’t know how to grow on TikTok. After all, these creators have already gained a loyal audience and can help attract new followers to your brand.
In addition, influencers have a deep understanding of the type of content that best resonates with their followers. This allows for the creation of more authentic and effective campaigns, generating good engagement and increasing sales.
7. Offer exclusive promotions and discounts
To encourage immediate purchases and generate even more sales, offer promotions or even exclusive discounts to your TikTok followers. For example, you can include a link in your profile bio that directs customers to your online store with the discount already applied.
8. Advertise on TikTok Ads
With a Business profile, companies and influencers have access to TikTok Ads, a native paid advertising tool where you can create campaigns and ads to attract the audience that uses the platform.
The tool allows you to: create personalized ads, choose your audience based on demographics, use a variety of different formats (TopView, In-Feed Ads, Hashtag Challenges, etc.), perform A/B testing, set a campaign budget, and much more.
TikTok Ads also features detailed analytics tools that help you monitor and evaluate the performance of your campaigns so you can optimize your strategies as needed.
Have you learned how to sell on TikTok?
We hope this guide has been helpful in understanding how to sell on TikTok, using the platform’s tools to enhance your strategies, increase engagement, improve your digital presence, and boost your revenue.