Selling via TikTok: Reaching a Broader Audience with Shopify TikTok Integration

Selling via TikTok: Reaching A Broader Audience with TikTok Shopify Integration

Let’s face it: being a successful eCommerce store owner means taking advantage of the most valuable eCommerce integrations and apps present on the platform. Shopify recently partnered with TikTok. The reason? Well, it does have more than one billion users waiting for content that engages and has the potential to go viral. 

In other words, installing the new TikTok channel app to the Shopify app store gives the eCommerce store owners access to a social media network to interact with the audience and generate more sales. The TikTok app integrated into a Shopify store helps merchants create viral marketing campaigns directly from your store’s dashboard. 

To benefit from it completely, let’s first understand how TikTok got from being an entertainment social channel to a business platform. 

TikTok For Businesses — The Influence of TikTok

Being a new social media platform, TikTok has taken the digital world by storm — reaching 150 markets worldwide in 75 languages and catering to a billion monthly active users. Although advertising on TikTok has always been there, but it was more focused on content than advertisements. 

However, since its partnership with the eCommerce platform Shopify, advertising on TikTok has made quite an impact. Research suggests that one in four TikTok users search for a product or purchase after watching a video on TikTok. 

Understanding this change in user behavior, Shopify partnered with TikTok in 2020. It was noted that its demand is increasing, and installs across their social commerce channels increased by 76% from February 2020 to 2021. 

Read Also: 10 Best Shopify Referral Apps To Get New Customers

It can be said that installing TikTok with your eCommerce store can help store owners meet new audiences and communicate with them where they are. That means an easier shopping experience for the consumers and a spike in sales for you. 

Need some inspiration? Glow Recipe is an amazing source for you to understand TikTok’s influence on its audience. The Korean brand not only uses short videos to showcase the product but uses links in the Bio tool to send its followers a curated collection of content. This link is a shoppable link for the products featured in the short videos, so the viewer can directly buy the item on its website.

Similarly, GymShark, a fitness apparel brand and accessories retailer, takes a different “challenges” approach to reach out to its audience. Challenges are the biggest trend of the platform, and many brands use them to build a reputation. GymShark’s “#gymshark66,” challenge asked the users to transform their bodies in 66 days to win a free year’s supply of GymShark’s goods. The challenge got over 45.5 million views, 1.9 million likes, and 12,500 comments. The participants were customers of the brand. But the best part, it gave exposure to the brand’s products and assisted in building credibility, and boosted sales. 

Now that you know how the platform influences the market, let’s understand how it benefits the Shopify store owners. 

Shopify TikTok Integration — How It Works 

Now, let’s understand how TikTok benefits store owners upon its integration with Shopify. 

At this time, it is clear that you have an eCommerce store! 

Now, consider this: you launch a new product that has the potential to go viral amongst your target audience. You are using the usual social media marketing strategies and attracting your usual customers and site visitors, but the fact is, they will be skeptical about making a purchase. So, what do you do to make them buy it? 

Users start their fashion shopping through TikTok. 

Why? 

Well, the influencers test and share their reviews which is helpful in building trust amongst the users. 

Today, #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt is quite a popular hashtag amongst users that highlights trending products featured on TikTok. From product reviews to shopping lists, it introduces users to a whole new world of shopping inspiration. Glow Recipe also took advantage of the trend to promote its services and products. The simple hashtag gives social validation, which helps them move one step forward through the sales funnel. 

In simple words, TikTok gives merchants an opportunity to market and sell their products. It works seamlessly alongside your Shopify store. TikTok Shopify integration emerges to be quite beneficial as it efficiently reaches out to the market and elevates your brand exposure. 

Here are some features that shop owners can use to boost their sales:

• Publishing TikTok ads 

You can schedule your TikTok ads to increase your reach. Make sure to use hashtags, mentions and interactive captions when publishing them on the platform. 

• Shoppable Feeds That Sells

Your TikTok shoppable feeds feature the product ads live on the social video platform. It can be easy shopping for your TikTok followers as they click on the product and are easily directed to your Shopify store or allowed with an in-app purchase option. 

• Integrate UGC (User Generated Content) into Your Shopify Store 

When it comes to social media, the best way to engage the customers is through user-generated content. Make sure you also use UGC on your profile besides TikTok shoppable feed to create social proof for your product. It is a great way to increase trust and confidence in your brand. 

• Helps Keep Up Website Speed

We all know that website speed can make or break your growth. You can use TikTok videos on your website, but it may affect the speed of your website as videos tend to take a lot of space. As a result, it can slow down your website. Using TikTok shoppable helps you optimize your server space and maintain the speed of your website. 

• Improve UX and SEO

TikTok shoppable feed ads in your store that captivates and engage the users. They keep your audience engaged, which is best to convert site visitors to potential customers by improving User Experience.

4 Ways Businesses Embrace the Power of TikTok  

When working with TikTok, an organic video featuring a product can make a business go viral. However, relying solely on this fact is not enough. Below are four ways that can help you become popular on TikTok. 

1. Maintain a Presence on TikTok 

Just like Instagram, TikTok is also becoming a “must have” for eCommerce brands. Businesses today are leveraging the power of TikTok to drive product sales through views and going viral. Continuously posting creative and entertaining videos assist in maintaining a strong presence on the platform. 

2. Think Like Creators, Not Like a Brand 

Brands repost from other platforms or simply ignore the current trends are likely to be disappointed. To succeed on TikTok, brands must become creators or think like one. 

• Humanize your brand with a “face of the Company”, like a founder, so the users feel connecting with an individual rather than a company. 
• Display your products in a trending way — meme format, or through popular songs and more. 
• Opt for authentic and story-centered content instead of workshopped and polished content that feels like marketing. 

3. Partner with Creators and Influencers 

For companies that cannot become creators, partnering up with creators can be helpful. While influencer marketing can be expensive, micro-influencers are a viable option. According to research by TikTok, 75% of the users feel ordinary content creators or micro-influencers are more interesting than celebrities.

There are countless niches on TikTok. Make sure to find that relates to your business and collaborate to reach out to your potential customers. 

4. Benefit from TikTok Shopping Features 

TikTok was already being used for product discovery, purchase considerations and sales, but the addition of eCommerce tools transformed it from a consideration platform to a full-fledged sales platform. It creates a mini storefront for the users to purchase a product directly. 

Final Words 

The rise in the popularity of the newer social media channels such as TikTok has pioneered a new approach to social engagement. Although it is a novel approach that lacks standards, it provides flexibility to craft your own path forward.

You can rely on us for top-notch Shopify Development Services. CODUP have recently been awarded with a badge of “Top B2B Companies Global 2022” from Clutch.