How Product-Based Businesses Can Increase Sales with TikTok

You don’t have to be an influencer to market your business on TikTok, and you don’t have to be a dancer either! Any sighs of relief out there, or is that just me?

If you haven’t heard of TikTok (gasp) or just don’t know what it’s all about, think of it as a platform only for Instagram reels. The app allows you to record videos around 15 seconds long and you can add music, text and stickers to your video to make it engaging. 

You’ve likely done more than just heard of it - you’re probably on the platform already and are desperately trying to figure out how the heck you should use it. Don’t sweat, product businesses like yours can make sales through Tik Tok, and we’re going to talk all about how!

Should Your Business Be On TikTok?

TikTok has 1 billion active users, meaning there are TONS of opportunities for you to connect with your target audience. That being said, be sure to research whether or not your target audience is on TikTok, how they are utilizing the app, and who they are following. 

What Makes this App Different from Others?

If you’re wondering how to get started on TikTok, let’s first look at what makes it different from other apps. It’s not just another social media platform, it’s primary content is video and users prioritize humorous, fun, and entertaining content. 

Businesses and entrepreneurs like us can use TikTok as a broader strategy to reach new audiences, build brand awareness, and funnel new community members into our marketing funnels.

Unlike Instagram and even Pinterest (which isn’t a social app per se), educational and informational content does not doas well on TikTok, since users come to be entertained.

This means that TikTok is where your brand can come to have fun! While Instagram may be where you can show up to connect as yourself and build authority, we can think of TikTok as a place where our brand can shine its personality and create content that is a bit edgy, more experimental, and more playful.

Think about the characteristics and personality of your brand - how can you showcase that in fun ways on video?

How to Get Started Marketing on TikTok

To get started marketing your business on Tik Tok, first do some “research” by using and exploring the app itself. Here are some tips for getting started: 

• First, get acquainted with TikTok by touring the For You page.
• Next, create a business account so you can view data and deeper analytics.
• Set goals and objectives - what do you want to specifically achieve from getting on the app? What results do you want to see in your business? 

If you don’t know this, don’t start creating content just yet. Take time to get to know the app, do some research, and formulate some goals as you go along! If you jump right in to creating content without knowing exactly what you want, you’ll set yourself up for disappointment and you won't know how to adjust your strategy going forward. 

• Pick your types of content. Knowing what types of videos you want to create will help you overcome the decision fatigue that comes with posting on a new platform. Will you create videos with trending music, participate in challenges, do lip syncing videos, or tutorials?
• Pick your content pillars. If you could break your business’s authority down into three topics or categories, what would they be? As you create content topics, choose topics that fall under these categories. 
• Decide when and how often you’ll post, and create a content calendar
• Make your first video!
• Utilize analytics so you can be aware of what works, what doesn’t, and what parts of your strategy need tweaking as you move forward.

Ideas for Your First TikTok Videos

As you make your first few posts on Tik Tok, my best tip is to ditch the “shoulds.” 

Don’t worry about what types of content, audio, or sounds are trending, and just follow your creativity! Whatever ideas pop into your head are the ones you should follow. Here are some inspiration-triggering ideas:

• Curate a list of best products for XYZ
• Show daily actions with a product
• Showcase your brand values
• Tease new launches
• Promote campaigns
• Share daily routines
• Demonstrate your product
• Do tutorials (just because TikTok users don’t flock to the app for informational content it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever post it - you want to make your credibility known! Use it sparingly and strategically)

Ultimately, if you’re not having fun on TikTok, you shouldn’t be forcing yourself to create content. Your best content will come when you let yourself have fun and create content thatyouwant to create. 

About the TikTok Algorithm (it’s nicer than Instagram’s!)

Now, here’s what you should know about the TikTok algorithm. According to Hootsuite, TikTok’s algorithm takes into account:

• User interactions, like which accounts people follow, have hidden, commented on, shared, reposted, etc. 
• Content information, like the content you include in your captions, hashtags, trending topics and sounds.

You’ll also be happy to know that TikTok does not prioritize content based on past high-performing or viral content. Meaning, just because an account has a video that went viral it doesn’t mean the rest of their content gets a promotion. Each video is promoted according to its own merit. Good news for us newbies!

Remember, consistency is key. If you’re going to do it, commit to a period of 30-60 days. My best and final tip for making the most of TikTok - focus on experimentation and having fun. You haven’t used the platform yet, so your business isn’t losing anything by being on or off the platform. So, you can feel free to try new things, see what works, and lean into what takes off!