TikTok for E-Commerce: 10 of the ecommerce companies' TikTok strategies

When Jones Road Beauty shared their first TikTok videos that showcased their "less is more" makeup aesthetic, they did not have any expectations about how well they'd fare.

However, the response to their positive message was so overwhelming, they were unable to remain in their own space.

Videos that were small in size boosted participation and increased the revenue of the brand of cosmetics as per the report of Cody Plofker, the Director of Ecommerce. In reality, TikTok contributed just 2 percent of their total revenues for the year in 2020. A figure that increased by 34% by 2022.

What exactly is it that lets TikTok have the ability to produce this impressive result?

We analyzed 10 online stores (including Jones Road) winning on TikTok by analysing their strategies, which include the kinds of videos they're uploading and what they're doing to reach the audience.

The findings of our study have been compiled into tactical steps so you can develop extremely-converting TikToks which increase brand recognition increase engagement and boost sales.

10 steps that are backed by science to boost your TikTok game

In light of the lessons taken from more than 330 TikToks We've compiled our top eleven action steps for you to start your journey:

1. Know the content and who your customers are watching2. Create a full-funnel TikTok strategy  3. Incorporate Native TikTok and polished content in your strategy  
   4. Plan holiday campaigns in advance  
   5. Be on the cutting edge of current TikTok developments  
   6. Utilize video hooks and pattern interruptions to grab the attention of viewers.  
   7. Utilize the green screen effect to convey authentic brand storylines  
   8. Add the founder's voice or a specialist in the field and video clips of employees into the mix  
   9. Have an engagement plan in place  
   10. Work with TikTok influencers in order to promote your product and improve sales

   1. Pay attention to the individuals and what customers are looking at

Digging into a one-quarter's worth of TikToks of 10 brands on e-commerce identified a key point: winning on TikTok involves more than just having an overall understanding of "what" you need to learn about your clients.

Instead, get into the following:

• The questions your buyers may be thinking of asking
• They're reacting to trends
• Hashtags that they're interested in (or are actively looking for)
• They're also being followed by the TikTok creators who they're following.

Equipment like Sparktoro can help with this.

Another suggestion is to type a keyword related to your company's name on the TikTok search bar, and then go through all relevant hashtags that pop up. Through the posts that people post on TikToks through hashtags, you will be able to find out about the customers' needs and wants on the app.

Find out more about it by reading Ruggable, the name of ruggable washable rugs. Ruggable's TikToks show that they are able to understand their customers well. The film about the coastal decor of cowgirls for instance, shows the team's analysis of the latest fashions through the platform. They also provide the latest interior design trends and tips:

   2. Develop a full-funnel strategy for video upload to TikTok

Every e-commerce player that test have videos that are divided up into funnel stages that form the core of their TikTok brand. You'll find:

• Entertainment or educational top-of-the-line media
• Middle-funnel-related content addresses the concerns that on-the-fence buyers have
• Videos from the bottom of the funnel that announce discounts and sales

Videos of all sorts aid in reaching out to those who are not aware or are unsure and ready to buy.
 
  Here are a few:

Videos that educate about topics that are relevant to the interests of your viewers and your proposition of value

AG1 is a brand that offers health supplements to the gut. AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) provides wellness-related tips to the most relevant information.

Similar to that, the home décor company Lulu and Georgia, created the series of 10 parts titled Ten design principles we follow for bringing in new customers and to educate their followers:

    Source

Awareness of the product can be used to create the series of content

The hashtag #streetinterview receives 7.7B views on TikTok that show this kind of interview that is series-based get a lot of interest from the viewers.

So it's not surprising that 4 out of the 10 brands that we looked at produce episodic videos that feature street interviews. These interviews are not just for top-of-the-line education but also for increasing brand awareness.

AG1, for instance shows the reaction of people who have offered sample bottles of their supplements. The videos of initial reactions are enjoyable to see. In addition, they inform viewers about the advantages of AG1 while hosts explain why the drink has been beneficial:

Videos that answer frequently commonly asked frequently asked questions (FAQs)

As you increase the size of your TikTok followers, you will see that people are asking the same queries concerning your product in the comments. Utilize comments to build innovative TikToks which address the questions.
 
  AG1 sees this as an opportunity that lies in the middle of the funnel since they could be just one step away from purchasing:

   Source

Video comparison

Comparative videos are another option for middle funnel content.

Magnetic lashes and press-on nails brand, Glamnetic does 'why-we're-better-than-the-competitors-videos' well:

Note how they display nails that have press-ons for different brands. They fall off after wearing them for daily tasks before them demonstrating they're Glamnetic nails won't fall off while performing the same tasks.

Ecommerce brands can emulate by "showing" the way their product is better than similar products available to convince customers to buy from them.

Product behind-the-scenes (BTS)

Show how you design your products, or explain why they are unique using these behind-the scenes TikToks of mid-funnel products.

The Ruggable video for instance describes the way they look at their rug, and how they do it in a the most pleasant and entertaining style of speaking to make people believe that Ruggable's rugs are worth the investment:

Pro-tip: Build brand affinity through sharing behind-the-scenes-content like photoshoots' behind-the-scenes video and highlights of events -for example, Jones Road along with Lulu and Georgia are good at this.

 Product explanations or how-tos

Another way for convincing prospective buyers to buy your product is to provide them with product explanations which explain how they can use your product.

The store for stationery and notebooks, Notebook Therapy, creates these videos in support of the brand new line they're to launch:

Gut-healthy soda brand, OLIPOP takes a slight twist to its videos offering recipes of drinks made with the soda (think OlIPOP-derived Pina Colada and mocktails). Also, they make combinations that combine two flavors of their line:

These videos do more than increase sales, but they also help retain regular customers with ideas for various flavor combinations and flavors to test using OLIPOP.

Coupons, product launches and restock announcements

The funnel that is at the bottom, sales announcements opening and launching TikToks assist users imagine their personal experience using the product.

It's possible that you've just launched an innovative new product. You could promote it by using the TikTok similar to the one in the image below -sharing details regarding the brand's new offerings. This illustrates how to achieve this:

If there are many questions about when a certain product will be restocked, ensure to share restock announcement videos.

There is no need for them to be complex. Take a look at this video of the brand that produces skincare, Pipette Baby. The filmmaker takes the replenished products to the camera for an intimate view prior to placing them in the basket.

Videos to help customers interact with those who have purchased items from you.

Finally it is possible to use TikToks to discuss ways that your customers can benefit from your product.

If it's an fashion companies, this could be demonstrating ways you can dress your clothing. Cosmetic brands could share makeup styles or skin care routines that consumers can try. The same is true for food and beverage sellers. vendors of food and beverages can offer recipes.

The OLIPOP flavor of TikToks are one of the examples here. Another example is the cleaning of items or suggestions to maintain them, like the one below by Ruggable for removing tiny marks off their rug:

   3. Be sure to add native TikTok and polished content to your strategy

Nine of the ten online retail businesses that took part in the study used a mix of real (native video clips shot with the app) and professionally-produced, pre-recorded products on the TikTok channels.

This is a great method to keep track of your TikTok publishing schedule because there is no need to worry of sharing professional edited videos that require the time of a group to produce.

But, the best combination for your channel is contingent on your product type and the strategy for video.

Notebook Therapy for instance shares time-lapse video clips inspired by bullet journals as well as step-by-step sketches and are great for editing to enhance the video viewing experience.

4. Plan holiday campaigns in advance

A majority of the companies that we looked at also offer TikTok promotions for the upcoming celebrations and holidays.

The company which makes feminine hygiene Thinx has joined forces with a psychiatry resident for National Stress Awareness Day (relevant to their branding) to provide stress-relief techniques.

Similar to that, Glamnetic posted makeup looks in honor of Pride month:

Use a retail marketing calendar to organize your sales Make three to five TikToks to get people excited about an upcoming holiday offer and drive sales.

   5. Keep track of the most recent TikTok developments

The majority of the e-commerce companies we studied make use of TikTok current topics, which are related to their respective brands.

For example, Ruggable hopped on to discuss the Netflix series Queen Charlotte but with a distinct twist -- posting pictures of rooms that feature their designs of rugs that look like those taken from the show that's currently trending:

The creation of trending video content on TikTok can show your personality and brand, which helps in building a better connection with your audience. You also gain exposure and fans as TikTok users who follow the latest trends and view your posts.

Check out the videos on the Discover tab on TikTok to see trends people are responding to. Decide if the style will be relevant to your company before you create an TikTok regarding the current style.

   6. Utilize videos, patterns and hooks to attract attention

The research also showed that the majority of users on TikTok used hooks for videos with interesting content (opening scenes) as well as pattern breaks ( visual shifts of a film that focus upon the viewer's eyes) to attract the interest of users.

Check out this image of OLIPOP in which the artist is noticed with his tin-clad host

In the same way, this Tiktok of Ruggable employs a pattern interruption, which is a dog that talks the announcement of a sale on rugs that's cute as well as unique -and to motivate viewers to view:

To add engaging hooks along with pattern interruptions to your TikToks Pay attention to the things that make you stop when you browse through information on your feed (the For You page).

In time You'll notice the captivating openings to videos have commonalities -- for instance they open by introducing jokes, a motivational quote or a question that you've got. Also, they refer to pop media.

   7. Make use of the green screen effect to tell authentic brand stories

The effect of green screens (available in the Effects gallery under the section called Create) lets you superimpose any video or image on your background.

Making use of it to design an intriguing background that is pertinent to the topic of your TikTok is about like an advertisement for a movie or blue ocean, you could make a captivating video.

Utilize it to create compelling stories, as well as to create directions or TikToks with pictures or videos that show the way you're showing.

Another alternative is to use the green screen effect to recycle the content you've created. Take into consideration Instagram photos and YouTube videos. Also, consider images posted on your Instagram as well as blog posts.

AG1 was the one to make this happen. They did it through the launch of TikTok featuring their social media manager's talk head. It is accompanied by pictures and stock photos of the 2022 report on their impact.

The host gave 3 fascinating insights from their study as well as revealing how AG1 has been in line with them. The video hits two birds with one stone. The video educates its viewers and also demonstrates AG1's branding values:

   8. Integrate founder-led along with expert niche or employee video clips to the mix

Half of the brands we studied have TlikToks with their founders employees, staff, or even experts within their field -- ideal for showcasing what your brand stands for to connect with your clients.

Glamnetic and Jones Road Jones Road, specifically, nail this type of video.

In the event of Glamentic hit 1.2 million transactions through Shopify and made their announcements on TikTok which featured their CEO who spoke about his experience:

Jones Road, on the other hand, spotlights their founder for different objectives which include:

• Answering questions the audience has regarding their product
• Inquiring viewers about their favorite shows
• In addition, the explanation of the process

If the person responsible doesn't want to be on camera, collaborate with specialists within the business to share educational material.

Another idea is to look at the rear of your home and show employees on the TikToks. This inside story of a model who works with Thinx is an excellent example:

Also, you can design Staff choices for amusing twists with these TikToks:

   9. Have an engagement plan set up

In order for TikTok to generate the three figures of sales, it's crucial that you create a sense belonging.

What do you need to know about doing this is to engage with those who follow you. This isn't just about replying to their posts, but also. Here are a few ideas:

• Invite your fans to use your Stitch function to make TikToks with their feedback to your post. Thinx even incentivized its followers to make these TikToks.
• Shoot videos that are short TikToks with the application to receiving feedback about the videos you have uploaded. Videos are especially helpful for providing answers to any questions regarding the products you sell or resolving the issues that buyers might face. Jones Road founder, Bobbi Brown's reaction to a comment about the Miracle Balm product Miracle Balm becoming sticky is an excellent example here.
• Host giveaways. Pipette Baby was the host of one in the summer months and gave away sunscreen (very weather-appropriate, isn't it? ).

   10. Work with TikTok influencers in order to advertise your products to increase the number of sales

A majority of the brands we reviewed partner with creators in niches. Benefits? More engagement and follow-up, increasing brand recognition and trust in addition to growing sales.

There are a lot of targets through this alliance. For example:

• Inform people about a brand new product
• Reach a new audience
• Make an announcement about the sale

Explore different campaign ideas with TikTok influencers and discover which ones get the highest engagement from your audience. It is possible to ask, for instance makers to make Unboxing videos, or articles on TikToks that share their opinions of your products.

It is also possible to ask them to design TikToks which show their initial reactions to your product- similar to what SKIMS has done for creators

Ending the year: The essential lesson, the tasks to be completed as well as reminders

Two of the most important lessons that we have learned from this mini-study include:

All of the TikTok channels that we examined employ a video strategy the works using companies who share TikToks to inform, entertain and attract users as well as generate sales.

The majority of brands show their personality through highlighting their behind-the-scenes processes and highlighting people behind the brand through their TikToks. We saw tons of videos from employees and founders as well.

To hit the ground running for yourself, begin by understanding the types of videos that your intended audience is looking for on the app. After that, you'll be able to make a video-centric plan to your TikTok account.

Use a variety of types of videos and be sure to engage your viewers. You can also cooperate with internal employees as well as subject matter experts along with other TikTok creators to increase your following and build credibility.

We wish you every success success with TikTok

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