Scrolling through TikTok, it’s clear that influencers’ opinions can play a significant role within the buyer’s journey.
In fact, when the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag started trending in 2020, it inspired more users to spread the word about the new products they were buying after being influenced. And now, between the clothing hauls and kitchen finds, this social media platform has become the go-to place for product discovery through visual user-generated content (VUGC).
But the hashtag was only the beginning. While people continued using it and adding links to their personal storefronts within their profiles, TikTok was innovating.
With over a billion active users and the rise of mobile consumers (almost 50% prefer to shop on mobile), the app evolved and entered the world of social commerce via TikTok Shop. Today, this platform presents new opportunities for D2C brands, proving once again that visual UGC is one of the most compelling ways to earn a shopper’s trust and convince them to buy. Learn more about what TikTok Shop is, how it works, and what value it can bring.
What is TikTok Shop?
TikTok Shop is the newest social commerce solution that leverages VUGC to create engaging online shopping experiences similar to shops on Facebook and Instagram. The platform began testing TikTok Shop with a few brands in November of 2022, and now, it’s gaining popularity with more businesses trialing the Shop and more users making purchases. As noted by TikTok, one in two users stated that they’re open to purchasing items directly through the app.
Brands can set up their TikTok Shop via a TikTok for Business account. However, Shopify businesses can leverage the TikTok Shopify app and BigCommerce stores can download their own TikTok for Business app. Once the account is set up, brands can upload their products along with photos, prices, and any other relevant details about each product.
After a Shop has been created, users can access it directly from a brand’s account storefront, but it may be more common for users to see influencers on their “For You Page” showcasing the product and linking to the integrated product detail page for a seamless checkout.
Why TikTok Shop?
If brands are looking to branch out and drive sales in a more engaging way, TikTok Shop offers unique opportunities to boost product discovery for potential new customers and showcase product value via social proof without being overly salesy.
Product discovery, specifically “for you”
Per TikTok, users are nearly two times more likely to discover new brands and products while on the platform. This is likely due to TikTok’s algorithm-based “For You Page,” which allows users to view videos from people they don’t know from all across the world, taking product discovery to a whole new level.
For example, when users are scrolling through their “For You Page,” they may come across influencer videos with an orange shopping cart toward the bottom of the page, linking to the product that is being spoken about. Once the user clicks on the shopping cart, they will see a full product detail page with a product overview, reviews and star ratings, and a product description — without ever leaving the app.
The (social) proof is in the pudding …
With 40 million active users and the average user opening the app almost 20 times each day, according to the Social Shephard, TikTok can do wonders in showcasing social proof. In fact, in a recent consumer survey, 52% of shoppers stated that seeing positive reviews and testimonials about a product on social media has boosted their likelihood of purchasing the item.
Live reviews or testimonials are particularly effective when they explain how a piece of fabric feels or show how an item can be styled. Users’ descriptions and suggestions, and the ability to actually see the products being used, can also impact purchase decisions for new and existing customers.
If your brand is leveraging Yotpo Reviews and you already have an active TikTok Shop, you can take advantage of our integration with TikTok Shop. This integration will allow you to syndicate your reviews to the product pages within your shop, unlocking even more access to social proof.
Why consider using influencers
When influencers post videos on social media about the products they swear by, it can impact product discovery, influence the consumer decision-making process, and ultimately, expedite the path to purchase. As noted by Soona, influencer marketing allows brands to partner with creators on TikTok to promote products to their followers, in turn, casting a wider net of potential new shoppers. Plus, according to TikTok, when Gen Zers use the app to shop, they’re 1.2 times more likely to connect with a brand.
And you may be wondering … can’t D2C brands just push out a few paid ads? They can. But influencer marketing provides more value for brands along with better engagement rates, sometimes boosting a brand’s ROI by as much as 11 times, according to affable.ai. And micro-influencers, specifically, are known for having more loyal followers — driving almost 4% higher engagement than influencers. If micro-influencers are speaking about a product that they really value, their followers will take action.
TikTok Shop and VUGC
Once brands have partnered with the influencers that best meet their brand goals, they can start to strategize on the type of video content they want to push. And TikTok offers a ton of dynamic ways to do this via:
- Live shopping: By hosting a live shopping ad, brands can showcase their products in real time with live videos from influencers or micro-influencers. The best part? More than 60% of TikTok users enjoy live content from their favorite brands, according to TikTok.
- Shoppable videos: With shoppable videos, brands have two options. They can either post a video from an influencer — that they’ve partnered with — to their brand account, tagging the influencer and linking the product. Or, the influencer can post it on their personal account, tagging the brand and linking the product. Once posted, users can then discover the video and products via their “For You Page.”
- Product showcases: Here users can navigate directly to a brand’s TikTok Shop to purchase from their account.
What we can expect from TikTok Shop
As eCommerce brands continue to test TikTok Shop, we can expect to see a lot more orange shopping cart icons within our “For You Pages” urging us all to purchase from the app. Influencers and micro-influencers will also be leveraged to reach new shoppers and showcase social proof.
We’re looking forward to seeing how TikTok will innovate their Shop, and what new tools and features the platform will launch to help brands create more seamless paths to purchase directly from the app. And sure enough, we’ll see a lot more #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt’s floating around!
