TikTok is one of the world’s most popular media platforms, where billions of people watch videos every day. Your online shop should have a presence there, as it offers a simple, real opportunity to attract new customers, expand your reach and stay ahead of the competition. In this post, Step Link Platform Inc. will discuss how to generate traffic and sales from TikTok, rather than just likes.
Content. How to film videos for your online shop on TikTok
The content format on TikTok is significantly different from YouTube and traditional videos. Here, it’s all about vertical videos, dynamism and rhythm. People scroll through their feed quickly, and if a video is boring or too long, they’ll simply scroll past it and forget about you for good. What do you need to do to make your content stand out? You need to be lively, genuine, and prepared to experiment for a long time to see how your audience reacts. A video you shot spontaneously in five minutes might go viral, whilst a clip you spent a week working on might flop.
Of course, there are some principles to follow:
- Film vertically. Keep your videos short and dynamic. The ideal length is 15–30 seconds for entertaining and fast-paced formats, or 45–60 seconds for reviews or explanations.
- In the first two or three seconds, give the viewer something that will make them stick with your video. An interesting question, a topical news item, a striking visual effect, or something else that acts as a hook.
- Editing should be fast-paced, rhythmic, without pauses, and clearly structured. Add text, captions and graphics. This helps viewers stay engaged even without sound and immediately understand what the video is about. Incidentally, many people watch TikTok with the sound off.
Ideas for videos
In principle, there are no limits to the range of ideas for videos (within the bounds of current legislation, of course). It is only by gauging the audience’s reaction that you will understand what kind of content works best for you. Experts at the Step Link dropshipping platform have put together a selection of topics that are always relevant. These include product demonstrations (showing what the product looks like in real life, on a person, or in everyday use), product comparisons, video reviews, product testing and, of course, unboxing videos. Also popular are life hacks using the product, advice on how to choose the right item, how to look after it, what to look out for, customer stories, reviews, current trends, seasonal offers and news – in short, anything you can think of.
What’s more, you can turn your shop into a mini-blog. Yes, the products are the main thing, but why not make your shop more than just a shop window? If you sell board games, for example, film videos of yourself playing them with friends. If you sell children’s toys or family products, you can share parenting advice, play ideas and so on. This brings the brand to life and makes it engaging. The blog format helps build trust. Your audience will start to see you not just as a shop, but as an expert, a person, a brand with its own style and values – and perhaps even as a friend. This boosts loyalty amongst an audience that knows you and keeps coming back.
Promotion and paid advertising on TikTok
Stay on trend, and TikTok will work for you. An online shop isn’t a static shop window but a living, breathing entity, as Step Link emphasises. And to get it noticed, you need to ride the wave – and on TikTok, trends change every week.
Trends are the number one factor influencing promotion. If a video is made in a trending format or uses a trending sound, the chances of appearing in the ‘For You’ feed are very high. Recommendations generate views, which in turn lead to visits to the shop and purchases. Trending soundbites, up-to-date music, and a popular style of presentation – all of this gives you the chance to appear in the feeds of users who don’t follow you. Using trends shows: ‘You’re up to date, you’re in the know, and you know what’s popular right now.’ This gives you extra credibility, which works better than direct advertising.
Collaborate with influencers. TikTok is home to many influencers with huge followings who are open to promotional partnerships. Collaborating with them will allow you to make your mark on a large audience quite easily and rapidly gain followers, according to experts at the Step Link dropshipping platform.
TikTok is a great platform for organic content, but if you want to accelerate your shop’s growth and drive traffic straight away, it’s worth trying paid advertising. You can create and set up an advertising campaign via the official TikTok Ads Manager platform. Ads on TikTok look almost like a normal video, but with a small ‘ad’ label and a link to your online shop. And then even someone who has never seen your shop before can become your customer.
