How to Sell on TikTok Shop Marketplace [Updated 2024]
Eleanor Hecks • December 13, 2022
Would your products be well suited to sell on TikTok Shop Marketplace? Businesses are turning to the platform to develop a loyal brand following and reach the masses. You can get the word out for far less money than some other sites. However, you also have to understand how sales on TikTok work compared to other social media sites.
How Do I Sell My Product on TikTok?
TikTok has over one billion monthly users, with around 170 million Americans on the platform. The average user spends 53.8 minutes each day on TikTok. If your goal is to reach younger consumers, then you’ll want to add your product to the social media giant’s site. While the majority of users are millennials, the number of people between 35 and 55 is growing rapidly, expanding potential audiences over time.
Selling your product through TikTok doesn’t have to be complicated. Users on the platform actually prefer authenticity and unique ideas. They don’t mind if the video footage isn’t Hollywood perfect.
1. Spend Time on TikTok
If you’re already familiar with TikTok, you can skip past this step. However, if you are still trying to learn the platform, take some time watching what other creators put out. Once you get past the lip syncing and dance videos, you’ll find some high quality content that gets straight to the point for your industry.
You should also experiment with a personal account and post some short clips to see how others respond. Start following key people and gain followers, so you can hit the ground running. Sites such as Canva allow you to format videos the right size and length to grab attention.
2. Choose the Right Name
Choose a name people can remember and is relevant to your company or your industry. The most memorable names have a little special something. It may take quite some time and a lot of brainstorming to find the right mix. You might also find the usernames you want are already taken.
Not every viewer will follow you immediately. They may need to see your content several times before deciding they want to see your videos more often. If they can easily remember your name, they can find your account later.
3. Set Up a Pro Account and TikTok Shop
Convert your account to a pro one so you can sell on TikTok Marketplace. Some of the benefits of switching to either a creator or business account include monetizing views, adding a link in your bio and better tracking performance.
You’ll want to sign up for TikTok Shop to help you collect payments and sell inside the platform. Similar to some other platforms with a built-in e-commerce platform, TikTok added this feature for merchants to take advantage of.
You can always add a link to your description if you prefer not to have a pro account. Sales won’t be as intuitive as with a shop, but you’ll still get some traffic with the right content.
4. Be Random
Around 43% of Gen Z shoppers say they start their search on TikTok to discover and learn about new products. The average user scrolls through videos, stopping for those that catch their interest. Think about what your typical customer would find entertaining and choose to be a little different than your competitors.
Pay attention to the number of likes, level of engagement and whether the numbers translate into sales. Once you get a feel for the content your users respond best to, you can create additional videos in that niche.
When you pay attention to how your users respond, you can create and personalize a unique experience for each customer. Adding human interaction is shown to set your brand apart and shows you care about your shoppers.
5. Create Content
You can’t sell to users if they don’t see what you have to offer. Get started creating content. Some of those with creator accounts post multiple times a day. Once you hit 10,000 followers, you can earn cash for views.
However, you also need to understand which videos on TikTok go viral. Choosing music from TikTok’s sound library can help zoom your posts to the top.
6. Set Up Your Shop
You can add links or accept orders directly via ads with your TikTok Shop account. Add products under your “Shop” tag on your profile. Customers can choose and buy products on the platform or navigate to a company website to checkout.
Learn what you do best and highlight it so your product listings stand out. Users on TikTok want something of value and interest more than just professional, sleek advertising.
Tips to Make the Most of TikTok Sales
Many creators are still learning what works best on TikTok for their business’ needs. Try working with influencers, trading posts with like-minded businesses and paying for ads. Track the effectiveness of each campaign until you find the methods that work best for your product.
Eleanor Hecks
Eleanor is the editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine where she shares marketing and design tips to help e-commerce businesses thrive. You can find her work on numerous business publications including Due and eLearning Industry.
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