TikTok Shop: What is it and why do I need it?

Industry Expert reveals top tips for businesses to help utilise new social media tools to increase sales

As with all social media platforms, when you utilise a new tool, your page is rewarded in terms of algorithms. Simply meaning, it is possible to reach more people and build a community – a goal that all businesses have! One of the latest social media tools, and potentially one of the most beneficial tools in terms of product sales to have ever been launched, is the TikTok shop.

Here, Steph Buttery, Founder of Chu Lo Drinks, explains why all businesses need to experiment with their social tools and how to use the TikTok shop to your advantage.

“Firstly, in order to use the TikTik shop we need to know what it is and how it works. Essentially, TikTok has introduced a new tool where users can discover a product, buy it and have them on their way in just 4 clicks – half as many as other social media platforms. This means that brands and creators alike can sell products directly to users via TikTok. This can be done on a regular posted video, a LIVE and profile links.

The benefits? It’s free to set up, you directly reach consumers during the purchase journey and you’re able to monitor all sales. Perhaps the most beneficial usage of the TikTok shop is during LIVE streams. Creators can take advantage of a LIVE and use it to purely sell products – think back to the days of teleshopping. Users will often scroll past adverts but the benefit of a LIVE is that it is engaging with users, in real time, and if you’re able to offer generous discounts you’re guaranteed to see a huge uplift in sales. It’s genius and it’s all done through your phone.

If you plan to do a LIVE TikTok shop, make sure you have plenty to talk about during the live show – there’s nothing worse than silence! Keep interacting with live comments, answering questions but also have a rough script, or at least some topics, that you want to talk about to keep people entertained whilst they shop.

Another huge benefit of the TikTik Shop is that it’s worldwide. Anyone around the world can join a LIVE stream or shop via a link at any time. The beauty of TikTok itself is that any video from any creator could go viral, there’s no limit to your reach so it’s really important that businesses take advantage of this!

Aside from a LIVE, the TikTok shop is really easy to set up. Simply add the shopping tool to your business profile and link to your shop in all posts. The more links you can include throughout your profile and posts, the more likely you are to sell more products. And, remember you’ll always be rewarded for using the platform’s new tools.

Chu Lo recently set up a LIVE video stream on TikTok purely to sell products directly to consumers. To create excitement and reach users we promoted this prior to the LIVE as an exclusive offer on our other social channels. Once people joined the LIVE show, all we had to do was sell the product. It’s simple, fast and works just like attending a trade show or an event where you’re selling out huge amounts of stock in less than an hour. If you haven’t already, try it out now and watch the sales come flooding in!”