TikTok for ecommerce The top 10 Ecommerce brands' TikTok strategies

In the beginning, when Jones Road Beauty shared their first few TikTok videos that reflected their "less is better" makeup style, they had little expectations about how they'd perform.

But the positive response was so overwhelming that they were unable to contain themselves.

The videos that were bite-sized boosted interest and also increased the profits of the makeup company according the Cody Plofker, the Director of Ecommerce. It's true that TikTok was a major contributor to 2percent of the company's total income in 2020. This was a figure that increased to 34% in 2022.

What makes TikTok able to drive these impressive results?

We analyzed 10 online stores (including Jones Road) winning at TikTok and analyzed their strategy including the types of videos they're uploading and the methods they're using to connect with their customers.

The results of our research have been compiled into tactical steps so you can develop highly-converting TikToks that help build brand awareness increase engagement and drive sales.

10 research-backed steps to up your TikTok game

In light of lessons learned from 330+ TikToks, here are our top eleven action steps that you can follow:

1. Pay attention to who and what customers watch2. Create a full-funnel TikTok strategy
3. Include the native TikTok as well as polished and branded content within your approach
4. Plan holiday campaigns in advance
5. Be aware of the latest TikTok developments
6. Utilize video hooks and pattern interrupts to capture your audience's attention.
7. Use the green screen effect to present authentic brand stories
8. Add founder-led, niche expert, and employee-led videos into the mix
9. Have an engagement plan in place
10. Collaborate with TikTok influencers to advertise the products and increase sales

 1. Be aware of who and what customers watch

The study of a one-quarter's worth of TikToks of 10 brands that sell online revealed a crucial aspect: winning with TikTok takes more than an knowledge of "what" is important to your users.

Instead, get into the following:

• The questions your buyers' prospective customers are they
• Trends they're reacting to
• Hashtags they're exploring (or are actively looking for)
• and, of course they're following and, the TikTok creators that they're following

Tools such as Sparktoro help with this.

Another idea is to type a word that is relevant to your business in your TikTok search bar, then browse through all the relevant hashtags which show up. When you read the comments that users make on TikToks by using hashtags you will be able to learn about your customers' preferences through the application.

Learn about it from the brand of washable rugs, Ruggable. Their TikToks demonstrate that they know their audience well. This clip on the coastal decor of cowgirls, as an instance, shows how the team's analysis of the latest styles on the platform to share trending interior design advice:

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

The ecommerce companies that we have tested videos that are divided up into funnel stages that are at the core of their TikTok branding. You'll find:

• Top funnel educational or entertainment video
• Middle-funnel content which addresses issues about on-the-fence customers' concerns.
• Videos of the bottom funnel announcing sales and sales

Different types of videos let you connect with people who are unaware or have questions and are ready to buy.

Here are a few examples:

 Videos that teach about subjects that are relevant to your target audience and your value proposition

The brand of health supplements for the gut, AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) offers wellness advice for high-quality information.

Similar to that, the home décor company Lulu and Georgia, created the series of 10 parts titled 10 design concepts we live by for reeling into new customers and informing their followers:

 Source

 The need for awareness of products is creating series-based content

The hashtag #streetinterview gets 7.7B viewings on TikTok which shows that this kind of series-based, interviews get a lot of attention from viewers.

It's no wonder 4 out of the 10 brands we examined make episodic videos that feature street interviews. These interviews are not only for their top-funnel educational purposes, but also to increase brand awareness.

AG1, for instance, record the reactions of people who have been providing samples of their supplements drink. The videos of first-time reactions are enjoyable to watch. They will also inform viewers about the advantages of AG1 when the host explains how the drink is helpful:

Videos that answer frequently requested questions (FAQs)

As you expand your TikTok following, people are likely to ask similar questions about your service in comments. Find the questions and create fresh TikToks that answer these questions.

AG1 considers this to be a mid-funnel opportunity since these commenters may be just one step from purchasing:

 Source

 Video comparison

Comparison videos are another idea to create middle funnel content.

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

Notice how they show nail press-ons from different brands coming off when you wear them to do daily tasks prior to they illustrate that Glamnetic's nails do not come off when you perform the same task.

Brands selling e-commerce can be emulated their competitors by "showing" why their products are superior to the others in the market in order to persuade customers to purchase from their brand.

 Product behind-the-scenes (BTS)

Show how you work on your products, or highlight how they are unique by using these behind-the-scenes product TikToks for mid-funne.

The Ruggable video for instance, explains how they examine their rug -- with a friendly and fun tone of voice to subtly convince viewers why their rug is worth purchasing:

Pro-tip: Build brand affinity by sharing behind-the-scenes content like photoshoots' behind-the-scenes content and event highlights -for example, Jones Road and Lulu and Georgia are good at this.

 Tutorials or product explanations

Yet another video idea for convincing potential buyers to purchase your product are explanations of your product that demonstrate the different ways to use your product.

The store for stationery and notebooks, Notebook Therapy, creates videos to promote the new collections that they will launch:

A healthy, natural soda company called OLIPOP takes a slight twist to these videos by offering recipes of drinks made with their soda (think OLIPOP-based Pina Colada and mocktails). Also, they make combo videos that mix two of their flavors:

These combination videos don't only promote sales but also keep regular customers by giving them ideas for new flavor combinations and flavors to test with OLIPOP.

 Discount, product launch and restocking announcements

The funnel that is bottom-up, sale announcements, the unboxing process, and the launch TikToks help viewers envision their own experience using the product.

Let's suppose you've released a new collection. Promote it by creating an TikTok similar to the one in the image below. It will provide information about the new products. Below is an example

Additionally, if there are many inquiries regarding when the product will be restocked, be sure to post Restock announcement videos.

They don't have to be complex. Take a look at this video from the company that makes skincare, Pipette Baby. The creator of the video brings restocked items in front of the camera for close-ups before putting them in a basket:

 Videos that engage customers who've already bought from you

In the end, you can use TikToks to provide ideas on how your customers can use your product.

For apparel brands, this would mean sharing ways to style your clothing. Brands that sell makeup can provide looks or skincare routines customers are able to attempt. In the same way, food and beverage sellers are able to share recipes.

OlIPOP's flavour combination TikToks are one example here. Another one is product cleaning or tips for maintenance, such as this one by Ruggable for cleaning small marks from their rug:

 3. Incorporate native TikTok and polished content into your plan

9 of 10 online retail brands that were part of the study use a mixture of genuine (native videos made on the app) and professionally-produced, pre-recorded product videos that they post on their TikTok channels.

This method is ideal to keep your TikTok posting frequency because you won't have to be concerned about sharing only professional-produced videos which require the time of a group to produce.

However, the ideal combination for your channel is contingent on your product type and video strategies.

Notebook Therapy, for instance, posts time-lapse videos sharing ideas for bullet journals and step-by-step doodle videos that are best watched in edited versions so that viewers can save time:

4. Plan holiday campaigns in advance

Most of the brands that we looked at also have TikTok campaigns for upcoming celebrations and holidays.

For example, female hygiene brand Thinx collaborated with a psychiatrist resident to celebrate National Stress Awareness Day (relevant to their brand) to provide stress-relief techniques.

Similar to that, Glamnetic posted makeup looks for Pride month:

Utilize an Retail marketing calendar for planning your promotions Make 3 to 5 TikToks to generate excitement about an upcoming holiday offer and drive sales.

 5. Be aware of relevant TikTok developments

All ecommerce companies we studied take advantage of TikTok trends relevant to their brand.

In one instance, Ruggable hopped on to discuss the Netflix show Queen Charlotte but with a creative twist -- posting pictures of the rooms they've decorated with their rugs that look like they're from the trending show:

Making trending videos on TikTok can show your personality and brand, which helps you connect better with your followers. They also get you more exposure and followers because TikTok users that follow the latest trends view your content.

Review regularly videos in the Discover tab of TikTok to see trends users are responding to. Decide if the style is relevant to your brand before you create an TikTok about the trend.

 6. Use video hooks and patterns to draw the attention of your audience.

The research also found that most TikToks employed video hooks that were engaging (opening scenes) as well as pattern interruptions ( visually transforming elements in a video that refocus viewers' attention) to entice viewers.

Take this example taken from OLIPOP where the creator gets noticed with his tin-clad host:

Likely, this Tiktok from Ruggable uses a pattern interrupt with a talking dog advertising a sale on a rug that is both cute and unique -- to encourage people to watch:

For adding engaging hooks and pattern interruptions for your TikToks Pay attention to the things that make you stop while scrolling through the content on your feed (the For You page).

Sooner or later, you'll begin to notice the engaging openings to videos share commonalities -- for instance openings are usually an edgy quotation, or an inquiry that you're asking. They also make reference to pop culture.

 7. Use the green screen effect to create authentic brand tales

The green screen effect (available in the application's Effects gallery, under the"Create" section) allows you to superimpose any video or image you want to put on your background.

If you use it to provide interesting backgrounds that relate to what you're TikTok is about, say an advertisement for a film or blue ocean, you could make your video visually interesting.

Use it to tell captivating stories, and to create instructions or TikToks featuring videos or images that illustrate how you're demonstrating.

Another option is to utilize the green screen effect to recycle content you've already produced. You could think of images on YouTube, videos that you post on Instagram or blog articles.

AG1 did this by creating an TikTok featuring their social media manager's talk head, backed by pictures and images from their 2022 Impact Report.

The host shared 3 interesting takeaways from their research as well as revealing how AG1 has been adhering to their principles. The video kills two birds with one stone: educates its viewers and shows AG1's brand values.

 8. Include founder-led, niche-specific expert and employee-led videos into the mix.

The majority of brands we looked at have created TikToks that feature their founder, employees, or experts in their niche -- an excellent way to show the people behind your brand and connect with your audience.

Glamnetic as well as Jones Road Jones Road, specifically, nail this type of video.

For example, when Glamentic achieved 1.2 million transactions through Shopify and posted an announcement on TikTok with their CEO sharing the backstory:

Jones Road, on the other hand, spotlights their founder for different objectives such as:

• Answering questions the audience has about their products
• Asking viewers what content they'd want to be able to
• In addition, it explains the process of the process

If your founder doesn't want to be on camera though, collaborate with specialists from within the company for sharing educational content.

Another option is to look behind the scenes by featuring employees in your TikToks. The inside story of a model who works with Thinx is a great instance:

You can also do your own staff selections to give you a fun new twist using these TikToks:

 9. Have an engagement plan in place

For TikTok to bring in three-digit revenue, it's essential that to create a sense of community.

What is the best method to do so? Connect with those that follow you. It's not just about responding to their posts, but. Here are some suggestions:

• Request followers to use their Stitch feature to create TikToks that share their reactions to your video. Thinx even incentivized its followers to make these TikToks.

• Make fast TikToks on the app in response to any comments made about your video. Videos are especially helpful for answering questions related to your brand or helping customers resolve any reservations they may have. Jones Road founder, Bobbi Brown responding to people's remarks regarding their Miracle Balm becoming sticky, is an excellent example here.

• Host giveaways. Pipette Baby hosted one in summer offering sunscreen (very suitable for the weather and appropriate, isn't? ).

 10. Work with TikTok influencers in order to advertise product offerings and boost sales

Almost all brands that we examined collaborate with niche-focused creators. What are the benefits? Growing your following and engagement by increasing brand recognition and credibility, and driving sales.

It is possible to achieve a variety of objectives with this collaboration, including:

• Create awareness of a new product
• Reach a new audience
• Make an announcement about a sale

Try different campaigns with TikTok influencers to find out what gets the most engagement from your target audience. As an example, you can ask the creators to create videos of unboxing or TikToks sharing their reviews of your products.

You can also ask them to record TikToks that show their initial reaction to the product you've created -- something that SKIMS does with creators:

Wrapping up: Key takeaways To-dos, reminders, and more

Our best two learnings of this mini-study are

Each of the TikTok channels that we looked at are using video strategies in the works, with companies sharing TikToks for education, entertainment or engage and make sales.

Most brands share their personality by sharing their secret processes as well as highlighting the people behind their brand in their TikToks. There were a lot of founder and employee-led videos too.

In order to get started yourself, start with understanding what videos your ideal viewers enjoy on the app so you can develop an effective video plan for the account. TikTok account.

Use a variety of video types and engage with your users. Additionally, you can partner with internal employees as well as subject matter experts as well as other TikTok creators to grow your followers and the credibility of your brand.

Here's to your success through TikTok