How TikTok Is Changing Ecommerce
Published December 4, 2024.
TikTok is a social media powerhouse, and a booming hub for social commerce. With over a billion users and growing, it’s more than just an entertainment site providing short-form videos. Social commerce via TikTok is at a high, which is shaping the rest of the eCommerce world. Expectations and engagement are being set at a high standard. If you want to be up to date with eCommerce; keep an eye on TikTok.
Shoppertainment
Shoppertainment is the term that has been coined to describe what TikTok is offering. Entertainment that is shoppable. Ads are enjoyed just like any other content; exciting, engaging, relatable. This is what makes TikTok stand out against a crowded market.
TikTok has captured what all social media marketing for eCommerce is trying to achieve. Advertisements that are genuinely engaging, and do not feel strictly promotional. It is content the viewers would like to consume regardless of the fact something is being sold.
TikTok offers users a hyper-personalized experience, which is what keeps them engaged with content for hours on end. Since the algorithm is already choosing content that the viewers want to engage with, creating sales out of this is a no-brainer.
The Infinite Loop
Following on from this shoppertainment, a non-linear retail path is established. Rather than following a traditional linear retail path, TokTok offers an Infinite Loop. This loop contains four main stages:
- Discovery
- Consideration
- Review
- Participation
Shoppers can weave in and out of the funnel as suits them. They can explore new brands, make a purchase, and then create content that will drive engagement. Others will see the new content, and continue perpetuating the loop.
The TikTok Community
The reason this format works so well, is because TikTok users are twice as likely to create user generated content (UGC) about a product or brand they’ve purchased. Once they have purchased something they have seen on the app, they want to contribute to the discussion. They want to be a part of the community of the brand/product, keeping the cycle alive.
Connecting with the community is important for the mostly Gen Z and millennial audiences who TikTok is appealing to here.
#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
Social commerce already existed via Instagram and Facebook, but nowhere near the levels of TikTok. One business testified that their sales via TikTok were 10 times higher than those achieved on other social media platforms. Purchasers via TikTok tend to make immediate (or impulsive) purchases that will bring them joy in that moment.
Shopping is a natural behavior of TikTok users, even if they had no previous intent to purchase. The trending hashtag “#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt” helped to grow this movement, and solidify the reputation. 57% of TikTok users have been inspired to make a purchase of a product they saw in their feed.
This has created a positive buyer’s journey, and with the added sense of community, builds brand engagement.
Easy Integrations
In order to make this social commerce so accessible, shoppers are able to buy directly through the app. Integrations with Shopify and Square mean that people don’t have to leave the app to make their purchases.
Businesses can tag products in organic posts, where the viewer can be taken immediately to the store for checkout. The merchant’s profile can be linked with the post for the ultimate convenience.
Having optimized social commerce is a great place to start; and TikTok has done this. With tools for live shopping and shoppable videos, there is the opportunity for effortless transactions.
TikTok: The Future Of Ecommerce
With TikTok’s ability to inspire purchases, build trust and drive authentic connections, it’s no surprise that the future of eCommerce lies here. Having a TikTok business account can boost audience engagement and sales. This is particularly useful to small businesses, and works well with influencer marketing.