TikTok to e-commerce The top 10 Ecommerce brands' TikTok strategies

When Jones Road Beauty shared their initial TikTok videos following their 'less is more' makeup style, they had little expectations of how well they'd do.

The positive reaction surprised them.

The bite-sized videos drove participation and increased the revenue of the cosmetics brand according the Cody Plofker, the Director of Ecommerce. It's true that TikTok made up 2% of their total revenues in the year 2020. A figure that increased to 34% in 2022.

What makes TikTok be able to achieve such impressive results?

We analyzed 10 online stores (including Jones Road) winning on TikTok by analyzing their strategy including the types of videos they're posting and what they're doing to engage the audience.

We've summarized our findings as practical steps to help you make high-converting TikToks that help build brand awareness to increase engagement and drive sales.

Ten steps backed by research to improve your TikTok game

Based on lessons taken from more than 330 TikToks Here are our top 11 actions to help you get started:

1. Watch out for who and what customers watch2. Create a full-funnel TikTok strategy
3. Use native TikTok with polished, branded and native content in your approach
4. Plan holiday campaigns in advance
5. Keep track of relevant TikTok developments
6. Use video hooks and pattern interruptions to grab attention
7. Make use of the green screen effect to create authentic brand tales
8. Add the founder's voice, niche expert as well as employee video clips to the mix
9. Have an engagement plan in place
10. Collaboration with TikTok influencers to promote your products and boost sales

 1. Pay attention to the people and things customers are watching

The study of a quarter's worth of TikToks from 10 ecommerce brands revealed a crucial aspect: winning with TikTok is more than having an knowledge of "what" interests your target audience.

Instead, you should dive into the following:

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

Tools such as Sparktoro can help you with this.

Another option is to type a word relevant to your brand on your TikTok search bar, and then scroll through all the relevant hashtags which show up. By reading the comments people post on TikToks by using hashtags you'll be able to determine your target audience's preferences through the application.

You can learn more about this from the company that makes washable rugs, Ruggable. Their TikToks show they understand their target audience very effectively. The video about coastal cowgirl decor, for example, shows that the team's analysis of the latest fashions on the platform and provide interior design tips and trends:

 2. Make a full-funnel, video-based strategy for TikTok

The ecommerce companies in our sample set have an integrated video strategy, divided into funnel stages, which are the basis of their TikTok brand. So you'll see:

• Entertainment or educational top-of-the-line video
• Middle-funnel content which addresses issues that buyers who are on the fence have
• Bottom funnel videos announcing discounts and sales

Videos of all kinds allow you to reach out to those who may be unaware, have questions, and are looking to purchase.

Here are some examples:

 Videos that teach about subjects that are relevant to your target audience as well as your business's value

Gut health supplement brand, AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) offers wellness advice for high-quality content.

Similarly, home decor company Lulu and Georgia, created the 10-part series, 10 design concepts that we follow for bringing in new followers and educating the public:

 Source

 Awareness of the product is driving series-based content

The hashtag #streetinterview gets 7.7B viewers on TikTok which shows that this kind of interviews that are series-based are popular with viewers.

There's a reason that 4 of the 10 brands we looked at make episodic videos that feature street interviews. They do them not just for top-of-the-line education but also for increasing product awareness.

AG1, for instance, records strangers' reactions after providing samples of their supplements drink. These first-time reaction videos are fun to watch and will also inform viewers about the benefits of AG1 as hosts explain how the drink is helpful:

Videos that answer frequently requested questions (FAQs)

As you increase your TikTok following, people are likely to ask similar questions about your product in the comments. Use the comments to develop new TikToks to answer them.

AG1 considers this to be an opportunity to buy mid-funnel as these individuals might be a step of buying:

 Source

 Comparison videos

Comparative videos are another option for 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 the nails to perform daily chores before they demonstrate that Glamnetic's nails do not come off while performing the same activities.

Brands selling e-commerce can be emulated by "showing" how their product is better than other products on the market so that customers are convinced to buy from their brand.

 Product behind-the-scenes (BTS)

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

The Ruggable video, as an example, explains how they evaluate their rugs with a friendly and fun tone of voice to subtly convince viewers why their rugs are worth purchasing:

Pro tip: Build brand affinity through sharing behind-the-scenes-content such as photoshoots' backstage content and event highlights -- Jones Road and Lulu and Georgia are good at this.

 Explainers of the product or how-tos

Another way to persuade potential buyers to purchase your product are explanations of your product that demonstrate the various ways of using your product.

The store for stationery and notebooks, Notebook Therapy, creates these videos for the new collection they are launching:

Gut-healthy soda brand, OLIPOP adds a turn to the videos providing recipes for drinks that you can make using their soda (think the OLIPOP-based Pina Colada and mocktails). They also make these product combination videos, which mix two flavors from their line:

The videos in these combination clips don't just encourage sales but also retain existing customers by offering them concepts for fresh flavors and combinations to try using OLIPOP.

 Discount, product launch and restocking announcements

The funnel that is bottom-up, sale announcements, unboxing, and the launch TikToks let users imagine how they can use the products.

Imagine that you've just launched the latest collection. Promote it by creating an TikTok similar to the one in the image below. It will provide an overview of the new offerings. Here's an example:

Additionally, if there are a lot of queries about when a certain product will be restocked, be certain to make video announcements about restocks.

This doesn't need to be difficult. Take a look at this video from the company that makes skincare, Pipette Baby. The filmmaker brings replenished items to the camera for close-ups before putting them in an unicycle basket.

 Videos for customers to engage who have already purchased from you

Lastly, make TikToks to discuss ways that customers could benefit from your product.

For apparel brands, this would mean showing ways you can style your outfit. Cosmetic brands could share makeup designs or routines for skincare that customers can test. Similarly, food and drink sellers can share recipes.

OlIPOP's flavor combination TikToks are an example here. Another example is the cleaning of products or maintenance tips like this video from Ruggable on cleaning small areas from their carpets:

 3. Make sure to include native TikTok and polished content in your approach

Nine out of ten e-commerce brands included in this analysis use a mix of real (native videos shot using the app) as well as pre-recorded professional product videos on their TikTok channels.

This is a great method to keep the TikTok posting frequency because you won't have to be concerned about sharing only professionally edited videos that require an entire team to create.

The ideal combination for your channel is contingent on your product type and video strategies.

Notebook Therapy, as an example has posted time-lapse videos that share ideas for bullet journals and step-by-step drawings that should be used in edits so that viewers can save time:

4. Plan holiday campaigns in advance

The majority of brands that we looked at also have TikTok promotions for the upcoming holidays and events.

As an example, the feminine hygiene company Thinx has partnered with a psychiatry resident for National Stress Awareness Day (relevant to their business) to share stress relief tips.

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

Make use of the retail marketing calendar to organize your marketing campaigns -- make 3-5 TikToks to create excitement around any holiday promotion to increase sales.

 5. Be aware of relevant TikTok trending topics

Every e-commerce company we examined jump on TikTok trending topics that relate to their business.

For example, Ruggable hopped on to talk about the Netflix show Queen Charlotte however with a unique twist -- posting pictures of their rooms with rug designs that resemble those taken from the show that's currently trending:

The creation of trending TikToks showcases your personal brand image, helping to connect with your followers. They also get you more exposure and followers since TikTok users who are following the trends view your content.

Be sure to regularly go through videos under the Discover tab of TikTok to see trends consumers are reacting to. You can then decide if the trend has relevance to your company before making an TikTok on the trend.

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

The research also found that the majority of the TikToks used engaging video hooks (opening scenes) and pattern interrupts ( visual shifts in the video which shift on the viewers' eyes) to entice viewers.

Check out this image taken from OLIPOP in which the author gets noticed with his tin-clad host:

Similar to this, the Tiktok of Ruggable uses a pattern interrupt with a talking dog announcing a rug sale which is adorable and distinctive in order to entice viewers to view:

To add engaging hooks and pattern interrupts for your TikToks Pay attention to your pauses when you browse through content on your stream (the For You page).

Eventually, you'll start noticing that engaging video openings share commonalities -- for instance, they open with a joke, an inspiring quote or even a query which you've got. They also make reference to pop culture.

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

The green screen effect (available within the app's effects gallery in the"Create" section) allows you to overlay any image or video in your background.

By using it to add an intriguing background that is relevant to the topic of you're TikTok has to do with, for example a movie poster or the blue ocean, you could make your video visually interesting.

Utilize it to create engaging stories and create tutorials or how-to TikToks featuring videos or images that illustrate your steps.

Another suggestion is to make use of the effect of green screens to recycle content you've already created. Consider images on YouTube, videos posted on your Instagram or blog content.

AG1 created the TikTok that featured their social media manager's talking head and a background made of stock visuals and screenshots from their 2022 Impact Report.

The host shared three fascinating conclusions from their research, while highlighting how AG1 is in line with them. By doing this, the video hits two birds with one stone. The video educates its viewers and shows AG1's brand values:

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

A majority of the companies we reviewed create TikToks featuring their employees, founders, or experts in their niche -- an excellent way to show the people behind your brand and connect with your audience.

Glamnetic and Jones Road, in particular make a great video.

In the case of Glamentic reached 1.2 million transactions on Shopify the company posted a TikTok featuring their founder sharing his story:

Jones Road, on the contrary, focuses on their founder for different objectives including:

• Responding to questions from the public concerning their products
• Inquiring viewers about what they'd want to see
• In addition, it explains the process that led to the creation of a product

If your CEO doesn't want to appear on the camera work with your the internal experts in your field to share educational content.

Another option is to go behind the scenes by featuring employees on your TikToks. The internal tale of a model working with Thinx is a fantastic example:

You can also do Staff picks for a humorous variation with these TikToks:

 9. Have an engagement plan put in place

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

How do you go about doing so? Engage with the people that follow your account. This goes beyond replying to their comments though. Here are some ideas:

• Request followers to use their Stitch feature to make TikToks sharing their responses to your video. Thinx even incentivized their followers to create these TikToks.

• Shoot short TikToks on the app to respond to comments about your video. Videos are especially beneficial for responding to questions related to your products or solving reservations buyers have. Jones Road founder, Bobbi Brown responding to people's criticisms regarding their product Miracle Balm becoming sticky is a great instance here.

• Host giveaways. Pipette Baby hosted one during the summer months -- giving away sunscreen (very suitable for the weather, isn't it? ).

 10. Collaborate with TikTok influencers to help promote your product offerings and boost sales

The majority of the brands we reviewed partner with niche creators. Benefits? The benefits include growing your followers and engagement in boosting brand awareness and credibility, and increasing sales.

You can hit tons of objectives with this alliance, for example:

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

It is also possible to test different strategies using TikTok influencers to determine which ones get the highest engagement from your customers. For example, ask creators to create videos of unboxing or TikToks sharing their reviews of your products.

It is also possible to ask them to take TikToks that show their initial reaction towards your productas SKIMS do for creators

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

Our most important takeaways from this mini-study are:

Every one of the TikTok channels that we looked at use a video strategy place, with brands using TikToks for education, entertainment and engage and promote.

Many brands showcase their unique personality by highlighting their behind-the-scenes processes and highlighting the human beings behind their brand in their TikToks. There were a lot of employee- and founder-led videos as well.

For a successful start for yourself, start with understanding which types of content your potential viewers enjoy on the app so you can develop a strategy to use video on you TikTok account.

Be sure to use different videos and interact with your followers. Additionally, you can partner with internal employees, subject matter experts, and even other TikTok creators to grow your following and increase the credibility of your brand.

Here's to your success with TikTok