With the digital landscape constantly evolving, brands need to find innovative ways to keep up. If brands aren’t using social media today, they’re already behind — way behind. Selling products using TikTok and Instagram is top of mind for good reason.
People are on social media all day long, in a relaxed state of scrolling. They interact willingly in real-time. Companies have an opportunity to sell in a new way to millions of consumers. Companies of all sizes can leverage today’s top social platforms to sell products.
It might seem like a lot of work to get started, but the stats show that social media sales are worth it.
Almost 60% of the world’s population is on socials and 70% of the USA (that’s over 196 million). There’s no denying the power platforms like TikTok and Instagram wield for marketing. Each platform reports more than 1 billion monthly active users. More than marketing though, each visitor to your social could easily be converted to a customer since many consumers already make purchases on their phones. In an ideal world, your customer sees your post on IG/TikTok and immediately makes a purchase – in one or two taps.
Tessica Brown posted a TikTok video in February 2021 highlighting the unfortunate results she got after using Gorilla Glue in her hair. After, the product’s search volume on Amazon spiked by a whopping 4,378%.
A few months before that, TikTok star Nathan Apodaca posted a video of him chugging Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry juice while lip-syncing “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. Shortly after, the video went viral, leading to an unprecedented surge in sales for both Ocean Spray and Fleetwood Mac.
One of the significant benefits of using social media to share your products is that it gives every video a chance to go viral.
In our digital era, most consumers look to Instagram and TikTok to find recommendations on what products to buy based on the latest trends.
According to recent insights from Adweek, 36% of Gen Z have bought products from brands they see on TikTok. Adweek also highlighted that half of millennials said they’ve purchased something from a brand after seeing it advertised, promoted, or reviewed on Instagram.
#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt is one of the most followed hashtags on the platform, with more than 8 billion views. Amazon even launched a storefront for users to shop for their favorite viral TikTok products.
The take-home is this: People buy what they see on social media. If you frequently post content about your product on TikTok and Instagram, chances are someone will see it, share it, and buy it.
Below are some useful tips when selling on TikTok and Instagram.
Authentic and unique content is what people love on Instagram and TikTok. When selling on TikTok and Instagram, you need to understand how to appease the algorithms. Package and present your content in a way that gels with the platform and the audiences you’re targeting. You have to be authentic.
Here are a few valuable tips you can try:
Shopify and Wix are relatively easy to use. You can use them to create an eCommerce website or landing page to help showcase your product(s). The website should have crucial product information above the fold and link to your TikTok and Instagram accounts.
You don’t need a Shopify. You can just make a simple website with another tool. However, making one will let you link Shopify and Instagram so people on Instagram can shop a little easier.
TikTok also has a partnership with Shopify. Once connected, you’ll get access to additional TikTok for business features.
Another main selling point of tools like Shopify and Wix is that they don’t require extensive coding knowledge. You can easily incorporate a shoppable Instagram feed on your website using apps like Taggbox and Instafeed with a few easy clicks.
Finally, you can add a checkout link to your Instagram or TikTok bio. It makes it easier to sell products by converting your profile into a landing page where customers can view product photos, comments, and shop directly.
With tools like Linkin.bio or LinkTree, you’re no longer limited to the single link provision Instagram gives you in your bio. Instead, you can include multiple links to products that profile visitors can use to shop. LinkTree also lets you connect your Shopify account if you’ve already built one. However, if you’re just starting we’d recommend using a Stripe Payment Link to collect payment for single products.
Earlier, we mentioned the power of authenticity when making content. On the opposite spectrum, there are things every brand selling a product should avoid:
To get the most out of social platforms, you’ll need to put in the work. Take the time to learn how the algorithms work, and post authentic content that’s appealing to your target demographic.
There are many different tactics you can use to sell a product on TikTok and Instagram. If you want to make selling on your phone even more accessible, try Parrot.
