A LOT of Filipinos were inspired to buy products because of the influence of TikTok videos. In a TikTok commissioned study with marketing research firm Toluna on online shopping behaviors, viewers are 1.4 times more likely to consider a brand because of content they have seen, while 4 out of 5 users made a purchase because of a review or recommendation on the platform.
According to the survey, users who make a new product discovery and purchase it on TikTok are 1.2 times more likely to share it with their friends, and 1.5 times more likely to convince them and their families to also buy it.
I consider myself as one of those influenced by the lifestyle and beauty videos that I end up using the hashtags #BudolFinds and #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt. Both hashtags continue to prosper, with over 35 billion views to date.
Maybelline is a brand with either a loyal fan base or a set of influencers who appeared on my For You Page (FYP). With a captivating demo video, it influenced me to purchase the exact item. Maybe live selling works for others, but it is not appealing to me. It reminds me of the actual vendors with high-pitched voices as I walk past them into the market. I noticed the audience likes the animated conversation with the seller.
Aside from just being a buyer, one could be a seller and take advantage of the platform to earn income by first switching to a business account. A TikTok Business Account is a public, professional account with access to the platform's marketing suite of tools.
With a business account, one could have fun with marketing campaigns. Creating and sharing out entertaining videos is a great way to attract followers, ensure your brand is memorable and build lasting relationships with customers. Capitalizing on customers and commerce solutions, TikTok aims to help brands develop and launch campaigns that could maximize their market engagement, reach more customers, and generate favorable returns.
TikTok Shop, the newly launched e-commerce platform in TikTok, reminds me of the more familiar platform of Shopee and Lazada but with a simpler interface. Video shopping ads are shown on users' FYP; LIVE shopping ads that pop up during sellers' live streams; and last, catalog listing ads, the new ad solution presented in a non-video format. These ad solutions help merchants create greater visibility and drive traffic to their TikTok Shops, and blend shopping and entertainment for consumers.
'When brands show up as part of the TikTok community, consumers' experiences are accelerated, and they are more likely to pursue engagement with businesses. When done right, it could catapult brands from zero awareness to being the top in a buyer's mind,' says David Gomez, TikTok Regional Brand Partnership head, Southeast Asia.
Tools that merge entertainment and commerce are a strategy that marketers could use. Both self-serve and managed services in TikTok's Creator Marketplace could help marketers run campaigns more effectively, ensure the right market reach, and explore partnerships, presenting a one-stop performance and marketing platform.
Opportunities for brands and businesses to do creator collaborations allow localized content to reach more people with the creators' followings. With creators being the heart of TikTok, there is a wide selection of brands and businesses to choose from.
Plentina, a FinTech startup, leveraged TikTok Creator Marketplace by reaching out to two popular creators to collaborate and grow its presence on TikTok. Using Spark Ads, it amplified these creators' videos on its campaign and drove conversions through app installs. Using this strategy, it attracted over 20 million video views and over 12,000 app installs in less than two weeks.
On the other hand, PureGo, the online grocery shopping platform of PureGold supermarket chain, adopted TikTok Collection Ads to create more targeted product recommendations for its customers. It led customers to an Instant Gallery Page which showcased individual products and an exclusive promo call-to-action, moving visitors over onto its own grocery shopping website for purchases and more information.
'As our creators and marketers level up, so must we. In the coming year, marketers could gear up for even more exciting developments from TikTok and our partners,' Gomez says.