If you’ve been looking at TikTok as another channel to get your WooCommerce store in front of new customers, but feel a little lost navigating content and viral trends, here’s an early gift.
As a WooCommerce store owner (or manager), you’re probably always looking for effective ways to expand your reach and increase sales, especially when the busy shopping season approaches. You’ve probably heard of TikTok’s potential as a sales channel, but you may not be sure how to effectively integrate it into your existing strategy.
The aim of this guide is to provide you with practical and useful information on how to use TikTok to boost the performance of your WooCommerce store during the critical holiday shopping period.
TikTok is the perfect place for WooCommerce merchants to connect with eager gift givers and holiday lovers this holiday season. It’s a place where brands can create joy and increase sales as shoppers search for the perfect gifts and Christmas must-haves.
With content covering every stage (and sentiment) of the holiday season, TikTok creates opportunities for small businesses from the build-up to the big day.
Don’t need to hear anymore? Get started with the TikTok extension for WooCommerce – and if you’re new to TikTok advertising, you could be eligible for $1,500 in ad credit (terms and conditions apply).
Let’s crack a nut.
Why TikTok and WooCommerce? why now
With through one billion monthly active users, TikTok is the place to be. It is a powerful trading platform where your products can reach highly engaged buyers who are searching perfect a gift (or something for yourself). Here’s why TikTok should be at the top of your holiday marketing list:
- Massive Reach: You are getting a highly active user base with an average 58 minutes spent per day in the app, which means more chances for your products to be discovered.
- An opportunity to go big: TikTok shows the right content to the right audience, even if you don’t have a huge following.
- Suitable for e-commerce: From product branding to native shopping features, TikTok has made it easy for WooCommerce merchants to turn content into sales.
Cracking the TikTok Content Code
TikTok is all about fun, authentic and relatable content. So how can your WooCommerce store stand out in this ocean of viral videos?
Brands like Dan O’s Seasoning have cracked the code for creating organic content and surpassed four million TikTok followers. They teamed up with a full team for content and daily posts. But it is possible to start from scratch. Here’s your plan:
1. Create a TikTok business account
Get started by downloading the TikTok app, setting up a business account, and optimizing your profile. Make sure your bio is crisp, your profile photo is your store logo, and there’s a clear link to your WooCommerce store.
2. Post content that clicks
- Have fun: Prioritize humor, storytelling, or behind-the-scenes content over direct sales. Think about how to show off your holiday packing process or how your products are made and showcase your brand personality.
- Take advantage of User Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your customers to create content with your products. Create a brand mission (which can help you source content) or connect with micro-influencers through the TikTok Creator Marketplace for organic, creative shoutouts.
- Keep posting: TikTok continues to thrive amount as well as quality. Posting regularly (even daily!) increases your chances of going viral. Your content doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to be consistent and engaging.
3. Create a brilliant advertising strategy
Creating the perfect mix of organic and paid content can be tricky, but it’s worth the effort. If you need some ideas to jumpstart your advertising strategy, here are a few formats to consider:
- In-feed ads: Seamlessly integrate into users’ feeds – just like regular TikToks, but with a clear call to action.
- Spark Ads: Promote existing organic posts (yours or someone else’s) and take advantage of TikTok’s culture of engagement.
- TopView Ads: These premium, unmissable ads greet users as soon as they open the app – perfect for showcasing your stellar holiday products.
4. Allow customers to check-in on-site with TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop, currently available in select markets, allows users to discover products directly from videos and complete a purchase without leaving the app. If you haven’t set it up yet, now is the time. You can turn viral content into instant sales – perfect for capitalizing on the holiday rush.
5. Partnership with creators
TikTok creators are your secret weapon to increase your holiday sales. These content creators have built credibility and trust with your target audience, making their product recommendations highly persuasive. Get started:
- Budgeting for influencer partnerships and look for creators who align with your brand’s voice and values.
- Searching for creators through discovery or the TikTok Creator Marketplace, which connects you with influencers and shows their reach, views and demographics. You can register an account and then search for influencers and contact them directly.
- Keep it authentic. TikTok users love organic, natural product mentions. Subtle product placement in a cooking tutorial, for example, will often work better than a flashy sales pitch.
6. Use analytics to guide your strategy
Use TikTok analytics to monitor the performance of your content and ads. Look at engagement metrics like views, likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates to understand what works best. Refine your content strategy based on insights from your most successful posts and ads.
TikTok strategies to handle the festive season
We’ve covered the basics, now let’s get down to maximizing your TikTok efforts in the busiest shopping season.
Fun Fact: Holiday shopping on TikTok begins soon.
In 2023 there was 190% increase in #holidayshopping videos from the week before Halloween to the week after (source: internal TikTok hashtag data, US, week 43 vs. week 45, 2023). This means there is a golden window to engage shoppers before the rush begins.
Take advantage of early gift searches with content that falls into one of two camps:
- Gifts for others: Showcase products that fit different budgets or create a series of gift guides for a niche audience.
- The whimsy of self-giving: WITH 87% users shopping for themselves during holiday sales, tap into this trend with incentives or deals on must-have items (source: TikTok Marketing Science US Holiday Research 2022 by Material).
Last year’s holiday trends show that TikTok is the perfect place to capture early shoppers. From #BlackFriday to #Christmas and beyond, seasonal and holiday-specific hashtags drive tones of engagement:
| Thanksgiving 824k user videos posted 12.5% engagement rate |
#BlackFriday 193k user videos 6.6% engagement rate |
| Cyber Monday 51k user videos posted 4.8% engagement rate |
#Christmas 2.9 million user videos 11.8% engagement rate |
TikTok weaves a diverse cultural tapestry that embraces and celebrates a number of traditions during the holiday season. Last year, #Hanukkah had a 12.5% engagement rate, #Kwanzaa had a 9.8% engagement rate, and #NocheBuena had an 8.4% engagement rate.
Source: TikTok hashtag internal data, 2023
Here are some festive content concepts you can use on your store account:
- Festive presentation of products: Show off your products in short, fun videos – add festive music and filters for extra pep!
- Backstage: Take a look at your team’s holiday preparations or focus on your limited edition holiday packs.
- Gift Guides: Organize your products into categories — “Gifts Under $50” or “Tech Lovers Stockers” — and share them as little TikTok videos.
- User Created Campaigns: Encourage customers to post videos of your products around the holidays using a branded hashtag (such as #YourBrandHolidayJoy). Offer prizes for the best posts.
- Holiday Tricks: Whether it’s decorating a space with home decor or cooking a holiday feast with cookware, share quick tips using your products.
Get started today and enjoy your vacation to the fullest
If you’re new to TikTok, there are a few basics to master in order to unlock your full potential. See the TikTok for Woo setup guide for full details. It deals with how:
Connect TikTok for WooCommerce extension
Follow these step-by-step instructions to set up your Ad Manager and Pixel account and start creating ads.
Create your first ad
Creating for TikTok is different, not difficult. Use our AI-powered creative assistant for personalized creative solutions and CapCut for Business ad creative templates for a professional-looking finish.
Run your first campaign
Use a website conversion goal, optimize for full payment (or desired result), start with the recommended ad group budget, and use broad or balanced targeting.
Educate and optimize
Include two or three (or more!) creatives and run campaigns for at least seven days before optimizing. If you have a TikTok business account, use Spark Ads and consider using Custom Audiences for website traffic after your first campaigns.
Time to sled the holiday sales!
Connect your store catalog to TikTok via the TikTok for WooCommerce extension – and now’s the time to take advantage of the $1,500 ad credit offer for your first campaign (terms and conditions apply).
And there you have it, folks! Now you’re armed with everything you need to turn TikTok into your personal holiday sales machine. Remember, the key to success on TikTok is to be authentic, creative, ride the waves of popular content, and hopefully have fun doing it.
