Selling on TikTok in 2023

It is undeniable that for a large part of the British population, social media and entertainment platforms are an important part of daily life. In the UK, 57.6 million active users¹ spend almost two hours a day using these platforms to keep in touch with friends and family (54%), fill spare time (37%), and look for things to do or buy (21%).

16% of social media users also use it to gather information about brands and their products and almost 15% use it to find products to purchase and to check up on content from celebrities and influencers.

Excluding WhatsApp and other messengers, which although considered social media, have features closer to instant messaging apps, the most visited social and entertainment platforms by the Brits aged between 16 and 64 years old, according to a global GWI survey¹, are:

1. Facebook (73.5%)
2. Instagram (56.3%)
3. Twitter (45.1%)
4. TikTok (31.8%)
5. Snapchat (31.2%)

It is important to bear in mind, however, that TikTok is a video-based entertainment platform, not a social media. The comparison to other platforms, where social commerce is possible, is made in this article considering similar features, such as content creation, tagging, following, liking etc., as well as from the point of view of audiences on these platforms. And while many consumers love to spend a big chunk of their day on these platforms, it may not be easy for a company to understand where to invest their time and financial resources to increase sales.

Social Commerce 2023: which social media platforms to invest in?

Choosing a new social media channel to increase brand awareness and reputation, and to boost sales opportunities, is not an easy task. To make an informed decision, it's best to start with the numbers.¹

Facebook

It is the most frequently used social platform in the UK. Let's look at some demographic data:

• Over 35 million the British users can be reached with advertising messages;
• 60.5% of the population above 13 years of age has an account;
• 54% of the users are female.

Instagram

Acquired by Facebook (now Meta) in 2012, Instagram is the platform dedicated to sharing photo and video content, and it is popular among British. Who are its users?

• 31.75 million users can be reached with ads;
• Almost half of the population above 13 years of age has an account;
• Over half of the users are female (56%).

Over 44% of users on both platforms are aged between 25 and 44 years old, while the 45-64 age group accounts for just over 24%. Those over 65 make up around 8.5%, but what about the younger generations? Only slightly over 22% of users are aged between 13 and 24 years old. So, what is the favourite social network of the Z and Alpha generations?

TikTok: the latest frontier of social commerce

Today TikTok is considered the platform preferred by younger generations, but what are the real numbers in the UK?

• Almost 22 million adult users can be reached by advertising messages.
• 32% of the adult population has an account.
• Almost 60% of users are women.

It's important to note that for TikTok users, the platform is not only a video-based entertainment network but is also replacing search engines. For example, according to data published by Google², almost 40% of younger users (18-24 years old) choose where to eat by browsing platforms like TikTok instead of using the search engine or Google Maps.

Be careful not to fall for the myth that "TikTok is only for kids." It's true that the numbers speak for themselves³, and almost half of the users are under 24 years old:

• 41.7% are 18-24 years old.
• 31% are 25-34 years old.
• 13.3% are 35-44 years old.
• 10.8% are over 45.

However, according to TikTok⁴, older UK generations on this platform are more likely to interact with brands:

• TikTok millennial users are 1.9 times more likely than other social media users to tag a brand or post content about a brand.
• 34% of Gen X users have purchased a product after seeing a video from creator.
• Gen X+ users are 3 times more likely than users of other platforms to make tutorials about a purchased product.

The data confirms that even more mature users appreciate the dynamics of the platform and willingly interact with brands of interest to them.

TikTok for Business: selling online

TikTok for Business is a platform that allows companies to sell online. If you are not yet selling online, the first thing to do is to understand what is needed to open an Ecommerce and how to benefit from the regulatory aspects related to online sales.

To set up a strategy on this network, you can follow these simple tips:

1. Identify the target audience
   Age, geolocation, interests, and gender are some of the elements that characterize potential customers.
2. Build brand awareness
   Create an editorial plan that is of interest to your audience and encourages them to interact and share your content.
3. Develop a lead generation strategy
   It is advisable to combine organic posts with sponsored content that directs users to your website, or to a landing page optimized for completing purchases.
4. Measure the results and take risks
   As with any marketing activity, it is necessary to measure the results and optimize the strategy to adapt to fast-changing trends to maximize sales.

We have listed four simple tips for selling on TikTok, which is ultimately the latest platform on which you can promote and sell your products. However, in the learn section of the website, you can find other suggestions for opening and promoting your company online.

This content is published by Axerve without any claim of completeness or topicality of the information provided. This article has the sole purpose of providing useful information on the subject and is not to be considered an exhaustive guide but rather a vademecum. If you want to report a correction, please contact us via our social network pages.