TikTok users are motivated by affiliate links

TikTok shopping is on the rise, with more people discovering new products in the app. In addition, users are also hoping to validate their purchase decisions with TikTok insights.

These are some of the insights shared by Donte Murry, the company’s North America director of beauty, wellness and personal care, who recently outlined key trends in consumer behavior to Glossy.

Murry said 77% of interested shoppers on TikTok search for more info about a relevant product after seeing affiliate content in stream. He said this highlights the importance of combining sponsored and affiliate content in order to meet shoppers where they’re searching and how they’re searching.

Murry also said one of most influential elements in guiding purchase actions in the app is comments by other users.

Murry told Glossy: “Brands should then think about what you want to reverse engineer in the comments. What kind of conversation do you want to start that can help influence that first purchase?” 

This could be a valuable note, and it could help marketers improve their TikTok strategies based on what’s actually driving purchase decisions.

Influencer endorsements help to raise interest, while video comments act as a reinforcement factor. A combined approach on both fronts could have significant influence on buying decisions.

Of course, most comments are posted by viewers, and gaming the comments stream is virtually impossible. But there are ways to encourage customer endorsement, which could help to drive more consumer engagement.

Murry also said that a second purchase from the same brand is most often driven by tutorials and tips, “specifically videos that share insights into why something works, the science behind it, the ingredients that power it and why these things result in overall value.”

These are some simple, handy notes for TikTok marketers, which could help to better align promotions with key in-app trends.

And with TikTok shopping on the rise, that may provide new opportunities.