5 ways to make money with TikTok marketing

TikTok is still the wild, wild west of social media. A place where day-in-the-life videos, lip-syncs, beauty tutorials, and hilarious skits all coexist in perfect harmony.

It’s the perfect terrain for brands looking to make a splash with engaging and creative content and capture the attention of billions of users worldwide.

Still, navigating this popular social media landscape can be tricky, especially when it comes to making money. In this guide, we’ll show you the ropes of TikTok marketing and how your brand can strike gold.

1. Create engaging TikTok videos

When it comes to video marketing on TikTok, there’s one golden rule: make sure your videos aren’t boring. TikTok users value authenticity, creativity, and humor. So, if you want to stand out from the millions of other videos out there, you need to serve up content that aligns with these values. Essentially, anything that’s going to stop someone from mindlessly scrolling and say, “Hey, this is worth watching!”

The more engaging the content, the more likely users are to watch, like, comment, and share it. And the more engagement a video gets, the more likely it is to be recommended to other users by TikTok’s algorithm, leading to more views, more engagement, and eventually more sales.  

If you can master these tips, your brand will be well on its way to TikTok fame (and fortune):

• Be authentic: TikTok users can spot a phony a mile away. 84% of TikTok users come across content they can relate to on the platform, so don’t be afraid to show off your brand’s personality and values in your videos.
• Keep it short and sweet: limit your TikTok videos to 60 seconds. According to research, the average TikTok video length for most accounts is between 32.4 and 41.9 seconds.
• Use trending music and sound effects: TikTok is known for its viral music trends and sound effects, so use them to your advantage! In fact, 58% of TikTokers are more likely to share an ad or talk about a brand if a video features a song they like. 
• Be creative with transitions: Learn how to creatively edit your TikTok videos and make transitions like a pro. Try experimenting with different transitions like the “Inverted” or “Spin” transition effects to add a bit of flair to your videos.
• Use eye-catching visuals: TikTok is a visual platform, so use bright colors, bold text, and visually interesting props to grab viewers’ attention.

Crocs does a great job of creating fun and playful TikTok videos. Their videos often include fast and creative transitions, engaging visuals, catchy music, and lots of humor.

2. Build a strong relationship with your followers

Don’t be a TikTok wallflower! TikTok is all about interaction, so if you want your content to be recommended to other users, you need to show some love to your followers. According to research, 73% of global users “feel a deeper connection to brands they interact with on TikTok, compared to other platforms.”

Plus, engaging with your audience builds trust, credibility, and fierce brand loyalty. People will buy your stuff and rave about it to their friends and fam when they feel a personal connection with your brand.

Let your followers know that you’re listening and care about their feedback by answering questions and responding to their content, comments, and messages.

You can also participate in TikTok challenges to show off your brand’s creative side and engage with your audience in a playful and interactive way. Look for challenges that align with your brand’s values and resonate with your audience.

Chipotle’s collaboration with the “Corn Kid” (real name Tariq), is a great example of creative and authentic brand engagement with fans.

When Tariq broke the internet with a viral video in which he declared his love for corn, Chipotle took notice and decided they needed to be part of the conversation in a natural and genuine way. And after discovering that Tariq visits his local Chipotle in Queens once a week, the brand connected with him to create a sponsored video, and the rest is history.

The video is now Chipotle’s top organic TikTok video of all time.

3. Sell your products through TikTok Shop

There’s a reason why #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt exists. According to research, 55% of users use TikTok to discover new brands or products. And two out of three users are likely to buy something while on the platform. Selling products on TikTok is a great way to rake in some serious dough.

Some of the products that people sell on TikTok include fashion and apparel, beauty and skincare items, handcrafted and artistic goods, and digital products like e-books and online courses. These are all things that today’s content creators are using to make passive income and land partnership deals with brands.

And TikTok Shop makes it easier for users to discover and purchase products directly from the app. TikTok Shop provides three easy ways for brands to sell their products:

• Shoppable videos: These short-form videos include clickable product links. Viewers can easily make a purchase by tapping on the link in the video.
• Product showcase: This is a dedicated page where brands can feature their products in a visually appealing way. Brands use this page to highlight their products, showcase their brand identity, and encourage viewers to make a purchase.
• Live Shopping: This feature allows brands to host live streams to showcase and sell their products in real-time. During the live stream, viewers can purchase products directly from the stream and interact with the host and other viewers.

Benefit Cosmetics regularly hosts a series of live shopping events on their TikTok account. 

In one instance, when the brand used a live event to launch their TikTok Shop, it received 62.5k live audience views and 2.5k new followers.

4. Tap into the power of TikTok ads

TikTok ads are the perfect way to expand your audience, target specific demographics, and show off your products in a visually pleasing, thumb-stopping way. According to a survey, compared to other social media platforms, TikTok ads are better at capturing people’s attention, with 67% of respondents agreeing that TikTok ads are eye-catching. 

Here are the different types of ads you can use to expand your reach and make bank on TikTok.

• In-feed ads appear in the user’s “For You” page feed and can be up to 60 seconds long. These ads are great for creating brand awareness and driving traffic to your website or product pages.
• Brand takeovers are full-screen ads that pop up when a user first opens the app. They are highly effective for promoting a new product or service or for building brand awareness.
• Branded hashtag challenges are for brands that want to create their own hashtag challenges and promote them using in-app ads. They are the perfect way to encourage user-generated content and engage with your audience.
• Topview ads are similar to brand takeovers, but they appear after a user has been on the app for a few seconds. These ads are highly effective for promoting new products or services and building brand awareness.
• Branded effects and filters can be created for your followers to apply to their videos. This is a great way to build brand awareness and encourage user-generated content.

And here’s an insider tip: Vimeo Create provides customizable TikTok ad templates you can use to create ads that put your products right in front of your target audience. When NaturalAnnie Essentials, a maker of vegan candles, started using Vimeo to make video ads, the brand saw its conversion rate jump by a whopping 5.5x in just a few weeks.

5. Build authentic partnerships with influencers and content creators

Partnerships with TikTok influencers and content creators also generate revenue on TikTok. And influencers are often worth their weight in gold, especially on TikTok, where they have a higher engagement rate than on other social media platforms. 

Contrary to popular belief, influencer marketing doesn’t require a large budget. Collaborating with micro-influencers is the way to go for smaller companies with limited budgets.  

Micro-influencers offer more affordable rates than larger influencers. And while they may not have the same level of reach as top TikTok stars, they often have a highly engaged audience that trusts their opinions and recommendations. In fact, they have even higher engagement rates on TikTok, with an engagement rate of 17.96%, compared to 3.86% on Instagram and 1.63% on YouTube. 

You can partner with influencers on various types of content, such as sponsored posts, affiliate marketing partnerships, influencer takeovers, giveaways, or contests. 

For example, skincare brand Bubble frequently showcases TikTok tutorials featuring small creators and micro-influencers.

Frequently asked questions

Strike gold on TikTok with Vimeo

The bottom line is that TikTok is a gold mine for brands that know how to mine it right. By crafting content that captivates, teaming up with TikTok influencers, and selling digital goods, you can reach unprecedented audiences, ultimately driving more sales. With the continued growth of TikTok’s user base and its innovative features, there has never been a better time to hop on the app and start cashing in on its potential.

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