668Anyone who browses TikTok knows that accounts with hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers are everywhere, but there are very few brands that actually make money by selling products.
Why? To put it simply, many people only focus on “gaining followers” and forget that there’s a huge gap between followers and buyers—some people are just watching for fun, some are interested in products, but how do you make those watching for fun willingly spend money?
Today, let’s use a few real cases to teach you step by step how to complete the money-making loop on TikTok!
Image source: Internet
1. More followers ≠ better sales, first burst the bubble of “false prosperity”
Many brands think follower count is everything, but reality is harsh—there are plenty of brands with tens of thousands of followers that only sell single digits in live streams. What’s the problem? Followers are not customers.
TikTok users watch videos for entertainment, not shopping. If all you do is post “hard ads,” no matter how many followers you have, you won’t move products. Real conversion relies on precisely attracting target users + continuous seeding + lowering the purchase threshold, all three are essential.
Image source: Internet
2. From “passerby” to “buyer,” the key is to do these 4 steps well
1. Don’t make content just for yourself! First find the “right people”
If you want to sell, you first need to know exactly which group your product appeals to.
For example, pet brand Seresto (under Bayer) targets “pet owners worried about their pets being bitten by bugs.” They directly shoot educational videos explaining how their product effectively protects pets from fleas and ticks, including easy-to-understand charts and clear calls to action. This straightforward content precisely hits pet owners’ pain points, and the video views exceeded a million.
Key points:
· Don’t chase “broad traffic,” first lock in core users (such as moms, fitness enthusiasts, students).
· Content should directly address pain points, such as “pain point display + solution.”
· Use TikTok’s “audience analysis tool” to see if your follower profile and interest tags match your product.
Image source: TikTok
2. Get users “playing,” interaction is the traffic secret
TikTok users hate “educational ads,” but they crave “participation.” For example, sports brand Gymshark launched the #gymshark66 challenge, encouraging users to check in for 66 consecutive days and @ the brand. Participants can not only show off their results but also have a chance to be featured by the brand and win gear. This event ignited the community, with users spontaneously creating 112,400 videos, the brand account gained 500,000 followers, and sports bra sales doubled.
Copy this:
· Launch low-barrier challenges (such as hand dance, creative product usage).
· Use “user submissions” instead of brand boasting (such as sharing buyer show for discounts).
· Let fans decide the next move during live streams (such as “if likes exceed 10,000, flash sale at half price”).
Image source: TikTok
3. Collaborate with influencers, don’t act like a “bossy client”
When working with influencers, the worst thing is brands micromanaging. Fast fashion brand ASOS is smart—they only give one requirement to fashion bloggers: “Show your own style, just link to the product page.” As a result, bloggers got creative, some shot office OOTD, some played with retro mixes, directly boosting the “TikTok Made Me Buy It” trend.
Pitfall avoidance guide:
· Don’t pick influencers with inflated follower counts, focus on engagement rate (comments/likes ratio).
· Let influencers create freely, brands only need to provide product highlights and purchase links.
· After collaboration, track “influencer same style” search volume to inform product selection strategy.
Image source: TikTok
4. Shorten the purchase path, don’t let users get lost
If users see a product they love but have to jump through three pages to order, they’ll leave! Beauty brand ColourPop’s approach is brilliant: they put a “limited-time discount code” in TikTok videos, users copy it and paste it directly on the official website for an instant 20% off. They also encourage users to share their purchases for a coupon for next time. This combo directly doubled the conversion rate.
tips:
· Make the purchase path clear (reduce drop-off from page jumps).
· Add “purchase link pinned in comments” in video copy.
· Regularly release “exclusive discount codes” (such as “TIKTOK10” for 10% off).
Image source: TikTok
3. Data doesn’t lie! Viral hits are all “copied”
Do you think Chipotle’s #GuacDance avocado dance challenge was just a random idea? They optimized based on data—they first noticed users loved “food + dance,” tested five types of music and picked the catchiest, then adjusted the first three seconds of the video based on user retention. As a result, multiple videos got millions of views and boosted the entire meal set.
Practical tips:
· Check “video analytics” weekly to find the content template with the highest completion rate.
· Compare results from different posting times to find traffic peaks.
· Use A/B testing for titles, BGM, and covers to replicate viral formulas.
Image source: TikTok
Summary
Turning followers into customers boils down to three steps:
1. Use content to filter for precise users;
2. Use interaction to build trust;
3. Use the shortest path to drive orders.
Remember, TikTok isn’t a “traffic pool,” it’s a “fish farm.” First bring in the fish (users), feed them the right bait (content), then catch them step by step (conversion)—that’s how you build a sustainable business!
