As a TikTok Agency, we know TikTok Shop is absolutely huge for e-commerce success, providing a phenomenal opportunity for brands who commit to it as a key sales channel.
TikTok’s most unique feature is the full integration of affiliate marketing within TikTok Shop, providing brands the ability to turn TikTok creators, or affiliates, into an army of brand sales advocates.
Link up with the right creators for your brand through TikTok Shop Seller Center and only pay commission on successful sales.
In this blog, we will outline 9 key learnings as a TikTok Agency working with affiliates on TikTok Shop.
Firstly, if you are active on TikTok Shop, we recommend you have both an Open Collaboration and Target Collaboration.
- Open Collaboration: For selected products, open to all creators.
- Target Collaboration: Work with your handpicked creators to promote selected products. You can be as specific as their age, gender, followers, categories.
We will be discussing affiliates on a Target Collaboration here:
1. Tailor your outreach
Craft a message that celebrates the creator’s unique style and content, demonstrating that you’ve taken the time to truly appreciate their work.
Show your genuine admiration for their talent and express your enthusiasm about the prospect of collaborating with someone whose creativity aligns so well with your vision.
This personal touch will likely stand out among the many messages they receive, making them eager to explore a potential partnership with you.
2. Offer them something special!
Present the creator with an exclusive opportunity, something tailored to their audience that they can promote with a sense of distinction.
Consider offering a unique discount code or an exclusive bundle that resonates with their followers, enabling them to generate commissions while fostering a strong connection with their audience and feel a sense of exclusivity to your brand.
This personalised incentive will empower them to effectively monetise their influence and create a mutually beneficial partnership.
3. Consider both LIVEs and short video content
This will come down to the creator’s individual preference for their own channel, however it is important to acknowledge both live sessions and short-form videos work extremely well within TikTok Shop.
4. Allow creative freedom
Allow the creator the freedom to leverage their unique style on their channel, encouraging them to produce content in a manner that aligns with their natural content creation flow.
This flexibility ensures that their authenticity shines through in their content, optimising engagement and resonance with their audience.
5. Trust the creators to produce authentic content
Affiliate marketing differs from influencer marketing in that content creation doesn’t typically require explicit approval.
While valuable guidance regarding your product or brand can be provided, the trust lies with the affiliates, allowing them more autonomy in shaping their content.
This fosters seamlessly integrated promotional content in a way that resonates best with their audience.
6. Amplify with Spark Ads
When creators are achieving strong sales, consider amplifying their content through Spark Ads, extending a video’s reach.
While this involves additional media spend and potentially higher commissions rates, it’s a strategic move to leverage the success of an already thriving video.
If a video is doing well organically, this is a brilliant opportunity to capitalise on the success!
7. Prioritise volume
Working with affiliates on TikTok Shop is about empowering as many as possible to talk about your brand on the platform, turning them into sales advocates.
Initiating the process might involve reaching out to over 500 creators, and continually nurturing and expanding the pool of potential affiliates. This is crucial for sustained growth.
8. Build long term relationships
Once top performing affiliates have been identified, it’s pivotal to consider fostering a long-term relationship.
Providing added incentives can be a great strategy to ensure continued engagement and enthusiasm from the creator in promoting your product.
Think about offering exclusive perks, increased commission rates, early access to new products, or even co-creation opportunities.
9. Agree on a mutually beneficial commission rate
When working on commission-only deals with creators, if their videos aren’t necessarily converting into sales, it still essentially translates to free promotional exposure for your brand, so it’s a win win!
If you’re considering TikTok Shop for your business, check out TikTok Shop Academy for loads of free resources on how to get started and more!
For extra TikTok training check out our website!
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