Does TikTok influencer marketing generate sales? [2023 Guide]

Influencers are undeniably a key part of your marketing strategy on TikTok. 

In addition to sharing authentic and entertaining content, they have succeeded in federating an ultra-engaged community and creating a real proximity with their subscribers. According to a study, 84% of French 15-24 year olds follow influencers, with whom they seek not only to be entertained, but also to be informed and discover new brands. 

Today, all marketers know thatintegrating an influencer marketing campaign can be a powerful lever to boost brand awareness.

But does it also allow to generate sales and ensure a return on investment?

That's what you'll learn in this article!

We explain how to boost your sales with TikTok influencers and how to measure the impact of these collaborations on your bottom line.

What impact do influencers have on sales?

A recent study conducted by StudioFY looked at the impact of influencers on the buying decisions of their followers. And the numbers are stark. 78% of respondents said that content creators do have an impact on the products or services they consume. 

For 87% of them, the fact that an influencer promotes a product on their TikTok account makes them want to learn more about the brand . Even more interesting, 74% go so far as to buy the product the creator has been promoting. 

Contrary to what one might think, and despite the multiplication of partnerships between influencers and brands, consumers have not grown tired of this type of content. On the contrary! 

Product placements are appreciated by 71% of TikTok users (as long as they provide relevant information in an entertaining format). French users are also sensitive to transparency, and prefer creators who clearly display their partnerships. 

But why is influencer marketing so powerful?

There are several reasons for this.

By working with TikTok influencers, you can benefit from their ability to reach a large audience and influence their opinions and buying behavior. And by strategically partnering with the right influencers and producing compelling content, you can reach the right audiences and drive product sales, while building your brand awareness on the TikTok platform.

But remember that collaborations between brands and influencers also offer several advantages over traditional marketing: 

• Product placements are more engaging than traditional advertising because the content produced by influencers is authentic and respects the codes of the platform;
• By collaborating with an influencer, you reach a targeted audience, already interested in your niche and therefore in the products you sell;
• Users trust influencers trust influencers more than brands. Their recommendations work a bit like word of mouth and contribute enormously to reinforce your brand image and credibility.  

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How to use TikTok influencers to boost sales?

Implementing a TikTok influencer marketing strategy can be extremely beneficial, as long as you use an influencer whose personality and content match your brand.

Luckily, there are a few surefire ways to maximize your results in your influencer marketing campaign. Here's where to start:

1. Diversify the profile of the influencers you collaborate with 

The influencers you collaborate with will have a huge impact on your TikTok campaign. 

The key is not to target the creators with the most subscribers.

You may even get less engagement than micro-influencers who are followed by a much more targeted community, and therefore more qualified to engage with their content.

Depending on your objectives and budget, you will also be able to broaden the profile of your influencers, and therefore the TikTok communities you want to reach. Naturally, if you sell makeup, your first choice will be to collaborate with beauty influencers, who have a solid expertise in this field and are followed by users who are interested in makeup. 

But keep in mind that Generation Z is extremely eclectic in these interests and the content they consume. A more diverse campaign that activates influencers in other niches will help you broaden your impact and establish yourself as a more inclusive brand.  

2. Rely on emotion for your influencer campaign 

The main reason why influencers generate more sales than a classic advertising campaign is thatthey inspire trust . But how can we make social network users feel this state of trust? Without your efforts having the opposite effect. At the risk that the tone of your partnership is too commercial, and therefore not adapted to the content that TikTok users are used to. 

The best way to keep the attention of TikTok users is not sales pitches, but emotions.

It is emotion that generates commitment.

You should seek to create a sense of authenticity and connect in a human and sincere way with users. When building your influencer marketing strategy, focus on the emotion your campaign gives off and imagine the feeling you would have if you stumbled upon the TikTok app.

For example, when macro-influencer Johan Papz collaborates with Booking, he doesn't boost bookings on the company's website by insisting on the standing of his hotel or the guarantees offered by the platform. The concept of this video is to share his adventures on vacation without filter in the form of a vlog. It makes his audience want to get away from it all and "live his best life" on the other side of the world. And it is by creating this atmosphere, that users feel a need to escape, to travel and finally use the Booking platform to do so.

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3. Encourage user participation 

A marketing campaign, regardless of the communication channel you use, is generally thought of as a conversion funnel: that is, the path taken by the potential customer from his discovery of your brand, his first interaction to the sale. 

But when you collaborate with influencers on TikTok, you don't create a funnel, but rather a loop. 

Indeed, the platform's algorithm suggests the content it considers most interesting to its users in their "For You" feed. This means that your partnership will not only be visible to the influencer's subscribers, but to a much larger audience. 

A great way to boost the visibility of your partnership, and therefore its impact on your sales, is toencourage participation. For example, you can launch a challenge around your product, create a special filter or organize a contest to win prizes. 

Not only does this allow you to increase your reach by reaching the circle of people who follow each participant. But the more engagement your content generates, the more it will be promoted by TikTok!

How to measure the impact of an influence campaign on TikTok?

While the engagement generated by influencers is undeniable, it is often difficult to measure.

However, it is absolutely vital to be able to estimate the impact that each of your collaborations has on your brand in order to evaluate your ROI (Return on Investment) and refine your strategy. 

As we have already explained, the impact of influencers is twofold. It creates awareness/trust of your brand and generates sales.

If awareness is difficult to measure (besides the engagement on the influencer's publication, the number of new subscribers on your TikTok account or the volume of searches on your brand), the volume of sales generated by a collaboration is much easier to track. 

There are several methods to measure the conversion rate of an influencer campaign. The simplest is toassociate an exclusive promotional code to each influencer so that you can easily calculate the number of potential leads they have generated. Finally, brands are increasingly favoring posts that include tracked links back to your website or product page. 

Influencers have a real impact on sales

There's no doubt about it, influencer marketing is an extremely powerful acquisition channel for your brand!

Collaborating with TikTok influencers will allow you to gain visibility and differentiate yourself in an increasingly competitive market.

Nevertheless, it is by conducting regular partnerships that you can really boost your sales. Since the success of influencer marketing lies in authenticity, the partnership between creators and your brand should preferably be long term. 

If you want to set up a TikTok campaign and activate the best influencer profiles for your brand, our influencer marketing agency can help you achieve your business goals. Contact us for more information.