TikTok organic dropshipping is a way to promote an online store you created using the TikTok platform, through free, non-paid methods. The focus is on creating engaging content (videos) that will attract viewers on TikTok, rather than paying for ads. This involves trending challenges, product demonstrations, or humorous skits related to your products.
To begin TikTok organic dropshipping, follow these steps:
- Research the market and choose a niche
- Find a product supplier
- Create your TikTok account
- Create content
- Leverage hashtags, trends, and other TikTok features
- Set up your fulfillment process
- improve and scale content
- Follow TikTok's policies
Sprout Social shows that the average engagement rate for TikTok is 5.96% that is higher than Facebook's 0.08% and Instagram's 0.38%. This means people are more likely to see and interact with your content on TikTok. And 67% of TikTok users say they've discovered new products on the platform. This shows a strong openness to finding products through organic content. Yet, it takes time for the platform to analyze content. The changing algorithm can frustrate TikTok dropshippers.
The article provides the ultimate step by step guide to TikTok organic dropshipping, explaining how to use engaging content on TikTok to boost online store sales. Success stories demonstrate the effectiveness in boosting sales through organic reach on TikTok. Yet, there are challenges related to TikTok's competition and algorithm changes. In the end, there is an alternative option that is more scalable than TikTok organic dropshipping.
How to Start Tiktok Organic Dropshipping in 8 Steps
1. Conduct Market Research and Niche Selection
Conducting market research and niche selection involves finding trending products, analyzing competition, and balancing organic content. TikTok Creative Center data shows that the best products for TikTok dropshipping are casual dresses, perfume, hair & scalp treatments and makeup tools. These products are at the top of the list with an 8-14% conversion rate. Casual dresses in the number 1 spot with 14.66% conversion rate.
To find winning products on TikTok, search using targeted hashtags that expand post visibility. You can use hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, #AmazonFavorites, #AmazonMustHaves, #AliExpressFavorites, and #AliExpressMustHaves. If you already own a niche store, use category hashtags to find more products.
Reddit user, Kthshawon shares that paying attention to current trends and challenges is useful. It helps creating products that are likely to be successful. They add that researching your target audience will help. Identifying their interests and pain points helps you select products that meet their needs.
2. Find a Reliable Supplier
You can find reliable dropshipping suppliers by using curated lists on platforms like Saleshoo, Worldwide Brands, Spocket or Modalyst. These directories can save you time and effort filtering out the unreliable options. Growth Devil states that 87% of dropshippers struggle to find reliable dropshipping suppliers.
Using unreliable suppliers can cause stockouts. It can also cause delays in filling orders and customer dissatisfaction. So back your research with reviews and articles on these suppliers. Get them from reputable ecommerce blogs and publications. Focus on factors like product quality, shipping time, customer service responsiveness, upfront costs.
Quora user, James Fisher recommends identifying a product then doing a lot of research to find a reliable dropshipping supplier. They suggest looking beyond initial search results to research potential suppliers. Contact the manufacturers to discuss terms. Test their responsiveness and order samples to check their quality and delivery. Then, compare them with competitors. This ensures you choose a supplier that meets your shop needs.
Reddit user, Positive_Commentor advises community members to research and vet potential suppliers through platforms like Oberlo, Aliexpress and SalesHoo. He also suggests contacting manufacturers directly and attending trade shows to find reliable suppliers.
Ok_Flatworm_1147 also comments that finding out what suppliers' successful dropshipping stores is a good hack to search for reliable suppliers.
3. Create a TikTok Account Focused on Your Niche
Creating a TikTok account tailored to your chosen niche involves crafting a profile that resonates with your target audience. This means creating a username that shows your expertise. Also, a bio that explains who you are and why they should follow. And a profile picture that's visually appealing and relevant to your niche.
TruckPuzzle8882 advises TikTok organic dropshippers to start with a regular TikTok account. Dropshippers should explore the platform to see if it’s a good fit for their business. He adds that once your business is gaining traction then you can consider switching to a business account. This gives dropshippers access to analytics. They track performances and audience reach.
Studies show the average human attention span has shrunk to 8 seconds. A niche-focused TikTok account helps you beat short attention spans. It does this by showing targeted content. Your content is in a format that's perfect for grabbing attention. It sparks interest in your TikTok dropshipping products.
4. Create Engaging Content
To make engaging content for your TikTok store, mix education and fun. Don't make every video feel like a sales pitch. Socialbakers reports that brands that post engaging content on social media see a 22% higher loyalty rate from their followers. Engaging content creates a bond with your viewers. It makes them more likely to remember and support your brand. A Shopify case study even showed a dropshipping store increased its conversion rate by 300% using humor and storytelling.
A reddit user emphasizes on the importance of giving the viewers a reason to keep watching in the first two seconds of your video. They also recommend pitching a problem that your audience may have. Then, introduce a solution by presenting your product. They suggest putting text on the screen. Then, the audience can read it and decide if they want to stick around.
Another user also advises that starting off with a strong hook will immediately get your audience’s attention. They recommend using voice overs because videos only showing the product won’t be engaging and definitely won’t go viral. This is especially true with a saturated product.
5. Leverage TikTok's Features
Leveraging TikTok's features, turn viewers into fans by understanding their interests and speaking their language. The algorithm gives preference to content that’s in line with what’s already trending. For example in 2023, Rihanna's Super Bowl performance sparked a wave of TikTok memes and reactions. This year, creators are predicting Usher's halftime show set. Leveraging these trends can boost your dropshipping store's visibility and engagement.
TikTok Shop is now launching ecommerce features, allowing brands to promote and sell products within the app. TikTok also introduced text posts in 2023. This offers a minimalist approach. It can help you stand out on a busy platform.
Reddit user, Pixelgosu comments to leverage hashtags for searching and taking advantage of latest trends. They also add that adding trends to their videos helped them get more views and engagement. Their views and engagement were higher than their regular posts. It also helped them gain 1500+ followers with only two videos.
Didntreallyneedthis also adds that hashtags are crucial in terms of demographics. They discovered that if they didn't have a single hashtag that is relevant to their audience niche, their content is shown to a demographic that is not their target market. However, if they include any hashtag that is femininely coded the women audience numbers would go up.
6. Set Up a Streamlined Order Fulfillment Process
To streamline order fulfillment for TikTok dropshipping, select a reliable platform like AutoDS or CJ Dropshipping that integrates with your Shop. Automate order processing to minimize manual work and speed up fulfillment. Use real-time inventory management to meet customer demands and avoid stockouts. Provide tracking to customers and maintain effective customer service to resolve inquiries.
Baconaise suggests setting up shipping rules and a system that can fill out custom forms automatically. They also recommend shipping software that connects with your store. These software solutions increase order accuracy and avoid roundtrip shipping for returns. It also allows for group orders by SKU.
7. Optimize and Scale Tiktok Content
To optimize and scale content on TikTok, leverage calls to action (CTAs) and ensure consistent content production. Use CTAs like "Follow for more" or "Watch the next part" in your videos. This is crucial because TikTok is fast-paced and users have short attention spans. This strategy aids in follower retention and growth.
Reddit user, Jodapro suggests to have a mix of tags with your niche and broad tags like FYP for better results. They recommend creating clips that are 3-5 seconds long and having 20 drafts of videos saved. This shows TikTok you plan to stay on the app so they will promote your content more.
TikTok’s 2024 trend’s report states that the TikTok community are adapting the Creative Bravery mindset.This is a blend of curiosity, imagination, vulnerability and courage. It maximizes impact by sparking global curiosity. It challenges traditional storytelling and builds trust between your brand and your audience. Dropshippers must consider this change when optimizing their content strategy for TikTok organic dropshipping.
8. Stay Compliant with TikTok’s Policies
Staying compliant with TikTok's policies protect users and ensure a legitimate shopping experience. Intellectual property rights are enforced, so sellers can't list counterfeit items or misuse trademarks. Unoriginal or low-quality content in product listings or promotions might be flagged for review. Breaking these policies can lead to penalties. They range from temporary suspensions to a permanent ban on selling on TikTok.
Stall022 shares their experience of their TikTok shop being shut down permanently. They also attached the email sent by the platform. It addresses their shop activity that breaks TikTok Shop policies. They also warned other users not to use the API from CJdropshipping. This will lead to TikTok shop deactivation.
How can Tiktok Organic Dropshipping Help Shops Increase Sales?
TikTok organic dropshipping can help TikTok dropshippers increase sales through its massive reach, targeted audience, focus on authenticity, and cost-effectiveness. The platform's algorithm can make organic content go viral. This would expose your products to a huge audience without needing expensive ads.
To get organic sales on TikTok, you need to master creating viral, engaging content. It should showcase your products in a fun and real way. Let's say your organic content reaches 250,000 viewers and has a 2% click-through rate. This means 5,000 people visit your store. And if your conversion rate is 3%, then you'd get 150 sales. BigCommerce data shows that the average AOV for all industries in 2023 was $130. A 2-3% conversion rate for your store traffic is a good start. But, with optimization, it can grow to 5% as your brand awareness grows.
Can you Measure the Success of Tiktok Organic Dropshipping?
Yes, you can measure the success of TikTok organic dropshipping by tracking specific metrics and KPIs that show your business goals. You can track the sales conversions on your websites, the number of products sold, and the number of “add to carts.” These metrics directly show how well your TikTok content is driving purchasing decisions.
Use website analytics to measure TikTok-driven traffic and conversion rates (website visitors who buy). These metrics show how your videos translate to sales. Set goals and leverage analytics tools to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
Success Stories of Tiktok Organic Dropshipping
YouTuber Mike Again used TikTok organic dropshipping achieving $200,000 in sales. He did this by making new content and engaging strategically. Mike also faced platform challenges. These included community guideline strikes and potential account bans. He handled them by changing how he promoted them. He used the changes to sell controversial products. His approach shows that creative content and strategic social media are effective in e-commerce.
YouTuber Jordan Fabro capitalized on a non-trending TikTok product that demonstrated potential through its Instagram popularity. This allowed him to earn $43,000 in just a few months. His strategic insight into cross-platform appeal was key to unlocking this significant revenue. He used specific audio for an older demographic with more money. He copied and tweaked a proven video format to make it more appealing. This approach involved making simple yet engaging visuals and audio. And led to high engagement rates and virality, which boosted his sales.
Txlfxrd shares their TikTok organic dropshipping success store that has a 65% profit margin with 7.14% conversion rate. They said that they achieved this with only two videos that resulted in about 2,000 views. Txlfxrd continues to update r/dropshipping subreddit about his TikTok organic dropshipping success.
Is Tiktok Organic Dropshipping More Scalable than Local Lead Generation?
No, TikTok organic dropshipping is not more scalable than local lead generation because of its dependence on trends and virality. A study by Social Insider found that the average lifespan of a TikTok trend is just around 9 days. This means with organic dropshipping on TikTok, you'd constantly need to be finding new products to promote before the market gets saturated. On the other hand local lead generation focuses on building relationships with customers in your area, and these relationships are more resistant to trends.
Many successful dropshippers on TikTok may have started before the platform became oversaturated. This makes it easier to stand out in a less crowded space. Data from Influencer Marketing Hub shows that TikTok's average engagement rate has been dropping. This decline has happened over the past year. This means newcomers face much stiffer competition and replicating early success becomes harder. An Adweek report states that top brands spend an average of $20,000 per TikTok video. This highlights the professional effort behind some viral videos. This strategy can be daunting for newbies with limited resources.
Local lead generation, on the other hand, offers a compelling alternative – a business model that prioritizes building relationships and fosters a steady flow of income without the constant hustle of chasing trends. Online businesses often become saturated so fast as they compete for global attention. However, local lead generation allows you to choose from over 50 niches in any city worldwide. This flexibility means that even after ten years in the industry, it remains easy to find markets with minimal competition.
Statistics indicate that 27% of business owners rely on organic traffic for lead generation. Showing that your services can boost their return on investment (ROI) or give them a competitive edge will create demand for your services. You can earn between $500 and $2000 per month for each site. By providing a steady stream of good leads, you can build and scale more lead generation sites. They will create passive income that grows as you add and rank more sites. Local lead generation is the better choice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking for a scalable business online.
