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253: The Rise Of TikTok And How It Can Help Your Ecommerce Brand
Introduction
Welcome back to another episode of the eCommerce Influence Podcast with your hosts, Austin Bronner and Andrew Foxwell. Their guest today is August Noble, an expert in paid media consulting, who will be discussing the burgeoning platform TikTok and how it can be a game-changer for eCommerce brands, among other topics.
Introduction
August Noble is an experienced paid media consultant who has seen great success with various companies, initially starting at SnackNation (later rebranded as Caroo). At SnackNation, August managed massive paid media strategies, focusing heavily on LinkedIn and Facebook for B2B and B2C growth. His insights now extend to the exploding market of TikTok influencers.
LinkedIn Advertising Success
August delves into how LinkedIn, despite being known as "too expensive," provided immense value for SnackNation through its unparalleled job title data. This allowed precise targeting, especially for B2B customers, resulting in significant growth for the company.
The TikTok Phenomenon
Initial Success
Noble shares an eye-opening experience where his initial experiment with TikTok influencers led to massive traction for a low AOV personal care product. This initial success included videos achieving millions of views and substantial sales spikes.
Why TikTok?
The primary allure of TikTok lies in its algorithm and the 'For You' page. Unlike Instagram, where user feeds are predominantly filled with content from people they follow, TikTok's discovery algorithm excels in serving relevant content even from creators with small followings. This has democratized virality on the platform, making it fertile ground for influencer marketing.
Execution Strategy
Noble emphasizes the importance of low-cost, easily sampleable products for a successful TikTok influencer strategy. The primary focus should be speed and volume, rather than meticulously tracking each individual post's ROI. This approach is bolstered by the fact that TikTok influencers, many of whom are new to brand deals, are more enthusiastic about creating content without the need for extensive guidance or compensation.
Scaling on Facebook and Instagram
Similarly, August discusses effective scaling strategies for Facebook and Instagram. He underscores the efficacy of broader audience targeting for mass-appeal products and how a few high-performing creatives can fuel a substantial scaling operation. August mentions some internal benchmarks, noting that his campaigns are delivering impressive returns even at high expenditure levels.
Optimizing the Funnel
A significant learning experience came from testing different landing pages and optimizing for higher AOV products, resulting in clearer, organized scaling.
Tools and Resources
August shares some resources and tools he's excited about:
- Books: 'Scientific Advertising' by Claude Hopkins.
- Apps: Inquire Labs for post-purchase surveys and AOV Boost, an app August’s team is developing to integrate upsell offers seamlessly into the checkout process.
Conclusion
Anyone interested in more insights from August can reach him on Twitter or LinkedIn @augustnoble.