You’re not using TikTok right (here’s how to fix it)

Most brands think they’re “on TikTok” because they have a profile and post a few videos.
But that’s not enough.
If you’re treating TikTok like just another Instagram or YouTube channel, you’re leaving massive reach — and sales — on the table.

TikTok isn’t just a content platform. It’s an attention engine + shopping mall wrapped into one. The algorithm doesn’t care how many followers you have — it cares how entertaining and relevant your content is. That’s why a new account with zero followers can get a million views in a week.

But here’s where most marketers go wrong:

• They post highly polished ads disguised as “content.”
  

• They repurpose Instagram Reels without adjusting for TikTok’s culture.
  

• They ignore TikTok’s most powerful commerce feature: TikTok Shop.

If you’re selling a product and not using TikTok Shop, you’re missing the biggest unlock. It’s the only social platform where you can go from awareness → consideration → purchase in the same scroll. Creators can tag your product in their videos, and viewers can buy instantly — without leaving the app.

Tactical tip:
Instead of pushing content that looks like an ad, create native short-form videos that follow TikTok’s rhythm:

• Hook in the first 3 seconds (pattern interrupt, bold claim, quick curiosity hook).
  

• Keep it raw and fast-paced — handheld shots outperform polished studio edits.
  

• Add a clear visual CTA (pointing to the TikTok Shop tag, unboxing, “I just got this and…”).
  

• Partner with micro-creators who are already fluent in the TikTok style.
  

Think of TikTok as a two-part machine:

1. The Algorithm gets your content in front of strangers.
   

2. TikTok Shop makes it frictionless for those strangers to become customers.
   

When you align both, you stop “posting on TikTok” and start using TikTok the way it was designed — as the shortest bridge from attention to purchase.