📦 - TikTok Creators 101

DTC 622 - TikTok Creator Strategy, Amazon Ads, and Google Trends Update   Tuesday, August 13, 2024 Good morning, Amazon and TikTok have partnered to create a more seamless shopping experience. Now, TikTok users can purchase products from Amazon Ads without ever leaving the app. Why this partnership makes sense: Users on TikTok are already sharing their Amazon favorites and must-buy items, so this strategic partnership gives them a leg up before Q4 arrives. ❗ P.S. If you haven’t already registered for the DTC x Pilothouse Ultimate Guide to Q4 webinar happening tomorrow, check out the link in the Quick Hits section! Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC: 💯 Looking to work with TikTok creators for your next campaign? Here’s a quick guide on how to work with influencers and set expectations. 😰 Are your Amazon Ads cannibalizing your organic results? Learn how to optimize your budget and cut down on costs. 🔥 And…Google’s Trending Now report just received a major upgrade, which will give you access to more search data. You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: [The Magic for Less Travel](, [Luxevo Vacations](, and [The Expo Hut](. 👋   CONSUMER INSIGHTS 🛍️ 33% of Consumers Shop Online Weekly. Is Your Strategy Aligned With Current Day Consumer Preferences? Don’t just guess. Join Wunderkind’s [2024 Consumer Insights Virtual Event]( on August 29th at 11am ET (4pm BST), and uncover the details of their 2024 Consumer Insights Report. Dig into strategy-altering points from 1,500 U.K. and U.S. respondents like: 🛒 The difference in trust levels consumers have on purchasing from brand websites vs. third-party marketplaces 👧🏻 How younger consumers are driving online shopping growth 👵🏼 How personalization is key to capturing older demographics Join Wunderkind’s Richard Jones, Chief Revenue Officer, and Tim Glomb, VP of Content Digital and AI, for an [in-depth analysis of consumer behavior, AI-driven marketing, and the power of first-party data](. Get a front seat to uncover the motivations driving your consumers’ behavior. 🍿 Don't miss out. [Save Your Spot Now]( *Sponsored   INFLUENCER MARKETING 💯 Creating A TikTok Content Machine One of our readers wrote to us asking how they can create a content machine using TikTok affiliates, so we thought we would answer that question here! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to build a content machine on TikTok: 1️⃣ Find your influencers Brands can manually contact influencers within their niche or use a tool like TikTok Shops to streamline the process. [TikTok Shops]( connects businesses with creators, making it easier to get your product in the hands of creators who are excited and willing to talk about it. From here, you can set parameters such as the minimum number of followers a creator needs to apply and the niche you are looking to target. 2️⃣ Test what works Don’t be fooled by vanity metrics! Just because an influencer has millions of followers doesn’t mean they necessarily have a high conversion rate. Smaller [content creators usually have a higher conversion rate]( than big-time creators. Test different influencers and see which posts generate the most engagement (if you are after brand awareness) or sales (if you are relying on these influencers to bring in conversions). ⚡ 💡 Once you’ve identified the strongest candidate in your pool, you can weed out poor-performing creators and pick a few creators to work with on an ongoing basis. 3️⃣ Outline usage rights in contracts Before you use all the great content your TikTok affiliates create, ensure you have permission to do so! When repurposing content as ads on other platforms, make sure your brand has their consent and include these details in all your influencer contracts. ❗ Outlining usage rights is important so you don’t get your brand into trouble and risk being called out over social media for having shady practices. Set clear guidelines for affiliates in your program on how their images and videos will be used, and get consent before using their likeness across different platforms. The takeaway? Follow the steps above to create a well-oiled content machine with influencers and build strong long-term relationships to increase your brand presence on social media.   PODCAST 🤔 Are Your Amazon Ads Cannibalizing Organic Results? In this podcast episode, we’re diving deep into the world of Amazon advertising with Clifford and Rob from [Pilothouse’s Amazon team](. As Amazon continues to be a pivotal platform for DTC brands, understanding the nuances of ad spend can make or break your strategy. In this episode, we uncover the secrets behind effective Amazon advertising, the role of Prime Video ads, and the strategic balance between defending your brand and targeting competitors. In this podcast, we cover: - Optimizing ad spend: We explain how to make the most of your ad budget and how to understand the incremental impact. - Watching out for sponsored ads cannibalization: Analyzing the incremental impact of ad spend on high-ranking terms v.s. competitor terms can optimize your budget and save costs. - The advantages of Prime Video Ads: Learn about the powerful impact of non-skippable video ads and how this format can drive awareness and direct sales. 👉 You can listen to the full episode with Clifford and Rob [here](.   🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE Google just made a major update to their trends report. 🔥 Now when you search for popular topics on Google Trends you can also apply filters to see search volume, region, and relevancy by clicking on their Trending Now tab. Can't view the image? [Click here](   ⚡ QUICK HITS 🤝 Lock in your micro-influencer partnerships for Q4 before your competitors scoop them up! Get native, high-converting ads and UGC that moves the needle. [Get started with minisocial here](. * 🤔 What SHOULDN’T you be doing this Q4? You know what you should be, but have you flipped the script? Join the DTC x Pilothouse virtual webinar on August 14th for The Ultimate Q4 Guide: Big Wins and Even Bigger Mistakes. [Register here](.   📰 NEWS - Instagram users [can now upload up to 20 images on their Instagram carousel posts](. - Popular resell site ThredUp [introduces new AI tools to improve search and image recognition](. - Google Ads [can now generate shareable ad previews](.   SPONSOR DTC 📥 Got a B2B Biz? Join dozens of B2B companies finding demand-gen success through our niche community of 160k brand leaders and founders this year. [Talk to our team to learn more](.   Have you heard our latest podcasts? - 🔪 Brandon Horoho on [Scaling Montana Knife Company with VIPs]( - ⭐ [AKNF 427:]( How to Structure Your Google Ads Campaigns - 🥟 Jen Liao on [How MìLà Became a Nationwide Frozen Food Brand]( - ✉️ [AKNF 425:]( How To Fix Email Automation and Improve Retention - 🍺 Duncan Frew on [the Whisky Business and Return of The Rascal]( - ⚡ [AKNF 423:]( Optimize Post-Click Experience With Landing Pages Don’t forget to [rate the DTC Podcast]( on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) DTC Newsletter is written by [Rebecca Knight]( and [Frances Du](. Edited by [Eric Dyck](. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content. [Direct To Consumer]( Pilothouse, 1011 Government St., Victoria, BC V8W 1X6, Canada [Advertise with DTC]( | [Work With Pilothouse]( [Unsubscribe](