By Simon Connolly, SMB Team Lead, Global Business Solutions, TikTok Australia and New Zealand

TikTok celebrates storytellers: and since we've launched the TikTok For Business platform in Australia and New Zealand we've witnessed the positive impact that creativity and storytelling from brands has on the TikTok community. On TikTok, brands have the opportunity to create meaningful content that speaks to the community and invites them in to join a conversation. And what's truly unique is that advertisers can place their brand at the forefront of innovative storytelling and creative content to connect to audiences in ways they can't elsewhere.

Today marks a significant milestone in the evolution of TikTok For Business in New Zealand as we launch our new TikTok For Business Ads Manager, a self-service advertising platform which does exactly this. Our powerful platform designed for Small and Mid-size Businesses (SMBs) makes it seamless, easy and efficient for brands to meaningfully connect with the TikTok community and make a lasting impact. For us, it's important that Kiwi businesses can easily tap into the creativity of our diverse community, reach new audiences and optimise marketing campaigns within an easy-to-use platform. Think of our self-serve advertising platform as a one stop shop for SMBs to create, promote and connect with our vibrant TikTok community.

In addition to this, we've also just made life even easier for small businesses by partnering with Shopify, the e-commerce platform that makes buying and selling online simple. Our collaboration means Kiwi Shopify entrepreneurs can create TikTok ads and track results all without leaving the Shopify dashboard.

We like to make it simple for all businesses while helping them embrace new ideas, trends and insights in a scalable way that resonates with the TikTok community. Brands are an important part of the TikTok experience, and we've seen that our community loves connecting with the brands they're passionate about. In a recent study, 88% of TikTok users said that they discover new content that they enjoy while using the app, and about half of users said they discover new products through advertisements posted by a product or brand*.

TikTok self-serve advertising tools

Our self-service TikTok For Business Ads Manager empowers businesses of all sizes to reach their ideal customers on TikTok through a simple interface. With new creative tools and performance features designed with small businesses in mind, it's now easier than ever to start activating at scale on the platform. To access our self-serve platform, all SMBs have to do is head to TikTok For Business, register and create a TikTok For Business account.

Product highlights include:

  • Creative tools: TikTok has a suite of creative tools such as Video Templates, Smart Video and more that enable every marketer to embrace the creativity and authenticity of the TikTok community. Everyone has the opportunity to tell their story, and TikTok's creative tools help brands represent the most authentic version of their brand.
  • Flexible budgets: TikTok Ads Manager was designed for fast set up for every level of expertise. Flexible budgets allow businesses to adjust their spending at any time.
  • Performance targeting: Intelligent targeting enables businesses to get discovered by new engaged audiences.

Enabling Shopify merchants to tap into TikTok’s vibrant community and stay ahead

Through our partnership with Shopify, we're excited to provide Kiwi Shopify merchants with simple, scalable solutions that enable businesses to authentically and impactfully engage with the TikTok community.

The TikTok app for Shopify will help Shopify's merchants across New Zealand create and run campaigns directly geared toward TikTok's highly engaged community. Through this partnership we're making it easier for Shopify merchants to harness the creativity of the TikTok community, be discovered, and enhance their marketing campaigns. Merchants can now create and implement campaigns for TikTok directly on Shopify without leaving the platform.

Through the TikTok app for Shopify, Kiwi merchants can access core functions of the TikTok For Business Ads Manager all from within Shopify. Highlights include:

  • "1-click" pixel: Shopify merchants can install or connect their TikTok Pixel with the click of a button, making it quicker and easier to track conversions.
  • A one-stop-shop for TikTok campaigns: Merchants can create campaigns, target audiences and track performance in one place.
  • Creative made simple: Everyone has a story to tell on TikTok, and the TikTok app for Shopify enables Shopify merchants to create native, shareable ads that resonate with the community. TikTok's intuitive creative tools help turn merchants' products into high quality TikToks in minutes.
  • Advanced matching: This feature lets Shopify merchants more effectively retarget audiences to better match TikTok ads with website conversions, and enrich audiences for retargeting.

With our TikTok For Business Ads Manager and the TikTok channel app for Shopify now available in New Zealand, we look forward to continuing to support the Kiwi business community as we all build for the future.

Here is what our people, partners and industry leaders have to say:

Brett Armstrong, General Manager, Global Business Solutions, TikTok Australia and New Zealand, said:

"SMBs are recognising the power behind the TikTok platform and are seeking out new ways to engage with our community. The launch of TikTok For Business Ads Manager and TikTok's new Shopify channel app in New Zealand will provide businesses of all sizes with the tools needed to reach our highly engaged and diverse audience. We're constantly exploring new and innovative ways to connect brands and SMBs with consumers, and our self-serve advertising platform is the perfect way to help us grow and expand our offer for Kiwi small businesses and sole traders."

Shaun Broughton, Managing Director - APAC, Shopify, said:

"We are excited to partner TikTok to offer new ways for New Zealand merchants to connect with their customers through interactive content that will immediately and directly impact their bottom line. Through this partnership, local merchants will benefit from new and fun ways to engage with consumers on their preferred platforms and channels.” 

Michael Barnett, Chief Executive at the Auckland Business Chamber, said:

"The self-serve advertising platform is a great tool for Kiwi businesses to promote their products and services in real time. It's low cost, using your own people so you can do it with your own passion and personality. It makes reaching new audiences easy and success more achievable.”

Adam Thompson, owner of Kiwi clothing brand magichollow which was part the Beta testing program for our self-serve ad platform, said:

"Our campaign with TikTok was a way for us to reach diverse new audiences that we have not been able to target through previous marketing tools. Since using TikTok's self-serve advertising platform, it has become one of our highest traffic drivers. Our click through rate is triple that of other platforms we use and the cost of advertising on TikTok has been far more affordable. We are also stoked that the foot traffic into our physical stores has increased too, not to mention our TikTok followers grew by 1000 overnight! Our brand fits well with the creative and positive community on TikTok and we look forward to continuing to grow our audience and inspire people with local and sustainable vintage clothing.”

For more SMB tools, advice and products check out our SMB Hub to help you reach your business goals.

*Source: Nielsen custom Authenticity Study commissioned by TikTok, Persons 18+, 5/1/2020 - 6/19/2020