TikTok has moved far beyond its “new platform” status. With over a billion active users worldwide, it’s now a core player in the social media mix – and one that businesses can’t afford to ignore.
What began as a space for dance challenges and Gen Z trends has evolved into a serious driver of brand awareness, community engagement, and sales through social commerce.
Social commerce is redefining the customer journey
Buying directly through social media is now second nature. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have become marketplaces in their own right.
Whether a customer completes their purchase in-app or after visiting your website, the journey almost always begins on social media.
Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands are already seeing social commerce account for a growing share of sales – and that trend is only accelerating.
By 2025, global social commerce sales are expected to outpace traditional e-commerce growth. TikTok is leading the charge with shoppable posts, live shopping events, and an algorithm that matches products to highly relevant audiences.
Why TikTok works for business
TikTok’s strength lies in its algorithm and creativity-first approach. It rewards authentic, engaging content, not just big budgets or follower counts — giving smaller brands a real chance to compete.
- High engagement: TikTok regularly outperforms Instagram and Snapchat for time spent and interactions.
- Real conversion: Viral videos translate directly into clicks, saves, and sales.
- Low entry barrier: You don’t need a huge ad spend — just creativity, consistency, and a clear strategy.
The numbers behind the growth
The UK’s social commerce market is booming.
- Worth around £7.4 billion in 2024, it’s projected to more than double to £15.7 billion by 2028. (Source: Retail Economics)
- Over 200,000 UK businesses are now active on TikTok Shop.
- Around 5,000 live shopping sessions take place every day.
- Daily sales have jumped by over 93 % year-on-year.
- Fashion and apparel lead the way, accounting for roughly one-quarter of all TikTok Shop sales.
- More than half of UK consumers (over 56 %) say they’ve purchased through a social or entertainment platform.
These figures highlight one thing: TikTok isn’t just a marketing tool – it’s a sales channel.
Your customers are already there
The average person now spends over two hours a day on social media. If your brand isn’t showing up where your customers spend their time, you’re missing opportunities for visibility, engagement, and growth.
How Visual Identity can help!
Visual Identity helps brands thrive in the social commerce era. Our Social Media Management service is designed to free you up to run your business while we build content that connects, engages, and converts.
From TikTok content planning and creator collaborations to cross-platform social commerce campaigns, we create strategies that transform creativity into measurable growth.
