What if we told you TikTok could be used for more than just that midday scroll? We’ll do you one better, what if we told you scrolling TikTok could be a great way to uncover what consumers have to say about your subscription offering?
TikTok’s rise as a discovery tool is part of a broader transformation in digital search. Spin this to your own advantage and use TikTok to search for what types of subscriptions are resonating with shoppers.
Get ready friends, we dove off the deep end and identified several ways TikTok can help you get the inside scoop on the latest in subscriptions.
They’re telling us what they want, what they really really want
While the following video focuses solely on subscriptions through Amazon, it can give brands an idea of what kinds of products customers are interested in. Let’s say you’re trying to decide which of your products you want to offer on subscription, it’s videos like this that allow you to identify what types of products customers are subscribing to and can help you determine which of your own products will be the most successful.
@erinbryana It makes mom life much easier! And saves me $$#amazonfinds #subscribeandsave #momlife #amazonmusthaves #dailyroutine #savetime ♬ Super Freaky Girl – Nicki Minaj
Are deals dealbreakers?
4AM skincare co-founder, Jade Beguelin talks about being a creature of habit and how she’s constantly on the hunt for the best items. Once an item has been found, she is more than happy to subscribe so there is no worrying about having to go without. Jade isn’t the only customer out there with this mindset.
@jadebeguelin there is no category here it’s just good #subscription #upgrade #personalcare #food ♬ original sound – Jade Beguelin
This goes to show that “subscribing and saving” doesn’t have to be the cornerstone of a solid subscription offering. Deals don’t build relationships and they certainly aren’t enough to keep shoppers around for the long term. You’ve got to strike a balance between a great product, and an enticing introductory offer, then start building that relationship with a strong loyalty program, engaging content, and relevant communication.
Members-only vibes, please
Giving customers the best experience possible will always be one of the most important things you do as a merchant. We can expect brands to double down on experience and one of the ways they can do that is by creating a “membership” or “VIP club” to be used alongside their subscription program. Take a look at what marketing and PR whiz, Kira Jackson has to say about memberships vs subscriptions.
@kiramackenz Brands need a membership program *and* a subscription model 🚨💳 This allows them to balance a community of evangelists with optimized sales and LTV 👯♀️💰 The two feed into each other & serve as a foundation for cross-selling, as well as like-minded, non-competing brand partnerships 🫱🏼🫲🏽 #subscriptions #membership #brandstrategy #investortiktok #venturecapital #marketing #kiramackenzie ♬ original sound – kiramackenzie
Brands will offer membership access with a subscription purchase. Through this membership, brands can take the VIP treatment a step further with exclusive offers, content, and products.
Look, churn happens
It’s not always goodbye, sometimes it’s just see you later. Subscriptions in this economy are challenging, but with the right approach, you can win customers back even if they decide to part ways with you.
If you’ve taken the time to build a proper foundation with the shopper then there’s a good chance you can win them back in the future. There are also so many reasons customers churn, one of the biggest being they just had too much product.
@sarahwhatsup It’s my own fault every month this happens and every month I forget to turn it off #amazon #subscribeandsave #hoarding ♬ original sound – Amazon
Does your subscription program offer subscribers the option to push deliveries back, pause or skip a month? If not, this may be a good time to look into adding it as an option or migrating to a subscription provider that allows for this.
Lean on me… or other brands
When in doubt, check out what other businesses are doing. Social platforms have provided us with unexpected resources and fellow brands are jumping on TikTok to broadcast their ideas, their struggles, and, of course, their successes.
Check out how Curl Vitality is sampling its products to customers through its Curls Monthly subscription offering. The brand started this initiative to create an environmentally focused solution to the confusing, and often wasteful, challenge of finding the perfect products for their customers’ hair.
@curlvitality Replying to @acard4 packing August orders this entire weekend! Youll get them early next week! 🥂 #packingorders #smallbusinesstiktok #hairtok ♬ Angel – Shaggy
We’ll wrap this up with one final video absolutely swimming in innovation. Ever hear of the sunset subscription? Yeah, us either, but we have to say IdeaDrop Podcast might be onto something here. Hear them out, it’s a subscription that depreciates the longer you stay subscribed until you reach the wholesale price.
@ideadroppodcast It gets cheaper the LONGER you stay loyal💡Watch full episode: link in bio! #ideadroppodcast #findyourgrace #businessidea #nourisheveryyou #subscription #subscriptionbox #loyalcustomer #fyp ♬ Chill Vibes – Tollan Kim
Happy scrolling, friends.
