Shopify released a direct TikTok integration this week, and it presents a significant opportunity for ecommerce brands to get started on new marketing channels. The configuration is straightforward and TikTok is currently offering a $300 credit to Shopify merchants to get started on the platform.

TikTok For Business is working with you to get through these challenging times! We are committed to helping small and medium-sized businesses weather the difficult times. TikTok For Business is providing $100M in ad credit to help SMBs get back on their feet. Eligible customers will receive one-off ad credit worth 300 USD, which can be used until December 31, 2020.

The process to verify as a business is somewhat vague for US based businesses. A business ID is required, along with address and a verification of the business. The first document we provided was a California FTB letter and it was rejected. There are no specific instructions for US based businesses on the help page at this point and the follow up email only communicated that the letter was reject, not any reason for rejection. Hopefully more info will be provided in the future to make the process easier.

To get started with TikTok on Shopify, just install the free TikTok Shopify app(https://apps.shopify.com/tiktok/?ref=ecomloop), which adds TikTok as a new channel. You'll need to connect to a TikTok account - or register a new business account. The configuration process with automatically create and install a Tiktok tracking pixel and

For content, it will likely take some testing to find a message that resonate with users. Neil Patel posted a guide on Tiktok marketing and Tiktok makes it easy to create content, though that doesn't necessarily make it effective.

There was a time not all that long ago when Instagram was viewed as a channel designed for entertainment with an audience too young to matter to ecommerce. Instagram is now the most popular - and most expensive - platform for brands to reach audiences. There's a new, highly engaging platform and the Shopify/TIktok partnership is giving brands the opportunity to find news ways to engage audiences as other channels become more difficult.