Lessons From The #1 TikTok Shop Store In The US

Introduction

In a recent conversation with Paul How, co-founder of BK Beauty, insights were shared on the impressive achievements related to their brand, particularly surrounding TikTok Shop. The brand has been remarkably successful, boasting several significant milestones. Among them, an eight-hour live TikTok selling event led by Paul's wife, Lisa, ducked under the spotlight while they were able to generate impressive gross merchandise value (GMV), achieving the number one GMV generating TikTok live for the day.

In addition to this success, BK Beauty has partnered with Maybelline for a TikTok Shop exclusive bundle. Moreover, they gained visibility by appearing on popular shows like Good Morning America and The View. The brand has seen explosive growth that began with a mere million dollars in revenue back in 2020. Paul credits a significant part of this growth to their early adoption and strategic use of TikTok Shop as a distribution channel.

Building a Foundation in the Creator Ecosystem

Paul emphasized that the journey of BK Beauty began in 2019, founded by his wife, a professional makeup artist, and himself, with an aim to educate consumers on makeup while establishing their product line. Their core products consist mainly of makeup brushes known for high-quality and respective usage in tutorials, making them visually appealing in influencer videos.

Prior to TikTok Shop launching, the brand had already developed strong relationships within the Creator ecosystem, primarily through YouTube, which laid the groundwork for their successful entry into TikTok. for the past several years, they have engaged with influencers not through transactional relationships, but through organic partnerships, sending products for creators to use and incorporate in their content. The idea was simple; get their products into the hands of as many creators as possible, which in return would create broad exposure for the brand.

When TikTok Shop launched, BK Beauty was positioned perfectly. They had already established a significant creator network so as the platform began to reward authentic connections, their products and the content surrounding it began to gain a transformative level of visibility.

The Creator Economy and Social Commerce

The essence of BK Beauty's strategy can be distilled into understanding the evolving path to the consumer. In the present landscape of social commerce, followers no longer visit retail counters to decide; they rely instead on the content creators they follow. This fundamental shift has altered marketing dynamics, which means familiarity with these creators can lead consumers directly to a brand.

As the brand recognized their growth in branded search volume — particularly on apps like Amazon — it was clear that they were successfully creating demand for their products. Viewing these platforms as tools to further amplify their product reach aligns with the development of their internal capabilities.

As they continue to enhance their presence on various platforms, including live stream selling, they highlight the importance of knowing and nurturing internal superpowers within the brand. As Paul noted, every time they get their products into the hands of more creators, the snowball effect accelerates their visibility and sales.

Embracing New Opportunities

Looking ahead, BK Beauty remains focused on innovations such as live selling, where they can interact with consumers directly and boost real-time sales, effectively becoming skilled in a new avenue of sales. With a commitment to understanding platforms and executing strategies that engage audiences, it becomes clearer how BK Beauty has evolved into the number-one TikTok Shop store in the US.

The overarching lesson is that while launching on a new platform can be enticing, it is the groundwork laid prior — through relationships, community building, and a core understanding of one’s product and audience — that makes a real difference. As exemplified by the success of BK Beauty, radical focus and leveraging the existing creator landscape can unlock significant growth.

Keywords

• BK Beauty
• TikTok Shop
• Creator Ecosystem
• Social Commerce
• Influencer Marketing
• Live Streaming
• Product Seeding
• Customer Engagement

FAQ

What is BK Beauty? BK Beauty is a cosmetics brand co-founded by Paul and Lisa How that specializes in makeup tools, particularly makeup brushes.

How did BK Beauty leverage TikTok Shop for growth? BK Beauty utilized TikTok Shop to engage with creators and customers directly, capitalizing on the relationships built before its inception. The brand's appearance on various shows and partnerships helped establish its credibility.

What is the significance of product seeding in influencer marketing? Product seeding involves sending products to influencers without direct expectations, allowing them to feature the products organically based on their genuine experience and connection to the brand.

What are the key elements of BK Beauty's strategy? The key elements include relationship building within the creator community, leveraging organic influencer marketing, understanding consumer paths, and adapting to new sales avenues like live streaming.

How has BK Beauty evolved over the years? Since its launch in 2019, BK Beauty has seen exponential growth from $ 1 million in annual revenue to becoming the number one TikTok Shop store in the US, largely through strategic marketing and community engagement.