The Power of TikTok for Ecommerce Growth

When most people think about launching a product, they imagine months (or even years) of planning, branding, and marketing before ever making a sale. But in today’s fast-paced world of social media-driven commerce, that timeline is shrinking—drastically.

For Kate, the founder of Reb Relief, it took just one viral TikTok video to transform a simple prototype into a full-fledged business.

With 1.2 million views in a week, Kate quickly realized she had something people truly wanted. But as any entrepreneur knows, going viral is only the beginning—turning views into revenue is where the real challenge begins.

In this episode of Human in the Loop, hosted by Cameron Yoder from Teikametrics, Kate shares her incredible journey from an idea to a thriving ecommerce brand—all powered by TikTok and Instagram.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an established brand looking to leverage social media for growth, her story is packed with lessons on content strategy, audience engagement, and overcoming obstacles in ecommerce.

From Prototype to Product: The Viral Breakthrough

Kate’s product is a diaper-shaped heating pad designed to provide relief for conditions like endometriosis and PCOS. While it might not have been the product she initially envisioned launching, her journey proves that customer demand should drive product decisions—not the other way around.

She had the idea for a while, but like many entrepreneurs, she hesitated:

“I’m not launching a diaper-shaped heating pad. That’s not going to be my first ecommerce product. That’s so dumb.”

But one day, she decided to share a simple TikTok video showcasing the prototype. The results? Over 1.2 million views in a single week.

The takeaway? You don’t need a perfect product to test the market.

Social media provides a low-risk way to gauge interest before investing in full-scale production. If people are excited and engaging with your content, that’s a strong validation signal.

The Smartest Move She Made: Collecting Emails Before Launch

One of the most common mistakes brands make when going viral is failing to capture leads.

Kate was lucky enough to have a friend who gave her a simple but crucial piece of advice:

“You need to collect emails from that video. If you do nothing, you’re going to have nothing.”

She immediately set up an email funnel, even though she hadn’t manufactured the product yet. That list became her most valuable asset, allowing her to stay connected with potential customers long after the initial excitement of the viral post faded.

Kickstarter Rejection & the Power of Pre-Orders

With momentum building, Kate decided to launch her Kickstarter campaign—a popular crowdfunding method for ecommerce brands.

Everything was set:

• Branding? ✅

• Product ready for production? ✅

• Marketing campaign locked in? ✅

But just three days before launch, she got a devastating email:

🚫 Kickstarter rejected the campaign for making health-related claims. Worse yet, they banned her permanently, with no option to reapply.

Instead of giving up, Kate and her team pivoted immediately.

She found a Shopify app called PreProduct, which allowed her to take pre-orders directly on her own store. Within 24 hours of launching pre-orders, she secured 200 sales.

Content Strategy: What Works (And What Flops) on TikTok?

Kate’s viral success wasn’t random—she identified a repeatable formula that worked for her audience.

What Works on TikTok?

• Hook text + B-roll footage – Her most successful videos start with text overlay on top of simple background footage (e.g., product demos, lifestyle shots).

• Speaking directly to pain points – Mentioning endometriosis and PCOS immediately resonates with her target audience.

• Authenticity over perfection – Videos that feel “real” tend to perform better than overproduced content.

What Flops?

• Overly polished videos – High-production content sometimes feels too much like an ad, which can hurt engagement.

• Trying to be funny for the sake of it – Humor works, but only when it’s genuine and relevant to the audience.

• Ignoring audience signals – Some ideas seem great in theory but fall flat if they don’t align with audience expectations.

TikTok vs. Instagram: What Drives More Sales?

While TikTok was crucial for brand awareness, Kate discovered that Instagram is much better for direct sales.

Why Instagram Converts Better

• Instagram has better automation tools. Features like ManyChat allow brands to auto-reply to comments and send DMs with discount codes—something TikTok doesn’t support.

• Instagram’s audience is older and more conversion-friendly. TikTok skews younger, while Instagram users are more likely to make a purchase.

Quality Over Quantity: The Shift in Content Strategy

Many brands still believe the best way to grow is to post constantly. But Kate found that quality beats quantity.

Rather than posting daily, she focuses on:

• High-impact videos that resonate deeply

• Telling her founder story

• Providing value instead of just chasing trends

The Rise of Founder-Led Content

A major trend she sees in ecommerce is founder-led storytelling—where the brand’s creator shares their journey, struggles, and lessons in a relatable, authentic way.

Her philosophy?

“You are the niche. People don’t follow brands—they follow people.”

Final Advice for Content Creators

Kate’s top tip for ecommerce brands looking to grow on social media?

“Capture your learning moments on camera. Teach as you go.”

Instead of waiting to be an expert, share what you’re learning in real time. This builds trust, positions you as a leader, and creates deeper engagement with your audience.

Conclusion: The TikTok Playbook for Brand Growth

Kate’s journey is a blueprint for using TikTok to build a brand from scratch.

• Test product demand through viral content

• Capture emails immediately to maintain momentum

• Own your audience & don’t rely on third-party platforms

• Use Instagram for sales and TikTok for awareness

• Tell your founder story & prioritize authenticity

Her story proves that building a business doesn’t have to take years—sometimes, all it takes is one viral moment and a willingness to act fast.

Catch the full conversation on the latest episode of Human in the Loop.

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Contact Us: For questions, feedback, or to suggest topics for future episodes, contact our host, Cameron Yoder, on ⁠⁠LinkedIn