Introduction

TikTok Shop is booming, and Somerce’s community-based creator model shows how small influencers can drive huge sales growth.

What’s the Problem It Solves?

Most brands fail on TikTok Shop because they only gift creators once or chase big names without building long-term relationships. Somerce fixes this by creating active, loyal creator communities that post regularly and boost sales sustainably.

Quick Summary

Somerce, a UK agency founded in 2024, quickly scaled to managing 55+ client accounts across the UK, U.S., and Europe. Their secret is treating creators not as one-off promoters, but as community partners. Instead of depending on celebrity influencers, Somerce nurtures thousands of small and mid-sized creators who post often and feel connected to the brands they represent.

This approach pays off in categories like beauty, where demand is high and creators influence buyers directly. For example, Somerce built a 1,200-member creator community for Glow For It, with hundreds posting content each month. A campaign featuring creator Kyra-Mae proved that smaller creators amplifying a big influencer can create more sales than the influencer alone.

As TikTok Shop matures, creators now expect payment, and big brands spend large sums on affiliates. Somerce adapts with a tiered approach: paying top performers while motivating smaller creators with rewards, competitions, and partnerships. They’ve even expanded into studios and plan to launch a SaaS platform to help brands and creators manage live shopping.

Key Takeaways

• TikTok Shop is growing fast, with beauty and fashion leading sales.
• Small creators can drive huge sales when managed as part of a larger community.
• A strong creator community posts 2.5-7+ times a month, creating ongoing momentum.
• Tiered influencer strategies (paid stars + active micro-creators) work best.
• Campaigns that connect big and small creators multiply results.
• Building trust and consistency with creators beats one-off gifting.

What to Do

• Treat creators as long-term partners, not one-time promoters.
• Build a dedicated creator community for your brand, managed like a customer community.
• Use a mix of top-tier paid influencers and smaller engaged creators.
• Incentivize creators with cash, product rewards, and competitions.
• Design campaigns that let smaller creators amplify the influence of bigger names.
• Shift focus from discounts to community-driven trust for lasting success.

‍