The short answer
For a brand-new store, organic Instagram and TikTok come down to five habits:
- Set up a business account with a clear bio and your store link.
- Post short videos that show the product, not just pretty photos.
- Post on a steady schedule you can actually keep.
- Talk to people. Reply to comments and DMs fast, and guide them to checkout.
- Keep it honest. Label paid or gifted creator posts the way the FTC requires.
You won't go viral on day one, and you don't need to. Your first 10 sales usually come from a small group of people who saw your product a few times and trusted you.
Step 1: Set up your accounts for selling
Instagram: switch to a professional account and choose Business. Instagram's own help page explains that business accounts are meant for retailers and brands and unlock insights, ads and messaging tools. Connecting a Facebook Page is optional, but it makes ads and shopping tools easier later.
TikTok: a business account gives you analytics and access to TikTok's business tools.
On both, keep the profile simple:
- Name and photo: your store name and logo, the same everywhere.
- Bio: one line on what you sell and who it's for, like "Handmade soy candles for small apartments. Ships across the US."
- Link: your store or a specific best-seller page. If you're starting your store from scratch, set it up before you start posting so every visit has somewhere to land.
Step 2: Decide what to post
People buy what they can picture in their own life. The formats that work for small sellers are usually simple:
- Product in use. 10–20 seconds showing the item doing its job.
- Behind the scenes. Packing an order, making a batch, sourcing materials.
- Problem and fix. "If your desk cables look like this..." then show the product.
- Answers to real questions. Turn every comment question into its own short video.
- Unboxing and details. Close-ups of texture, size next to a familiar object, what's in the box.
Good visuals matter, but a phone is enough. See our guide to product photos with your phone; the same lighting tips work for video.
For ideas, TikTok's free Creative Center shows trending hashtags, sounds and top-performing ads in your category, so you can see what's resonating without guessing.
Step 3: Pick a schedule you can keep
Consistency beats bursts. A realistic starting plan for a one-person store:
- 3–5 short videos a week, posted to both TikTok and Instagram Reels.
- Stories a few times a week on Instagram for quick updates, restocks and polls.
- One batch session a week where you film several clips at once.
Check your analytics every week. Keep making more of the videos people watch to the end, comment on, save or share, and drop formats that consistently flop.
Step 4: Turn attention into orders
Views don't pay the bills. Make buying easy:
- Say how to buy. End videos with a clear line like "Link in bio" or "Comment SIZE and I'll DM you the link."
- Reply fast. Answer comments and DMs the same day. A quick, friendly reply is often what turns a curious viewer into a buyer.
- Send people to the right page. Link the exact product, not just your homepage.
- Make your product page answer the questions. Price in USD, shipping time and cost, and your return policy. Our guides on writing product descriptions and setting up shipping help here.
- Capture the people not ready to buy. Offer an email signup so you can follow up later. See email marketing basics.
What about in-app shops?
Both Instagram and TikTok offer ways to sell inside the app, but they come with eligibility rules. Meta, for example, lists commerce eligibility requirements: you must follow its policies, represent a real business and domain, be in a supported country and show trustworthiness. Start with a link to your own store, which works for everyone, and add in-app shopping later if you qualify.
Step 5: Work with creators the honest way
Sending free products to small creators in your niche can be a great early boost. Just keep it legal. The FTC's Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers says a creator must clearly disclose a relationship with your brand, including free or discounted products, not only cash. Disclosures should be easy to see, placed with the post itself (not buried in hashtags or only in a bio), and inside the video for video content. Words like "ad," "sponsored" or "Thanks to [brand] for the free product" are clear; vague tags like "sp" or "collab" are not.
Also: never buy followers, fake reviews or fake comments. It breaks platform rules and the trust you're trying to build.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Only posting product photos with prices. Show the product in real life instead.
- Posting and disappearing. Engagement in the first hour matters; stick around to reply.
- Sending everyone to your homepage. Link the product people just saw.
- Chasing every trend. Use trends that fit your product and audience; skip the rest.
- Giving up after two weeks. Organic growth compounds. Give a schedule at least a couple of months before judging it.
Where Newcomer fits
Social posts get attention; your store has to close the sale. Newcomer builds a clean, fast store with product pages written for Google and AI search, so the people you send from Instagram and TikTok land on a page that answers their questions and makes checkout easy. Pair this with our guide to getting your first 100 customers.
Ready to give your social traffic somewhere great to land? Start your store with Newcomer.
Questions, answered.
Do I need ads to get sales on Instagram or TikTok?
No. Many small stores get their first sales organically by posting short product videos consistently, replying quickly to comments and DMs, and linking straight to the product page. Ads can help later once you know which products and messages work.
Should I use a business or creator account?
For a store, choose a business account. Instagram says business accounts are best for retailers and brands and give access to insights, ads and messaging tools. TikTok business accounts also unlock analytics and business tools.
How often should a new store post?
Pick a pace you can keep, such as three to five short videos a week cross-posted to TikTok and Instagram Reels. Consistency over months matters more than posting a lot for one week.
Do creators have to label posts about free products I send them?
Yes. The FTC says creators must clearly disclose any material connection to a brand, including free or discounted products, in a way that is hard to miss and placed with the post itself.
Can I sell directly inside Instagram or TikTok?
Sometimes. In-app shops have eligibility rules, such as Meta's commerce eligibility requirements. A link to your own store works for everyone, so start there and add in-app shopping if you qualify.