Cristina Bertagna and Melina Lee from TikTok marketing agency Nonsensical discuss how childrenswear retailers can use the social media app to boost sales, drive footfall and build community.

 

CWB: Who is Nonsensical?

Nonsensical is an award-winning UK TikTok marketing agency that gets brands results on TikTok. With 40+ TikTok specialists across the UK, from creatives, strategists and live streamers to media buyers and TikTok Shop experts, we bring deep, platform native knowledge to every brief. We handle social media for brands on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, and our TikTok services include strategy, advertising, TikTok Shop, influencer partnerships and in-house training.

CWB: What TikTok content works for childrenswear retailers?

Shopping hauls are great for showcasing multiple pieces in a natural, relatable way. Tying them to occasions like Back to School, holidays or birthdays, helps parents visualise full outfits rather than single items. With appropriate permissions, capturing genuine reactions from kids when they receive or try on the clothes adds an emotional, authentic layer. Family Get Ready With Me’s (GRWM) perform really well, as they blend routine with storytelling. Daily affirmations are increasingly popular and offer a feel-good content angle. Pairing confidence-boosting messages with kids wearing the outfits can help position a retailer around self-expression and positivity, rather than just clothing. It’s subtle, shareable, and aligns well with parents looking for meaningful content.

CWB: How can TikTok help retailers build trust with parents?

Live shopping is a powerful way to build trust in real-time. Retailers can showcase product quality, sizing and fit while answering questions from parents instantly. Partnering with trusted influencers and creators also allows products to be shown in a real-life context. TikTok Shop streamlines the buying process by letting parents discover and purchase all in one place, with access to reviews, ratings and affiliate/creator-tagged content. This seamless experience helps build confidence and encourages conversion.

CWB: How should a retailer choose hero products for TikTok?

Bestsellers are a great place to start. Proven products already have demand, which makes them ideal for TikTok. CSI (Creator Search Insights) is a valuable tool for understanding what users are searching for and engaging with on TikTok. It can help identify rising product categories, styles or keywords, allowing retailers to align hero products with current demand. TikTok thrives on timely, relevant content. Select products you can create content for that tie in around specific times in the year, giving a clear reason why customers might need the item there and then.

 

 

CWB: How can TikTok be used to attract customers to a physical store?

For driving local footfall, organic content should be the priority. It allows retailers to show up authentically in local feeds and build familiarity over time. Location tagging and hashtags work best on organic content, helping TikTok to categorise it geographically. Focus on content that speaks directly to your local audience, such as highlighting regular customers, staff, or leaning into what makes your store unique.

CWB: How can retailers merge online and in-store experiences?

If possible, create engaging, employee-generated content (EGC). Featuring real staff helps build familiarity, so when customers visit, they feel like they already know the people. Exclusive offers for TikTok viewers are a strong way to convert online engagement into physical footfall, giving users an incentive to visit in-store rather than just browse online. Anything around limited-time offers or events will help drive urgency. Retailers should use TikTok to showcase the experience of visiting, not just the products, helping position the store as a destination and giving people a reason to visit beyond purchasing.

CWB: What’s the best way to build a TikTok community?

It starts with organic content that feels native to the platform. It’s about finding the right Tok (niche) for your business that speaks directly to a parent audience. Community comes from trust, not pressure. Content should focus on storytelling and value, with products naturally woven in rather than pushed. When choosing creators, the most important factor isn’t just reach, it’s consistency and alignment. Long-term partnerships tend to outperform one-off posts, so look for creators who can show up regularly and reflect your values, tone and audience.

CWB: What common mistakes should retailers avoid?

One of the biggest is treating TikTok like a sales channel. Overly promotional content can feel out of place and quickly turn audiences off. Instead, focus on your purpose first – entertaining, educating or inspiring – and weave the product in naturally. TikTok rewards consistency, so aim to show up frequently and build a recognisable presence over time. Simply reposting content from other platforms without adapting it to TikTok often underperforms. Content should feel native to TikTok’s style and align with your tone of voice, otherwise it can seem inauthentic or too promotional. While trends can be powerful, not all of them will suit your audience, and forcing trends that don’t align can feel unnatural. TikTok is a two-way platform. Not responding to comments or engaging with your audience is a missed opportunity to build relationships, answer questions and boost visibility. Active engagement is key to fostering a loyal community.

CWB: How can interested parties connect with you?

They can visit our website, email us on hello@nonsensical.agency, and find us on LinkedIn and Substack: The TikTok Sauce, where we post regular insights on what’s actually working on TikTok.