thread Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media in Event Discussions

Ask a Square Champion Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

Tom — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:27:09 GMT

Hello Seller Community!

Looking to learn from business owners like yourself? I'm thrilled to introduce a new pilot event series: Square Champion "Ask Me Anythings (AMAs)."

Square Champion AMAs are “Ask Me Anything” style forum discussions where you can ask real-life business owners and experts about their strategy and lived experiences. Each event will feature a different Square Square Champion and have an accompanying theme where they're knowledgeable. On Tuesday, February 7, we focused on TikTok and social media with Sugar Lab Bake Shop.📱

Meet Ali, the biologist-turned-owner of Sugar Lab Bake Shop (@sugarlab in the Seller Community). Ali and her mother have been in business since April 2012. They've found success promoting and managing their business marketing on TikTok over the last few years — with multiple viral posts reaching millions of viewers! Learn more about how they started their business here. 🧪🍰

Ali shared her experience and shared her tips for getting started, maintaining relationships, and social media strategy.

Please note that Sugar Lab Bake Shop is not an employee or consultant of Square. The information they provide solely reflects their views and is not endorsed by Square. This Q&A is limited in scope and is only intended as a high-level overview of the topics discussed.

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

Lovewell — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 23:46:18 GMT

This is so exciting!! We LOVE Ali! We use @sugarlab for all sorts of fun seasonal cookies and treats and she always makes our vision come true!! Will definitely be tuning in to watch this! Yay Ali for being the first Super Seller AMA!!!!

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

Doran — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 19:26:32 GMT

What equipment do you use to make videos and how did you figure out a good posting schedule?

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

Stacelyn24 — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:12:48 GMT

This is incredible...one day when my business really starts scaling I hope to be featured...that would be a big accomplishment for me. In the meantime, congrats to Ali and her mother. I have a couple questions:

1. What are the best time to post to TikTok? I know it can be based off location but there has to be a general rule of thumb...what hashtags do you use use (if any)?

2. Can you auto post to TikTok?

3. How do set up your content calendar to have time to create and post these viral sensations?

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

sugarlab — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:19:44 GMT

Aww shucks! Answers will be typed and then responded to on the 7th but I'm currently trying to figure out the easiest and most helpful way to do a Live video content that could be posted later too.

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

JUYBoutique20 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:14:00 GMT

Is it better to have a business account or an influencer account? I started with a business account and the music options are horrible. I changed to an influencer account, and I now have all the top music releases.

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

newlinecheckout — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 16:10:00 GMT

This is great info @Lovewell about Ali, just wanted to add up that you can also leverage TikTok to spread love about your mobile app. By this, you can not only make sure your customers are aware of your app and its features, but you can also create a connection with them through your branded app. This connection can help build brand loyalty. As a small business owner, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and make sure your customers are able to access your products and services quickly and easily. One of the best ways to do this is by having a mobile app that allows ordering.

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

doc_choc — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 18:29:45 GMT

What kind of apps do you use if any to enable simultaneous posting on Tic Toc and across the SM platforms, instagram, FB etc

Also we have found using SM for our business very time intensive with little tangible commercial return for our effort. Do you find SM for your business delivers a real measurable uplift in sales or just a nice to have allowing you to communicate with your followers what you have are doing and that you are still trading?

I really need to find out if I should keep putting the effort in or direct resource to areas of the budiness we know can deliver commercially.

Thank you 😊

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

SMArcher — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 20:03:34 GMT

How long did it take to get a large following on tiktok?

Do you pay someone to do your tiktok posts?

What tips do you have to get started?

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

rjonin — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:55:49 GMT

I love this @Tom!

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

bela2 — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 13:40:15 GMT

How does having a business account compare to having an influencer account? Is it better to have one of each? It seems like there aren't any music options for the business account I started with. It was a great experience switching to an influencer account, and now I have access to all the top releases in music.

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

301drinks — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:12:10 GMT

Love this

301drinks.com

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

newlinecheckout — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:43:43 GMT

Hi Phillip! You are totally right that posting on SM one by one is very time consuming and doesn't have a clear return. Many businesses have given me feedback that SMS can be an even more effective channel because it is more direct to your loyal customers. But the following is key to get more results from SMS:

1. Your SMS must be automated. If you send them one by one, it is hard to know when to send them or what to say. Automated SMS lets you stay connected to your customers without having to keep working on it, like with social media.

2. It is critical to give 100% of your customers an easy way to give you their phone to get SMS marketing from you. SMS is a numbers game so the more phones you have the better. A common way to easily get phones from every guest is with self-ordering kiosks. With SM, it is hard to convert all your customers to follow you since the process isn't integrated to your ordering workflow.

3. SMS is most effective when paired with push notifications. This way customers get repeat exposure to your message on the most valuable piece of real estate your brand can get: their mobile phones! Feel free to check out the Orda mobile app builder for Square other tips on different marketing channels that may be helpful for you!

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

Indolentlynx — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 01:12:51 GMT

Has anyone become profitable using their square online website?

Just finished setting my site. It took a year to build and I haven't gotten actual sales from it.

My website: https://www.indolentlynxgift.com/

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

doc_choc — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 11:21:37 GMT

Unfortunately for the majority of online retail businesses there is a lot of marketing required to firstly drive awareness of your business, so reaching your target audience and secondly to build confidence in your business ie you are reputable and reliable etc.

So now you have the technical aspect with the help of Square Online nailed, it's time now to market your company to get those customers landing on your site whether that is through social media, mailing lists and newsletters or more traditional marketing methods.

Also SEO may be worth working on to get yourself better visibility with the search engines.

Good luck 👍

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

HollywoodPhoto — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:21:14 GMT

Hello. I’m a local photo studio. So I need local clients come in the store and I work with them face to face. How do you focus your reach to local clients. We don’t use TikTok because of how time consuming it looks but if we could benefit locally, could be one way to drive business. ( is that almost two questions:)

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

Jamilla — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:23:15 GMT

What have been the best content planning strategies for you this past year?

What apps/tools do you use to organize and plan what you’re going to post?

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

mommaspantry — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:31:17 GMT

It’s hard to keep up with work and content creating. What are some strategies you use for time management?

Also, are hashtags important for views on TikTok? If so, what are some hashtags you’d suggest?

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

ATG719 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:34:41 GMT

How would advice an Independent Home Remodeling Contractor to promote content ie before and after pictures or videos?

Re: Ask a Super Seller Anything: Candid Experiences on TikTok & Social Media

kateframer — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:50:08 GMT

My question for Sugarlab is this... How do you feel about the concerns in the news about TikTok being a Chinese owned entity and the possibility of data collection and the banning of its use by some states and the military? While I am onboard with SM marketing and the viability of reaching a broad market, I can't help but wonder how others feel about this topic. Thanks!