TikTok is the latest social media platform to focus on ecommerce. TikTok unveiled its shopping platform at its inaugural World event, with new tools to help brands and merchants sell to TikTok’s users. The release is a culmination of recent efforts to integrate shopping into TikTok.
Social commerce on TikTok looks promising. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has over 5 billion views. TikTok claims its users are 1.7-times more likely to have purchased the products they discover through the app as compared to other social platforms.
Here is a list of new shopping tools from TikTok. For goods and services that appeal to a younger demographic, TikTok may fulfill the long-heralded promise of social commerce.
TikTok Shopping
TikTok Shopping is a comprehensive service — from product upload to fulfillment. TikTok has been testing this service in Indonesia, and now it’s available in the U.K. as well.
Later this year, TikTok will release a Shopping API, allowing merchants to integrate their product catalogs directly into TikTok.
Merchants can also connect third-party ecommerce platforms and product catalogs through TikTok partnerships. Shopify began a partnership earlier this year. TikTok has announced new partnerships with Square, Ecwid, and PrestaShop. Additionally, Wix, Shopline, OpenCart, and Base will be available soon.
Product Links
Product Links spotlight products within a video so that followers can see the product in action and immediately make a purchase. Merchants can display multiple product links in any video containing those items. Viewers can explore featured products without leaving the app.
Collection Ads
Collection Ads allow businesses to include product cards in their In-Feed Ads. Viewers that select an item in a card see a fast-loading instant gallery page, where they can browse and purchase more items. This fast-loading catalog experience can feature seasonal deals, share limited-time offers, and showcase items.
Dynamic Showcase Ads
Dynamic Showcase Ads let businesses automatically promote thousands of products targeted at user interests and activity, such as viewing a product or adding to a cart.
TikTok’s new partnership with Productsup lets brands integrate their product catalogs to create Dynamic Showcase Ads. TikTok’s marketing partner Shakr will provide templates and services to help brands run Dynamic Showcase Ads campaigns with high-volume product catalogs.
Live Shopping
Live Shopping allows merchants to seamlessly integrate their products from TikTok Shopping into a live stream. Connect with an audience in real-time, engage followers, and help users to discover new products.
Lead Generation
TikTok’s Lead Generation service lives within In-Feed Ads, making it easy for users interested in a brand or product to share their contact information securely.
TikTok’s new partnerships with Zapier and Leadsbridge allow leads generated through TikTok to flow directly into a customer management platform in real-time, bypassing the need to download or manage data manually.