TikTok strengthens e-commerce, aims for big screen

TikTok is poised to challenge Facebook in the US as the short-video-sharing app launches a big push into e-commerce this year.

The company, owned by China’s ByteDance, is reportedly introducing new features to help it springboard into the sector. These include automatic commissions for influencers sharing product links, and allowing product-link shares even for users not associated with a brand, according to the FT.

The details

• TikTok also plans to roll out livestreaming, a wildly popular way to shop in China, where viewers buy products with just a couple of taps after being shown them by celebrity hosts. 
• Reports also suggest the app will introduce a “self-service” ad tool, allowing brands to place their own ads, rather than through another party. It also plans to introduce better ad targeting tools and user tracking.
• Meanwhile, TikTok is aiming to extend and diversify its audience by bringing its social media stars to the living room in France, Germany and the UK. It’s launching a version of its app on a number of brands of Android smart TVs. 

Top takeaway

“With TikTok you are looking at campaigns in the billions [of views]. Most of the time on other platforms . . . the campaigns are in the millions.” Karyn Spencer, chief marketing officer at influencer marketing group Whalar.

Sourced from Whalar