TikTok continues to expand its marketing capabilities, moving closer to full monetisation with a new test of options to add links into user bios, as well as eCommerce URLs, directly into uploaded videos. This Beta test is currently available to select influencers in the US.
In the example, below, “Huxley the Panda Puppy” has a link to ‘www.pandaloon.com/pets‘, but there’s also a tappable link to Pandaloon Costumes in the video, alongside a shopping cart icon. Once tapped, it takes you through to an Amazon page where users would be able to buy the costume(s) in the video.
There is currently no official update on when this will be available to all marketers. However, this new addition could open a lot of opportunities for TikTok creators, allowing them to drive referral traffic as well as get a true measure of performance. Instagram and Snapchat have both explored ways to address this, and TikTok adding in the same feature could help keep it in touch with its established players and maximise its trending status.
According to the latest data from Sensor Tower, TikTok has reached 1.5 billion downloads worldwide, making it the third most downloaded (non-gaming) app of the year, after WhatsApp and Messenger.
The lack of monetisation opportunities was a key factor that killed other short-form video apps like Vine, which is why this is an important move for TikTok. While various questions still remain about the long-term viability of the app, it’s clearly not holding back on rolling out monetisation tools and striking while the iron is hot.
Currently, the app remains an intriguing and potentially valuable paid social media option, and is definitely a consideration for brands whose key audience is those on TikTok for their 2020 marketing efforts.
If you think your business could benefit from running paid social activity on TikTok, then get in touch with our Paid Social team today!