TikTok has introduced a feature that allows users to shops for products within the app.
The feature is associated with a sponsored marketing campaign, Hashtag Challenge. It allows creators to sell brands featured in their content, like Uniqlo, Guess or Disney. A separate option allows users to purchase specific featured products within the campaign.
AdWeek reported that Kroger was the first brand to use this feature, in partnership with influencers Joey Klaasen, Cosette Rinab, Mia Finney and Victoria Bachlet.
Kroger’s sponsored content was available to be seen on the Discovery page for a week, which has seen the page gain over 477 million views with content from Official creators, and users wanting to join the trend.
On the content sponsored by Kroger, a Discover tab directed viewers to an in-window scrollable row of products, with a Shop Now link opening up a website to purchase the items.
The short-form vertical video platform has a user base of over 500 million, and following Kroger’s campaign, it is to be expected that the introduction of in-app purchasing will benefit creators and TikTok.
However, a spokesperson for TikTok spoke to TechCrunch and declined to comment on whether other campaigns using the purchasing feature are upcoming.
Natural fit
The update follows TikTok partnering with social and mobile marketing agency, WeQ.
“TikTok is fast-becoming one of the most important social platforms for Gen Z and Millenials. It was a natural fit to partner with TikTok for more exclusive access to video ads inventory and influencers across its growing platform to create premium branded campaigns for our global clients," said WeQ Influencers managing director Elena Kutsopal.
The agency, that aims to assist campaigns with TikTok influencers commented on the future of advertising in-app stating, “advertisers would only need to run 2-3 video ads of 8-10 seconds each, add tracking links and set their goal - we would then help to optimise and scale the results, to achieve the set goals. We’re thrilled by the partnership and with the continued collaboration that we’ll have with the TikTok team.”
