TikTok’s collaboration with Shopify represents a major move by the video-sharing platform to expand its emerging advertisement ecosystem, in addition to signalling another bet on social commerce. As part of the contract, marketers with a TikTok for Business account will be able to operate directly inside Shopify in-feed shoppable video campaigns, the type of cross-platform convergence that could be essential for the efforts of TikTok to build a broader advertisement network that can equal those of competitors in social media.
Although a possible TikTok ban in the U.S. is still expected to come into force on Nov. 12, the relationship between TikTok and Shopify may be an indication that it is not seen by companies as a significant challenge as the courts consider whether to issue an injunction against the ban. For Shopify, without access to the potentially profitable U.S. market for consumer products, the TikTok offer will make less sense, as the company has a global footprint.
The news shows that TikTok is rapidly moving to create TikTok for Business, the global marketing network that it launched in June. The offer centralises the marketing services of TikTok in one location, but opening up new capabilities that are available on Shopify is a degree of versatility that can be welcomed by mobile marketers as they aim to connect their ads closer to sales.
However, it will remain an imperative to maintain the user experience that has made TikTok into a cultural sensation and a favourite of young viewers, and the collaboration could be considered as a significant test of whether users are receptive to more performance-based ads.
This checks whether TikTok can convert viewership to clicks on the websites of the advertiser to create online sales. But TikTok should concentrate on providing a better brand building for advertisers instead of attempting to imitate the template of its competitors, “Kole Ogundipe, Consumer Strategy Director at Croud US Agency, said via email.” The attraction of TikTok, and hence its greatest advertising opportunity, is seamless, user-generated content.
The emphasis needs not to be on clicks, but instead, on how your brand can leave a lasting impact that works with the community while you have a platform that is focused on innovative and engaging content, Ogundipe added.
