TikTok users will soon be able to buy stuff via social networks. The movie app, which is especially popular with young people, wants to keep users active for longer and also to tap into new sources of income.
For now, only a few American, British and Canadian companies can sell stuff via TikTok as a test.
TikTok works together with Shopify for the service. This software company makes it possible to set up web shops and ensure the connection with the video app.
Shopping is a crucial way to earn money for many social media. If companies can sell stuff directly via a social medium, their advertisements on that network also become more effective and therefore more valuable. For example, Facebook and Instagram previously preceded TikTok. Twitter has also experimented with offering goods before.
Instagram announced this week that it is coming with ads in the Shop tab of the app. As a result, the network owned by Facebook has found a new place for advertisements and can therefore sell more. Unfortunately, that also means that Instagram users will encounter more ads. The same will soon apply to TikTok users.