TikTok has added a new element to its Marketing Partners Program, with Smartly.io coming on board as its inaugural video shopping ads partner, providing yet another pathway for TikTok to facilitate in-stream commerce. At this point, you have to give it credit for tenacity. It looks like TikTok has no plans of abandoning or deviating from its plans to try and inculcate live commerce in the West.
A Smart Move
As seen from official screenshots, TikTok Video Shopping Ads guide users from a video clip to check-out in the app, streamlining the shopping process within the TikTok Feed. Smartly’s integration will allow brands to integrate their various offers, again, further simplifying the shop process.
“After months of product optimizations and collaboration with TikTok, Smartly.io’s Video Shopping Ads offering is now available for all commerce and retail advertisers to use in their TikTok campaigns. Smartly.io’s Video Shopping Ads solution allows advertisers to have access to automated workflows that help them to scale, optimize, and test ads that drive results.”
Smartly’s tools also facilitate connection with relevant TikTok creators to build campaigns, along with automated creative elements. Now, via a direct partnership with TikTok, Smartly’s TikTok ad offerings will supply creators with even greater connective capacity, which could prove hugely beneficial for those looking to sell directly in the app.
Again, in-stream commerce is one of TikTok’s biggest focuses, hoping to follow the success attained by its Chinese sister app, ‘Douyin.’ Direct sales has become Douyin’s key revenue driver, while also providing a significant opportunity to get creators to earn from their audience. However, Chinese market trends don’t always translate, and thus far, TikTok hasn’t been able to emulate Douyin’s results.
TikTok was forced to even scale back its commerce program in Europe because of a lack of user interest. Meanwhile, TikTok’s now taking a more cautious approach to the same, at least in the US. Part of the issue could be the wariness around sharing financial details in the app, given the ongoing conversations about its potential links to Chinese spy activity. Overall, it just seems like many people want to really buy or shop within social apps, at least not right now.
The Wrap
This innate aversion will likely change over time, as younger generations who are more accustomed to spending time online move into more lucrative demographics. But as things stand right now, it remains a key hurdle to the app’s broader monetization plans. Perhaps, through this new integration, will help shift the needle, and get more businesses to list their products in the app, which could spark a bigger habitual shift. It’s not impossible to think that this would eventually gain momentum at some stage, but until that happens, no one can say for certain if it’ll actually happen. Hey, if you’re just out for a good experiment, then TikTok x Smartly is open now for trials!
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